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Montana, Natural Warrior & the Relationships That Brought Us Together
How volunteering at our local food bank led to a friendship, a plant-based remedy, and a deeper connection to our Montana community.
Some of the best relationships begin with simply showing up.
A few years ago, our family started volunteering at North Valley Food Bank in Whitefish, Montana. We wanted to contribute to the community we call home. Over time, that commitment introduced us to people whose work and generosity have become an important part of our lives.
Among them are Betsy and Doug Loring, the makers behind Natural Warrior Farm and Herbs in Cut Bank, Montana. Our friendship with them has grown into a collaboration around Natural Warrior, a topical botanical remedy they developed, and a shared commitment to supporting local food access.
This story has unfolded over several years, through conversations, visits, and plenty of learning. We’re grateful to share our part in it, while recognizing that the knowledge and work at its heart belong to the people who have welcomed us into their lives.
It Started With a Conversation Over Tea
While volunteering at the food bank, Kim began learning more about Native makers and the use of plants in traditional approaches to wellness.
That interest has been part of her life for decades. While she and Cary were living and working in Indonesia, Kim founded JAMU in collaboration with local practitioners, bringing traditional body-care rituals into spa experiences. Since making Montana home in 2000, she has continued to seek out opportunities to learn from the people around her.
Through conversations and community connections, Kim was introduced to FAST Blackfeet and eventually met Betsy and Doug.
In 2022, Betsy and Kim sat down over tea in Columbia Falls. They talked about plants, wellness, and the work happening within the Blackfeet community. Betsy also shared the story of Natural Warrior.
Doug formulates the products, while Betsy grows and harvests the plants. Together, they bring their experience as herbalists, educators, and community leaders to their work.
Natural Warrior was originally developed as a topical remedy for horses. Over time, people began using it themselves, sharing their experiences of finding comfort for sore muscles and everyday aches.
Kim was drawn to the practical beginnings of the product and the knowledge behind it. She offered to help introduce Natural Warrior to markets beyond the reservation, with Betsy and Doug’s vision guiding the collaboration.
Over that first cup of tea, a friendship began to take shape.
Growing Natural Warrior Through Friendship
Since that first meeting, bringing Natural Warrior to a wider audience has been a gradual process.
Kim has helped with the many details involved in preparing a product for retail, from coordinating production to supporting its presentation. Along the way, the priorities have remained consistent: respect Betsy and Doug’s work, honor the Blackfeet artist behind the original artwork, and build giving back into the business.
Much of this collaboration happens over the phone or in person. Those conversations leave room to ask questions, work through decisions, and stay connected to what matters to everyone involved.
The first production run arrived at Vibe Wellness Lounge in August 2022. By December, a further retail order followed, and Natural Warrior became part of the spa’s offerings through a Montana Arnica add-on treatment.
Sappari followed in 2023, then Haskill Creek Wellness Boutique in 2024, both in Whitefish.
Now, in 2026, we’re preparing to introduce Natural Warrior and Montana Remedies to more customers and selected retailers. We’re excited about that next step, and grateful to Betsy and Doug for trusting us to help share their work.
Giving Back Is Part of Every Sale
Our connection to food banks helped bring this collaboration into being, and supporting food access remains part of its purpose.
A portion of every Natural Warrior product sold supports FAST Blackfeet, typically $1 to $2 per item, depending on the product. Manufacturing takes place in Hot Springs, Montana, where sales also help support a local food bank serving communities on the Flathead Reservation.
FAST Blackfeet is a Native-led nonprofit working toward food security and food sovereignty within the Blackfeet Nation. Its programs connect food access with nutrition education, traditional food knowledge, and the production of local foods and medicines. That work supports the community’s ability to nourish itself in ways that honor its culture and priorities.
We feel fortunate to contribute a small part to those efforts.
Doug also encouraged us to share the work of Piikani Lodge Health Institute (PLHI), an Indigenous-founded and led nonprofit supporting the health and well-being of Amskapi Piikani (Blackfeet) people and lands. Its food and agriculture programs work to expand access to nourishing, affordable foods while caring for the region’s land and cultural heritage. Learning about and supporting PLHI offers another way to contribute to the work being led within the Blackfeet community.
A Meaningful Visit to Browning
In September 2026, Cary and Kim traveled to Browning for the ground blessing of FAST Blackfeet’s new Community Food Resource Center.
The planned center will give the organization more room to serve its community, with expanded food storage, kitchen facilities, and spaces for education and gathering. It represents years of work by the FAST Blackfeet team and the people who support its mission.
Being there was meaningful to us. Our relationship with this work began through volunteering and grew through getting to know the people behind it. Visiting Browning gave us an opportunity to witness what they are building and celebrate this next chapter alongside them.
For anyone who would like to contribute, FAST Blackfeet welcomes donations here.
Getting to Know the Place We Call Home
Montana has been home to our family for more than 25 years. We’re still learning about its communities, histories, and the many people whose lives and work shape this place.
The Native Nations whose homelands encompass present-day Montana each have their own histories, cultures, and traditions. Getting to know our neighbors has meant making time for conversations, listening to what people choose to share, and finding ways to support their work.
One gathering we’ve enjoyed learning more about is North American Indian Days in Browning. Hosted by the Blackfeet Nation each summer, it brings people together through dancing, singing, drumming, games, rodeo, and other celebrations of Blackfeet culture.
For visitors, attending public events can be an opportunity to learn and support participating artists, makers, and businesses. Following the hosts’ guidance and approaching the experience with respect are part of being a welcome guest.
There are opportunities to support Native businesses and community organizations throughout the year, too. We’ve found that taking the time to get to know people often helps us understand where our support can be useful.
A Little Love for Tyler Childers
Our family has long loved Tyler Childers, so we were especially happy to learn about his support for organizations serving the Blackfeet Nation.
His 2024 benefit concert in Whitefish brought people together in support of that work. The Flathead Beacon later reported on the impact of his $500,000 donation across the community.
As longtime fans, it gave us another reason to appreciate him. Seeing someone use their platform to support local organizations also helps introduce more people to the work already happening here.
Looking Ahead
As we prepare Natural Warrior for more retailers, we’re also working toward a dedicated website. In the meantime, the collection is available through JAMU.
Supporting food access will continue to be part of the business as it grows, alongside our commitment to honoring Betsy and Doug’s vision and the origins of their work.
Volunteering at North Valley Food Bank has connected us to people and projects we might never have encountered otherwise. We’re grateful for the friendships that have followed, for the knowledge people have chosen to share, and for the opportunities to contribute.
We look forward to continuing those relationships and finding more ways to support the communities around us.
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