MTHS Welcomes Three New Centennial Farm and Ranch Families

• May 20 2024

The Montana Historical Society (MTHS) welcomes Birkeland Farms and the Woodmansey Ranch in Chouteau County, and Inbody Farms in Teton County, to the Centennial Farm and Ranch register.

These long-lived farm and ranch families received a certificate from Gov. Greg Gianforte and a roadside sign to honor their remarkable achievement.

“By honoring families who have owned their land for 100 years or more, we help preserve Montana’s strong agricultural roots and the stories and traditions that define our rural communities,” said Christine Brown, MTHS Outreach and Interpretation historian. “These families deserve a hearty pat on the back and recognition for achieving this rare milestone.”

Denis W. and Mary Flagler filed on a 313-acre-homestead on Nine Mile Bench north of Highwood in Chouteau County around 1909. When Denis and Mary retired in 1934, daughter Elizabeth and husband Ingolf Birkeland continued the family operation, steadily adding new acreage. They passed the farm on to their son Tom and his wife Beverly in the 1950s and then to their sons, Steven and Michael Birkeland and great-great grandson Weston Birkeland, who operates the farm today.

John Reynolds settled early in the Highwood area, starting his ranch in 1888. He married local schoolteacher Maude Abrams in 1894. They expanded the ranch, then split it among their six children when John died in 1937. Their youngest daughter Kathryn Woodmansey purchased her siblings’ shares and she and her husband Fred lived at the ranch full-time.

Disaster struck in 1952 when Highwood Creek flooded, destroying several small buildings and a new pickup truck, washing away implements and tools, and damaging two tractors. After the water receded, the Woodmansey’s moved the house, barn, garage, and bunkhouse 300 yards south, where they still stand near Shaw Creek. Kathryn and Fred created the Woodmansey Ranch Corporation in 1961, which included their four children. Their son Bob took over the farming operation when Fred died in 1972. Today, the Woodmanseys – third and fourth generation descendants of John and Maude Reynolds – still manage the 1,500-acre farm and ranch.

Northeast of Choteau, in Teton County, the Inbody family just celebrated 100 years of farming the same land, despite terrible loss, drought, low prices, and a century of change. Roy and Hannah Inbody began farming leased land near the current farm acreage, which he purchased in March 1924. Roy added land to his holdings and by 1934 had amassed 1,200 acres.

Tragically, Roy and Hannah were killed in a car accident while on vacation in California in 1934. Their children, ages 12 to 18, were determined to stay together on the farm, although neighbors suggested otherwise.

Brothers Glen and Clark Inbody farmed together after World War II and grew the farm to 2,200 acres. The brothers created Inbody Farms Inc. in 1979 after Glen’s son, Roy, came home to join the farming operation. Roy continued growing grains and adding more land to the farm. His son, Scott, graduated from Montana State University with an agriculture business degree and returned to the farm in 2006, taking over the full operation of Inbody Farms with occasional help from Roy.

“Wise money management and controlled growth have been factors in the farm staying in the family for 100 years,” said Roy Inbody. It also helped that his wife Diane’s teaching career provided health insurance. One of the central philosophies of the family has been making things better for the next generation, even if that means a life off the farm. The legacy is not meant to be a shackle but an opportunity to create a life close to the land with flexibility and community.

Since 2010, the MTHS Centennial Farm and Ranch program has recognized our state’s agricultural traditions by celebrating the perseverance and stewardship of Montana families on their farms and ranches.

The MTHS accepts applications for the Centennial Farm and Ranch register all year. Requirements for induction include:

• Must be a working farm or ranch with a minimum of 160 acres or, if fewer than 160 acres, must have gross yearly income of at least $1,000.
• One current owner must be a Montana resident.
• Proof of founding date and continuous ownership by members of the same family beginning with the founder and concluding with the present owner, spanning minimally 100 years. Line of ownership may be through spouses, children, brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces, or adopted children. For homesteaded properties, ownership begins with the claim filing date (not patent date).
• $100 fee

To download all requirements and the application, or for more information, visit https://bit.ly/mtcentennialfarms; email christine.brown@mt.gov to request a copy by mail; or call Christine Brown at 406-444-1687.