™
From the Publishers of
The Transformation of Fredericksburg, Texas Beekeeper Erika Thompson Goes Viral on TikToK Rural Internet Outlook 2021
141± ACRES // PARKER COUNTY, TEXAS
DISPLAY UNTIL Sept. 14, 2021
Stephen Reich Group – Williams Trew Real Estate
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Texas Farm & Ranch VOLUME 100 Summer 2 021 - P U B L I S H E D B Y-
28615 Interstate 10 West Boerne, TX 78006 800-580-7330
PUBLISHER
David B. Dunham T E X A S S A L E S M A NAG E R
Katy Franklin 866-401-7664 Sales@FarmandRanch.com N AT I O N A L S A L E S M A N AG E R
Kristi Southwick 661-263-4281 Kristi@FarmandRanch.com EDITOR
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©Copyright 2021, Farm & Ranch Publishing, L.L.C. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Texas Farm & Ranch is published four times per year by Farm & Ranch Publishing, L.L.C., 28615 IH-10 West, Boerne, Texas 78006. Information provided to Farm & Ranch Publishing, L.L.C. is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. The publisher will not be responsible for any omissions, errors, typographical mistakes or misinformation within this publication. Measurements and figures are approximate. Properties are subject to errors, omissions, price change or prior sale. Printed in the U.S.A.
FROM THE PUBLISHER I
don’t know what the two stories from Texas Monthly have in common, but there must be something. The first article is an insightful article from a native son reviewing the tremendous growth and transfiguration of the Hill Country hamlet of Fredericksburg, “Fredericksburg—the New Aspen,” an idyllic town where weekenders arrive in private jets and less and less of the town folks are “from there.” The second is a quixotic profile of beekeeper Erika Thompson, a TikTok video star from Elgin with nearly two million followers, who eats pumpkin pie each morning for breakfast and has a brood of hens named after female country and western singers. In “How Texas Beeworks’s Erika Thompson Became the Queen Bee of Pastoral TikTok”, we will learn that she has a dove named “Lime” and speaks the mysterious language of the canine world, among her other stellar accomplishments. Now that I think about it, beekeeping and rural Hill Country homesteads with livestock qualify both for an agriculture exemption. Perhaps this is the common thread! Meanwhile, back at Farm & Ranch Headquarters in Boerne, the rural land purchasing frenzy remains unabated and let’s face it, highly competitive. The pandemic has accelerated retirement plans, taught many of us that we can work from anywhere, and struck a collective chord of longing for the wide-open spaces of our beautiful, storied state. As long-term predictions call for an eventual in-fill of a triangle roughly circumscribed by Dallas/Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Houston, many Texans are heading west of I-35. In a hurry. If you are one of them, we invite you to be inspired in your search, (as we are inspired with every issue), at the breathtaking beauty of the rural landscape photography in this our 100th issue of Texas Farm & Ranch. And who knows, maybe one of these spectacular landscapes will someday be a new playground for you and yours—“Far from the Madding Crowd,” to end on a famous quote from British novelist Thomas Hardy. Let us know how we can help.
David B. Dunham publisher@farmandranch.com Publisher/Farm & Ranch Vice-President/Development/Texas Monthly
REED RANCH Page 113 4
Volume
Texas Farm&Ranch
Cover Ranch THE WORKMAN RANCH
TX REC LAND Real Estate Page 28
Cover Ranch BLUESTEM RANCH Stephen Reich Group Williams Trew Real Estate
contents
Page 30
Featured Articles
Farm & Ranch Selects
32 v RURAL INTERNET OUTLOOK 2021 By Jason Weister
36 v RANCHO ESTRELLA
Listed by Hood Real Estate Inc.
44 v HOW TEXAS BEEWORKS’S ERIKA THOMPSON BECAME THE QUEEN BEE OF PASTORAL TIKTOK
38 v SUPER A RANCH
66 v FREDERICKSBURG— THE NEW ASPEN
96 v ROCKING B RANCH
By Lauren Larson
By John Davidson
Listed by Hood Real Estate Inc.
94 v CANADIAN RIVER RANCH
Listed by Mark Hubbard Ranch Properties
Listed by Stilley & Stapp
Reference
04 v LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER 07 v BROKER INDEX 10 v PROPERTY INDEX & MAP FarmAndRanch.com
5
broker index Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Killough Properties................................... 70 texaslandandranch.net
Land & Ranch Realty Lem Lewis................................................. 80 lem@landandranchrealty.com
Dullnig Ranch Sales.................................. 48 dullnigranches.com
Land & Ranch Realty Lonnie Davenport..................................... 80 lonnie@landandranchrealty.com
The duPerier Texas Land Man, LLC.......... 60 TexasLandMan.com Hall and Hall........................................... 100 hallandhall.com Hayden Outdoors................................... 114 haydenoutdoors.com HomeLand Properties............................. 111 HomeLandProperties.com Hood Real Estate Inc................................ 36 HoodRealEstateInc.com Kecia & Arlene Properties Group............. 47 kapropertiesgroup@compass.com King Land & Water................................... 86 KingLandWater.com Kuper Sotheby's International Realty Amy Dutton............................................ 113 amyduttonrealestate.com
Land InvesTex, LLC................................. 110 landinvestex.com LANDTX................................................... 78 landtx.com LoneStar Properties.................................. 81 LoneStarBoerne.com Mark Hubbard Ranch Properties.............. 94 TexasRanches.org Martindale Real Estate Investment......... 112 martindalerealestate.com Meek Ranch Sales................................... 106 meekranchsales.com
Simpson Ranches & Land LLC.................. 98 SimpsonRanches.com Stephen Reich Group Williams Trew Real Estate..............Cover, 30 stephenreichgroup.com Stilley & Stapp.......................................... 96 txriverranch@gmail.com Stransky Properties................................... 54 stranskyproperties.com Swan Land Company.............................. 108 swanlandco.com Texas Best Ranches.................................. 82 TexasBestRanches.com Texas LandMen, LLC................................. 90 TexasLandMen.com Topper Real Estate................................. 102 topperrealestate.net
Nan and Co Properties........................... 115 nanproperties.com
TX REC LAND Real Estate John Dean.....................................Cover, 28 txrecland.com
Reliance Ranch Realty............................... 77 yvonnehoffmann@realtor.com
Utopia Ranch Realty............................... 104 utopiaranchrealty.com
18760 PIN OAK ROAD Page 115
ZAVALA COUNTY WINDROSE RANCH Page 105
RANGER CREEK ESTATE Page 51
GUADALUPE RIVER LAKE LODGE Page 92
FarmAndRanch.com
7
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ChoateFarmandRanchRealty.com Currently interviewing for experienced agents
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Exclusively at Hill Country Interiors
Exciting New Collections Arriving www.hillcountryinteriors.com
(210) 495-5768
1410 N. Loop 1604 West San Antonio, TX 78248
property index Acres± County
Page
Acres± County
Page Acres± County
Page
Acres±
County
Page
Acres±
County
Page
925.......... Austin.................41
374....... Bandera.................84
508........ Zavala...................98
12,000..... Culberson..........87
1,350....... San Saba............52
400....... Edwards.................74
954........ Starr....................101
13,809..... Val Verde............90
1,436....... Uvalde................70
400....... Real........................80
1,050..... Webb...................48
13,809..... Crockett.............90
1,588....... Medina...............49
400....... Burnet....................77
1,064..... Jim Wells.............98
2,275....... Uvalde................87
408....... Bandera.................72
1,225..... Dimmit.................50
2,696....... Milam.................99
411....... Kendall..................58
1,671..... Dimmit.................50
2,738....... Uvalde..............104
552....... Kerr........................57
1,970..... Bee.......................53
2,900....... Uvalde................61
616....... Bandera.................64
2,122..... Zavala.................105
2,963....... Kinney................61
630....... Gillespie................40
2,976..... Webb...................48
3,500....... San Saba............52
632....... Hays.....................103
3,000..... Maverick..............50
3,656....... Uvalde................49
700....... Edwards.................74
3,015..... Dimmit.................50
76,185..... Hudspeth...........86
4,000....... Uvalde................60
716....... Kerr........................51
4,989..... Webb...................48
76,185..... Culberson..........86
4,200....... Menard..............52
735....... Kerr........................63
5,008..... Dimmit.................65
113,650... Jeff Davis...........86
7,800....... Menard..............52
777....... Mason....................78
8,100..... Jim Hogg.............36
113,650... Presidio..............86
19,990..... Concho..............87
885....... Real........................80
8,100..... Starr......................36
117,000... Brewster.............86
19,990..... McCulloch.........87
