Day in the Life of Third Generation Ranchers

photos & story by Heather Ericson

Carol and Keith Pilgeram are not

strangers to the difficulties of life on a ranch. Whether it’s waking up at 7 a.m. to fix the broken fence, or herding the 60 cows they own, there’s always work to be done. But considering that the couple has worked the third-generation cattle ranch for the last 50 years, they’re used to the workload.

“Ranching is a hard life,” Carol Pilgeram, 68, said. “We are always outside with the cows no matter if there are 10-foot snow banks. But in the end it’s all worth it to be able to call this our home.”

Unlike most ranchers, Keith and Carol Pilgeram occasionally give themselves a break and run the ranch in a more laid-back style.

“With age there is a sense of relaxing while doing hard work,” Keith Pilgeram, 67, said. “There is no hurry on our ranch, the cows wait for us.”

The historic Pilgeram Ranch was founded in 1918 by Pilgeram’s great-grandfather. It is nestled in the Wild Horse Plains valley in western Montana.

When Keith and Carol Pilgeram were married in 1964, they never expected to own a ranch. But after they had traveled the world, they knew Plains was their home.

“After seeing the world, we knew we had to return to Plains to raise a family in such a great environment,” Keith Pilgeram said.

Half a century later, the Pilgerams are looking to retire. In the next few years they plan to sign the 720-acre estate over to their daughter Karla and son-in-law Doug, ensuring the ranch stays in the Pilgeram family for future generations.