Thunder Heart Bison
Hugh Fitzsimons
San Antonio, TX
2007 Winners of the "ALL ARTISANAL" AWARD and the Outstanding Meat Category
Shape Ranch - Thunder Heart Bison
Four generations of my family has raised livestock in Dimmit County, Texas. My grandfather, Hugh Fitzsimons Sr. came from Louisiana to Texas in 1933 looking for grass, water, and solitude, and here he found all three in abundance, 28 miles from the closest town. Cartographers place us squarely on the 100th meridian, approximately 7 miles north of the Rio Grande River in a country that the early day Spanish explorers called the "desplobado," or no man's land.
Here he raised purebred Hereford and Angus cattle. Running a cow calf operation and then taking the weanling calves and shipping them to Kansas to be fattened on grass. My grandfather knew the value of good grass and it is a lesson that was instilled in me early on. In 1998 for some odd reason that still remains obscure, I elected to take my section of the ranch and establish a bison herd. We would name the ranch the Shape. One letter for each person in the family. Sarah, Hugh, Asa, Patrick, and Evelyn.
Initially the plan was to sell weanling calves for a fat profit. In the summer of 2000, just as my first calf cop was hitting the ground reality struck with a vengeance. Virtually overnight the live animal price for bison dropped by over 80%. By the same time next year you couldn't give a buffalo away. Ranchers were turning them lose all over the country.
Seeking solace from my financial misstep, I went out horseback late one afternoon to my favorite hill top. Hoping the sunset and a long view of the mountains of Mexico would intercede on my behalf. I did not have to wait long. And as epiphanies go this one was subtle and sublime, but I got the message.
Down in a draw in front of me, coming out of a Bee Brush thicket were a small family group of buffalo. Calmly grazing and sauntering in my direction. Now horses and bison don't mix well, and when the lead cow saw me she raised her tail to full alert and spun on her heals to exit. The instant she did that the entire family followed suit. Message delivered. If I was going to avoid danger and make it out of this situation I was going to have to consult with my lead female." Do what your grandfather did "is what she told me. "Fatten them on grass and sell them to people who appreciate it."
I brought home a package of meat one day and let it defrost in the sink. Carefully Sarah sliced it open broke it apart and smelled. A quizzical look came over her face and she seemed astonished. "It smells clean" was all she said, but that was all I need to hear.
Seven years later my wife, sons, and daughter are all a part of the Shape. Sarah makes everything we do look beautiful. Packaging, web site, booth at the market etc. She and Evelyn have also started designing hand bags and back packs made from the tanned bison leather. Son Patrick is in charge of both of our Farmer's Market stands in Austin. And son Asa, although he works in California, calls in periodically to give us the benefit of his razor sharp financial acumen.
Our goal is to honor this animal in two ways. Raise it with respect, and utilize every inch of it we can. In 2006 daughter Evelyn, who is a textile major at the Rhode Island School of Design, began a project using bison wool to weave into garments. I am a proud and lucky man.
Hugh Fitzsimons
