Meet Our Family
Jack and Nicole
OWNERS
Jack and Nicole met in a little town called Ten Sleep, Wyoming, (pop. 251) back in 2013. They were set up on a blind date by Nicole’s ranch and hay boss on the Fourth of July weekend rodeo. While big, bright firework displays launched into the sky to celebrate America’s birthday, fireworks were flying between the two on that special night.
They fell in love quickly, got married, and decided to do something different, something that would be hard, but worth the blood, sweat, and tears in achieving their version of the American dream.
Jack already had some beef cows, Nicole was working in Kaycee, Wyoming, and quickly realized that the two working together, side-by-side, was more satisfying than carving out separate careers.
Nicole, a first-generation college grad who received her diploma in Natural Resource from the Warner College of Natural Resources from Colorado State University in 2012, she was ready for something different, something that would bring her love of being outdoors, with creating something unique and beneficial to others.
Jack graduated from Worland High School, going straight to work for a concrete company. Jack, too, loved being outside but felt something was missing. He, like many people his age, wanted to strike out and make his own mark. So, sticking to his blue-collar roots, he went to work for his uncle’s farm in Worland where he learned how to run an operation, and run it the right way. In a short time, Jack had his own cows on land that he rented from his uncle.
Moving from Jack’s hometown of Worland, Wyoming, (pop. 4,787) to Greybull, Wyoming, (pop. 1,680) the two found a diamond-in-the-rough farm that they quickly transformed into a productive, working, agricultural endeavor.
As first-generation farmers and ranchers, Jack and Nicole started their arduous journey together by setting irrigation tubes, setting dams, and using gated pipes. Now they use side rolls and center pivots, but those first couple of years were tough, but Jack and Nicole knew it would be worth it in the end and kept diligently and steadfastly working to realize their dream.
Never one to shy away from a challenge, Nicole has always enjoyed the side hustle of sales, combined with her talent of meeting people while selling top-quality products. In 2013, she started selling ground beef out of her house. Selling their hormone-free, free-range ground beef quickly took off.
Soon after that, they took their dream to the next level. Jack and Nicole’s hard work and dedication has grown into their brick-and-mortar store that opened in 2019 at 525 Greybull Avenue, the main drag in town. Flying E Market has become a staple of downtown Greybull with its distinct logo on the outside and premium selections of elk, beef, lamb, pork, bison, and other gifts on the inside.
There was never a doubt the Bighorn Basin was where they wanted to spend the rest of their lives as the couple has built a loving relationship with not only the area, especially Greybull, but have bonded with the community and the people of the Bighorn Basin.
In 2022, Flying E Meats won Best Beef in Wyoming, taking first place out of 11 ranches. And they’re going for another award this year – Best of the West which is awarded to the top ranch for the best beef in the American West.
Family Affair
Jack and Nicole have always felt that family comes first, even when raising high-quality meat on their ranch. Their two daughters, Kaycee and Josie, have been raised in the ranching lifestyle. Even through the two girls are 5- and 4-years old, they are not shy about helping mom and dad with daily ranch duties like feeding the animals, irrigating their expansive spread, riding the tractors, and getting to know how hard work and dedication is a life-long process, but well worth the effort.
Make sure you check out the ground beef boxes, named after the children.
Jack and Nicole are teaching more than just grit and hard work to their children, they are also teaching them about stewardship and conservancy by managing livestock, land, and natural resources each and every day. They check the animals, making sure they are well-cared for by being compassionate and aware of the relationship between the rancher, the land, and the animals. For a ranch to be successful, these key pieces must exist in a congruent, harmonious environment. Jack and Nicole want you to know, they are hands-on from start to finish!
Philosophy
At Flying E Meats, their goal is, and always has been, to raise the best, hormone-free meat for their customers. They use time, high-quality feeds, and a health regime for all of their livestock.
Nicole and Josh are dedicated to their philosophy by growing their own hay, silage, haylage, as well as using malt barley which is converted into hay for their animals.
To be healthy, some humans “take their vitamins” every day. Same goes for the animals at Flying E Meats. By using a local mineral program, they feed the animals their “vitamins” every day, making sure the livestock are at peak health and viability.
Flying E Meats believe in wide, open ranges for their animals to graze in the Big Horn Basin. Nicole and Jack steadfastly check on their animals daily, ensuring that no animal is in distress.
By being diligent and good stewards of their land and animals, customers can taste the difference in their meats.
Thank you!
Jack and Nicole thank you for trusting them with your family’s health by providing the best quality meat available in the Big Horn Basin. They appreciate your supporting their American-owned and family-run business. When you make a call or send an email, you talk directly to Nicole who knows every inch of the process.
Food is such an important, life-giving, communal act that we all depend on. Thank you for choosing Flying E Meats with your decision!
Awards
Placed 1st out of 11 producers in 2022 Best Beef of Wyoming