“Supporting 4-H is easy. The support always comes back to us from the 4-Hers parents and ranchers. Why wouldn’t we support them?”
Jodi Pauley, store manager for Cow Poke Ranch Supply in Deer Lodge, Montana, understands the philosophy of care that comes full circle. At their store in Western Montana, they are accustomed to giving back to the young people both locally and to the surrounding counties.
According to Pauley, she works to ensure Cow Poke Ranch Supply stocks a current inventory of show feed and supplies for young exhibitors. She also makes sure she has Sure Champ® Clench Gel, “to help keep their animals the healthiest they can be.”
Pauley collaborates with vendors such as BioZyme® ASM Justin Doubet to conduct educational clinics at the store. These clinics vary over time but cover topics ranging from feeding and selection to daily care, and they cover multiple species. Furthermore, Cow Poke offers specials for 4-H members, such as buying 10 bags of feed and getting 1 for free, and often recognizes its customers with an appreciation gift certificate at the end of the show season.
County Fair Fun
For the young Cow Poke Ranch Supply customers, much of their work culminates at the Tri-County Fair. Pauley said in 2025, she and Doubet hosted an ice cream social for the exhibitors and their families after check-in, where they also handed out some shirts and caps.
“We also like to purchase one or two animals in the 4-H auction each year, depending on our budget,” Pauley said. “Our sister store in Corvallis also participates in the 4-H activities.”
Education Beyond the Youth
In addition to the youth education and support that Cow Poke Ranch Supply provides, Pauley said they have offered different producer educational opportunities. The most recent – Calving Day – proved some long-term success.
The store invited several vendors to set up displays that promoted calving time supplies. Doubet promoted the VitaFerm® Sure Start Gel. Customers received a sign-in card and were required to get signatures from each vendor to enter into a drawing. The customers also received 10% off calving supplies purchased that day and a complimentary lunch.
“It was a great way to expose our customers to everything we have to offer in-store and enjoy a good, hearty stew lunch. If they had not been in for a while, they could look around and learn more about the products we carry,” Pauley said. “They went home, thought about what they saw and what they wanted, and came back and made their purchases, so the Calving Day did pay off later.”
Cow Poke Ranch Supply has been a BioZyme dealer since 2021. It carries every supplement line that BioZyme offers, ensuring that its customers’ animals are getting the best nutrition possible.
“Jodi and her team always have the customer’s best interest in mind,” Doubet said.
From 4-H exhibitors to the cow-calf producer, Cow Poke Ranch Supply knows how to show care that comes full circle.