890....... Gillespie................51
8,988..... Webb...................48
19,990..... Menard..............87
917....... Gillespie................51
HIGH PLAINS
1,015.... Real........................72
SOUTHEAST
1,039.... Kerr........................63
17.......... Montgomery.....110
71,059..... Oldham..............94
1,791.... Kerr........................38
23.......... Montgomery.....110
HILL COUNTRY
3,121.... Edwards.................75
86.......... Montgomery.......47
4,365.... Real......................106
180........ Montgomery.....115
8.............. Kendall...............85
6,570.... Edwards.................53
346........ Tyler....................112
CENTRAL
10............ Hays...................83
49............ Grimes.............110
15............ Kerr.....................64
91............ Bexar................110
27............ Bandera.............58
97............ Bexar..................93
28............ Kendall.............113
121.......... Guadalupe.........59
12............ Kerr.....................65
METROPLEX
405........ Tyler....................112 478........ Walker................111
14,502..... Presidio..............87 19,814..... Brewster.............86 23,500..... Val Verde............53 34,123..... Brewster.............86 47,700..... Hudspeth...........86 52,022..... Brewster.............86
196,000... Brewster.............86 420,000... Brewster.............86
Outside the Region
COLORADO
3,247....... San Miguel.......101 45,039..... Baca.................114
KANSAS 4,049....... Wabaunsee......101
141....... Parker....................30
514........ Walker................111
184....... Erath......................59
925........ Fort Bend.............41
43............ Kerr.....................92
191.......... Medina...............43
NORTHEAST
WEST
46............ Kendall...............81
257....... Nacogdoches.....111
92.......... Jeff Davis.............89
2,937....... Beaverhead.....109
275.......... Burleson.............28
47............ Gillespie.............42
500....... Lamar.....................71
578........ Jeff Davis.............88
9,108....... Dawson............109
282.......... Uvalde................49
53............ Kendall...............62
677....... Cherokee............111
675........ Presidio................88
15,334..... Gallatin............108
330.......... Medina.............107
54............ Gillespie...........107
30,974..... Chouteau.........108
57............ Kerr.....................81
380.......... Uvalde................73
NORTHWEST
2,006..... Sutton................106
362.......... Milam.................85
67............ Kendall.............113
123....... Montague.............91
450.......... DeWitt.............114
85............ Kendall...............51
492.......... Limestone........101
100.......... Bandera.............85
SOUTH
525.......... Gonzales............96
116.......... Kerr.....................92
0.24...... Nueces..................82
6,570..... Val Verde..............53
530.......... McCulloch.........98
120.......... Bandera...........107
18......... Goliad....................93
7,360..... Val Verde..............83
590.......... Karnes................99
145.......... Bandera.............74
150....... Nueces..................55
7,360..... Terrell...................83
598.......... Uvalde................49
145.......... Mason................79
164....... Jim Wells...............98
7,410..... Terrell...................89
675.......... Bexar..................98
202.......... Gillespie.............89
246....... Duval.....................90
9,580..... Presidio................88
NEW MEXICO
741.......... Medina...............62
268.......... Kendall...............91
250....... Duval.....................98
10,000... Brewster...............88
560.......... Rio Arriba.........114
741.......... Uvalde................62
305.......... Kerr.....................56
370....... Dimmit...................54
10,500... Terrell...................53
1,420....... Rio Arriba.........114
742.......... Uvalde..............106
348.......... Gillespie...........114
497....... Duval.....................98
10,955... Val Verde..............88
28,028..... Sierra................114
10 Volume
Texas Farm&Ranch
2,963..... Hudspeth.............89 3,231..... Terrell...................98 4,250..... Tom Green...........99 6,500..... Terrell...................89
MONTANA 163.......... Gallatin............109
30,974..... Judith Basin.....108 59,889..... Choteau...........100 79,582..... Gallatin............108 79,582..... Meagher..........108 79,582..... Madison...........108 79,582..... Broadwater......108
CENTRAL
HIGH PLAINS
18 Armstrong 28 Bailey 76 Borden 24 Briscoe 13 Carson 22 Castro 26 Childress 37 Cochran 20 Collingsworth 40 Crosby 1 Dallam 75 Dawson Deaf Smith 16 41 Dickens 19 Donley 31 Floyd 74 Gaines 57 Garza 14 Gray 30 Hale 25 Hall 3 Hansford 6 Hartley 10 Hemphill 38 Hockley 8 Hutchinson 58 Kent 42 King 29 Lamb 5 Lipscomb 39 Lubbock 56 Lynn 7 Moore 32 Motley 4 Ochiltree 11 Oldham 21 Parmer 12 Potter 17 Randall 9 Roberts 2 Sherman 23 Swisher 55 Terry 15 Wheeler 54 Yoakum
HILL COUNTRY
NORTHWEST (cont...)
187 Bandera 173 Blanco 158 Burnet 184 Edwards 172 Gillespie 190 Hays 188 Kendall 186 Kerr 171 Kimble 157 Llano 156 Mason 185 Real
METROPLEX
66 Collin 48 Cooke 85 Dallas 65 Denton 104 Ellis 100 Erath 50 Fannin 49 Grayson 126 Hill 101 Hood 67 Hunt 103 Johnson 105 Kaufman 127 Navarro 82 Palo Pinto 83 Parker 86 Rockwall 102 Somervell 84 Tarrant 64 Wise
2
7
11
12
16 22
28
29
55
113
110
114 133
112
132
115 134
18
19
20
24 31
32
33
39
40
41
42
93
152
130 Rusk 150 Shelby 107 Smith 71 Titus 90 Upshur 106 Van Zandt 88 Wood
NORTHWEST
45 Archer 44 Baylor 122 Brown 98 Callahan 46 Clay 121 Coleman 123 Comanche 33 Cottle 99 Eastland 78 Fisher 34 Foard 27 Hardeman 60 Haskell 63 Jack 79 Jones
26
25
30
75
135
10 15
57 76 94
117
136
58 77 95 118
27 34
137
60
167
45
96
80
97
138
139 155
169
171
100
124
185 202
215
203
216 228
144
174
173
187 204
206
233
231
238
242
239
234 244
232
106
194
130
131
NORTHEAST
147
150
149
162
180
197
181
165
182
183
198
196 211
254 210
164
163
179
178 195
109
108
129
148
177
73 91
90
107
161
212
199
200 201
SOUTHEAST214 213
223
222
221
220
230
237
208
207
218
193
88
128
209
191
219
SOUTH
192
190
205
229
176
175
189
217
160
CENTRAL
158 157
87
127
146
53
70 71 72 89
69
67
105
52
68
86
104
145 159
188
66
126
125
51
50
85
103
102
123
172
186
84
101
142
156
65
83
82
HILL COUNTRY 184
64
143
140
49
48
METROPLEX
99
122
121
47
63
81
98
120
119
46
62
61
79
74
166
44
NORTHWEST
154
153
168
36
43
59 78
35
141
WEST 151
92 Andrews 167 Brewster 119 Coke 134 Crane 153 Crockett 112 Culberson 115 Ector 110 El Paso 117 Glasscock 94 Howard 111 Hudspeth 137 Irion 151 Jeff Davis 113 Loving 93 Martin 116 Midland 152 Pecos 166 Presidio 136 Reagan 132 Reeves 154 Schleicher 118 Sterling 74 Sutton 168 Terrell 138 Tom Green 135 Upton 169 Val Verde 133 Ward 114 Winkler
5
14
13
56
116
4
9
23
38
92
8
17
21
74
3
HIGH PLAINS
6
54
WEST
163 Angelina 226 Brazoria 213 Chambers 225 Fort Bend 227 Galveston 200 Hardin 212 Harris 235 Jackson 182 Jasper 214 Jefferson 199 Liberty 236 Matagorda 211 Montgomery 183 Newton 201 Orange 180 Polk
1
37
165 Sabine 164 San Augustine 198 San Jacinto 179 Trinity 181 Tyler 197 Walker
SOUTHEAST
243 Aransas 218 Atascosa 232 Bee 248 Brooks 245 Calhoun 253 Cameron 228 Dimmit 238 Duval 217 Frio 233 Goliad 251 Hidalgo 247 Jim Hogg 239 Jim Wells 249 Kenedy 240 Kleberg
148 Anderson 53 Bowie 89 Camp 73 Cass 129 Cherokee 68 Delta 70 Franklin 108 Gregg 109 Harrison 128 Henderson 69 Hopkins 162 Houston 51 Lamar 91 Marion 72 Morris 149 Nacogdoches 131 Panola 88 Rains Red River 52
SOUTHEAST(cont...)
229 La Salle 231 Live Oak 215 Maverick 230 McMullen 241 Nueces 244 Refugio 242 San Patricio 250 Starr 234 Victoria 237 Webb 252 Willacy 246 Zapata 216 Zavala
SOUTH
NORTHEAST
111
SOUTH (cont...)
43 Knox 95 Mitchell 47 Montague 96 Nolan 120 Runnels 77 Scurry 80 Shackelford 81 Stephens 59 Stonewall 97 Taylor 61 Throckmorton 36 Wichita 35 Wilbarger 62 Young
map
209 Austin 192 Bastrop 159 Bell 205 Bexar 125 Bosque 195 Brazos 194 Burleson 191 Caldwell 223 Colorado 189 Comal 139 Concho 144 Coryell 221 De Witt 160 Falls 208 Fayette 147 Freestone 207 Gonzales 196 Grimes 206 Guadalupe 124 Hamilton 220 Karnes 202 Kinney 143 Lampasas 222 Lavaca 193 Lee 161 Leon 146 Limestone 178 Madison 140 McCulloch 145 McLennan 204 Medina 155 Menard 176 Milam 141 Mills 177 Robertson 142 San Saba 174 Travis 203 Uvalde 210 Waller 254 Washington 223 Wharton 175 Williamson 219 Wilson
225 224
235
226
227
236
245
243
241
240 246
247 250
248
251
249
252 253
FarmAndRanch.com
11
Texas Land Lady
The Native Texas Hill Country Land Specialist
Over 28 years serving the Texas Hill Country
R
(512) 393-9996 HillCoBroker@gmail.com
Selman Ranch Construction, LLC
Ranch Improvements & Pond Management H Lakes & Ponds
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Contact:
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“We can solve your leaking problem with your existing lake, or let us build you a new one.”
Farm & Ranch • Recreational • Investment
Agrow has been engaged in the financing of rural Texas since 1979. There’s a reason referrals make up 55.5% of our entire portfolio. We know how important Texas land is to you and are here to assist with the purchase, refinance, expansion and/or improvement of your legacy.
