| Our Current Operation - Ninety-Six Ranch Currently, we run a cow/calf operation. Our herd of nearly 800 mother cows runs on the same range and ranchland as founder William Stock used back in 1864. Our commercial herd is all-English foundation stock of Hereford/Black Angus and Red Angus. We proudly use Lilla Bell Hereford and Shaw Angus bulls. We have worked very hard over the past twenty years to grow and maintain a herd that moves well and easily through our tough desert range, calves easily, and promotes a moderately framed female line. We use genetic selection, culling for the occasional observed problem disposition, as well as low stress/best practices handling techniques to maintain a gentle herd of cattle. Disposition is very important to us. Our steer calves, which we market through Allie Bear on Superior Livestock, are always sought after for their gentle disposition, explosive growth potential and great grading. Lilla Bell's outstanding registered Hereford bulls are at the heart of our replacement female genetics and overall cow herd. Shaw Angus bulls help us achieve the hybrid vigor and explosive growth potential that we seek in our steers for market. Each year, we feed (Lucy Reichel, Snider Livestock, Yerington, NV) and process a few representative animals so we know exactly how we are doing and learn how and where we can improve. We are very proud that our all-natural calves have qualified for shipment to Japan and regularly top the sale market. Our customers come back to our calves year after year, because their genetics and management plan are sound and dependable. We use an all best-practices program of care for our calves and whether vac 45 or straight off the mother cow, our calves are guaranteed to perform. Our moderately framed mother cows produce even, growth oriented beef that thrive in our tough high desert environment. Buyers know that once our calves hit California grass or the feedlot, they GROW explosively, and once processed, our calves grade beautifully. The Ninety-Six Ranch of today still encompasses a little over 17,000 acres, but is a smaller and more focused operation than in the past. Cuts to our grazing AUM's by federal agencies over the past 40 years have made this necessary. Today, we also run in common with our neighbors Dave and Tom Cassinelli on our permits. Also, mechanized farming has made it possible for our family to run the inside operation. The always growing cost of maintaining employees has made us try to do more with fewer people and with outside help. We depend on our family of three (Fred, Kris and Patrice) to run the ranch day to day, along with one full-time ranch hand, (the multi-talented Paul Herrington, "Shiner"). We also use a small group dependable day working friends to help us during round-up time (Tony Mentaberry and FillisTakacs)(as well as Dave Cassinelli's always great round-up crews). Our nephew Shane Bell comes home from college each summer and runs our emergency water hauling and haying operations. When it comes to branding work, we invite friends and make it a party. The Bell, Mori, Harper and Miller families always come out and give us a hand. In 2013, as our family took its first trip to Germany to see Exten and visit with family, Shane Bell and Kris' parents Rod and Barbara Cook stepped in to help run the operation while we were away. It is with great sincerity and humility that we thank all of the hundreds of employees, family and friends who have been a part of the Ninety-Six Ranch family over the past 150 years. We wouldn't still be around without all of you! Fred, Kris, Patrice and Marie Stewart |
| Fred, Kris and Patrice with our beautiful family from Germany - Exten, Germany 2013 |
| Fred, Kris and Patrice with our cousin Kamen Stamenoff (Grotsch) in Munich, 2013 |