For years, Liz and Ben Little held onto a simple but steadfast dream: to build a ranch of their own, raise healthy beef, and keep good horses by their sides. That dream came to life in 2020, a new chapter after they’d raised two kids, built businesses, and kept their ranching spirit alive through their horses. About 30 years ago, both Liz and Ben worked on ranches—where their paths crossed and their shared dream of caring for land and raising a herd began to grow.
The Littles’ search for land wasn’t whimsical—it was steady and determined. They were patient, knowing that eventually the right spot and timing would coincide. That special spot turned out to be in McAllister, nestled below Tobacco Root peaks with sweeping views of the Madison Range. Known for its deep ranching roots, McAllister felt right: established ranches holding firm on traditional ways, a landscape evolving but still anchored in cowboy heritage.
So, Liz and Ben moved their family to McAllister to begin building their dream, starting simply with their faithful horses and around 15 cows. They were met with welcoming neighbors who shared their passion.
One of the wonderful things about landing on North Meadow Creek was meeting neighbor Max Robison, a multi-generational cowboy who quickly became a dear friend and mentor. Robison has shared knowledge, labor, and even summer grazing ground with the Littles. Deeply invested in seeing the ranching tradition continue, he’s been a steady source of support to these first-generation ranchers as they find their footing.
Raising beef and selling it direct-to-consumer gives ranchers like the Littles both autonomy and responsibility over the entire process. From breed selection and calving schedules to deciding what their cattle eat, they get to shape every detail. But with that freedom comes an intricate puzzle: finding customers, timing butcher dates to match demand, dedicating scarce grassland for the full two years it takes to raise each animal, and managing freezer space. Unlike large-scale commercial producers who sell into established markets at set times, the Littles—who have grown their herd to approximately 100 cows—tailor their entire year around the needs of their community. Their beef is raised on grass, butchered when the animal and the customer are both ready, and delivered directly to families who care about where their food comes from.
Ben and Liz Little dreamed, planned, hoped, and strategized for the day they might finally have a ranch of their own. At times, that dream must have felt impossibly far away. And now, after it finally took shape, their pride and fulfillment is unmistakable, the quiet satisfaction of doing good, honest work that matters deeply to them.
The ST Bar herd is made up of Highland and Highland-cross cattle. Known for their distinctive shaggy coats and sweeping horns, these hardy bovines handle Montana’s extreme weather well. They’re considered “easy keepers”—adaptable grazers that thrive on a wide variety of grasses and efficiently turn forage into strong, healthy beef. Highlands are also known for calving with little complication, making the season a bit less demanding on ranchers’ time and nerves.
The care and attention given to the land and herd shows in the final product. ST Bar Ranch raises natural, hormone-free beef with no unnecessary antibiotics, following responsible grazing practices that prioritize the health of the land. Their commitment extends beyond top-quality beef to deep community care—10 percent of the beef they produce is donated to area families facing food insecurity.
Beef lovers across the region—from premier restaurants in Bozeman, Big Sky, and the Madison Valley—have come to know and appreciate the ranch’s distinct flavor. You can enjoy a beautiful meal with beef raised by the Littles at Shan, Urban Kitchen, Norris Hot Springs Grill, and One&Only Moonlight Basin, to name just a few.
Families can purchase beef from ST Bar Ranch in a variety of ways—by the quarter, half, or whole animal. The Littles deliver within two hours of McAllister, but also invite buyers to tour the ranch and pick up their purchase on site, fostering a genuine connection to the land and animals that provide their nourishment.
Ben and Liz dreamed, planned, hoped, and strategized for the day they might finally have a ranch of their own. At times, that dream must have felt impossibly far away. And now, after it finally took shape, their pride and fulfillment is unmistakable, the quiet satisfaction of doing good, honest work that matters deeply to them.
It hasn’t all been easy. Not long after settling onto their long-awaited piece of ground, the Littles realized they were living atop a rattlesnake den. What followed has been several years of hard, unglamorous work to make the land safe for their family and animals. Each spring, during the hottest part of the afternoon, Liz heads up to the dens to find the snakes when they first emerge to sun themselves before retreating underground for the night. It’s a narrow window before they spread out for the summer, and more often than not, it’s a chore she tackles alone. With a .22 revolver in hand, she does her best to thin their numbers—knowing she’s only making the slightest dent in the population. Their goal is not to eliminate them but to keep their numbers in check so as to reduce encounters with their cattle, horses, and dogs.
And while the Littles have poured their hearts into building ST Bar Ranch, they haven’t done it alone. With neighbors like Max Robison—sharing wisdom, grazing ground, and the cowboy spirit—the ranch is part of something larger: a living tradition carried forward, one friendship, one community, and one pasture at a time.
- To learn more, visit stbarranch.com or find the ranch on social media by following @STBarRanch.
THE CARE BEHIND THE BEEF
This summer, Bozeman restaurant Shan welcomed Prin Polsuk and Mint Jarukittikun of Samrub Thai in Bangkok for an unforgettable guest-chef dinner. Fresh from earning a Michelin star, Polsuk—widely regarded as one of the most important voices in Thai cuisine—joined Jarukittikun and Shan’s Jarrett Wrisley to craft a menu celebrating a whole animal from ST Bar Ranch. Before the dinner, the chefs visited the ranch to see firsthand the care behind the beef. “Liz and Ben Little were incredibly supportive,” Wrisley says. “ST Bar raises some of the most flavorful, distinctive beef I’ve come across in Montana.”
The collaboration between Chef Jarrett Wrisley of Shan (top left), Chef Prin Polsuk (top right) and Chef Mint Jarukittikun of Bangkok’s Samrub Thai, and Ben and Liz Little of ST Bar Ranch is a rich exploration of what Montana beef can be.
