Rural Women Cultivating a Life They Love: An Interview with Sara Hollenbeck
"Don’t think you have to change yourself to fit your new lifestyle."
Sara Hollenbeck, otherwise known as “Sara Sheep Lady” on Instagram, is a rancher, meat slinger, and goat wrangler. Sara and I “met” a few years ago on Instagram (natch), and then we met briefly in person last fall at a football game. (Do you notice a theme here? Football games are where I meet everyone: my future husband, IRL meetups with friends from the Internet, and people who become my friends.)
Sara is funny and honest about the difficulties and wonderful things about rural life. She grew up in California and now lives in Montana on her husband’s family ranch with their two kids.
I found myself nodding along to her answers, and I’m excited to share my interview with her. I think you’ll love it too.
You grew up in California and were involved in agriculture, but I don’t believe it’s to the extent you are now. What was the transition from life in California to rural life in Montana?
I grew up very active in the FFA, showing lambs, steers, and one pig named Princess, who loved melons. I went to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (the best college IMO) and studied Ag Business. I always assumed I would go to law school or do something in the political world; I never imagined where I would be today!
After college, I worked for my grandparents' fencing business and created a product catalog they so desperately needed and a website to join the new century. I learned a lot from that experience and was so grateful to them for that opportunity. However, I always knew I wanted to get out and see the world more and gain experience elsewhere. I landed a marketing job in the central valley of California, working in the nut tree and grapevine industry. I gained a lot of knowledge and experience in tradeshows, marketing, and sales. I met my now husband while employed at that job.
When I decided to move to Montana, I left behind family, friends, job security, and what I considered home—California. I was excited to move to Montana; I had never been to Montana until six months before I moved here.
What’s not to love? Wide open spaces, no traffic, and lots of livestock! When I moved, a lot of people were a little upset that Henry had not proposed. He was afraid I wouldn’t like it here in rural Molt, Montana. Henry wanted to make sure I saw a future and a life here before making a huge commitment, like marriage. He really wanted me to live through a Montana winter and a lambing season before we made the plunge.
I moved in January of 2012, and IT WAS A DOOZEY! I remember getting stuck in the driveway and having no idea what a “snow drift” was. Then headed into my first lambing, I didn’t go in blind. My mom and I always had 10-20 ewes in California, so I wasn’t completely inept. However, going from 10 ewes to 2,000 ewes was definitely a shock. I put myself in charge of the bum lambs, attempted to save every dang one even when I knew they were doomed, and cried like a baby every time one died.
I remember doing rehab with one lamb every day, standing it up, Henry even made a little harness for it so I could hold it and it could attempt to walk. This went on for a couple of weeks, and one morning I went out to the barn, and he was gone. I immediately started bawling. I chased Henry down in the Bobcat, screaming, “HE DIED! HE DIED!” Poor Henry told me he was sorry and went on with his chores. I was devastated for weeks. Every time I thought of that damn lamb, I would spontaneously just start bawling all over again. It was exhausting. But day by day, I moved on and saved more bum lambs from their death. I think we ended up with 180 bum lambs that year, a record, haha!
Long story short, the transition was fine. I consider myself to be a very adaptable person. Were there lots of tears? Yes. Did I miss my friends and family? Of course. But most of all, I missed authentic Mexican food.
Sara, I’ve titled this series “Rural Women Cultivating a Life They Love.” How have you prioritized cultivating joy and a life you love—perhaps in a life you didn’t expect to lead? Did starting High Five Meats come from a desire to pursue your passions alongside your ranch life?
Another hard pill to swallow when I moved out here was taking a significant pay cut, like 1/3 of what I was making. Applying to marketing jobs was a slap in the face. I got interviews and job offers, but every time it was a punch to the gut when they told me what the starting compensation would be. We are talking about major sticker shock. Is the cost of living different than where I was in California? Sure, but NOT that much. I was in the Central Valley, not Silicone Valley, for crying out loud. Also, getting a job in town meant a 45-60 minute drive one way every day. That became DRAINING. I started brainstorming ways to be involved with the ranch and make my own money.
