ABOUT US : Rapid Lightning Ranch Family
The Skinner family is a seven-generation cattle ranching family that settled into the Jordan Valley Oregon. Relatives Tom and Violet Glover Skinner purchased the Skinner ranch in 1929. Today the Skinners and their families still raise cattle on their many thousand-acre ranch today. Don & Julie Skinner are ranchers from Colorado and moved their ranch and livestock to Sandpoint, Idaho in 1995. The ranch sits in the Selle Valley of Sandpoint. Don & Julie and their children are renowned for their Alpaca herd. They raised 1500 head of Commercial alpacas, which were selectively bred for 40 years, the founders of Snowmass Alpacas LLC, renowned throughout the world. Skinners held live auctions every year, which were attended by breeders all over the world. They moved the herd from Colorado to Idaho in 1995. In 2017, they sold the Snowmass Alpacas brand and herd to a dedicated alpaca breeder and entrepreneur from New York, Lynn Eden. Lynn has taken the brand and breed of Snowmass alpacas to a whole new level and remains to be the best breeder of alpacas in the world.
Our children, now adults with families, retained a small herd of Snowmass Alpacas under the business name of Quechua Enterprises and raise and sell breeding stock, fiber, and meat. The Skinners have also been raising cattle for over 40 years and moved their base herd from Colorado to Idaho as well. They infused the Wagyu breed of Cattle into their Blonde Aquitaine cows with a full blood Black Wagyu Bull and also invested in a small herd of Akaushi Red Wagyu. The Wagyu is now what we specialize in. Wagyu means Japanese cow, and they were bred for their unique healthy fats marbled throughout the muscles of the breed. The herd is small but growing. Skinners sell shares of their Wagyu steers every year to families wanting healthy pasture-raised and healthy local grain-finished beef. This year, the Skinner family is expanding into raising pasture poultry and always have an abundant garden with all kinds of produce and flowers. Julie Skinner, who has a bachelor's degree in Environmental development, makes herbal tinctures, oils, and salves from her garden and wild crafted from the Ranch lands.
Their hope is to expand and build a farm store and education center for children and families to learn about ecological ranching and gardening. The future is bright, and our hopes are that our next generations will be better managers of our precious lands.
Our children, now adults with families, retained a small herd of Snowmass Alpacas under the business name of Quechua Enterprises and raise and sell breeding stock, fiber, and meat. The Skinners have also been raising cattle for over 40 years and moved their base herd from Colorado to Idaho as well. They infused the Wagyu breed of Cattle into their Blonde Aquitaine cows with a full blood Black Wagyu Bull and also invested in a small herd of Akaushi Red Wagyu. The Wagyu is now what we specialize in. Wagyu means Japanese cow, and they were bred for their unique healthy fats marbled throughout the muscles of the breed. The herd is small but growing. Skinners sell shares of their Wagyu steers every year to families wanting healthy pasture-raised and healthy local grain-finished beef. This year, the Skinner family is expanding into raising pasture poultry and always have an abundant garden with all kinds of produce and flowers. Julie Skinner, who has a bachelor's degree in Environmental development, makes herbal tinctures, oils, and salves from her garden and wild crafted from the Ranch lands.
Their hope is to expand and build a farm store and education center for children and families to learn about ecological ranching and gardening. The future is bright, and our hopes are that our next generations will be better managers of our precious lands.
Our commitment to quality and care for our animals and produce remains steadfast, as we continue to offer a diverse range of products for our community.