More than 50 volunteers shared their love of ranching and farming, with plans to bring the experience to Glasgow’s Irle Elementary School in 2026.
MALTA, MT – The ranch yard at Hinman Angus was alive with laughter this September as more than 200 Malta Elementary students spent a day learning, tasting, and exploring during Ag Education Day. Students milked a cow, churned cream into butter, felt freshly sheared wool, and discovered how water moves across farmland in a sand irrigation trailer.
By the end of the day, there were dirty clothes, sticky fingers from hand-shaken ice cream, and smiles all around. The goal was simple: help students see, touch, and taste where their food comes from.
“We have a lot of enthusiasm for hosting Ag Day here at Hinman Angus,” said Heidi Lulloff. “All four generations on the ranch participate in the planning and preparing. The day gets students out into the fresh air of a ranch environment and gives them a hands-on opportunity to make connections of food production from pasture to plate. We support every effort to preserve and promote local family farms and ranches to ensure the next generation can continue with the agriculture tradition.”
Organized by Ranchers Stewardship Alliance (RSA) and the Phillips County Cattlewomen (PCC) in collaboration with Hinman Angus, more than 50 volunteers from across Phillips County joined in, including neighbors, ranching families, and community groups who ran stations, baked cookies, and shared what they love about agriculture. It was a snapshot of what makes Montana’s Hi-Line special: people who show up, pitch in, and take pride in passing their way of life on to the next generation.
Phillips County stretches wide, with nearly 1.9 million acres of farmland and pasture and more than 70,000 head of cattle. By comparison, the number of Malta students in grades one through five could fill only a few buses. The scale might seem lopsided, but that is what makes this place unique. It is not about the numbers. It is about the people who keep the connection between land and community alive.
As Mary Oxarart, President of PCC and Education Program Manager for RSA, said, “When you see so many people give their time to teach kids about agriculture, it shows how much we care about the future of both our children and our industry.”
With the success of this year’s event, plans are already underway to bring Ag Education Day back to Malta in 2026. The Ranchers Stewardship Alliance is also in conversation with the Glasgow School District to bring this opportunity to Irle Elementary School in partnership with Valley County ranchers.
For one bright fall day, the classroom had no walls, and the lessons were written in hoofprints, laughter, and community spirit. Ag Education Day was not just about learning where food comes from. It was about celebrating the people who make it all possible and the community we call home.
