by Photographer Sofia Jaramillo

Each year the Eaton cattle drive shuts down highway 821 between Ellensburg and Yakima. Cowboys and cowgirls come from all over the state to help the Eaton’s move their herd back to the family’s Mount Baldy Ranch in central Washington. It’s a tradition that has been going on for more than 60 years.

This year, in an effort to keep grazing on land near the Yakima River Canyon, the Eaton’s teamed up with other ranching families. The Akehurst and Stingley family contributed cattle to the Eaton’s herd and together they moved over 100 head.

The drive starts in the foothills above the highway. Cows are moved from the rangeland down to the road, which parallels the river. Black cliffs jot upward from the riverbanks and tall skinny pine trees provide homes for nesting bald eagles.

The drive takes about three hours and after everyone has arrived at the ranch the Eaton’s host a dinner for those who helped out.

“It’s really a way of life for us. It’s something that is just in your soul. You feel more at home horseback than doing anything else,” said Ken Eaton.

Don Akehurst gets ready to put a bridle on his horse before the cattle drive. Shop similar Western Hat styles here.

Cattle move up Burbank Creek road toward highway 821.

Curtis Mecham’s shadow is cast on a trailer early in the morning before the cattle drive.

Cattlemen go after a wandering cow during the cattle drive.

Carly Stingley and her horse during the cattle drive.

Cattlemen stop for some coffee and lunch on their way to Mt. Baldy ranch.

A truck full of hay lures cattle down highway 821 in the Yakima River Canyon.

Sofia Jaramillo is an editorial and commercial photographer, a lover of Latin culture and outdoor adventurer. Her work focuses on agriculture and ranching. When she’s not working on photos, you’ll find her exploring in the Tetons. She recently relocated from central Washington to Jackson, Wyoming. After growing up in the mountains of Sun Valley, Idaho, she couldn’t be happier about moving back to the mountain west.

Instagram:  sofia_jaramillo5

Website: www.sofiajaramillophoto.com

Photography by Jon Mortimer.

How long has the store been in operation?

We opened the Berlin Stetson Store on December 18, 2015.

What makes the store so unique?

Authenticity. It starts with the building, a historical location from the 19^th century. As soon as the customers enter the store, they dive into the Stetson universe. The store breathes traditional hatter tradition – authentic furniture and merchandising materials, such as the photos of well-known hat-wearers represent the brand and its core values. As well as the staff – they’re not only well trained and know how to approach and convince the customers, they also fit the store style-wise. Another important asset is the large product range – the Berlin Stetson Store offers nearly the complete Stetson range which can hardly be found elsewhere in Germany.

What is your most popular Stetson style?

The whole VitaFelt range is very popular at this point, and the 6 pannel-styles are too – they’re easier to wear than the 8 pannel-Hatteras and therefore the perfect style for beginners.

Would you say people are buying more hats than before?

That’s a definite yes. Beanies and base caps have become inherent parts of street- and urban-wear, a fact that opened the door to the hat culture which is on the rise. Furthermore, pop culture and – thanks to social media – omnipresent celebrities and influencers have pushed the hat trend. The hat is probably the most popular accessory at this very moment, a hat is the icing on the cake, it makes the outfit and highlights the individuality of its wearer.

What hat trend do you expect to see next?

For women it’s definitely the Baker Boy-styles, like Stetson’s Fisherman or Allenport – it’s THE trend of the season. For men, Hatteras and small-sized hats such as Pork Pie or Trilby are on the rise.

What hat faux pas/mistakes do you see most often?

Wearing a base cap backward is probably dated and, from a certain age, not appropriate. One should always make sure that the hat goes with the outfit – a Fedora suits an elegant suit probably better than a Trilby or a Pork Pie, while the smaller styles are a better match with casual outfits. But in the end… live and let live.

How has your store shaped Berlin hat culture?

