About thunder road farm
Located north of Missoula in the Jocko Valley, on the Flathead Indian Reservation and in the ancestral territory of the Salish, Kootenai, and Pen'd Orielle Tribes, Thunder Road Farm has been in continuous agricultural operation for over a century. Like that of many parcels of land in this region, the farm's story reflects the complex and unjust history of the American West. Following the Dawes Act of 1887, the farm passed from communal indigenous ownership into private hands. From 1920 on, the land was operated as a dairy and beef cattle ranch by a success of families.
Our family moved to the property in 2018 and began the process of shifting toward regenerative grazing practices and ecological restoration. We are committed to practicing agriculture in a way that leaves room for native species and provides sustenance to our community.
LAND STEWARDSHIP
& CONSERVATION
Our goal is to produce healthy food in a way that improves, rather than diminishes, the ecological integrity of the land in our care. We use intensive rotational grazing to ensure that our pastures remain healthy and sequester carbon in the soil. We also pursue ecological restoration projects on the farm, specifically restoration. By planting native trees and shrubs in pastures that were cleared long ago, we make room for wild creatures to thrive in our corner of the Jocko Valley.
ABOUT US
Photo by Amelia Sears
Gillian Thornton is an educator-turned-farmer who is passionate about place-based learning and bringing students outdoors. She has taught at various institutions in Missoula such as the Clark Fork School, Montana Natural History Center, and the University of Montana. She also has experience working for nonprofits that support local food and agriculture, including the AERO (now Abundant Montana) and Farm Connect Montana.
Bryce Andrews is a writer and conservationist, with over two decades of experience running conservation-minded cattle ranches in Montana. He has written three award-winning books --- Badluck Way: A Year on the Ragged Edge of the West (2014), Down from the Mountain: The Life and Death of a Grizzly Bear (2019), and Holding Fire: A Reckoning with the American West (2023).
Bryce and Gillian live with their two daughters and enthusiastic cow-dog on the farm.