At Agrow, we know it’s a way of life, not just a loan. 512.892.8999 agrowcredit.com
STRANSKY PROPERTIES: FARMS, RANCHES, COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE AND DEVELOPMENT
Stransky Properties—with vast knowledge of commercial, development and ranch real estate sales across Texas for over 20 years. Being independently owned, operated, and managed you get personal service and attention to detail 100% of the time.
210.254.7700
stephen@stranskyproperties.com
stranskyproperties.com
REATA RANCH REALTY RESIDENTIAL
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We are a family owned, full service real estate firm with a small family atmosphere. Our team is made up of agents from families that are 6th generation Texans, active members of their communities, and Hill Country ranchers. Our philosophy of personalized service is what makes us a Top leader in the Texas Hill Country. www.ReataRanchRealty.com Michele "Mitch" Smith, Broker/Owner
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Fredericksburg,| 73 Acres | $2.495M This immaculately groomed gentleman’s ranch boasts a spacious 4,610 sqft. home, fully equipped 3-stall equestrian barn and a 4,800 sqft. barndominium with 1,760 sqft. of living quarters. No detail has been overlooked on this private retreat that offers the best of Hill Country living.
Mark Harman, Texas Managing Broker | 214.733.4239 LiveWaterProperties.com | 112 E Austin St., Ste B | Fredericksburg, TX 78624
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Over fifty years ago, our firm was founded by Gordon E. Sauer, a transactional attorney serving the Texas Hill Country for 52 years. The only thing deeper than our roots is our knowledge, experience and success in closing complex transactions. Our 26 members are dedicated and committed to delivering a Customer First experience in every transaction. Serving You Throughout Texas Licensed In Gillespie | Kimble | Edwards | Mason Counties
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SELLERS: WE HAVE BUYERS! WE NEED LISTINGS!!!
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Jeff Soele • 210-705-4013 • TexasBestRanches.com
275± ACRES
WORKMAN RANCH Central Texas v Burleson County v Somerville
28 Volume
Texas Farm&Ranch
L
uxury can be a word that is often overused in real estate today. But for Workman Ranch, located in Somerville, Texas, no other word can truly do it justice. From its location to its improvements, Workman Ranch is one of the best. Located just 16 miles from College Station and Texas A&M University, it leaves little to be desired, and builds greatly upon one’s wildest dreams! Over 275 acres of prime ranch and hunting land are dotted with large oaks and complemented with pristine pastures, thick woods and plentiful lakes. It features a 7,135-square-foot main home, boasting five bedrooms and 5.5 baths. From game rooms and theaters to full bar and great views, this home has it all. A 125,000-gallon pool is the highlight of the backyard, complete with oil derrick fountain, gas fire pit, island grotto with waterfalls and slides, underwater lighting, swim-up bar, hot tub, and several bridges. A guest home, tennis/basketball court, putting green and equestrian barn are in place as well. The ranch features eight ponds and lakes comprising over 13 acres of surface water great for fishing, wildlife and livestock. The largest is a seven-acre trophy-bass lake. Workman Ranch is truly luxury living at its finest. $9,500,000.
John Dean 512-540-1555
jdean@txrecland.com txrecland.com FarmAndRanch.com
29
141± ACRES Texas Metroplex v Parker County v Weatherford
30 Volume
Texas Farm&Ranch
n opportunity to own the late Bob Kingsley’s beloved 141-acre Bluestem Ranch! This magnificent ranch has plenty to offer to the avid horseman, entertainer, and family that wants to own a masterpiece! The sunsets are among the best in Texas! When you venture into the main gate, you will notice the attention given to every detail. As you continue up the paved drive, prepare to be mesmerized by the views of one of the highest points in Parker County. The main home is a sprawling 10,438 square feet, with three bedrooms, two offices, banquet hall, climate controlled wine room, and home gym that were meticulously laid out to maximize the incredible views. The three-bedroom guest home, 19-stall horse barn, and covered arena are in close proximity and well designed! The banquet hall of the main home is complete with every possible amenity for the most discerning entertainer. This room was designed for year-round entertaining with panoramic views! The buyer of this property will be the third owner and could treasure the land like Bob did. This phenomenal property is currently being marketed for $7,950,000 by Stephen Reich with Williams Trew Real Estate in Parker County. stephenreichgroup.com FarmAndRanch.com
31
The Lone Star State has long been home for innovation and a way of life that speaks its own language. Tradition and pride run deep and wide across rural Texas lands, however like many other areas across our great nation, the lack of modern internet access has become an increasingly critical topic. So much so that decisions to purchase property have started hinging on access that meets today’s consumer demands.
Urban developments and economic growth continue to take shape at record paces in and around metropolitan areas. Yet most rural landowners are still waiting for communications infrastructures to be developed rivaling that of City Slickers. This challenge is unique in its own way to a Texas ranch owner, as the very livelihood of future growth and success is becoming increasingly dependent on access to high quality internet. While Federal and State subsidies have begun to spur improvements to rural architecture across America, real world progress for many remains likely years away. A majority of Ranch owners in 2021 are still relying on weather prone satellite internet options which have characteristics like bandwidth caps and high latency - preventing support for critical work from home protocols such as VoIP , Video Conferencing and VPN. This is in addition to fluctuations in network quality and speed due to the shared nature of which the services are consumed by customers across the entire US.
32 Volume
Texas Farm&Ranch
979-721-9000 wirestar.net
Researchers at the University of Colorado at Boulder & Carnegie Mellon University reported an average property value increase of 3.1 percent for properties with high speed broadband service This data has been backed by Fiber to the Home Council Americas. WireStar has the experience and business relationships with key telecommunications companies to identify and build out last mile access to fiber facilities anywhere in America. Our solutions are capable of delivering symmetrical upload and download speeds up to and over 1GBPS that allow rural land owners to overcome connectivity gaps throughout Texas.
TURNKEY INTERNET SOLUTIONS
WAN (Wide Area Network) Procurement Fiber Optic Engineering, Planning & Construction RF Engineering, Planning & Construction Structured Cabling Design & Installation Property Wide WiFi Distribution Security Monitoring & Gate Control Systems
Led by President & CEO Kyle Leissner since the company’s founding in 2007, WireStar Networks has developed a rich history of improving communications for clients in rural and urban settings alike. Mr Leissner holds two Bachelor of Business Administration degrees in Marketing & Supply Chain Management from Mays Business School at Texas A&M University. In 2011 he obtained a Master of Science Degree in Management Information Systems (MIS). Leissner continues to be an avid student of technology and technological innovation, particularly pertaining to Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems, Customer Relations Management (CRM) Systems, VoIP protocols and optical networking. A culture of high quality customer care and retention is encouraged throughout WireStar Networks. WireStar was recently named an Aggie Top 100 company for the first time for fiscal year 2019.
Kyle KyleLeissner Leissner--President President
254-675-3515 www.rountreetowers.com
WireStar is to actively seek out Those fortunate enough to and access middle mile internet have upgraded to LTE infrastructure to create new networks have traded latency performance for other variables transmission links that move data where it is needed. This that come with cellular approach allowed Camp Allen connections. The major mobile in Navasota, TX to overcome network operators in America it’s obstacles without building never fully intended for their fiber directly to the facility, but LTE cell towers to serve as a with speeds and reliability that full time home based solution. This has not stopped them from are comparable. (see case study offering options that can be used on next page) While in some cases direct fiber burial to a site in such a manor. However, a is possible, more economical and major draw back of any LTE quicker results can often be plan continues to be that the obtained by utilizing connections are no less prone to advancements in Point to Point the amount of people connected aerial technology. Depending or restrictive and unfair on a number of factors unique throttling and usage limitation to each application, aerial links practices used to prevent can be licensed or unlicensed, network overload. While it determining whether FCC may be difficult to fathom why involvement is needed. For this practice would be so shorter last mile links, aerial common, the basic principle is that fixed users detract from the technology has advanced enough to send links with speeds up to availability of mobile users to make and receive calls, text and 10,000 MBPS. Recent rule making by the FCC under the use data features. The watch of former Chairman Ajit evolution of 5G technology to Pai also created access to new replace 4G LTE has begun to spectrum, widening the toolbox alleviate some network ZZZ URXQWUHHWRZHUV FRP for internet service providers to bandwidth issues, however achieve high throughput rollout of 5G still is likely to be connections where previously concentrated to densely populated areas. Additionally – only cost heavy options existed. For many clients who have 5G signals and protocols overcome the broadband gap, operate much different than getting results was a matter of their 4G counter parts and in perspective -the perspective of some cases do not travel as far where to situate the proper from the cell tower. An effective alternative proposed by antennas and where to aim
them to achieve the desired result. To help take the guess work out of this, WireStar relies on a relationship with Clifton, TX based Rountree Towers. Rountree is a family owned tower building company putting quality and assurance amongst its top priorities when working with client and ISPs across Texas. Owner Mike Rountree’s forward thinking and initiative helped to give birth to a business relationship with WireStar when he offered his modern techniques and tools to help aid in the process of supplying turn key solutions for land owners where vertical assets were needed to achieve comm links. While WireStar utilizes cutting edge LIDAR mapping technology to visualize real topography link paths in 3d (pictured below) Rountree adds to this planning by providing an onsite visual confirmation of height and location needed for success. Rountree offers no costs site surveys and offers a guarantee of serviceability. Tower options start around $1500.
Sample Lidar Site Path
CASE STUDY
CAMP ALLEN OVERCOMES RURAL BROADBAND GAP WITH CUSTOM BULK TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS FROM WIRESTAR NETWORKS Camp Allen is a 1000-acre retreat and conference center for the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, located northwest of Houston in a rural setting of Grimes County. The facility’s outdated connectivity, network problems, and subpar sound system impaired its ability to provide adequate service.
