On the Wide Montana Prairie: Work and Family

A story about faith, family and resilience.  

Lobster Fisherman, Maine

Recently I was fortunate to spend a day with a remarkable family on their farm out on the high prairie of central Montana. Julie and her husband bought a quarter section of grassland in 2021, chasing a shared dream of building a farm life rooted in family, hard work, and open country. That dream was nearly shattered when Julie’s husband passed away in 2023.

Most people would have stepped back or stepped away. Julie didn’t. With faith, grit, and the steady help of eight of her nineteen children who were still at home, she kept going. They shifted their focus to raising sheep, tending chickens, growing a garden, and caring for a whole mix of other animals. They simply got to work—and kept working.

As a photographer, I meet a lot of people and hear a lot of stories. But I haven’t met anyone quite like the Hackmans of Belmont Spring Farm. Their warmth and kindness was embracing from the moment I arrived. It quickly became clear to me that this family shared a bond with each other and to their land that is unique, reassuring and powerful. I was swept up into their world with feelings of comfort and a bit of awe mixed with envy.