A Little Bit More About Us

Amy M. Hale is an award-winning author who lives and works on Spider Ranch, a 50,000-acre cattle operation in the rough terrain of Central Arizona where the goal is to raise food in a sustainable manner while working in tandem with government agencies. Amy and her husband, Gail Steiger, cowboy together on the ranch and often hold the stage together, weaving story, poetry, and music.

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In Hale’s sixth book, Drinking Wild Water, TTUP 2025, Hale writes about the specific places she inhabits, inspiring readers to find and inhabit their place in the world. Hale's distinct voice is infused by flash & slam and her innate ability to distill ideas, appealing to readers who are aspiring to dwell in the sacred everyday, or longing to leave behind that which is safe, but small.

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Gail Steiger comes from both a ranching and songwriting background.  His grandfather, Gail Gardner, wrote several well known cowboy songs, including "Tying Knots in the Devil's Tail" (or "Sierry Pete's"), and "The Dude Wrangler".  Gail Gardner was named "Poet Lariat" of Arizona by Governor Bruce Babbitt.  Gail’s dad, Sam Steiger, was a long time Prescott rancher, horse trader and politician who served 5 terms in the US Congress, representing Arizona’s 3rd District from 1966-1976.  In 1987, Gail, his brother Lew, and some friends Gail had worked for and with made a film about cowboys called "Ranch Album", which was released as a national PBS special.  The film was awarded a CINE Golden Eagle, TV Guide called it "cinematically brilliant and wonderfully constructed" and the Wall Street Journal said it was "a gorgeous film".  Ranch Album was included in The Academy of Motion Picture Arts/ UCLA Film and Television Archive Series of Outstanding Documentaries. 

 

Gail has been the foreman of the 50,000 acre Spider Ranch since 1995.  The ranch runs from 6100’ to 3400’ with Ponderosa pine trees at the top end, cedar mesas and chaparral in the middle, down to saguaro cactus and Sonoran desert at the bottom end.  Gail’s mom, Cynthia taught him to play the guitar when he was 12.  Gail has been writing songs since the late 1970’s.  He's sung songs and told stories at cowboy poetry gatherings around the southwest He was a guest on Prairie Home Companion in January, 2013.  He has recorded 2 cd’s -The Romance of Western Life, 1999 and A Matter of Believin’ 2015.