About Us

The HAT RANCH is a family owned operation located in west-central Iowa. Our family immigrated from Germany and settled on the sandy hills of southwest Greene County where Doug's Grandfather Matt and Great Uncle Jacob started farming. Due to the untimley death of Matt, Doug's father Fred and uncle Paul took over operations and expanded the farm over the next forty years.
When Doug returned from his service in the Army, he first worked for the Garst Seed Corn Company to help support his new and growing family as well as his herd of Angus cattle, which he started from a 4-H project back in 1958. In 1977 Doug was able to leave this job to farm and raise cattle full-time. He also fed out a few cattle each year.
In 1986 Doug became a member of the American Tarentaise Association. The HAT RANCH was formed shortly after and has grown to be the largest breeder of registerd Tarentaise cattle in the United States. Soon after, Doug was able to turn the grain farming operation over to his brother Jerry and concentrate fully on raising cattle. Today the ranch consists of 400 purebred and commercial Tarentaise and Angus cattle, a finishing feedlot, as well as a bull and heifer development lot. HAT RANCH FEEDS INC. was added in the early 90's to provide livestock feeds to the local farmers after the Purina store in Coon Rapids closed. This was started by Doug's oldest son Jeff and later run by the middle son, Cory. HAT RANCH MEATS supplies area residents of high quality beef.
In 2005, Doug's youngest son Michael returned home from working ranches in Wyoming and has played a major role in ranch operations. Under his direction more emphasis has been placed on pasture management, rotational grazing, and low-stress cattle handling. He now lives in the old family home which his great-grandfather and grandfather raised their families.