A COMBINATION OF ANCIENT GEAR AND NETWORK SWITCHES ULTIMATELY INHIBITED IT FROM RETAINING GUESTS. The facility originally called WireStar to troubleshoot a small satellite TV issue. To meet additional needs, WireStar provided a custom technology solution enabling Camp Allen to globally attract guests year-round.
THE CHALLENGE: HIGH SPEEDS FOR LARGE VOLUMES OF GUESTS IN A RURAL SETTING Camp Allen needed upgrades to: Painfully slow 6Mbps bonded T1 speeds that made presentations sometimes impossible. Outdated configured network switches that couldn’t support Camp Allen’s growth. Inadequate Wi-Fi connectivity for guests across the entire facility. A poorly wired sound system that disabled many guests from participating in and hearing presentations.
“
We had guests struggling to conduct their presentations because our internet was so slow. They had to download everything to their laptop, and there was no way to stream to people outside the facility. That's where WireStar came in. – Allen Kight, Facilities Director, Camp Allen
888-999-1525 | WIRESTAR.NET | COLLEGE STATION TX
THE SOLUTION: A COMPLETE OVERHAUL FOR A HIGH-SPEED BACKHAUL WireStar promptly dispatched a technician to Camp Allen, who quickly identified the site needed more than just TV repair. WireStar invested more time with Camp Allen to understand its greater needs. Finding the facility was in dire need of a rural broadband upgrade, WireStar dedicated its efforts toward a more economical solution in contrast to the $1 million proposals other carriers provided. Unsatisfied with that price tag, WireStar researched:
Potential options for high-speed internet.
Licensing needed for wireless backhaul.
Locating the nearest fiber to the facility.
Capital required to lease tower space for equipment.
After determining the best course of action for Camp Allen, WireStar Engineered a robust 11Ghz high-speed, low latency wireless backhaul link sourced from fiber. Implemented carrier-grade switches and long-duration battery banks to ensure reliability and uptime during inclement weather. Managed the construction of half a mile of fiber on Camp Allen’s property. Generated a new revenue stream for the facility by implementing a billing system where guests can log in to Wi-Fi and upgrade their speed automatically.
Coordinated FCC licensing for the facility’s wireless backhaul solution – ensuring an interference-free spectrum. Secured and constructed colocation of equipment on two towers (180ft and 210ft) with WireStar’s certified climbers. Enhanced the conference center with audio visual equipment, including updated sound system components and smart automation.
THE RESULTS: BETTER BUSINESS RETENTION AND GUEST EXPERIENCE Camp Allen can now stream 500Mbps to remote locations for its 500+ guests and enjoy advanced presentation/conferencing capabilities – making it a prime venue for the Diocese.
The facility is able to better attract and retain business from around the world – all year long. “When Camp Allen only had 6 Mbps to share between our Conference Center guests and our employee work stations, hosting a high-tech conference using the internet was virtually impossible for us to manage. We recently hosted an event that streamed live coverage to over 300 remote members. WireStar was actually on site to make sure streaming was seamless. Two years ago, that would not have been possible.” WireStar is the industry expert in custom technology solutions for rural organizations. If you are looking to upgrade your facility or business and are only finding cost-prohibitive solutions, contact WireStar today.
888-999-1525 | WIRESTAR.NET | COLLEGE STATION TX
FarmAndRanch.com
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TEXAS
SELECT
RANCHO ESTRELLA 8,100± ACRES
JIM HOGG & STARR COUNTIES
REDUCED TO
$28,000,000
South Texas v Jim Hogg & Starr Counties v Hebbronville
Howard W. Hood, Broker Howard@HoodRealEstateInc.com
830-739-3815
HoodRealEstateInc.com 36 Volume
Texas Farm&Ranch
T
he 8,100± acre Rancho Estrella, located 42 miles southwest of Hebbronville, provides incredible hunting and superlative privacy. Rancho Estrella, which has been managed for wildlife for almost 30 years, is divided into four pastures and completely high fenced. Wildlife includes whitetail deer, bobwhite and scaled quail, Rio Grande turkeys, javelina, dove and feral hogs as well as a full complement of desirable exotics. The well-managed brush country habitat, also suitable for cattle, is supplemented with protein feeders and food plots. Rancho Estrella has nine water wells, four stock tanks, and more than 30 wildlife waterers. The ranch has two separate living compounds each featuring a main lodge, apartments and casitas. The four-bedroom, four-bath owner’s home is located in Brush Pasture compound. The ranch has been a hunting destination and a corporate retreat and could easily be a commercial hunting operation. Call Howard W. Hood, Broker at 830-739-3815. Available for $28 million. FarmAndRanch.com
37
TEXAS
SELECT
SUPER A RANCH 1,791± ACRES
KERR
COUNTY PRICE REDUCED TO
$26,865,000
Howard W. Hood, Broker Howard@HoodRealEstateInc.com
830-739-3815
HoodRealEstateInc.com 38 Volume
Texas Farm&Ranch
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he 1,791±-acre Super A Ranch, the largest live-water ranch for sale in Kerr County, is located just 10 miles southwest of Kerrville, providing high-style ranch living with easy access. With a mere 110 feet of paved road frontage, the Super A guarantees both easily secured access and unsurpassed privacy. Crystalline water, cypress-lined creek banks and groves of pecan and walnut trees with hidden clearings that have been maintained in a beautiful park-like condition, bedeck the landscape. The land includes both spectacular hills and open pastures; all easily accessible by good ranch roads. Numerous springs eventually flow into Turtle Creek. Several impoundments, including one five-acre lake stocked with bass, deliver abundant surface water as well as recreational opportunities. Two water wells with submersible pumps and two windmills offer additional water. The high-fenced ranch is home to native whitetail deer that have been improved by genetic introduction and selective harvest, turkeys, fallow deer, axis deer, sika deer, blackbuck antelope, aoudad sheep and one of Hill Country’s largest elk herds. The main house’s expansive, elevated cherry wood deck provides a seamless transition between outdoor and indoor living. The three-bedroom, 3.5-bath house is refined and welcoming. A spring-fed swimming pool and waterfall, known as The Grotto, is the perfect gathering place. A state-of-the-art outdoor kitchen, as well as a large outdoor fireplace and a firepit, set the stage for entertaining. In addition, a three-bedroom, two-bath guest house with a large dining area and great room gives friends and extended family their privacy. A large detached game room offers indoor fun as well as additional accommodations. The wildlife infrastructure includes eight deer blinds, eight corn feeders, and six protein feeders, which will convey with the sale, and a processing barn with both a walk-in cooler and walk-in freezer. There are also two equipment barns (40x130 and 25x100), a horse barn with stalls, and livestock pens. Call Howard W. Hood, Broker at 830-739-3815. Price reduced to $26,865,000.
Texas Hill Country v Kerr County v Kerrville FarmAndRanch.com 39
COMANCHE ROCK RANCH 630±
ACRES
Texas Hill Country v Gillespie County v Fredericksburg
GILLESPIE COUNTY
AVAILABLE FOR
$11,250,000
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ocated in Gillespie County just 15 minutes north of Fredericksburg, turnkey Comanche Rock Ranch offers a full range of possibilities from commercial enterprise to private retreat. Adjacent to Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, views throughout the 630± acres showcase the Hill Country icon. The terrain changes from gently rolling, open fields and hay meadows dotted with majestic oaks, to granite rock outcrops and ridges amid native oaks and browse species. The majority of the ranch is high fenced and ranch roads are improved. Several ag fields have been used as wildlife food plots and test vineyard appears promising. The northern section, which includes 425± acres, has been intensively managed for trophy native whitetails since the mid-90s. Trophy axis and blackbuck also roam the hills. The ranch has only been hunted as family and friends for the last 10+ years. The southern section, which encompasses 208± acres, is home to axis deer, rare white elk, trophy whitetails deer, and several hay fields. Water sources include: Sandy Creek in the northwest corner, several active springs, six stock ponds, water rights to a deep well across RR965, five on-site water wells (three active), an underground limestone-lined cistern, five large-capacity aboveground water storage tanks and several water troughs. The north headquarters’ centerpiece is the 1998-99 custom-designed home with stunning views of Enchanted Rock as well as an open kitchen, living room with a soaring fireplace, glassed-in bonus room, screened porch dining room, master suite with bath and attached sun porch, home office, laundry room, nearby pool and patio, and a chinked cedar cabin guest house. The recently remodeled hunting lodge has three downstairs bedrooms with three private baths, a second-story bunkhouse, downstairs kitchen living room/game room as well as an outdoor gathering area with a pool. The original farmhouse delivers additional lodging. The ranch office is adjacent to the manager’s home. An old country store with a game processing area, walk-in cooler and ample storage area provides a perfect gathering spot. At the southern headquarters, the four- to five-bedroom, three-bath main house is built on the bones of a circa 1900 German farmhouse. It boasts a downstairs master suite, large kitchen, two large living rooms, two upstairs bedrooms, one to two downstairs bedrooms, upstairs bonus room and a nearby pool and patio. A small house, adjacent to the barn, could be used for additional lodging. The compound also includes a horse barn and stalls, round pen, roping facility, bulk storage grain silo, two bulk protein feeders and multiple gravity/well-fed watering troughs. Call Howard W. Hood, Broker at 830-739-3815. Priced at $11,250,000.