The store has had a great influence and it certainly sharpened the perception of hat culture – thanks to its location in Berlin Mitte, one of Germany’s most popular trend areas, the store is a fantastic international window for Stetson as well as for the hat culture and the hatter tradition. We have established a loyal clientele of all style- and age-groups. And thanks to the area, we can also welcome a serious amount of walk-in customers and tourists. The look of the store makes people want to walk in and then, they discover the great and unique offer. The warm welcome and the authentic atmosphere make them want to spend time in the store, to discover and, last but not least, to buy. Many of them buy their first hat ever at the Berlin Stetson Store – and become loyal Stetson lovers. It can be said that the store set new standards in terms of hat culture.

What’s the best advice for a first time-hat buyer?

Come in and find out, dare and… trust the sales staff – they are the nuts and bolts. Besides representing the brand style-wise and being friendly, they are brand and product experts and may answer any possible question. They have the ability to identify a customer in two shakes too – especially when it comes to someone who never wore a hat before – recommend a style that fits the customer’s size, personality and style. The salesperson provides a sense of security and assists the customer in finding the “right” hat that, in an ideal world, gets him compliments from his friends.

Follow our friends on Instagram @stetsoneurope.

Meet vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter, Jonathon Linaberry. His newest album, “One to Keep Close” is out May 11th. We interviewed him in New York City wearing his Open Road.

We’re sure you get asked this a lot but what’s the story behind your name “The Bones of J.R. Jones?”

J.R. stands for Jon Robert.. my first and middle names.  The Bones came out of a desire to separate myself from the performance aspect of what I do. It gives me a change to be flexible with musicians, tone, and atmosphere without feeling totally tied to me personally.

Who are your musical influences?

That spans a great deal.  I truly believe all music is influenced by the good and bad.  I can be listening to something on the radio that I hate, but whether I like it or not it will inform what I do… even on a subconscious level.  But if we are talking about whom I hope to draw inspiration from… I fall back on a lot of older styles of music and musicians.  Early Springsteen, Tom Waits, Son House, R.L. Burnside, S.E. Rogie. At the moment I am really into that whole free-form jazz that came out of Ethiopia in the 70’s.

Do you have formal music education? How’d you get started?

I started taking piano lessons when I was 6, moved to guitar when I was 14.  I play a lot of punk rock in my teens, but when I went away to study art at college, I kind of gave up music for a stint.  I didn’t pick it back up seriously until 6 or years ago.

How do you describe your sound? Your style?

That’s always a tough question for me.  It’s a bit of mishmash of blues, garage rock, folk and soul.  My style is a bit of a free for all.  I try to pour as much energy as possible into what I do.  I try to make sure my performances are an experience.

How does Stetson fit into that style?

I’ve always coveted my grandfather’s Stetson hat.  It never quite fit me right.  He was a much larger man than me, but I always wanted that style.  He wore it so well.  I guess I’ve been chasing that since I was a boy.

What inspired this new album?

I really wanted to create an album that embodied a studio experience, something I’ve never had the luxury of doing.  I was fortunate that I was afforded that chance this go around.  So a lot of these songs were inspired out of that.  They were written with that in mind.

Which is your personal favorite track?

My favorite is currently “know my name”  It really does express the direction I want to take my music in.

What’s next?

Oh, I suppose whatever the road brings.  I suspect there will be a lot more touring, songwriting and the like.  I am hoping to grow beyond a solo project and have the ability to bring some great musicians on the road with me.

Follow @thebonesofjrjones. New album release Friday, May 11, 2018.

It’s the Saturday before Easter and the clouds are rolling in.

“Branding still on?” I texted Wes of the Dalles Ranch. “Yup.” Was the reply. It’s that simple.

The Dalles Ranch is owned and operated by Wes, Brian and Mike. It’s been in the family since 1903.

At this year’s branding, there were about 60 people attending to help out with various tasks. That’s fewer than usual on account of the bad weather rolling in but as they say, the show must go on.

Wes stays busy this time of year. Next, he’s heading to Sheridan, Nebraska, and then to Colorado, all for brandings. The ranching community appreciates it’s web of people who show up and help out across the nation.

Photography by Joseph Haeberle. Follow him here.

Photographer Rambo captured a day with the founder of Refueled Magazine, Chris Brown. Chris discusses publishing, staying creative, his favorite local shops and more.

Why did you decide to start publishing?

