By JoAnna Hartsoch | ND Ranch Wife 

When you don’t inherit an operation, and you don’t have a big head start, there’s only one direction to build, up. 

That’s exactly what my husband, Dennis, and I set out to do when we founded Hartsoch Ranch in 2018. Living on 67 acres of open prairie in northwestern North Dakota—surrounded by fields and a single row of trees—we built it all from scratch. We started with pens, a barn, and twenty head of cattle on shares. We bought our first tractor and portable corral, rented pasture and hay land, and did it all while working full-time jobs. 

Because even when your dreams are just beginning to take root… the bills still need to be paid. 

And we did it with two little kids in tow—our daughter MaKoti was 5, and our son Waylon was just 3. We were juggling bottle calves, snack times, and muddy boots, branding days, and bedtime stories. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was real—and it was ours. 

We didn’t know all the curveballs that would come—but maybe that’s part of the blessing. If you knew everything it would take, you might never take the first step. But I’m so glad we did. 

That first year? Smooth. The weather played nice, the calves came easily, and we thought, “Okay… maybe we can handle this.” So naturally, we doubled our herd. 

We took out a loan for twenty more cows and kept the original twenty on shares. And that’s when the real learning curve hit. 

Built With Grit—and Grace 

In our second year, we learned the hard way what can happen when your bull has issues, and you don’t catch it in time. Our calf crop was cut in half. And when you’re counting on those calves to pay the bills, that kind of loss makes your heart—and your bank account—ache. 

We made a bold move that spring. We bought 30 cow/calf pairs, bringing our herd up to 50 cows. And when you add more cattle, the math changes fast—more pasture, more hay, more fencing, more bull power. It all adds up quickly. The workload. The expense. The pressure. 

With that came a bigger weight to carry—not just physically, but mentally. And one of the hardest things in ag is keeping your head in the game when everything feels like it’s working against you. 

The Storms That Shaped Us 

Some of the most defining moments in our journey have been the storms—both literal and figurative. 

In April 2022, we faced two spring blizzards, back-to-back. The first hit just before calving. The second one? Right in the thick of it. We were out there hand-picking babies, carrying them to shelter, bottle-feeding sixteen calves, and warming water on a wood-burning stove after the generator failed. Power was out. Spirits were low. We were surviving on prayer, grit, and whatever energy we had left. 

Despite our best efforts… we lost calves. The cold was brutal, but the sickness that followed was worse. No matter how hard we worked or how much we wanted to fix it, we still watched some of those babies slip away. 

Loss like that carves something into you. 

But you either let it break you, or you let it build something deeper inside. And we chose to keep going. Because that’s what this life asks of you. 

Then, in October 2024, a wildfire tore through our neighborhood with terrifying speed. The winds that day were brutal, gusting up to 70 miles per hour, blowing the fire directly toward our place. We were cutting fences, hauling water, and doing everything we could to stay one step ahead of the flames. 

Dennis and our neighbor—along with others in the area—jumped in to help, dragging the land and building emergency berms in the dirt, hoping to redirect the fire. And by nothing short of God’s grace, there was a slight change in the wind that spared our home and barns. 

We didn’t lose a single animal. No buildings. No lives lost on our ranch. 

But we did lose pasture. We did lose fence line—miles of it, scorched and tangled. And here we are, still working to rebuild that fencing before fall, just so we can get cattle back in there. 

Some of our neighbors weren’t so lucky. Some lost nearly their entire herds. Two lives were lost. A few homes were burned to the ground. 

Standing on that blackened pasture, staring at the twisted remnants of the fence, knowing we were spared by mere feet and a shift in the wind—it’s something I’ll never forget. 

The emotion was overwhelming—gratitude, grief, guilt. There’s no manual for how to carry the weight of what could have been. But we lean on each other, and we lean hard on faith. 

And through it all, we’re raising two incredible kids right beside the cattle—MaKoti (11) and Waylon (9). They’ve grown up with bottle calves in the barn, snow up to their knees, and dirt under their nails. Ranch life isn’t always easy, but it teaches them responsibility, gratitude, and the kind of strength that sticks with them. I want them to know what it means to work hard, love deeply, and never take the simple things for granted. 

Because sometimes the strongest “We can do this” comes after the storm, when you’re still standing. 

From Cattle to Coffee… and Connection 

Our story doesn’t stop with beef. 

Right alongside ranching, I’ve always had a pull for “a little something extra.” I started with an online vendor-based boutique but eventually brought everything under one brand: ND Ranch Wife. That name has become the home for everything I love—ranching, recipes, coffee, creativity, and connection. 

I love good coffee, so I partnered with a small-batch roaster and launched ND Ranch Wife Coffee. We roast in small batches, package every order with care, and ship it out fresh from our roasting partner to front porches across the country. There’s nothing quite like hearing someone say, “Hey, I tried your coffee—and I love it.” That feeling? It never gets old. 

At the same time, I share meal prep tips, freezer plans, and beef recipes—because I believe families need more support in the kitchen. That’s where the beef ends up, after all. And it’s more than just a place to cook—it’s the heart of the home, where stories are shared, prayers are said, and connection is made over a simple meal. 

What “Made in America” Means to Me 

Being Made in America isn’t just about where something is produced—it’s about what’s poured into it. Our cattle are born and raised here. Our coffee is roasted and packed here. Our dreams were built in dirt, dust, and determination. 

I’m proud that every product I offer—from beef to coffee to branded merch—carries a story rooted in the land and values I hold dear. 

ND Ranch Wife celebrates American grit, rural life, and faith-driven resilience. My brand is about helping families feel proud of what’s on their table and inspired by where it came from. Whether it’s a mug of coffee, a bag of burgers, or a freezer meal plan—I want folks to feel connected to the land, and to each other. 

Still Building 

We’re far from done. 

We’re currently preparing to sell ¼, ½, and whole beef direct from our ranch, requiring new infrastructure, like finishing pens and improved corrals. Our cattle will stay hormone-free, grass/hay-fed, with a daily bucket of grain for flavor and marbling. It’s one more step toward making premium beef available to families who care about what they eat. 

I’m also launching ND Ranch Wife Gift Boxes—curated bundles with coffee, mugs, sweet treats, and a personal touch. Whether you’re a ranch mama, oilfield worker, or just someone who loves the Western way of life, I want these boxes to feel like a warm hug from the prairie. 

 Final Words 

If you’re dreaming of building something—even if it feels too big or too far off—I want you to hear this: 

You don’t need a perfect plan. You just need to start. 

Agriculture will humble you, stretch you, and shape you. But it will also give you meaning. Purpose. And perspective. Don’t be afraid to fail. The failures are where the grit gets built. 

Your value isn’t in what you produce—it’s in how you show up. With persistence. With faith. With kindness. And most of all—with heart. 

And as we build, we’ve got two little ranch hands growing up beside us—our daughter MaKoti (11) and our son Waylon (9). They’re learning firsthand what it means to care for animals, weather storms, and build a life with purpose. More than anything, I hope they see that building something from the ground up—with grit, grace, and a whole lot of faith—is always worth it. 

Because at the end of the day, the future belongs to those who are brave enough to build it. 

And we’re still building—one calf, one cup of coffee, one God-given dream at a time. 

About the Author 

JoAnna Hartsoch is the founder of ND Ranch Wife, a family-run brand rooted in the heart of North Dakota. Through premium coffee, homegrown beef, and faith-filled lifestyle content, she inspires families to embrace ranch life, build strong roots, and live with grit and grace.
www.ndranchwife.com | @ndranchwife