Howard W. Hood, Broker Howard@HoodRealEstateInc.com
830-739-3815
HoodRealEstateInc.com 40 Volume
Texas Farm&Ranch
LOMARO RANCH 925±
ACRES Central Texas v Austin & Fort Bend Counties v Wallis
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oMaRo Ranch, which straddles the Austin and Fort Bend County line, is a productive, diverse Texas-sized ranch with huge commercial potential. The 925±-acre ranch is located less than an hour southwest of downtown Houston near Wallis. The ranch includes more than 1.5 miles of Brazos River frontage and fronts Hwy 36 for 7± of a mile. An active railroad, with a perpetually maintained crossing, parallels Hwy 36 adding another appealing commercial feature. For a discerning buyer interested in agriculture and livestock, wildlife and recreation, or commercial investment, the potential is limitless. While LoMaRo is convenient to urban amenities, it’s a world away when it comes to privacy. The stars still shine big and bright here. Tracing its lineage to the original Stephen F. Austin land grant, the low-fenced ranch, has been in the current family since 1871. Early on, some fields were broken out for cotton fields, but the LoMaRo Ranch has been a working cattle ranch throughout much of its multigenerational history. Traditional ranch roads provide easy access to the entire ranch, which has been cross fenced into six separate pastures. The front portion of the ranch features improved Coastal Bermuda pastures and hay meadows. Here the terrain includes flat meadows and rolling hills. The back portion slopes down into the rich Brazos River bottom. Legacy oaks, pecans and cottonwoods provide shade. Native grasses and brush create superlative wildlife habitat. While the ranch has not been actively managed for wildlife and has never been hunted commercially, game abounds. Whitetailed deer, migratory waterfowl, feral hogs, and sandhill cranes as well as small game are plentiful. Quail have also been spotted. Stretching for just over 1.5 miles, even the river frontage is diverse. An oxbow lake, stocked with two types of bass and bluegills, spans about one mile. Another portion includes a sandbar that gives a different type of access to the river. A high bank marks a third portion of the ranch’s intersection with the river. A ranch lake, covering 3± acres, delivers stock water in the upper portion. Anglers seeking a different type of challenge can fish for catfish in this impoundment. The original ranch house, which has been updated and currently is the site of family retreats, features three bedrooms and three baths with two bonus “kids’ rooms” in the loft. Its strong bones, dating back to the 1870s, could be the basis for the new owners’ dream home or it could be converted to a guest house. The ranch offers many different building sites that could be the foundation for a perfectly appointed retreat. Ranch infrastructure includes livestock working pens, two equipment barns and a hay barn. A well supplies water to the house and pens. Mineral rights are negotiable. Diversity. Productivity. Proximity. Privacy. Access. Convenience. History. Water. Wildlife. Livestock. Endless opportunities. LoMaRo Ranch is home to it all. Claim its abundance for yourself. To experience the potential of LoMaRo Ranch, call Conner W. Hood, Sales Agent at 830-928-2317. The ranch is listed for $8,787,500.
AUSTIN & FORT BEND COUNTIES
AVAILABLE FOR
$8,787,500
Conner W. Hood, Sales Agent
Conner@HoodRealEstateInc.com
830-928-2317
HoodRealEstateInc.com FarmAndRanch.com
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STILL WATERS RANCH 47±
ACRES
GILLESPIE COUNTY
AVAILABLE FOR
$2,200,000
Conner W. Hood, Sales Agent
Conner@HoodRealEstateInc.com
830-928-2317
HoodRealEstateInc.com 42 Volume
Texas Farm&Ranch
Texas Hill Country v Gillespie County v Fredericksburg
W
ith 1,300 feet of Pedernales River frontage, Still Waters Ranch, located just 12 miles southwest of Fredericksburg, provides superlative river living in the heart of the Hill Country. It offers highly sought combination of seclusion and accessibility. The Gillespie County Airport is nearby. The 47±-acre, low-fenced ranch, which fronts on White Oak Road, sits near the headwaters of the Pedernales, where the river runs clear year-round. In places, the river flows into deep pools perfect for swimming and fishing, while in others it’s fastmoving and shallow, ideal for wading or whiling away hot summer afternoons. The river bank is lined with heritage oaks, pecan and elms. Along its course, sites for camping and picnicking have been cleared, providing a peaceful respite and easy access to the sparkling water. The land, which features native Hill Country habitat ranging from live oaks, cedar and mesquite to endemic grasses and wildlife-sustaining browse plants, rolls gently. The elevation rises about 100 feet from the river bottom to the highest point. The ever-present water attracts whitetailed deer, wild turkey, feral hogs as well as free-ranging exotics. Hunting has been limited to family and friends. The current owner rotates cattle through the ranch to manage the vegetation and maintain the agriculture tax valuation. The three-bedroom, two-bath house finished with stucco encompasses 1,850± square feet and overlooks the river valley. An open kitchen and dining area make gathering easy. The living room is anchored by a fireplace. The metal roof was installed in 2020. A domestic well drilled to 125± feet supplies the house. In addition to the home, the ranch includes a 24x60 barn that offers both enclosed and open storage space. There are two more small outbuildings that have been used as chicken coops. For those who envision a dream house, the ranch features several suitable building sites. Privacy. Accessibility. Year-round live water. Located in the heart of the Hill Country. Still Waters Ranch is a dream property waiting to be claimed. To see Still Waters Ranch for yourself, call Conner W. Hood, Sales Agent at 830-928-2317. Listed at $2.2 million.
VERDE CREEK RANCH 191±
ACRES
MEDINA COUNTY
AVAILABLE FOR
$2,101,000
Central Texas v Medina County v Hondo
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ocated 30 minutes west of San Antonio, the 191±-acre Verde Creek Farm in Medina County offers the best of Hill Country living within easy reach of big city amenities. To make access easy, the ranch fronts FM 2676. With 1,893± feet of Verde Creek, the low-fenced ranch is home to the sparkle and splash of live water. Overall the terrain is very gently rolling with several cultivated fields. Fields could be converted to food plots to supplement the native whitetails and dove. In addition to the existing farmhouse, there is an old Alsatian rock house dating to the late 1800s on the property; both could be renovated to modern standards or a new dream home could be built on sites throughout the ranch. In addition, the ranch includes a small barn with an attached car port and one water well with a submersible pump as well as two Yancey water meters to supply the property. To explore the opportunities Verde Creek Farm offers, call Howard W. Hood, Broker at 830-739-3815. Available for $2,101,000.
Howard W. Hood, Broker Howard@HoodRealEstateInc.com
830-739-3815
HoodRealEstateInc.com FarmAndRanch.com
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How Texas Beeworks’s Erika Thompson Became the Queen Bee of Pastoral TikTok By Lauren Larson
Photos by Jasmine Archie
A
few years ago, when Erika Thompson was living in Austin, she came across a dove languishing on the sidewalk. She scooped the dove up, took him home, and nursed him back to health. Thompson hoped to release him into the wild when he was ready, but he refused to fly. The dove, Lime, now perches on the back of one of Thompson’s dogs, a wiry mutt named Shelby. “We think Lime likes the fur,” Thompson says, watching the pair serenely for a few seconds. The cross-species harmony is broken when Thompson’s husband, Andrew Hollister, 44 Volume
Texas Farm&Ranch
suddenly opens their house’s back door. Shelby hurls herself towards Hollister and Lime does a ruffled loop before perching on a nearby table. Thompson sighs. “That’s about as much as he flies,” she says, coaxing Lime onto an outstretched finger. Lime has settled into the Thompson menagerie, along with her three dogs, five chickens, and millions of bees. Thompson, 34, is a beekeeper, a TikTok star, and a woodland Disney princess. Her life is a pastoral idyll. Every day she has a slice of pumpkin pie for breakfast; sometimes she takes her coffee riverside, surrounded by her three dogs. She suspects her H-E-B keeps one pumpkin pie per week in stock year-round, just for her. On one of the first tolerably warm days in September, she walks me around her place near Elgin, which she and Hollister bought last year.
“When we first saw this property, we’d been looking for a while. I just wanted to get out of town,” Thompson says. As a beekeeper with her own company, Texas Beeworks, she needed more space for her beekeeping equipment, and she wanted to be able to keep hives closer to home. A significant part of her business is removing unwanted colonies from people’s properties, a process which can take anywhere from 45 minutes to four hours, depending on the size of the hive. When she lived in Austin, after each removal she had to drive the bees to one of her apiaries across Central Texas. (In Texas, homeowners who host colonies on their properties can qualify for agricultural tax exemptions.) Now she just takes the bees home to her apiary, two long rows of stacked white wooden boxes a short walk from her house. “I just drive
Left: Erika Thompson pumping smoke on her bees outside her home, then lifting a comb out of a hive to show the difference between worker bees, male bees, and the queen bee.