While growing up in the ’60s, there were three forms of media available for experiencing the world outside of a small town southeast Texas: television, radio, and – most influential for myself – print. Television gave me vivid memories of events such as the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show, the Vietnam war, the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., the debut of “A Charlie Brown Christmas”, and the first humans on the moon. Radio gave me Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel, the Rolling Stones, and The Byrds. But it was LIFE, the weekly magazine notable for the quality of it’s photography, that set me on a path to publishing Refueled.

At eight years old, I created a magazine titled “TEJAS”; My intent was to mix the counterculture shift I saw happening around me with the humor and rebellion of MAD magazine. I hand-drew all of the covers and inside pages, wrote articles about folks (especially young hippies) in and around the neighborhood, and developed a comic strip; I then sold those eight-and-a-half by eleven-inch stapled sheets of typing paper to kids for ten cents. After my best friend saw the money I was making, he started his own magazine and we became this little community of self-publishers. I was hooked, and have been (quite often told) a little ahead of my time.

What inspires the content you publish?

Refueled is really based on three things: community, heritage, and discovery. Most of the people that surround me are creatives – artist, musicians, actors, photographers, makers. My friends alone give me access to amazing content and inspiration. I strongly believe in cultivating and supporting a creative community. Collaborating and bouncing ideas off of others is very important to me and what I create – whether it’s art, a magazine, or books.
As mentioned, the era in which I grew up in was pivotal to not only the magazine but a great deal of my life as well; injecting my heritage and influences into the look and feel of Refueled is never intentional but always evident. I love when a friend introduces me to an album I haven’t heard, a restaurant I haven’t eaten at; I love discovering a copy of Kerouac’s “On the Road” with a cover I’ve never seen before. Those are exciting moments and drives a lot of what I do.

How do you stay creative?

I am very in tune with my feelings and surroundings. I truly believe I was born a sensitive person for the sole purpose of creating; I absorb things differently than most people I know. I see beauty in the smallest things…in the strangest places. I cry at the simplest moments: the bark of a tree, a lyric, the smell of a campfire, or the perfect faded color of red. I store all these things away and access them at the appropriate time – consciously or not.

What are a few of your favorite local shops?

Small businesses, owned and operated by friends and creatives with a similar ethos:

W Durable Goods, Fort Worth (Handcrafted leather goods, vintage Stetsons, and custom chain stitching)

Oddbird, Denton (Turkish towels/wraps, clothing, Kilim pillows, and rugs)

Denton Camera Exchange, Denton (New, used, and antique film cameras)

How did you develop your personal style?

I remember as a child studying my father’s clothes while he was at work in the refinery. I noticed his Levi’s dungarees had this amazing white and red strip of fabric down the inside of each leg (the “self-edge” of selvedge denim as I later learned) and mine did not. I noticed the pearl snaps and the fade patterns of his denim shirts, his drawer full of white t-shirts, the detailed stitching and leather texture of his cowboy boots. Those classics have stuck with me and inspire me to this day.

For myself, it’s not about “fashion,” it’s about style – which is very personal. It’s about feeling comfortable “in” your own skin before you can be comfortable with what’s “on” your skin. I often approach the way I dress in the same way with how I create: it’s more about a feeling, experimenting, and to a great degree juxtaposition – something I call “beauty & dirt”.

Late last year I released my first offering in clothing: Refueled Heritage Co. coveralls & bandanas. The coveralls were a limited edition of Cone Mills Hickory Stripe and a Military Olive Twill. They were inspired by the craftsmen, hippies, blue-collar refinery workers, bikers, and freaks – folks who surrounded me while growing up. They all had such great personal style; individuals who never tried to be anyone but themselves. The bandana colors were inspired by a found 1964 International Scout magazine ad, combined with memories of ones my father carried and still uses every day. Suffice to say I’ve been wearing the RFHC coveralls a lot – it’s become somewhat of a uniform. I like to add a vintage Vietnam era field shirt to it sometimes, or a Turkish towel from Oddbird Company as a wrap. Folding down the top half of the coveralls paired with my favorite tee from Fortune Goods is a great alternative. Of course, always styled with my 1960’s Open Road Stetson.