I remember a rancher in California that had started a direct meat business selling beef, pork, and lamb, and I talked it over with Henry. He was supportive, and in the summer of 2015, High Five Meats was born. It has changed a lot over the years, now primarily selling wholesale to restaurants and direct to consumer through the Yellowstone Valley Food Hub, but it has been a labor of love and something that truly makes me so proud. Disrupting food systems is a huge undertaking, but it is something I am so passionate about. So much so that I even did an online webinar (six parts) and taught other ranchers how to start their own direct-to-consumer meat businesses.
Those of us in agriculture all know and feel the challenges and ups and downs. But I love finding beauty in the hard times. What’s your favorite part of living a rural life?
The quiet, a warm breeze, the green grass, my kids playing outside, riding their horses, riding their bikes, collecting eggs, watching lambs jump and run freely, the smell of fresh feed (just not haylage, omg no). Eating meat from animals we raise, a freshly baked loaf of bread, a sunrise with no obstructions, a sunset behind the trees, the northern lights dancing on the hillside. The golden hour driving through a pasture checking on livestock and kids bouncing around in the back seat, the snowed-in days baking cookies with the kids after chores are finished. And one of my favorites is a sleeping baby goat on your lap. Unmatched.
I love your IG stories and posts. They’re a mix of education, entertainment, and randomness, and I love it all. What made you want to share your story online?
I knew I was living an interesting life. How many people can say they raise sheep in Montana? I knew I wanted to share the exciting times of my life and even the hard times. I never wanted to be stuck in a niche. I want to do it all. I like to joke, but I also like to be serious. I want to be educational, but I also like to push people outside their comfort level.
When I first started sharing my story online, I tried so hard to post consistently, gain followers, and fight the animal activists that would constantly attack me. Then one day, I thought, why? Why am I stressed out if I don’t get a post up? It's not my job. I am not getting paid. No one cares that much! So now I post when I want, I don’t give a POOP about people who think what I am doing is wrong (BLOCK GOODBYE), and I just enjoy sharing my random life.
I try not to post my kids too much, but it’s hard because they are always with me. But I am still navigating what is safe to share and not share in terms of children and the Internet. I really struggle with that. So I edge on the side of caution and try not to post too much of them. However, my daughter had a viral reel about doing her horse chores, so I am kind of a hypocrite, too, haha.
My favorite thing social media has brought me is a community of like-minded people that respect ranching or are ranchers themselves. I truly love the friendships I have made over the years. It's also nice to find a friend you can commiserate with about livestock, especially sheep. It's not always rainbows and butterflies. Most of the time, it’s a lot of manure, late nights, and diagnosing strange ailments.
What would you tell a rural woman just starting?
Don’t start the steaks until you see a warm body in the house. “I’ll only be one hour” is a lie. Get comfortable with being alone. When canned goods are on sale, stock up. Find that signature dish you can whip up for ten people at a moment’s notice (mine is chili).
Don’t think you have to change yourself to fit your new lifestyle. I ride a horse about once a year, it's just not my thing, and that is 100% ok. When you go to town, know that you will also be running an errand for the ranch as well.
If you have to get a part, take a picture—every angle and size, and possibly buy two, just in case.
I could go on . . .
Sara Hollenbeck, aka Sara Sheep Lady, is a rancher, meat saleswoman, and entrepreneur from Molt, Montana. Often sharing her ranch life on Instagram, Sara hopes to show the realities of rural life, from sheep to her rodeo husband to keeping up with two young kiddos. Sara has been featured in the Emmy award-winning documentary “FarmHer,” the French Television reality show “Montana Wild,” Montana Tourism promotions, “Moveable Feast” on PBS, and selected as a 40 under Forty Entrepreneur in Billings, Montana. Sara is married to Henry Hollenbeck and has two kids, Rhett and Hazel.
“Don’t start the steaks until you see a warm body in the house.” GOLD. 🤣🤣
So relatable!