Chasing Dreams: Tim and Katy Redmon build successful ranching operation from the ground up
Shortly after graduating from the University of Wyoming (UW), Bridger Valley natives Tim and Katy Redmon returned home to the foothills of the Uinta Mountain Range to chase their ranching dreams.
Today, the couple is proudly living the life they always aspired to, carrying on the historical UH brand and raising a family of their own.
The early years
Both Tim and Katy grew up in the Bridger Valley – Tim in Lyman and Katy a few miles away on the Behunin Ranch in Fort Bridger.
“Tim’s roots run deep here in the Bridger Valley as well, with the Eyre side of the family settling mainly on the lower bench below Lyman,” Katy explains.
At the age of 14, Tim’s father bought a fishing business in Alaska, where he spent summers working as a deckhand and eventually bought the business with his sister and brother-in-law, running a boat as a captain.
Both Tim and Katy attended UW, where Tim earned a degree in engineering and Katy in nursing. After graduation, the couple moved back to Uinta County with dreams of starting their own cow herd and raising their own family.
“It was shortly after Tim and I had both graduated from college and returned home we began seeking out ways we could run cows,” shares Katy. “Tim was working full time as an engineer, and I was working part time as a nurse. With the help of both of our families, we were able to purchase a set of 40 cows and find some leased ground to run them on.”
“The early years were hard,” she admits. “We had four babies in five years, but a little at a time we continued to buy more cows and find more leases. We had a common goal of being able to support ourselves completely off of the ranch.”
Katy confesses the greatest challenge they have had to overcome was starting from nothing.
“We started with a cow loan and an 80-acre lease,” she says. “Finding opportunities to lease and building a reputation to find landowners willing to trust us with their investment has taken several years.”
Continuing a legacy
Last year, Tim and Katy’s hard work and perseverance paid off when the opportunity to run Richard and Carol Hamilton’s ranch arose.
“This increased our land and herd size considerably. We were able to buy their cows and lease their ground,” Katy explains. “It felt like coming home. The Behunin Ranch borders the Hamilton Ranch, and Richard and I share a common lineage through the Hamilton family.”
She continues, “We knew this was a once in a lifetime opportunity and felt extremely honored we were even being considered to have a part in continuing the Hamilton legacy. The Hamiltons have been very accommodating with the transition and continue to be a lot of help and support. Their knowledge and stewardship for the land is astounding.”
In addition to running the Hamilton’s ranch, Tim and Katy also have the chance to continue the legacy of the historic UH brand, which originally belonged to Judge William A. Carter, a cattle baron, merchandiser, influential politician and Wyoming’s first self-made millionaire.
“I had heard my family talk about the UH brand as a child, but I never imagined I would one day have the opportunity, alongside my husband, to brand our cattle with it,” shares Katy. “It’s truly a testament to Richard and Carol and their love and care for the heritage and agriculture lifestyle to allow us to continue the use of the UH brand and run their ranch as a whole.”
Raising a
well-rounded family
On top of building their operation from the ground up, Tim and Katy have also raised four well-rounded, hardworking children who are involved in every aspect of the ranch.
Katy shares all of her children have been home schooled at one point or another to give them the opportunity to be involved in areas of ranch life they would normally miss while going to school.
This year, their youngest daughter Claire, a sixth grader, is the only one at home, and their other children attend school in Lyman – Isabel is a senior, Kahl is a sophomore and Ian is in eighth grade.
“Our hope is that our kids leave the house well rounded, knowing how to work and do a job well,” Katy says. “We want them to know how to do every part of the operation, whether it’s operating equipment or roping at branding.”
As well-rounded individuals themselves, Tim and Katy make good role models for their four kids, participating in off-ranch community ag organizations and making time for individual hobbies.
Katy notes Tim currently sits on the Bridger Valley Water Conservancy District Board as well as several canal company boards. He was also recently invited to serve as a member of the Salinity Control Program Forum and Advisory Council for the Colorado River and its tributaries.
In the past, Tim also worked as a water commissioner for the state of Wyoming, where he learned a great deal about Wyoming water law.
“Water and water-related issues have always been an interest to him, and irrigating is one of his favorite jobs during the summer,” she says. “His love for irrigating started as a young boy when he was only five or six and he would irrigate with his dad.”
In addition to homeschooling her kids, Katy dabbles in leatherwork and making wild rags.
Living out a dream
“Besides raising kids who are grounded and hardworking, our greatest accomplishment has been going from a two-income household to support our ranching dream, to purely a ranching income. This was our dream, and we worked very hard for it,” notes Katy. “We have made many financial and time sacrifices to get to where we are today.”
Despite the sacrifices made and the challenges the Redmons continue to face – equipment costs, cost of land, inflation and labor shortages – there is no place Tim and Katy would rather be.
“There are days when things are tough, but watching a newborn calf figure out how to nurse, watching the crops and cattle grow, the changing of the seasons, the comradery with neighbors and friends and working with our family and seeing them grow and gain confidence always makes the hardships worth it,” Katy says. “And, nothing beats a day horseback.”
She continues, “Hands down, our favorite part of being involved in the ag industry is the people. People in ag are so grounded and hard working. We share common hardships and missions. We tend to see the world through the same lens. We have made some incredible friendships while being involved in agriculture. We also both love working with animals and are constantly working on our stockmanship and stewardship.”
When it comes to offering advice for young couples finding their way in the ag industry today, Katy says, “If God has opened a door of opportunity, don’t be afraid to walk through it. He will provide.”
Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
