ADDRESS: 441 Krahn Lane
PHONE: 208-634-7995
EMAIL: yakranch@frontier.com
OWNER: Kelly and Anna Clark
YEARS IN BUSINESS: 20
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: 2
WHAT THEY SELL: Yak Meat, Value Added Products, and Breeding Stock
WHY YOU SHOULD GO: If you want to see, taste, and interact with yak.
Rockn’ K Bar C Ranch has a commitment to local agriculture. Ranchers Kelly and Anna Clark are connected with the West Central Mountains (WCM) community. Kelly has been involved with local snowmobile clubs, was the captain of the McCall Fire Department and an EMT for twenty years, and they both have a background and grew up ranching in long valley. They are firmly rooted in the West Central Mountains and continue to serve the community by providing high quality agriculture products. Neighbors in the McCall impact area have commented on how they value the preservation
of open space through the agricultural land and open space of their ranch land.
When and why did you decide to start your business?
Kelly is a Valley County native and inherited the ranch 21 years ago. However, they found it difficult to keep cows because of neighborhood dogs. They would also pasture horses and they both worked jobs off the farm. Anna read about yaks in a magazine featuring ranchers in Kooskia, Idaho. Yaks were desirable because they did not need special permits, are domestic animals, defend themselves against predators (such as dogs), and do not need special fences.
The yak farmer in North Idaho had a small world connection with the Clark family. Several years ago, Kelly’s mom sold Peruvian Paso horses to the same family. This small world coincidence and the adaptability of yaks to the Valley County region just felt right. Yaks enjoy the chilly weather and
are more than adapted to our cold climate. Rockn’ K Bar C Ranch specializes in raising high quality yak meat, bred for the high altitude region of the West Central Mountains.
Tell us about Rockn’ K Bar C Ranch products? What are your specialties and favorites?
We sell yak meat, hides, and compost. I dabble in creating soap from hand rendered lard from my yaks. My favorite part of our ranch is selling breeding stock, especially the baby calves. It is fun to be part of the process of connecting new yak ranchers with stock to start them. Anna always lets buyers know that they can use her as a resource for questions and to help get them started.
What does being featured as the Local Farmer/Rancher of the Year mean to you?
It is nice to be featured for what I love to do, and I like being a resource for other community members. I also like being a role model for my daughter Ellyn. I do not know what she wants to be when she grows up; but if she wants to be a future rancher, that would be great!
I like connecting with my customers, so it is fun to swap recipes. I like having repeat customers that come out to the edge of town to pick up their products. If this feature helps us build more relationships with new community members, that would be great!
Why should folks patronize your business?
Because, gosh darn it, we are wonderful people (laughter) and the interviewer agrees! Supporting local ranchers, whether it be us or someone else, you are also supporting how this valley looks. Anna has people from out of town visit her ranch and enjoy the local agricultural experience!
What challenges have you faced as a local rancher, and how have you met those challenges?
We are challenged with coming up with small equipment to hay and do other work on a 70-acre ranch. Our land is divided into 30 acres of grazing and 30 acres of hay. Equipment can be the most expensive and aggravating part of farming. Farming in WCM means a trip to the valley or getting parts online which is a challenge.
How have you met those challenges?
Anna’s parents live in the Weiser area and love to go to farm auctions. Because her father is an old rancher himself, he knows exactly what we need. He can get a good brand, and a good deal.
What do you feel is the impact of local farmers and ranchers in the West Central Mountains (WCM), and what does the future look like for local agriculture?
I am optimistic for local agriculture and think it is strong and growing in the region. Many people in the community want local food and to know where it comes from.
What do you enjoy most about owning a local ranch in the WCM? What excites or inspires you?
Every time we have a new baby. That is exciting, we usually have about five or six per year.
What is your relationship to the community? What charities or organizations do you support or participate in?
Kelly has been involved with local snowmobile clubs, was the captain of the McCall Fire Department and an EMT for twenty years. Anna serves on the Steering Committee for the West Central Mountains Food Coalition.
How important is sustainability to you and your business? Why is this important to you and your agricultural practices?
We did a self-installation of solar panels on our barn. I figured that it would take about 8 years to begin paying for the investment. We do not store our energy in a battery but sell excess to the Idaho Power grid. Maybe one day we will get a battery, but it has been fun to see that we can be energy independent through most of the year. It is fun to figure out what we might need for a battery system if we wanted to go “off the grid.”
We also incorporate untreated grass and lawn clippings from Deluna Tooth and Turf into our compost. This is a fantastic way to utilize a community resource that might otherwise take up space at the county waste transfer site.
Please give us your one-sentence take-away message about your business.
Anna and Kelly Clark are part of the Valley County landscape in more than one way. They serve our area through the preservation of open space, quirky place based agriculture, delicious and healthy local meat source. Contact the Clark’s today to pick up some local meat, say hello to a yak, and even pick up some compost for your garden!
(Interview and article by Melissa Hamilton– July 19, 2024)