Podcast Summary:

A Book with Legs – Amy Gamerman: The Crazies
Date: February 16, 2026
Host: Cole Smead, Smead Capital Management
Guest: Amy Gamerman, Author & Journalist

Episode Overview

In this episode, Cole Smead interviews journalist and author Amy Gamerman about her debut book, The Crazies: The Cattleman, the Wind, Prospector and a War Out West. The conversation takes listeners into the deeply interwoven story of Montana’s Crazy Mountains—land battles, legacy ranchers, corporate ambitions, Native American history, and the relentless push and pull between old and new West. Through the lens of a real-life legal battle over wind energy development, Gamerman explores themes of generational change, land ownership, loss, and spiritual connection to place.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origins of the Book & Gamerman’s Fascination

• How the Story Found Her [01:27 – 07:17]:
  • Gamerman’s background in real estate journalism led her to profile Texas billionaire Russell Gordy, whose prized Montana ranch became the center of a feud with a neighbor over wind turbines.
  • The dispute, initially a side note in her reporting, became an obsession: “...months would go by, and I would suddenly wonder…who is this neighbor who said no to this billionaire… And whatever happened with his wind farm?” (Amy Gamerman, 05:26)

2. Historical Roots & The ‘Checkerboard’ Land

• Northern Pacific Railroad & Land Patterns [08:12 – 11:15]:
  • Explains how an 1860s act of Congress granted land to railroads in a checkerboard pattern, which continues to shape disputes and ownership today.
  • “...the government…granted land to railroad companies...every other parcel…hence this checkerboard.” (Amy, 09:28)
• Impact on Modern Land Use: Many parcels now owned by wealthiest families, creating a “quilt” of land interests.

3. Generational Ranching & Economic Tension

• The Jarrett Family [12:00 – 14:46]:
  • Focuses on Rick Jarrett, fifth-generation rancher battling to retain his land against economic pressures.
  • “He found himself in this interesting position of embracing green technology...because Montana's wind is among the best wind in the country.” (Amy, 14:12)
• The Harshness of Ranch Economics [17:14 – 18:58]:
  • Passing down a ranch often means children must buy out their parents, making transitions “traumatic.”
  • “The generational transfer of a ranch is, in a way, a traumatic event.” (Amy, 17:31)

4. Water Rights and Environmental Stakes

• The Complexity of Montana Water [15:13 – 16:41]:
  • Water rights are deeded and seniority-based, leading to perpetual tension and high stakes for ranchers.
  • Notable Quote: “...you can steal a man's wife, but you don't f--- with his water.” (Rick Jarrett, quoted by Amy, 15:58)

5. Deep Native American Connections

• The Crow Tribe’s Sacred Ties [19:46 – 22:49]:
  • The Crazy Mountains are Apsalika (Crow) ancestral lands, historically used for vision quests and spiritual journeys.
  • Shane Doyle’s work reconnects the Crow people to Crazy Peak, now mostly private land.
  • “...a big part of my book is really these cycles of dispossession that have taken place there.” (Amy, 22:00)

6. Trophy Ranches and the Romance of the West

• The “Oligarchs” [25:04 – 29:54]:
  • Wealthy owners like Russell Gordy and Whitney McMillan (Cargill family) symbolize the clash between business extraction elsewhere versus preservation of “trophy” lands.
  • Gordy’s paradox: “He loves the Crazies... but when it came to the land his business dealt in... that was business.” (Cole Smead, 25:04)
• Rise of Ranch Brokerages [27:59 – 29:54]:
  • Brokers such as Hall and Hall, and Fay Ranches cater to the trophy ranch market, highlighting a shift from economic to emotional valuation of the land.

