The older I get, the more convinced I become that many of the richest parts of life are hiding in places most people overlook.
At our core, we’ve always tried to equip people to make the most of the waves they actually have access to—not just the once-a-year swell. While plenty of folks are watching the buoy charts waiting for the swell of the decade, we’ve always been more interested in the uncrowded waist-high corner down the beach.
That idea shaped the kinds of surfboards we wanted to build—boards designed to help people catch more waves, surf more often, and enjoy the actual conditions in front of them instead of waiting around for perfection.
When you stay curious about something long enough and engage with it deeply enough, little pockets start to appear. An opportunity, a need, a different way of doing something.
The longer you let it steep, the more apparent it becomes.
That is how I found myself making bison jerky.
The first batches of Ranger Bison jerky came from a pretty practical frustration: losing a chest freezer full of meat. Twice.
Making jerky at home started as a way to preserve more of the animal and make it easier to share with friends and family. But somewhere along the way, it opened up a bigger idea.
A bison is too significant an animal to treat like a commodity.
There is not an infinite number of bison on the landscape. When a bison is harvested, it feels important to utilize that animal thoughtfully and fully.
That’s part of why our jerky has always centered around whole-animal utilization rather than premium cuts alone. Ground meat, connective tissue, collagen—all the parts modern food systems often overlook—make for a richer, more complete jerky.
Thousands of years before settlers pushed West, massive herds of bison were already shaping the landscape as they moved.
Grazing. Fertilizing. Disturbing the soil. Moving on.
Their movement created what ecologists sometimes call a “green wave”—new growth following directly behind the herd.
Fresh grass. New life.
While we’re out trying to ride waves for enjoyment, bison are creating waves of new life behind them.
Ranger Bison and Almond Surfboards both come from the same desire to create from a place of curiosity—and to encourage deeper participation in the world around us.
Surfboards are meant to be ridden.
Jerky is meant to be shared on the move.
Bison are healthiest when they are moving across the landscape.
Waves.
Movement.
Curiosity.
Stewardship.
Paying attention long enough for little pockets to appear.
