JACKSON, Wyo. — The Jackson Hole Land Trust’s Green River Valley Program (GRVP) is raffling off a year of grass-finished beef, a $1,400 value, from Killpecker Creek Cattle Company for two lucky winners! All proceeds will support an interconnected system of working lands, wildlife habitats and open spaces in the Green River Valley.

Buy your tickets today!

Ranching is an important part of Wyoming’s economy, tradition, and landscape, producing food while also preserving important habitats for wildlife. The Killpecker Creek Cattle Company, based out of the Rafter Double R Ranch in Daniel, WY, embodies this interconnection of agriculture and ecosystems.

The Rifes—Jason, Sonja, and their children Margaret and Max—came to Wyoming in 2013 seeking wide open spaces and land where they could start a ranch. After searching throughout the state, they settled on a property near Daniel, WY, establishing the Rafter Double R Ranch and their grass-finished beef business, the Killpecker Creek Cattle Company. Sonja Rife, who serves as a Jackson Hole Land Trust board member, has generously donated beef to support the GRVP.

The Rife family founded their beef business because of a desire to provide people with healthful, sustainable food, using practices that support the health of the land. Their dedication is evident in a variety of practices that they have implemented at Rafter Double R, which is protected in perpetuity under an easement with the Jackson Hole Land Trust’s GRVP.

Their techniques start with the ground cover—a multi-plant system including legumes, clover, and grasses including native Basin wildrye. This mixture of plants is something the Rifes have arrived at over time, based on research and experience. The ranch is grazed on a rotational basis using principles of holistic management, a technique that seeks to improve soil quality through strategic grazing. During the summer, cattle are shifted to new pastures daily through the use of movable electric fencing, intensively grazing a small area before being moved on to new grass. Their strategic approach also influenced their choice of cattle breeds: the family raises Galloway cattle, a primitive breed that they say finishes well on grass and is well suited for high altitudes and long winters.

In addition to supporting their livestock, the ranch’s practices also create a supportive environment for wildlife, such as the raptors that roost on the nearby cliffs and migrating shorebirds that visit to forage in marshy areas of the ranch. The Jackson Hole Land Trust is proud to work together with landowners like the Rifes to protect the open spaces, working lands, and wildlife habitats of Northwest Wyoming.

Tickets are $20 or six for $100. You can find more information and purchase tickets online.

The raffle will be held at our annual GRVP community picnic on Sept. 10. You do not need to be present to win.