around, go inside, and have dinner. It’s the best.” She and Hollister liked the house, which is pink and unpretentious. But mostly they were drawn to the quirks of the surrounding land. Thompson shows me the 100-year-old pecan tree in the backyard, where she and Hollister had a pandemic-size wedding ceremony this month. (They met on Bumble.) A ways off from the pecan tree, Thompson and Hollister keep a brood of chickens in a spacious coop. She opens the coop’s door so “the girls”—all named after female country singers—can peck around in the grass. The chickens meander out of the coop and stand around for a moment, like a clique getting their bearings at a middle school dance. Then, suddenly, they race off as one, rounding the house. Thompson hurries after them, shaking a bag of feed. All but one of the chickens follow her back and allow her to corral them back into the coop—a small gray lady named Emmylou is missing. “She loves the trash,” Thompson explains. She creeps up to the trash cans behind the house, from which a twitching gray chicken tush is peeking out. She shakes the bag again, then calmly herds Emmylou back into the coop. Then Thompson leads me to a corner of the backyard where a path goes down to the Colorado River. When the previous owner showed them the house, Thompson recalls, she guided them to this spot and said, “We can walk down to the river if you want, but I have to tell you something: in this log, there is a beehive.” She presented it as a possible dealbreaker, but Thompson was thrilled. “It’s just such a good reminder that bees are going to do this with or without me,” she says of the hive, “and we’re gonna stand under that tree and get married, and there’s a beehive!” To each bride her own. Now Thompson approaches the wild hive, keeping a reverent distance. The log is large and hollowed out, and bees clamber over each other at the mouth of the hollow. “I just love seeing how the entrance changes, and how their activity changes, without any intervention from a beekeeper,” she says pensively. “It’s so cool to me.” Though Thompson technically makes a living in agriculture, which can seem antithetical to wildness, she has an unusual respect for animality. Her esteem for nature manifests itself in her beekeeping—though she occasionally collects honey from her bees to donate locally or gift to friends, she talks about honey harvesting with some derision—and in smaller ways. As she walks past the house on her way to her
truck to gather her tools, three dog snouts appear over the window sill and begin howling. “Oh, thank you,” she says to the dogs, in a high, loving voice. “Thank you so much!” Thompson’s deep understanding of and appreciation for animal behavior allows her to get very close to her bees, an intimacy that plays well on video-sharing platform TikTok. When Thompson began posting videos on TikTok this past spring, she quickly catapulted into the viral vortex. Six months since her first post, she has amassed 1.9 million followers. In one particularly popular removal video from August, which has been viewed 38.4 million times, Thompson used her bare hands to scoop clusters of bees from a colony in a compost bin into their new hive. (Bees often settle in compost bins and water meter boxes, the latter because the boxes are underground and thus climate-controlled, and the hole at the top is an easy entrance for bees to defend.) When she found the queen bee, Thompson put her in a tiny plastic container that looked like a hair clip, placed her in the box, and let the other bees follow her in. In her videos, Thompson moves slowly and purposefully, and she looks calm and content. In a voice-over, she narrates the process. Before she turned to beekeeping full-time last year, Thompson was a communications director, and while a background in communications does not necessarily guarantee that one is a good communicator, Thompson is: her voice has the uncondescending warmth of a kindergarten teacher’s. In the comments below the video from August, viewers lost their minds, many of them balking over Thompson’s lack of gear. Unless she notices signs of aggression from the bees she’s inspecting, Thompson rarely wears a suit when she does her bee work: she does get stung occasionally, but she doesn’t mind. “How is she not scared[?] when I see a bee [I] pass out for a year,” one commenter wrote. “I just really love bees!” Thompson replied. Thompson thinks people like to see their preconceived notions about beekeeping upended. “I think it’s probably good that people have a healthy fear of bees. We should respect them— they can be very hurtful to people,” she says. “But I think it was very much an element of seeing someone handle creatures that you normally
Top: Thompson removing the lid from a hive in order to check on her bees. Thompson letting a bee rest on her hand.
don’t see people that hands-on with.” Besides the shock value of seeing someone so hands-on with a sometimes-maligned species, Thompson’s TikToks are very soothing, and they tap into our innate fascination with bee behavior. When Thompson took a crash course on beekeeping a decade ago, she had no intention of becoming a beekeeper; she was just curious about honeybees as a species, particularly because she’d heard they were imperiled. She’d dabbled in bugs as a child, until she was 16, when she got her first dog, a dalmatian that she brought to college at the University of Texas. The beekeeping course renewed her interest in insects. Before she started her own colonies—first a small backyard hive, then a few on a friend’s property—she read everything she could about bees. But Thompson doesn’t just have an extensive knowledge of bee behavior; she can demystify it. For instance, there’s a reason why you don’t often see male bees out and about, Thompson explains: the mating happens in “drone congreFarmAndRanch.com
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gation areas” hundreds of feet up in the sky. She pops open her van’s back doors and gathers a few tools. Bees fly out of the van and circle her with a deep, ominous hum. She doesn’t seem to notice them. “When a drone male bee mates with a queen, his endophallus rips out of his abdominal cavity, and he falls to the ground,” she continues cheerfully. If you see a male bee on the ground, he’s probably in the grip of post-coital paralysis. The lady bees run the show; the male bees are secondary to all operations. “They’re not out in the world doing bee work,” Thompson says. They don’t forage, they don’t build the hive because they don’t have wax glands, and they don’t defend the hive, because they don’t have stingers. Typical. “In the winter, the female worker bees will kick all the male drone bees out of the hive because they are a draw on the resources, and they won’t let them back in. They’ll either starve or freeze to death. Isn’t that crazy? Like, they have figured this out!” She shuts the van’s doors heavily, and we set off for her apiary. Watching Thompson handle bees is like watching a circus sword-swallower: you know that they have practiced enough that what they’re doing is no longer dangerous, but you still feel a primal hnnnrgh watching it happen. Thompson first looks at the entrance to the hive to read the bees’ bee-havior (sorry). “If there’s a bunch of guard bees out and a bunch of other bees trying to rob them, that might mean they’re a little more defensive,” she says. “This is really good. We’ve got little lady bees coming and going; we’ve got one bee actually cleaning this other bee.” Satisfied, Thompson moves to the back of the hive and gently lifts the lid off the box. “Hey, babies, how are you doing?” she says in the same octave she uses to converse with her dogs. She pumps smoke on the bees—to calm them, she explains—from her metal bee smoker, a witchy-looking device filled with pine needles and other kindling. (The smoke obscures the smell of the pheromones bees release when they’re alarmed.) The bees scatter but begin an angry-sounding drone that lasts for a few seconds. Thompson, unperturbed, studies the hive and waits for the bees to go quiet before lifting each piece of comb. Though the day is relatively cool for late summer, the bee suit I’m wearing over my jeans and T-shirt has begun to feel suffocating in the heat. (Additionally, because Thompson warned me that bees can confuse the smell of bananas with the smell of the pheromone they emit when a colony is queen-less, I have not eaten bananas for two weeks.) I feel like a fish fillet in a sous vide bag. While I cook, Thompson, wearing 46 Volume
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jeans and a long-sleeved button-up, studies the bees closely, apparently unaffected by the weather. She is committed to showing me a queen bee and a male bee. The queen, the largest present, is easy to spot: in one hive, Thompson lifts out a comb and hands it to me. “See her?” she asks. A wall of identical bees moves in my hands. Sometimes I can’t recognize the queen bee even when Thompson points her out in her removal videos, but this time I do. Thompson ordered this queen, and she has a neon-blue marking on her back. But when Thompson points to a male bee at the bottom of one comb—the male bees are thicker than the worker bees, and they have bigger eyes—I don’t see it, even though she is following its path closely with her finger. Behind the bees, some of the combs are uniformly yellow and clean-looking. They look almost machine-made. Others are darker and messier. There are food combs and brood combs, Thompson explains. The food combs look like stones—some parts look like a Himalayan salt rock—while the hexagons of the brood combs, where eggs are stored, look like they’ve been stuffed with ground-up graham crackers. “I just think there’s so much beauty to this texture—and the fact that these insects have
WATCHING THOMPSON HANDLE BEES IS LIKE WATCHING A CIRCUS SWORDSWALLOWER: YOU KNOW THAT THEY HAVE PRACTICED ENOUGH THAT WHAT THEY’RE DOING IS NO LONGER DANGEROUS... built all of this, and how tiny they are,” she says, sounding moved. Thompson holds each comb up to eye level. Congratulating the bees for their good work, she makes some notes describing their progress on top of each box. “Thank you, bees,” she says before putting the lid back on. “We appreciate you.” Post-bees, we sit on Thompson’s porch drinking ice-cold flavored seltzers, looking out over her front yard and the brambles that separate us from her apiary. TikTok, I suggest, seems at odds with the peaceful life that Thompson has created for herself. On the surface, Thompson appears to be well suited to social media stardom. She looks, in her TikToks and in-person, like she’s just walked through a flattering Instagram filter: her blond hair is loosely, perfectly curled; her skin is Glossier-dewy; her makeup, suspiciously unsmudged even after hours in the heat, is
present but subtle. (“I’m maybe not what people imagine when they think of a beekeeper, but it’s fun to surprise people.”) She’s not particularly comfortable with the wave of attention that accompanies her removal videos. After her breakout removal video, she recalls, some days she would wake up to 50 emails from media outlets. She has a few removal videos that she has yet to upload on TikTok because she’s bracing herself for the response. “People didn’t realize that I’m not an influencer. I’m a beekeeper,” Thompson says. “And I show you a little bit about what I do, but this isn’t my full-time job. I don’t make money by posting stuff—until TikTok, now.” Thompson is a private person—she doesn’t curate her life “for the ’gram” or for TikTok. She looks as put-together as she does, she says, because that’s how she’s always looked. “I curl my hair because I always curled my hair when I had an office job—it stays out of my face. I like being a Southern lady, and this is how I was raised: you put your makeup on in the morning, you do your hair. I always try to wear a collared shirt because I want to look presentable,” she says. So why does a private person just going about her days join TikTok? For one thing, Thompson says, she was intrigued by the possibility of educating more people about bees. She also liked how user-friendly the app is. She can quickly boil down hours of removal footage into a oneminute TikTok. She hasn’t spent much time on TikTok as a consumer, but she’d been TikTok-curious for a while. She too has succumbed to TikTok’s powerful algorithm, which delivers videos that kaleidoscopically cycle through a viewer’s wildly disparate interests. TikTok serves Thompson mostly helpful service videos. Recently, Thompson says, she watched a video of a woman painting her stairs with a sock on her hand. She points to the stairs leading up to her porch, which she recently painted herself. “It was so easy!”’ She likes that TikTok is “more of a learning channel, versus a pretty picture of a girl who wants to be an Instagram model,” she says. Besides the sock-painting video, there is a wide world of DIY TikToks, and Thompson joins a particularly robust category that I think of as “pleasant backyard TikTok.” (Fellow Texan Marcus Bridgewater, a.k.a. Garden Marcus, is known for his calming gardening videos and has almost 680,000 followers since December.) Mostly, Thompson says, she felt burned-out by what she was seeing on Instagram. “I don’t want to see someone’s pretty food photos of their dinner,” she says, “I’m just not interested in that. I have such a limited amount of time.” There’s bee work to do.
