History
Four generations of ranching in the Nebraska Sandhills
Located in the Western part of the Nebraska Sandhills, the JHL Ranch was originally settled by the Stansbie family in the 1880s. They were later joined by the Engel family. What came—and has lasted—was what fit with the ecosystem: cattle and a hardy people.
First Settlement
The Stansbie family homesteaded in the area. James Stansbie and Thomas Stansbie made their land claims in March 1888. The first Europeans to venture into this area were ranchers, followed by those interested in tilling the soil.
The JHL Brand
The JHL brand was legally registered in Nebraska. As brands go, it is a good one: it can be applied with a single iron (efficient) and crosses the hair and hide in different directions, making it easily legible. The JHL is reputed to be one of the oldest brands still in use in Nebraska.
The Brownlee Era
Art and Merry Brownlee took the reins of the operation. Art brought 20 years of corporate experience in computers and financial analysis from Omaha—skills that would transform how the ranch approached breeding decisions. Rather than relying on intuition alone, they began treating cattle genetics like a data problem.
They initiated complete tracking from breeding to harvest using DNA, ultrasound, and carcass data. That same year, JHL became one of the first operations to market USDA source- and age-verified product. Every animal could be traced back to its parents, and every parent's offspring could be evaluated on real performance—not guesswork. This data foundation enables our breeding program to consistently target Prime-grade beef—the quality we eat ourselves and stand behind.
Industry Recognition
JHL Ranch received the Cargill Meat Solutions Award for the highest overall quality cattle entering the plant—validation that the data-driven approach was paying off.
BIF Commercial Producer of the Year
The Beef Improvement Federation named JHL Ranch its Commercial Producer of the Year at the 41st BIF Research Symposium in Sacramento, California. Art, Merry, and their sons Ethan and Ed accepted the award. The ranch was nominated by the Nebraska Cattlemen and the Braunvieh Association of America.
The BIF award evaluates operations across 10 categories including breeding objectives, record systems, sire selection, carcass merit, and forage stewardship. It's not about having the biggest operation or the flashiest marketing—it's about doing the fundamentals right, year after year, with data to prove it.
Continuing the Legacy
The family continues the legacy of this piece of land. The operation has grown to include approximately 30,000 acres with 80 paddocks for intensive rotational grazing, stocking 1,300-1,400 Angus- and Braunvieh-cross cows.
The Brownlee Family
About the Brownlees
Merry Brownlee is a third-generation Sandhills ranch girl whose grandfather homesteaded in the area in 1885. Art brought 20 years of corporate experience in computers and financial analysis from Omaha. Together, they form a unique team combining deep ranching heritage with analytical business practices.
"We're in it because we like the lifestyle, the livestock. How many other businesses can you work in side-by-side with your family? It's a good way to live. It's an honest living. When you're dealing day-to-day with the forces of nature and the intricacies of genes, it keeps you humble."
— Merry Brownlee