What is your first memory of wearing a hat? A Stetson?

The men in my family have always been lovers of hats; summer straws, felt cowboys, canvas caps, and dress fedoras alike.

My first memory of wearing a hat is standing in front of my parent’s dresser mirror and putting on my father’s Royal Stetson – sweat-stained from hot days in the garden and weekends camping. It smelled like him and of wood smoke, and it gave me comfort. I own that hat today.

What does wearing Stetson mean to you?

Stetson is the embodiment of the word “heritage”; it feels special to know I’m wearing something from a company that has been around for over a hundred years and has stood the test of time. One of the highlights of publishing Refueled a few years back was touring the Stetson factory in Garland, Texas; the vintage equipment, the history of the space, and the pride on the faces that worked there left me in awe. Each hat really is crafted with great care, one by one. I’m proud to carry on the tradition of wearing Stetson.

What’s next for Chris Brown? For Refueled?

I have spent the last couple of years releasing special editions of Refueled (titled the ONE Series), publishing/co-publishing several photography books for Jason Lee and an art book from my sketch journals traveling to Marfa, curating a gallery show of nine artists, working on personal drawings and paintings, and presenting the RFHC coverall line: I’m a workaholic. I’m always writing and drawing in my notebooks, always collaborating, always planning the next project. I don’t see myself ever slowing down.
Some say print is dead. I think it just needs to be Refueled.

Follow Chris on Instagram at @refueledmagazine and at @refueledheritageco

Follow photographer Rambo Elliot at @rambo

We spoke with New York City-based photographer, Josh Wool. His work spans advertising, editorial, music, and entertainment. This portrait of Josh in his Open Road was captured by Monique Wool.

How did you develop an interest in photography?

My interest in photography started at an early age. My parents bought an old house when I was a kid, and the folks who’ve lived there previously had stacks and stacks of old Life and National Geographic magazines piled up in one of the hallways. I remember pouring through them and I think that’s where my initial interest in photography came from. I really didn’t start taking photos until I was in my early thirties though. I was a chef for years and unfortunately had to have some surgeries on my hands, I was out of commission for almost two months recovering and as part of that I picked up a camera as a way to keep myself occupied.

How has your photography evolved?

Like most people, in the beginning, I tried to replicate the styles of photographers I admired as a way to learn. I think the evolution has been in finding my own voice as a photographer and creating images that are distinctively my own style. When I starting taking portraits, that’s when it all clicked for me. I went from just taking snapshots or just capturing moments in time, to being able to create a narrative through a portrait.

You seem to have the ability to make the subject relax and reveal a candid side to them through your photography. Do you have any tips to achieve this?

Basically, when I photograph people it’s all about having a conversation and keeping them engaged during the process. I’d say the majority of people aren’t all that comfortable in front of the camera, so as we’re talking I’ll give them little bits of direction on how to move or pose themselves. Also, I try to project a sense of confidence in what I’m doing, so that my subjects know that I will portray them in a positive manner. I think that goes a long way into getting past the walls people put up when a camera is pointed at them. At the end of the day though, it just about interacting with people and getting them to trust you, even if it’s only for a few moments.

From your point of view, what makes a good photo?

Simply put, a good photo is one that draws a viewer in. When the audience is able to connect with an image, that to me is a success.

Who influenced you the most?

There are a few photographers that have really influenced me. Dorothea Lange’s work in the depression era really stuck with me, as well as Richard Avedon’s series In The American West. Also, Irving Penn’s portrait work, Frank Ockenfels III, Sally Mann, and Richard Learoyd have been very important to my development and understanding of making portraits.

How does Stetson fit into your style?

I pretty much wear a uniform, Levi’s, Blundstone boots, black t-shirt, and an Open Road.  It is such the classic, iconic hat, but it never looks out of date.  I feel just as comfortable wearing it in New York City as I do out in the country. It’s the old idea that style never goes out of fashion. My Stetson has become almost part of my persona in a way, it’s just part of who I am.

A showcase of Josh’s work featuring the perfect Stetson for every style. Shop the collection here.

Shop the collection here.

Follow photographer Josh Wool’s work on Instagram here.