BOWMAN, N.D. – Two individuals from a long-time ranch family, Joe and Cindy Painter, were honored at the annual Agriculture Appreciation Banquet held recently in Bowman. Producers and businesses from Bowman, Slope and Harding Counties are recognized.
The Painter Family started their sixth generation legacy in Buffalo, SD in 1895 when Joe’s Great Grandfather, Lewis Levi, homesteaded a quarter of an acre on the banks of the Little Missouri River. Joe ranched with his grandfather-Joe and his father, Paul early on in life.
He graduated from Harding County high school in 1978 and attended BHSU from 1978-1981 where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business. Cindy, originally from Wyoming, also graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business from BHSU in 1980.
They were married in 1983 and have three children: Jessica, Paul Jay, and Joey. The three children helped on the ranch growing up and all three went on with their education to receive master’s degrees. PJ pursued a career in Law and is married and living in Cincinnati, Ohio working as an in-house attorney. Joey is ranching in Broadus, MT with her husband, Taylor, and their three children (Landon, Carson, and Shay). Jessica married Casey Holmes, from Wisconsin whom she met in college, and came back to help on the ranch and today are full partners with the help of their three children, Tommi, Trey, and Chase.
The Painter Family is constantly working on improving all aspects of the ranch from hay fields, water tanks, stockades, tree belts, waterlines and cross fences. Throughout the years they have built several stockades and laid miles of pipeline for freshwater tanks to every pasture. They have subdivided or cross fenced most of their pastures to improve grazing management and practice grazing rotation. They have put in several tree belts on the ranch to help with cattle protection. Together with their family they have grown in acres and knowledge to make their ranch prosperous.
Throughout the years Joe and Cindy have been awarded several accomplishments:
-Harding County Conservation Family of the Year in 2001
-Casey Tibbs Ranch Family Award in 2009
-Pioneer Ranch Award in 2020 from the Black Hills Stock Show Foundation
-Legacy Family Induction to the BHSU Hall of Fame in 2012
Joe, Cindy, and family have always been a huge part of their community. Joe has served and participated as a Harding County Commissioner, South Dakota State Stockgrowers Director, Harding County Stockgrowers President, Harding County Activities Club President, Ladner Church President, and helped with many more organizations.
Cindy served and participated as a Harding County EMT, Ladner Church Sunday School leader and teacher, Ladner Church Secretary, Bullock Community Club Officer, and helped with many more organizations.
Both Joe and Cindy have been to Washington DC three different times with the Farmers Union Fly In Group to help advocate for the ranchers, farmers and the ag industry as a whole.
