At North American Bison, our goal is to partner with respected independent ranchers who raise bison naturally and humanely to help us bring the very best to your plate. That’s exactly what local rancher Ryan Homelvig strives for daily. We are proud to partner with Ryan and his entire family.
What does raising bison mean to you and your family?
Raising bison is a really cool way of life. It’s fun because of the rarity of it and the animal is such a majestic beast.
Can you share the name of your ranch and how long you have owned it?
Our ranch is named Kenmar Bison Ranch, LLP. Doc Throlson retired in November 2006, and my dad Lynn Homelvig and I leased the ranch for five years. In 2011, I entered into a partnership with Wayne and Peter Cook and bought the ranch. I run the ranch with the help of my nephew Dylan Rossow and one hired man who works two days a week.
What kinds of practices are you implementing in terms of sustainability and humane treatment?
We try to cell graze as much as possible. We catch our cows twice a year and our calves three times a year; otherwise, they’re on their own.
My nephew Dylan, my dad (Lynn Homelvig), and I recently bought GNR Grain and Feed that is located right here in New Rockford. We are experimenting with feed and trying new rations in hopes of producing a higher quality product faster for our animals. We’re hoping this will, in turn, give us higher yields on our animals.
What does your partnership with TenderBison mean to you?
It’s huge. They’ve been so good to work with to get animals in, and they care about us ranchers and want to see us make money too. They do a quality job that I think is above everyone else. They put out a good product under the TenderBison brand with a great sustainability mission and effort in their business model.
It’s great that TenderBison is doing what they are doing by expanding their availability and distribution of the bison meat business. We’re lucky to have a smaller industry, so we hold a steadier price instead of having a rollercoaster price like the beef industry.
What things would you like people to know about bison as a product?
It’s super healthy and tasty! Once you know how to cook it, it’s good stuff. There’s less to worry about because there are no growth hormones or antibiotics.
Why would you tell someone to choose bison over beef?
Overall, bison is a healthier product with less fat, more protein. Once you eat bison, it’s hard to go back to beef! There’s no grease in the pan when you’re done cooking. We, here at Kenmar, and they, at North American Bison, LLC, are all about “Good Stuff…”