86± ACRES
20040 KEENAN CUTOFF
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Southeast Texas v Montgomery County v Montgomery
estled in the middle of immense landscape, this Mediterraneanstyle home on a park-like setting with a pond on 86± acres of unrestricted land is one of nature’s finest settings. The estate knows few equals as it is exacting when it comes to fine finishes and architectural touches. Architecture articulates image of quality with the stunning sun-lit study. An enormity of light overtakes the gorgeous great room. The dining room boasts views of the grand loggia. The gourmet kitchen features a high-end appliance package. Romantic beautiful features an aristocratic-style bath. A golf simulator and billiard area are just a few spaces found in the game room. An impressive theatre is located off the family room. Fresh water river with water features, putting green, fire pit, 48x30 pool/spa, playground and breathtaking loggia offer resort-style living at its best. Two casitas, three-bedroom log cabin, six-car garage, barn, corral, storage/ hay/equipment shed, lake, three ponds and green pastures. $5,500,000.
Kecia & Arlene Properties Group Compass Texas RE, LLC
Kecia Haseman, 713-515-4948 Arlene English, 713-367-7333 kapropertiesgroup@compass.com FarmAndRanch.com
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8,988±-ACRE COVENANT RANCH South Texas v Webb County v Freer A rich history of being one of the most famous South Texas hunting ranches.
4,989±-ACRE SAN CARLOS RANCH South Texas v Webb County v Freer In the “Big Deer Country,” well maintained and improved for years.
2,976±-ACRE LA GARITA RANCH South Texas v Webb County v Encinal Prime “Big Deer” ranch has good water, good roads and improvements.
1,050±-ACRE JJJ RANCH South Texas v Webb County v Las Tiendas 48Turnkey Volume hunting Texasin Farm&Ranch the “Golden Triangle” with excellent brush and water.
3,656±-ACRE HIGH PLACES RANCH
598±-ACRE MONTELL MOUNTAIN RANCH
Central Texas v Uvalde County v Concan
Central Texas v Uvalde County v Montell
An impressive large offering with views across scenic Frio River Canyon.
Beautiful ranch has both sides of two named, live-water creeks.
282±-ACRE RANCHO RIO LINDO
1,588±-ACRE MILSTEAD RANCH
Central Texas v Uvalde County v Uvalde
Central Texas v Medina County v Castroville
This recreational haven offers hunting and Nueces River frontage.
A unique recreation and cattle ranch just outside of San Antonio.
Robert Dullnig, Broker Associate 6606 N. New Braunfels • San Antonio, TX 78209
210-213-9700
DullnigRanches.com
FarmAndRanch.com
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3,000±-ACRE EL TESORO RANCH South Texas v Maverick County v Eagle Pass Exceptional native whitetail deer genetics and large tanks.
3,015±-ACRE PALOMA WEST RANCH South Texas v Dimmit County v Carrizo Springs Premier and historic ranch provides grazing, hunting and farming.
1,671±-ACRE SALT CREEK RANCH South Texas v Dimmit County v Carrizo Springs Handsome improvements plus brush management for grazing or quail habitat.
1,225±-ACRE HOLLIDAY RANCH South Texas v Dimmit County v Carrizo Springs 50Great Volume Texas Farm&Ranch improvements make this ready to go for hunting, ranching and entertaining.
917±-ACRE MUY ALTO RANCH
716±-ACRE NUBE NUEVE RANCH
Texas Hill Country v Gillespie County v Kerrville
Texas Hill Country v Kerr County v Mountain Home
A superb location couples with water features and a nice headquarters.
High-fenced recreation and hunting has 360-degree scenic views.
890±-ACRE CLT RANCH
85±-ACRE RANGER CREEK ESTATE
Texas Hill Country v Gillespie County v Harper
Texas Hill Country v Kendall County v Boerne
Recreation, livestock and hunting ranch established in the 1800s.
Gated privacy and luxury plus natural springs and creek.
Robert Dullnig, Broker Associate 6606 N. New Braunfels • San Antonio, TX 78209
210-213-9700
DullnigRanches.com
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7,800±-ACRE SAN SABA RIVER RANCH Central Texas v Menard County v Menard The highlight is three miles of pristine San Saba River frontage.
3,500±-ACRE TREATY STONE RANCH Central Texas v San Saba County v San Saba This significant, historic ranch provides hunting and cattle options.
4,200±-ACRE PICNIC BEND RANCH Central Texas v Menard County v Menard 1.5 miles of San Saba River, three water wells and nine stock ponds.
1,350±-ACRE WALLACE CREEK RANCH Central Texas v San Saba County v San Saba 52Rich, Volume Texas Farm&Ranch rolling terrain with grand trees and abundant wildlife.
6,570±-ACRE RANCHO EL MIRASOL
23,500±-ACRE HIGH LONESOME RANCH West Texas v Val Verde County v Comstock
Texas Hill Country v Edwards & Val Verde Counties v Del Rio
This historic working/recreation ranch has been owned
Scenic ranch is well watered and improved for recreation and hunting.
since the 1800s.
10,500±-ACRE BIG LOZIER CANYON
1,970±-ACRE LA CODORNIZ RANCH
West Texas v Terrell County v Dryden
South Texas v Bee County v Beeville
Usable land has abundant potential for ranchers, hunters and explorers.
Quail paradise for a wing shooter or cattle-minded rancher.
Robert Dullnig, Broker Associate 6606 N. New Braunfels • San Antonio, TX 78209
210-213-9700
DullnigRanches.com
FarmAndRanch.com
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FULL DRAW RANCH
370± Acres // South Texas // Dimmit County // Dilley
F
ull Draw Ranch is any hunter’s dream, but it is the ultimate for bow hunters. It really offers a great opportunity for an investor to run a first-class hunting operation! Located just a short drive west down Hwy 85 from Dilley, Texas in Dimmit County with approximately 370 high-fenced acres of thick South Texas brush in the golden triangle, this ranch offers superior deer and quail hunting with firstclass accommodations. Because of the thick native brush and numerous winding roads, this ranch drives like it is much bigger than the acreage states. Every amenity and tool you may need is already in place and being included with this turnkey ranch sale so that the new owners just need clothes and their weapon of choice to begin their own experience.
STRANSKY PROPERTIES: FARMS, RANCHES, COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE AND DEVELOPMENT 54 Volume
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CHAPMAN RANCH, TEXAS
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150± Acres // South Texas // Nueces County // Chapman Ranch
his 150±-acre South Texas ranch is the perfect getaway for the executive outdoorsman to unwind after a long day at the office being only 25 minutes from downtown Corpus Christi and less than a mile from the Laureles pasture of the historic King Ranch. This ranch is being offered turnkey even including over 30 head of cattle and gives a buyer the opportunity to come home and go on an afternoon quail hunt, take a large South Texas whitetail deer, or fish for redfish, catfish, or bass in one of the two lakes on your own property. It is also only 20 minutes to the nearest boat ramp if you want to fish one of the bays on the Texas Coast. The highlight of this property is an eightacre lake sitting directly behind a 4,300-square-foot home with a huge back porch to sit and enjoy a morning sunrise or evening of wildlife viewing. This ranch has many more amenities, improvements, and details which can be found at www.stranskyproperties.com.
210.254.7700 // stephen@stranskyproperties.com // stranskyproperties.com FarmAndRanch.com
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RIVER RIDGE
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305± Acres // Texas Hill Country // Kerr County // Kerrville
iver Ridge Ranch is on Hwy 173 approximately four miles south of downtown Kerrville, Texas. It consists of 305 acres with Guadalupe River frontage overlooking and adjoining the Comanche Trace Golf Course. The main house on top of the hill is an eight-bedroom, six-bath home that has spectacular views of downtown Kerrville and the entire ranch itself. The property is divided into seven pipe-fenced pastures with over 160 acres of coastal grass for horses or cattle. Other improvements include three homes, two horse barns, two hay barns, an equipment barn and a workshop all easily accessible by the paved roads within the ranch. Wildlife includes whitetail deer, axis and blackbuck.
STRANSKY PROPERTIES: FARMS, RANCHES, COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE AND DEVELOPMENT 56 Volume
Texas Farm&Ranch
TORTUGA RANCH
552± Acres // Texas Hill Country // Kerr County // Camp Verde
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ortuga Ranch is located on Hwy 173 approximately seven miles south of Kerrville and three miles north of Camp Verde. It consists of 552 acres that are mostly high fenced, and have some of the best trophy whitetail deer hunting you can find along with some exotics which are protein fed year-round. Both sides of Turtle Creek run through the north side of the property which allow for great swimming and fishing. The main lodge has a pool and outdoor entertainment cabana with great views. The property also has three additional homes, a 20-acre soft-release deer pen, four-stall horse barn, workshop and three water wells. This ranch is being offered turnkey.
