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tower rock ranch

Amid the swaying grasses and literally towering rock formations of the eastern Washington landscape, ranchers thoughtfully disperse cattle to graze and grow, while improving and protecting the landscape. Watch the video to learn how, and meet some of the people who raise beef right here in our beautiful state.

A Living legacy

Together, siblings Allan Miller and Gail Matsumura, along with their families and ranch hands that are like family, have been able to successfully continue the Tower Rock ranching tradition because they keep an eye on the future. Theirs is a story of resilience and constant improvement as knowledge of natural resource protection, and managed grazing has accumulated over the decades. 

Tower Rock Ranch was nominated by fellow ranchers to receive recognition for their environmental stewardship approach and dedication to resource preservation practices. They received the highest regional honor in 2023 for their enduring commitment to the land. "At this point, it's a three generation ranch. We can't bear the thought of it not being well taken care of, " says co-owner Gail Matsumura.

A core component of family's stewardship approach is planned grazing. Where and when cattle graze is determined by what will allow their pastures to be most resilient. This means not grazing grasses too low, or grazing a pasture at the same time period or part of the growing cycle each year. The plan also takes into account how grazing can reduce fire risk. When cattle graze grasslands, they remove some of the "fuel" or dry tinder a fire relies on to burn hot and fast. As several fires have burned through the ranch in recent history, the family has seen how their grazing practices can mitigate the impacts.

Learn more about the approach and specific ranching practices of Tower Rock Ranch that earned these families recognition among their peers and from sustainability experts.

"Sustainability and stewardship is a continuous path of improvements. You have to continually think of new and better ways to do things and not be afraid to try those things and that's what we strive to do every day." - Allan Miller, Tower Rock Ranch