Silkville Ranch
Bichelmeyer Land & Cattle
Located in Williamsburg, Kansas, the family-owned Bichelmeyer Ranch raises, breeds, and supplies Kansas City meat market, Bichelmeyer Meats with locally-raised beef. My uncles, Jim and Joe, run the operations of the ranch, with a cast of essential ranch hands and neighbors working constantly to keep cattle moving through the seasons and stages of ranch life.
Documentary photography by Jennifer Wetzel
Project overview
The purpose of this project is to visually show a way of life that is physically demanding, delicately tied to the seasons, and also brings a strong sense of personal fulfillment and satisfaction to those involved. My photographs capture the days of tagging new calves, supplying nutrients, branding and constant herding from pasture to corral to chute and back to pasture. Also highlighted are the daily chores and duties such as fence mending, bailing hay, making rounds on horseback coordinating with other ranchers and neighbors. All necessary to keep the operation running smoothly.
(to view images below, scroll right with your mouse or finger )
Short term project goals
I would like to GROW this project by selling postcard sets of selected images through our Solo Disco Press website and soon I hope to offer individual prints in a variety of sizes, with all sales contributing to advance the project goals and reach. Let me know if you have any favorites and I'll take that into consideration!
Long term project goals
I will work toward designing a book to showcase a broad range of photographs with accompanying writing, captions, interviews and additional graphics that help capture the full nature of family ranching. I would also like to plan a gallery show displaying a selection of photographs from the project.
Thank you!
I appreciate you taking the time to preview my personal project. Please help support my future project goals by ordering a postcard set (or two!) through the links above or by contacting me to find out other ways to help this project grow. I look forward to sharing more ranch photography through a variety of formats and exposure in the future.
