About Us
Ernie (Senior) and EJ (Junior) providing water for the cows (DEC 2022)
Journie THEN and NOW.
Our Story
Established in 2020, Ernie's Cattle Ranch (Tinian, Mariana Islands) was founded by the Big Boss, Henry Ernest "Ernie" Hofschneider Sr. for two of his five kids who share a passion in caring for the animals and the beautiful land of Tinian.
While Ernie laid out the groundwork, his children Henry Ernest "EJ" Hofschneider Jr. and Journie Hofschneider entered a joint partnership to carry on Ernie's legacy and love for the land. What was known as "E.J. Ranch" (for EJ and Journie) officially became "Ernie's Ranch" to honor the heart and soul of the operations.
Today, Ernie continues to manage and execute daily operations at the ranch alongside Journie, while EJ carries out his military service and serve our nation. EJ focuses on logistics acquisition and management remotely and flies home often to carry out laborious tasks for the family. Journie assists her father at the ranch, caring for the animals (self-taught veterinarian), specializing in fresh farm eggs, while balancing a full-time job with the CNMI government.
Ernie, EJ, and Journie are dedicated and committed to care for the land, the animals, and preserve the cattle industry in the Northern Mariana Islands. Today, they proudly offer safe, affordable, and nutritious beef for the community.
History of the Cattle Industry in Tinian
Tinian was well known by the community as the bread basket of the Marianas in the 1960s due to an abundance of ranches and farms operated by locals. Cattle, livestock, and crops were distributed for local consumption and sold to Guam and Saipan. Late businessman, Kenneth Thomas Jones Jr, imported cows from New Zealand and had them breed with cattle from Tinian and Rota. He managed and operated Bar K Ranch, which proved to be a success as it was equipped with quality machiner and it had its own veterinarians and pharmacy. The ranch also produced its own feeds for its livestock and was the first U.S. Department of Agriculture-approved slaughterhouse outside of the mainland United States. At one point in history, it was well known that there were more cattle than humans living in Tinian. While the Bar K Ranch does not exist anymore, the residents who used to work there continued to raise cattle and manage their own farms up to this day.
