Shauna Rankin Meet My Neighbor Productions, Inc. Yanasa TV
Creative Director and Videographer:
Charlie Rankin Meet My Neighbor Productions, Inc. Yanasa TV
NATIVE | The Prodigies of an Icon https://nativemovie.com is a documentary following the history of bison up through its modern life. The film is supported by the following:
The National Buffalo Museum soon to be called the North American Bison Discovery Center, has become a sponsor of NATIVE | The Prodigies of an Icon, a documentary film about the American Bison, it’s recovery as a species, and how it continues to thrive in modern day.
The National Buffalo Museum is the number one resource for all things related to the restoration of the American bison, including its historic, ecological, economic, and cultural value.
The National Buffalo Museum is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Our mission is to advocate for the restoration of the North American bison through education and outreach. We derive operating funds to support our mission from museum membership, admission, programs, store income, grants, and ND charitable gaming proceeds.
The National Buffalo Museum opened in June of 1993 and has since been dedicated to preserving the history of the bison and promoting the modern bison business.
In 1991, the North Dakota Buffalo Foundation (NDBF) (d.b.a. the National Buffalo Museum) formed to start a herd of bison that would graze in the pasture just below the “World’s Largest Buffalo” monument in Jamestown, ND. Around the same time, the National Buffalo Foundation was looking for a facility to house and display numerous accumulated bison-related objects, artwork, and historical memorabilia from the bison business. Thanks to tireless advocacy from the founding board members of the NDBF, many of whom were themselves bison producers, the first five animals in this herd came from Theodore Roosevelt National Park and the site of that first small herd became the home of the National Buffalo Museum.
The National Buffalo Museum is currently working to reposition itself as the North American Bison Discovery Center inclusive of all of North America, the new center will offer interactive education and tours.
The filming of NATIVE The Prodigies of an Icon isn’t just about bison, it’s about the lifestyles of the people who dedicate their lives to raising them and majestic landscape this Keystone Species helped create. The following screenshots where taken during “spring” tagging of bison calves with Lawrence Ference and his daughter Lisa Ference from Corner Creek Farms (Elk Point Alberta Canada) and Allen Oszust from Raging Bison Ranch (Glendon Alberta Canada).
“Spring” tagging and health check on Corner Creek Farm in northeastern Alberta Canada… if this is what spring is like, well…
Note: A unique aspect to this working system is that it is welded out of recycled oil field supplies. High impact areas are covered with oil sand conveyor belts to provide extra padding and darken sides to prevent the bison from ramming the sides (they head towards the light).
Screenshots from filming for NATIVE | The Prodigies of an Icon
NATIVE | The Prodigies of an Icon https://nativemovie.com is a documentary following the history of bison up through its modern life. The film is supported by the following:
Filming on Cyrus Bison Ranches Bonnyville Alberta Canada. NATIVE | The Prodigies of an Icon isn’t just about the bison, it’s a story about the people raising and supporting the bison. Enjoy some shots of life on the farm in Canada! Those bison wool gloves, neck gators, beanies (or toque) are partially made right here in Alberta Canada. Check out how they separate the bison down wool from the bison hair.
Ever wonder where those The Buffalo Wool Co socks come from? Well, part of the fiber process starts here… in Canada. Cyrus Bison operates a VERY unique machine that separates the wool and begins the fiber processing in Bonnyville Alberta Canada. Nathaniel’s hat, Charlies beanie & gator, and Josh and Charlie’s fingerless gloves are all made of this amazingly warm bison fiber.
NATIVE | The Prodigies of an Icon tells the story of bison AS WELL AS the stories of those who work daily to keep them healthy and those who economically sustain them through providing exceptional products and foods. That can be a difficult task during “spring time” in Alberta Canada. I’ve never spent so much time digging out of snow just to get some hay! (Did I mention it’s spring?)
Screenshots from filming for NATIVE | The Prodigies of an Icon
NATIVE | The Prodigies of an Icon https://nativemovie.com is a documentary following the history of bison up through its modern life. The film is supported by the following:
It goes without saying, bison ranchers love their bison! Filming NATIVE | The Prodigies of an Icon with Lawrence Ference with Corner Creek Farms in Elk Point, Alberta Canada. With DCM Films
For the love of bison! I think it goes without saying bison ranchers love their bison. Lawrence Ference with his lovely “April” (a bottle fed soon to rejoin the main herd) spend their days walking around with the yearlings of Corner Creek Farms in Elk Point Alberta for their “Therapy.” Lawrence says the saddest day on the farm is when the yearlings leave “It’s like the life of the farm just goes away.”
Screenshots from filming for NATIVE | The Prodigies of an Icon
NATIVE | The Prodigies of an Icon with Dillard Creative Mediahttps://nativemovie.com is a documentary following the history of bison up through its modern life. The film is supported by the following:
Filming in Lamont / Chipman Alberta Canada area for NATIVE | The Prodigies of an Icon with Dr. Nathaniel Ostashewski and DCM Films.
