Farm406

25 farm406 T he Certified Angus Beef brand has been celebrating its 40 th birthday all year by partying with American beef producers at 40 different ranches across the country. Coast-to-coast, and with paintbrush in hand, solo painter Troy Freeman has been at every stop along the way, expertly painting the brand's signature logo on a barn at each location. "It's been unbelievable," said Troy, a self-managed freelance illustrator who has been painting large-scale murals for over a decade. "I cannot believe how well taken care of I have been." As much as the Illinois-based artist has enjoyed the opportunity to travel the country as a member of the "Brand the Barn" project, he says the highlight of his journey has been the time he has spent getting to know the families who devote their lives to raising top-notch Angus beef. According to Certified Angus Beef, that's the whole point – celebrating not only the brand's milestone, but also the people at the heart of the brand's success. On a sunny afternoon in July, the party swooped into Montana's Blaine County, and headed straight for Shipwheel Cattle Company's Clear Creek Ranch to begin working on barn number 22 of the cross-country tour. "They lined up absolutely everything," said Lori Swanson, who owns and operates Shipwheel Cattle Company along with her Watching Paint Dry at Shipwheel Cattle Company "Brand the Barn" Tour: Certified Angus Beef's BY HOLLY MATKIN PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIC VISOCAN Shipwheel Cattle Company's red barn has become a canvas for one of the Certified Angus Beef Brand's latest works of art. Balanced on his scaffolding, solo artist Troy Freeman puts the finishing touches on the Swanson family's barn.

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