Thousand Hills Cattle Ranch

Wanda and Ivan Minks were not ranchers when they moved to Barnesville, but they had a deep understanding of what it means to invest in a community and help it grow by giving back. It’s that understanding, coupled with strong faith and commitment, that led them to start Thousand Hills Cattle Ranch – an endeavor that’s not only flourishing but also nurturing to its owners, customers, and the community.

 

The Minks have only been residents of Lamar County for 10 years. Ivan moved to Georgia from Montana in 2014 to help care for his aging parents and met Wanda a few months later. The couple, who both have backgrounds in economic development, decided to move to Barnesville and immediately became United Bank customers. 

“I believe that one of the things that you do to help local communities grow is keep the money in the community,” said Ivan. “Wanda and I share a deep commitment developing local communities as much as we can – it’s part of who we are. We went straight to United Bank because we only wanted to work with a neighborhood bank.”

When the Minks moved to Barnesville, they were still working in economic development and, in fact, wrote the grant that brought the new Health Department to Lamar County six years ago. They helped administer 37 different development projects all focused on local Georgia producers. 

 

“We believe that if you keep yourself open, the Lord will put you in the place you need to be, and if you are faithful, He will bless you in your endeavors,” said Ivan. “There is a USDA program for just about any edible farm product out there. Wanda’s knowledge of Georgia’s agricultural landscape helped us learn more about the potential profitability of cattle in our area.”

William Tuttle was a lender at United Bank in Barnesville when he met with the Minks about their first loan.

“We had no history here and I really had no history in Georgia,” said Ivan. “But the local bank did what local banks should do and loaned us the money to help further develop the Barnesville community.”

The Minks started out with 60 acres in 2017. They bought 25 mama cows and set out to become one of the state’s only birth-to-slaughter, farm-to-table, Certified Organic cattle farms. 

“There are many great cattle producers in Georgia but what set us apart is the fact that we were the only USDA Certified Organic beef producers in Georgia at the time,” said Wanda. “We really had a target-rich environment for those who wanted organic.”

 

They soon expanded to an additional 85 acres nearby and 175 head of cattle. Realizing they had a market of almost two million customers in nearby Atlanta just 45 minutes away, they began selling at farmer’s markets in a race trailer they converted into a mobile store. The Minks burned up the road to and from Atlanta for three years before they re-evaluated, sold off 85 acres of land and got back to what they do best – finishing beef. 

“We decided it was time to come home,” said Wanda. “It was important to us to provide our quality beef to our neighbors and friends. It has been a joy meeting so many people here from Barnesville, Thomaston, Milner, and the surrounding area. We still have customers and friends from Atlanta who drive down to see us and purchase our beef. They visit and enjoy the peacefulness of the Ranch before they head back. It speaks loudly that they would make that drive to purchase our beef.” 

Though Thousand Hills Cattle Ranch is no longer Certified Organic, the Minks still offer clean beef that comes directly from healthy cattle. The grasses on their property are analyzed and the feed is designed by a bovine nutritionist. Their cows get natural vitamins and minerals every single day.

 

“We raise legacy-style cattle. They eat what they want, when they want – just like we do,” said Ivan. “We spend a lot of time and effort keeping things natural. The ultimate goal is to stabilize our beef’s flavor for our customers. Our beef is hung for 14 days, dry aged and vacuumed sealed, and our customers come back because we have a consistent quality product to offer them.”

Once they decided to get off the road, Ivan and Wanda set their sights on opening a store of their own on their property. Their Ranch Store now offers beef as well as pork, chicken, seafood, pantry staples, dairy items and specialty gifts. If it didn’t come from their ranch, they source their products from other local producers. Customers can visit the store and put together a family pack of beef, pork, and chicken from a selection of cuts to make up their own bundle.

 
“We believe the ultimate way to build the community is to feed them, and we only source from local producers because that, in turn, supports our community,” Ivan said. 

The whole atmosphere of Thousand Hills Cattle Ranch is relaxed. Customers are not hurried and can enjoy taking their time. 

 

“The Lord has blessed us. We’ve worked very hard to get here and we’re proud to be stewards of this land in Lamar County,” Ivan continued. “United Bank and William Tuttle have been instrumental at critical times during our journey and a huge part of our success. We’re grateful to be with a bank that truly understands the meaning of building a community. Barnesville is growing and United Bank, in our experience, has proven they are ready and willing to grow with it.”

“To God be the glory. We humbly feed people. We love and appreciate our customers,” said Wanda. “They believe in what we are doing and that’s what it’s all about.”