O’ Canada! Enjoy some video screen shots from filming Cyrus Bison at their Lamont / Chipman location in Alberta Canada with Dillard Creative Media
Screenshots from filming for NATIVE | The Prodigies of an Icon
NATIVE | The Prodigies of an Icon https://nativemovie.com is a documentary following the history of bison up through its modern life. The film is supported by the following:
Bison are known for their survivorship of the last ice age. While we may not be living in an ice age today, one can observe the amazing abilities of bison to sift through deep snow and withstand freezing temperatures in national parks across the Northwest.
More winter screenshots (film stills)
Screenshots from filming for NATIVE | The Prodigies of an Icon
NATIVE | The Prodigies of an Icon https://nativemovie.com is a documentary following the history of bison up through its modern life. The film is supported by the following:
Screenshots from filming for NATIVE | The Prodigies of an Icon
NATIVE | The Prodigies of an Icon https://nativemovie.com is a documentary following the history of bison up through its modern life. The film is supported by the following:
The Eastern Bison Association has signed up as a bronze sponsor for the NATIVE film project. NATIVE | The Prodigies of an Icon is a feature documentary film project following North America’s most iconic mammal, the American Bison (aka Buffalo). Featuring ranchers, indigenous people, and conservationists across North America, the documentary aims to highlight the history of Bison, the regenerative significance Bison has on our ecology, and the industry and people that have made it’s comeback both possible and sustainable.
The Eastern Bison Association is dedicated to addressing the needs of the eastern bison producer through education, research, and the marketing of bison and bison products.
The Eastern Bison Association, through its code of ethics, promotes the integrity and honesty of the bison producer to provide outstanding quality bison products for the consumer.
Screenshots from filming North Bridger Bison Ranch.
IN THE SHIELDS VALLEY OF MONTANA, TUCKED UP AGAINST THE NORTH BRIDGER MOUNTAINS AMID A WILD EXPANSE OF GRASS AND SAGEBRUSH, NORTH BRIDGER BISON IS A FAMILY-RUN BISON RANCH THAT PROVIDES HEALTHY, DELICIOUS, REGENERATIVE, HUMANELY FIELD-HARVESTED BISON MEAT.
Bison. A native herbivore. An icon of the West. Bison belong on the landscape out here, and we take great pride in raising bison and providing meat that is healthy for both you and the land.
Life at the North Bridger Bison Ranch is pretty simple. Nature is in charge here. It provides sunshine and water, which grows grass, which bison eat. That’s the founding principle of North Bridger Bison.
Our ranch also provides habitat for a wide variety of birds and wildlife, including sage grouse, pronghorn antelope, sandhill cranes, coyotes, mule deer, wolves, moose, mountain lions, elk, black bears, waterfowl, songbirds, and many other wild critters.
Through our management practices, which are rooted in Holistic Management and Regenerative Agriculture principles, the bison on our ranch help build soil, improve the quality of the soil, increase the amount of water retained in the ground, increase the amount and diversity of the grasses, forbs, and wildflowers on the landscape, and help reduce climate change through carbon storage in the soil. And again — amazingly — the five pillars of all of this are sunshine, water, soil, grass, and bison.
Ultimately, our goals are to work hard, improve the land, help the environment, provide delicious and healthy meat you can feel good about eating, help change our food system for the better, contribute to Montana’s economy, be good members of our community, and have a little fun along the way.
Matt and Sarah Skoglund started North Bridger Bison in 2018. Their kids, Otto and Greta, also help out, primarily by holistically managing all superhero-themed stories and imaginary games at the ranch. And there are Sally the German Shepherd and Walter the Cat. Finally, Matt and Sarah strongly believe in community. Matt is a board member of the Western Sustainability Exchange and the Bozeman Community Food Co-op, and he is the former Vice President of the Montana Bison Association. Sarah worked for years for the Cancer Support Community in Bozeman, and she is currently a board member of the Gallatin Valley Land Trust.
Screenshots from filming for NATIVE | The Prodigies of an Icon
NATIVE | The Prodigies of an Icon https://nativemovie.com is a documentary following the history of bison up through its modern life. The film is supported by the following:
Cherokee Valley Bison Ranch, is nestled in the rolling hills of Thornville, Ohio. The farm land has been family owned for over 50 years, owners Carie and Jarrod Starr, purchased their first herd in 2008. Their number one priority was and still is to produce grass-fed bison for our family and community. They now keep over 40 bison and each spring they are blessed with many ‘red dogs’ to keep the herd growing.
On the ranch they believe in the sacred connection between Mother Earth and ourselves – Carie’s grandmother spent countless hours sharing tales of her Cherokee heritage, her love for nature, and philosophy of living a life the ‘natural way’ without herbicides, but most importantly, how it is our duty to act as stewards of the earth. Grandma Crandell’s wisdom stuck with Carie and they continues her grandmother’s sustainable practices today.