7. Layered Characters & Their Motives

• The Cargill/McMillan Family [35:04 – 38:25]:
  • Deeply private, drawn west following generational trauma (Lindbergh baby kidnapping’s impact on American elites).
• Marty Wilde, The Prospector [38:55 – 46:44]:
  • Maverick engineer and wind developer, seeking “gold in the air”; a modern parallel to the old gold rush.
  • “He was like the modern incarnation of the gold prospectors that flooded into Montana...” (Amy, 39:05)
• Legal Intrigue & Landowner Resilience
  • Lawyer Monica Tranel [53:16 – 58:00]:
    • Became emotionally invested in representing the local ranchers, shaped in part by her own Olympic-level setbacks.
    • “Rick and Alfred became so much more to her than ordinary clients... it became really personal to her.” (Amy, 53:19)
  • Alfred Anderson, the Veteran Rancher [47:57 – 49:38]:
    • At 90+, dreams not of wealth, but of buying a prime $10,000 bull with wind income.

8. The Clovis Child and Ancient Stakes

• Profound Discovery [30:42 – 34:33]:
  • The burial of the 13,000-year-old Clovis Child ties the land back to “the Adam of the Americas.”
  • “If this kid was Adam, then this place must have been Eden.” (Amy, 33:58)

9. Conflict, Loss, and the Courtroom Drama

• Legal Battle and Marty Wilde’s Death [59:45 – 62:19]:
  • The ranchers faced lawsuits from the “oligarchs” to strategically delay wind development.
  • Marty Wilde’s sudden passing is felt as a “black hole”: “It's like the specter of his absence is hanging over these proceedings.” (Amy, 61:09)
  • Monica must navigate the challenge without Marty's insight—impacting strategy and morale.

10. Experiencing the Crazies: A Travel Guide [63:50 – 67:13]

• Gamerman shares recommendations for visiting Big Timber and the Crazy Mountains:
  • Stay at the Grand Hotel
  • Grab turnovers at the Big Timber Bakery
  • Hike into the Crazies (with caution)
  • Explore the wool house and local museums for more living history

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You can steal a man's wife, but you don't f--- with his water.” — Rick Jarrett (quoted by Amy, 15:58)
• “If this kid was Adam, then this place must have been Eden. And when I realized that... it just sent a shiver through me...” — Amy, 33:58
• “He loves the Crazies, he loves his trophy land. But when it came to the land his business dealt in ...that was business.” — Cole, 25:04
• “I always said it feels like I’m writing a ghost story in a weird way because there’s so much loss and absence and dispossession.” — Amy, 58:00
• “Rick and Alfred became so much more to her than ordinary clients... it became really personal to her. It was almost like a crusade.” — Amy, 53:19
• “...there’s something exceptional about these Crazy Mountains and the emotions that it evokes in people.” — Amy, 34:33

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Book’s Origin & Ranch Feud: 01:27 – 07:17
• Checkerboard Land History: 08:12 – 11:15
• Rick Jarrett & Wind Power: 12:00 – 14:46
• Water Rights & Land Inheritance: 15:13 – 18:58
• Crow Nation & Dispossession: 19:46 – 22:49
• Trophy Ranches & Brokerages: 25:04 – 29:54
• Clovis Child Discovery: 30:42 – 34:33
• Cargill/McMillan Family: 35:04 – 38:25
• Marty Wilde & Wind Development: 38:55 – 46:44
• Alfred Anderson’s Dream: 47:57 – 49:38
• Lawyer Monica Tranel: 53:16 – 58:00
• Court Drama & Marty’s Death: 59:45 – 62:19
• Traveling the Crazies: 63:50 – 67:13

Closing Thoughts & Further Engagement

• The episode threads together personal stories, American land history, legal complexities, and the raw spirituality of Montana’s high country.
• Amy Gamerman can be followed on Instagram for updates on future work, and she hints at a new Western-focused writing project (67:55).
• The host finishes with: “The west continues to shape the growth and the dreams of America.” (Cole, 69:28)

For those curious, the book and this conversation serve not just as an account of a modern legal case, but as a meditation on how the story of the West—the battle for land, identity, and renewal—remains an ongoing American epic.