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Schock’s Mission View Dairy was established in 1956 by Walt and Louise Schock.  The dairy is currently being operated as a partnership between Walt and his eldest son Greg and his wife Paula.

The dairy is located in western Montana approximately 8 miles from the small town of St. Ignatius.

A view of the Mission Valley from the National Bison Range.

The nearest city, Missoula, is an hour south, and Glacier National Park is two hours to the north.

The dairy sits on 350 acres, with nearly all of the acreage covered with gravity-flow irrigation.

Ralph.

Crops:  Alfalfa hay, grass hay, and corn silage.

Animals:  100 Milking cows
31 Dry cows
50 Heifers bred
50 Breeding age animals
52 animals under 1 year old
2 Bulls
3 Dogs: Ralph, Jet and Henry

The dairy.

Milk produced daily:  5,800 lbs.
Milk produced annually:  2 million pounds (1000 tons)

Greg.

Then.

Now.

Good Old Days Parade, St. Ignatius, Montana.

Thanksgiving 2008.

Kyle, Emily, Bryan, Kris, Greg and Paula Schock

Emily, Henry, Bryan, Todd and Kyle, Christmas 2007.

McDonald Lake

Black bear

McDonald Lake, July 17, 2010.

Workin’ cattle.

The gang.

On Sunday we vaccinated, wormed and separated cattle.  It was a beautiful day in the Mission Valley and it was wonderful that 3 generations of Schock’s were able to work together (Grandpa Walt; Father Greg; and kids Kris, Emily, Bryan and Kyle).  Cousins Larry and Laurie catered us bbq’d hamburgers.

Juli and her cows.

Juli keeps watch.

Juli is my 7 month-old Greater Swiss Mountain Dog.  At first she was scared of the cows and barked at them (she lives in Chicago with me), but now she has finally gotten comfortable around them.  After all, keeping watch over the farm and the cows is what she is bred to do in Switzerland.

January 6, 2010.

Schock's Dairy and the Mission Mountains.

Aufwiedersehen Ralph.

Ralph. Photo courtesy of Piknik Studios.

Our dearly beloved Ralph left to go chase pheasants and Grizzly bears with Jett on January 5, 2010.

New Year’s Day 2010!

Mission Dam.

Merry CHRISTmas!

CHRISTmas Eve 2009

Merry CHRISTmas from the Schock's!

Pheasant and duck hunting.

Here are some photos that Emily took hunting pheasants in Western Montana on Saturday, December 12, 2009.

Emily hunkered down in the bunker.

Matt and Luther (the doggy).

Emily's chocolate lab, Henry.

Mmmmm. Dinner.

A frigid start in life.

Mooo.

Moooo.

These two calves were born on December 6, 2009.  The low temperature for that day was 1° F.  With the windchill it felt like -5° F when these little guys were born.  Emily put them in this warming hutch immediately after they were born to get them warmed-up.

The Mountains.

McDonald canyon as seen from Walt and Louise's house.

McDonald Peak and the Sheep's Head

The view from Greg and Paula's house.

November 12, 2009.