At Home with Katelyn

Meet Katelyn

First of all, I am so honored to have this opportunity. The Folkvord family is just an iconic group of individuals that my family and myself have admired for years. The Farmer's Daughters Cafe is exactly what this town needs. Delicious food, a quaint space, and locally sourced. I truly feel like this family has created the locally sourced success here in this valley. 

My name is Katelyn, and I am a fourth generation Storey, born and raised here in the Gallatin Valley ranch girl. Since my ancestors moved here, we have been here and raising cattle for about 100 years. I am the daughter of Chuck and Kathy Kohlbeck, wife of Garrett Knebel, and doggy mama of 2 amazing little munchkins, Zoey and Monk. I live and breathe for Storey Hereford Ranch, as ranching is my true passion. I love to run, and workout as much as I possibly can, and I love my family so very much. I work along side my Mom, Dad, and Husband every single day on this place, snow, rain or shine. We run about 175 mama cows, 50 bulls, and about 50 replacement heifers. I am a born and raised Registered Hereford breeder, and after marrying Garrett, we have a herd of Registered Red Angus cows as well. I am a very strong willed, tough little cookie, but would do anything for anyone, and that is how I was raised. I am so very thankful and blessed that I have had the opportunity to take over this ranch, and continue the family tradition of raising cattle in the Gallatin Valley. 

What are you reading?

I really don’t have time to sit down and curl up with a good book, which sounds absolutely relaxing and mesmerizing. However, I’m a big podcast fan. I can listen to it on the go, in the tractor harrowing fields, moving cows to new pasture, or literally running along side our pastures at night, while decompressing from the day. If I got to spend one good afternoon with a good book, it’d be spent reading any book by Gary Chapman. The Five Love Languages written by him is my absolute jam. Any time I read it, it gets me so grounded, and seeing eye to eye with people from so many important relationships in my life. It truly makes you understand the vulnerable side of a human being, and let’s you figure out what kind of human being you are and aspire to be.

As far as podcasts, Whine Down with Jana Kramer, is amazing. You can relate to her so much in so many ways. I really enjoy listening to her real, raw, marriage experiences. Nothing is sugar coated, nothing is smoke and mirrors. I work with my husband and my mom and dad on a daily basis

What are you listening to?

Crap, I kinda answered that above with my podcast obsession. Lol. However, music?

Kelsea Ballerini, I am totally obsessed. I also love Halsey, Rascal Flatts, George Strait, Eli Young. I feel like my music playlist goes from one end of the spectrum to the other. 

What are you cooking?

Oh my gosh, I love to cook. I always say that the good lord above didn't bless me with any talents in life, so he decided to let me be extremely talented in the kitchen. My mom and I are both celiac, so everything I am making is gluten free. But our husbands are both my best taste testers. What do I make? Oh let's see. Gluten free lemon blueberry cake with a cream cheese buttercream, double chocolate mint chunk cheesecake, with a gluten free chocolate graham cracker crust, gluten free banana nut bread with chocolate chips, GF peanut butter, oatmeal monster cookies. I love baking, so much. If there is sugar in it, I am making it, AND eating it. I have ALWAYS wanted to own a bakery, but with my schedule and lifestyle, that won't ever be happening. Maybe someday I can be the GF treat supplier for a local business 🙂 

As far as normal, healthy food, I love some steak raised on our ranch and roasted veggies, but I also love making a really yummy healthy salad with roasted carrots, squash and beets, a chèvre along with a vinaigrette dressing. Oh, yes and TACOS, enchiladas, homemade queso and guacamole. Any time I can make some sort of Mexican dish, I will do that any day. 

What are you wearing?

I dress solely for comfort, and warmth in the winters here. There is no way to survive a 15 hour day outside without being WARM. I have a layering system, Lululemon, Under Armour, North Face, Patagonia, and my Gobi Heated Vest, and Dry Shod Boots. You just HAVE to stay warm. In the summer, I am a big time supporter of Lululemon speed shorts, a nike sports bra, a running tank top, and my Nikes. I feel I am always jumping in and out of vehicles and tractors, feeding, fixing fence chasing cows, etc. And you need to figure out how to stay cooled off as easily as possible along with being athletically dressed, plus I get the greatest sock tan lines. Unless I am in the show ring on the end of a halter, you will NEVER catch this cowgirl in jeans or boots.  

Favorite spot in the house?

In our master bedroom, we have two turquoise antique chairs at the end of the bed. I absolutely love sitting in those. Just a place to get me grounded and it feels like all my stress leaves my body. My husband and I have a lot of really great chats while sitting in those chairs. 

What is your morning ritual?

My red border collie, "Monk", wakes me up every single morning at exactly 6:04. I let her and my dachshund, "Zoey" out to go to the bathroom, brush my teeth, do the morning skin-care routine, and get ready for the day! We go to my mom and dads house every morning for breakfast, where we can get lined out on how the day is going to pan out. Having a game plan for the day of who is doing what usually makes it run much smoother around here. 

How has this experience changed you?

To be honest, our day-to-day hasn't changed a lot. We naturally don't have a lot of time going to town to do much as far as social events. However, it scares us to see the cattle industry go in the toilet after this Covid deal hit. The demand on beef has gone down, which makes the price of cattle go down, which will probably make it very hard to make ends meet come fall time. All I can ask from the public is to support your local businesses as much as you possibly can. We are all in this together. 

It also just makes you even more grateful for the life that you live. I hear so many people on social media talking about how bored in the house they are, and with us, and this lifestyle, there is no being bored, ever. Sure, we are quarantined, but we have have so much space on the ranch to be out and about. My heart goes out to the families out there that are literally stuck in a house or an apartment. it makes you realize how lucky you are to be working 15-18 hour days in the fresh air and never run into another human or have to worry about Covid. 

Personally, I really don't mind staying socially distanced from everyone. Being diagnosed with Lupus in my early teen years, I know I have an extremely compromised immune system, and I have always been pretty aware of the flu and the common colds that go around during certain times of the year. I have always tried to stay as germ free as possible anyways, just because my body can't really fight a lot of that kinda stuff. My family has been extra careful during this time and we have just stayed as close to home as possible. 

How are you staying connected with friends and family?

The power of technology! I really have no idea how we would stay connected without technology. FaceTime, texting, snapchat, the Gram, and Facebook, it just makes it very easy to quick reach out and make sure everyone in your circle is doing okay.