Ranchers have long been the original environmentalists. Put simply, if we don’t take care of the land, it isn’t going to take care of us. We value the land we work on for many reasons. We value it because of its rich history and because it allows us to work with animals each day wondering what surprises the elements will bring.

It provides us a way of life that we value, and in return, we try our best through hard work and dedicated stewardship to leave the land as good as or better than we found it.

We have made several modifications to the land that we believe have improved it – for us and for fish, waterfowl, antelope, deer and elk that use the land as habitat. These include water conservation, rotational grazing to preserve and improve pasture, and the use of solar energy.

Several dams for water conservation have been built that not only provide water for irrigation but also water for the cattle, horses and wild game and act as a natural habitat for fish and water fowl. One was even built on a honeymoon while the lucky couple lived in a sheep herder’s wagon – we won’t make any of our honeymoon guests participate in dam building!

Herds of antelope, deer and elk are just as much a part of the ranch as are the herds of cattle and horses. The ranch provides good forage and a haven for these animals and we feel lucky to see them on a regular basis.

Rotational grazing is used to keep the rangeland healthy and weed free. Pastures are used once a year and during different seasons to allow all grasses a full growth and seeding time. Moving cattle in and out of those pastures is based on rainfall and forage use, and guests are able to participate in moving cattle from pasture to pasture as a fun weekly adventure.

When the guest ranch was built in 1993, the amazing power of the sun was chosen for generation of power through a solar system. We have found that, with some patience, the use of solar energy works well for us, and we have received positive feedback from our guests about it. The ranch is also now looking into wind power as a future endeavor.

We look forward to many more years of ranching as our livelihood and to passing that on to our children and grandchildren. We believe that where we live and our way of life contributes to our nourishment of the body, mind and soul and we hope to share that with you.