New slaughtering facility aims to help Methow Valley’s livestock producers It was early March, and Casey Smith had just returned from taking two dozen lambs to the closest federally inspected slaughter and processing facility, six hours each way on slick roads. “It’s a scenic drive, but super twisty and windy, with three mountain passes. Most processing […]
Cattle
End of the Twisp cattle drive
The lowing of cows and their calves and the clatter of hooves on pavement have been a spring ritual in the Methow for more than 100 years. But this year the streets were silent at daybreak on the Sunday in early May when hundreds of cattle would normally have been herded through Twisp on their way to spring pasture.
State grants will help two Methow Valley ranchers in keeping the wolves away
Vic Stokes, who raises cattle on a family ranch southwest of Twisp, figures wolves are here to stay in this part of Washington, but that doesn’t mean he likes it.
“I’m not too unlike the rest of the cattlemen … it’s frustrating to see a large predator that’s so well protected come into …
