Their Montana landscape limited much of what Chelsey Stimson and her fiancé Ryan Frehse could do on their property.
Receiving a tractor from Kubota through its Geared to Give partnership with Farmer Veteran Coalition has made working the land a lot easier.
Chelsey Stimson and her local Kubota dealer pose with her new tractor.
“Our biggest challenge is our rocky hillside property and limited access to land we can make productive or useful for animals,” said Chelsey, a Navy Veteran. “To expand in our area is not an option due to inflated prices on irrigated land.”
Chelsey was one of five recipients of tractors provided by Kubota Tractor Corporation in September 2023. The presentations were made during a ceremony before the start of the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.
NASCAR Cup Series driver Ross Chastain and the Trackhouse Racing Team presented the tractors. Chelsey wasted no time putting her new acquisition to work.
“So far, our Kubota tractor has helped with fencing, cleaning pens, turning over our compost pile, moving animal shelters, and maintaining our steep rocky driveway,” she said.
Goats and Chickens
Chelsey and Ryan raise Angora goats and chickens on their farm near Bridgers, Montana, in the southwestern part of the state.
Chelsey, who grew up in Montana, left her small town for Navy bootcamp right after high school graduation and spent the next four years serving as an aircrew survival equipmentman, also known as a parachute rigger.
She is a Gold Star wife; her late husband Tyler was a Navy SEAL.
Her fiancé Ryan, also is a Veteran who served 10 years as a Navy SEAL. He now works in town as a firefighter.
Chelsey’s grandfather was a Marine and also grew up on a family ranch in western Montana. Several other extended family members have served in the Navy and Marines.
Chelsey and Ryan produce mohair from their Angora goat, but also breed them and plan to offer kids this year. They also have 50 laying hens and provide eggs to their community.
Five horses help fill their farm.
“We enjoy our animals and rural lifestyle, especially now that we have our daughter (Rose, 2½),” Chelsey said. “It is important to us to equip her with the skills and experience.”
Ryan Frehse (left) and the Kubota dealer attach a box blade to the tractor.
Eggs to Others
Many of their eggs have gone to Ryan’s fellow firefighters.
“Sharing our eggs with others has been even more rewarding than I expected,” she said. “To know we are providing others in our community with a healthy source of food and then hear their positive feedback is so encouraging.
“Seeing fiber artists producing beautiful work with the mohair produced by goats we’ve bred, raised and processed, is exciting.”
Website: www.rcranchangoras.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RCRanchMontana/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rcranchangoras