210.254.7700 // stephen@stranskyproperties.com // stranskyproperties.com FarmAndRanch.com
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WELFARE RANCH 411± Acres // Texas Hill Country // Kendall County // Boerne
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hese 411 acres are sitting at the Welfare Exit on Interstate 10 West, with over 2,000 feet of frontage. It is just six miles from downtown Boerne in Kendall County, one of the fastest growing counties in Texas. The property has incredible 360-degree views, with elevation changes of over 300 feet from the tops of the hills down to the fields on both sides of Zinke Creek, which cuts through the property. This would make a great ranch to enjoy with the family and an even better investment to sell when Boerne reaches your doorstep in the near future.
PICKENS RANCH
27± Acres // Texas Hill Country // Bandera County // Pipe Creek
P
ickens Ranch is a total of approximately 27 acres fronting on Hwy 16 just five miles south of Bandera, Texas and in Bandera School District. The property is mainly an open field with good soils and a few trees in the southeast corner and approximately 830 feet of visible frontage on Hwy 16. This property has been in the same family for several decades and used for agricultural purposes, but with the growing population several properties adjoining this are now being used for commercial purposes. The ranch has three phase power with a pipeline running through it and good perimeter fencing.
STRANSKY PROPERTIES: FARMS, RANCHES, COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE AND DEVELOPMENT 58 Volume
Texas Farm&Ranch
MID-TEX CATTLE COMPANY
121± Acres // Central Texas // Guadalupe County // Seguin
M
id-Tex Cattle Company is 121± acres and is currently being used as a pre-conditioning yard for cattle. Located only three miles from Seguin, it fronts on three roads (Hwy 90A, Biecker Road, and Weber Road) with adequate frontage on all three. The property has good exterior fencing with numerous cross fences and improved coastal hay pastures. There is one private water well and also public water which currently serve the property. It has both sides of wet-weather Saul Creek going through the middle of the property and is lined with very large trees. There is also piped water to several tanks scattered throughout the property. This property could be developed today into tracts as small as one acre since it has a public water source or just used as is and be a good investment for the future.
WILKINS RANCH
184± Acres // Texas Metroplex // Erath County // Stephenville
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ilkins Ranch is 184± acres conveniently located approximately 4.5 miles northeast of Stephenville, Texas at 10608 N. US Hwy 377. The ranch has about half a mile of frontage on Hwy 377 and also fronts on paved CR 180 (Pilot Knob Road) and paved CR 474 (Roadway Road). There is over 1,500 feet of paved road leading into the ranch to all of the improvements which include a three-bedroom, two-bath manufactured home completely rocked with standing seam roof and front and back rock porches, hay barn with tack room, shop with drive-through bay and overhang, implement storage barn, and small storage shed. Other improvements include two water wells, net wire cross fencing, and about 97 acres of improved coastal hay fields with the remainder of the ranch in dense brush and native grasses. There are also five ponds that hold water in normal rain conditions. This ranch has great elevation changes creating long range views and wildlife native to the area including whitetail deer and hogs.
210.254.7700 // stephen@stranskyproperties.com // stranskyproperties.com FarmAndRanch.com
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Lake Creek Ranch contains all of the desirable ingredients of a classic Hill Country property: expansive meadows, wide valleys, and towering mountains with breathtaking views. The property is also blessed with several strong springs and small crystal-clear creeks. And to top it off, an absolutely stunning 15-acre lake is nestled completely within the ranch boundaries. Break out the fishing gear, break out the kayak, or better yet, crank up the jet skis!
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This Uvalde County property is located approximately seven miles northwest of Uvalde, Texas. The ranch consists of 2,900± acres. High fenced in two separate pastures, the ranch has been extensively managed for trophy whitetail deer. Cook Slough passes through the property providing large live oak trees and excellent wildlife sanctuary. The ranch includes a center pivot irrigation system, several large stock tanks with large mouth bass, and miles of water lines. The improvements include several homes and a newly constructed barn. This ranch has been very well maintained and offers world-class whitetail hunting and over-the-top bird hunting opportunities.
Located just 11 miles southwest of Brackettville, this 2,963-acre mostly high-fenced ranch offers a unique blend of highly productive fields, rangeland and native brush which will impress any livestock producer or sportsman. Two irrigation wells are permitted for a total of 2,940 acre-feet of water annually and service two irrigation pivots with the capability to irrigate over 530 acres currently. Water troughs and earthen tanks are strategically placed throughout the property to insure efficient water availability to wildlife and domestic livestock. Wildlife species include whitetailed deer, quail, turkey and dove.
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Ranger Creek Estate, located in a coveted portion of the Hill Country and minutes from Boerne, offers all the beauty the Hill Country has to offer. The 8,420-square-foot plantation-style home offers four bedrooms, seven bathrooms, three living areas and a five-car garage. The large covered patio provides spectacular views of the surrounding landscape and pool. Other improvements include an outdoor kitchen and barn. Wildlife species include whitetailed deer, axis deer, turkey and dove.
Located in Medina and Uvalde Counties, the 741-acre Palomaville Ranch is just an hour’s drive from downtown San Antonio. Palomaville has nearly a mile of frontage along County Road 324 providing easy, direct access to the ranch’s main entry gate. The high-fenced Palomaville Ranch offers deer and dove hunters a South Texas dream. Large oak trees appear throughout and over half a mile of Ranchero Creek runs through the ranch, and well over two miles of three-inch PVC piped from two large casing water wells give wildlife easy access to water. A system of meadows brings thousands of dove to the property with various pastures planted in milo. 62 Volume
Texas Farm&Ranch
Boasting over a mile of both sides of Verde Creek Ranch, multiple stock ponds, historic improvements, and panoramic views, this 1,039± acres in Camp Verde, Texas, is rich in history and beauty. Upon passing through the gated entrance, visitors are presented with Verde Creek, a gorgeous clear-water stream that carries water even during drought conditions. Shaded by massive cypress trees, the rockbottom waterway alternates between areas of rapids and small waterfalls to more tranquil pools that spread out between the banks.
735± acres located in Kerr County, Texas. Highlights include soaring views from desirable topographic change with over 200 feet of relief. Manicured grounds with well-groomed grasses and meadows give rise to prime Texas Hill Country oaks and views. Water is highly improved with concrete spillways and dams built along a spring-fed creek. Water clarity is impeccable. Currently operated as a retreat, this property will give years of enjoyment to the next owners for family gatherings or private weekend getaway.
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The 616± acres are high fenced on three sides and located just 2.5 miles east of Tarpley and 10 miles from Bandera. The rolling topography, characteristic of this area, provides the canvas for a diversity of native flora. Elevation changes of 460 feet provide breathtaking views of the ranch. Wildlife includes whitetail deer, axis, aoudad, feral hogs and Rio Grande turkey. The property offers both scenic hilltop views and gentle valleys with several stock tanks. Excellent road frontage and easy access add to the property appeal.
If you’ve ever imagined owning a spectacular Texas Hill Country lake and river-front property, then this is your opportunity. With 1,500± feet of lake/river-front and with no structures, your slate is clean to build what you want. Paved country road frontage and elevated building sites with good access to the lake and dam. Great variety of trees and cover for wildlife, with dynamic views across the water, town, and hills. Create your forever dream home or design the perfect weekend and summer getaway. This location comes alive in the summertime with aquatic activities, and is serene and peaceful when the cypress trees change colors and there’s a chill in the air. Call today to view and be inspired. 64 Volume
Texas Farm&Ranch
Caponus Ranch is comprised of 5,008 high-fenced acres being part of the Legendary La Bandera Ranch. Located approximately eight miles southwest of Carrizo Springs, Texas in the heart of the Golden Triangle. Boasting gently rolling terrain, good native brush diversity, and a history of extensive land management, this ranch offers a well-balanced variety of habitat for the wildlife. Caponus Ranch is very well watered with one irrigation well feeding a 23-acre high-fenced Pivot. (800-1,000± gpm ). There are four solar wells in different locations on the ranch and 21± surface tanks placed throughout the ranch. Caponus Ranch, being one of La Bandera’s premier hunting pastures, offers an abundance of hunting opportunities for whitetailed deer, dove, quail, and Rio Grande turkey. Enrolled as a TPWD, MLDP Level 3 permitted ranch for many years, the ranch abounds with superior whitetailed deer. The ranch is being offered as a whole or in parcel.
On the south fork of the Guadalupe River near Camp Mystic located seven minutes from the Hunt Store, 1.5 hours from San Antonio, and two hours from Austin. Features 340 feet of frontage on the river and a hilltop building site with sweeping hilltop views and a downriver view! Gated access, paved road frontage, electricity, no hunting allowed, wildlife exemption in place, quality restrictions in place.
FarmAndRanch.com
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Fredericksbu the New Asp THE JEWEL OF THE H I L L C O U N T R Y, MY HOMETOWN, IS LOVELIER THAN EVER. I JUST WISH MORE OF T H E N AT I V E S C O U L D AFFORD TO STICK A R O U N D A N D E N J O Y I T. SCENES FROM A TOWN TRANSFORMED. B Y J O H N D AV I D S O N
IT’S HOT IN FREDERICKSBURG. The afternoon sun is intense, but the evenings cool off, just as I recall from my childhood here in the 1950s and 60s. I’m visiting because I keep hearing how much Fredericksburg has changed and how much money is sloshing through town these days. An old friend who sells real estate called recently to say I had to come out from Austin, that I wouldn’t believe what was happening. Another friend thinks Fredericksburg is on the brink of a crisis, at least from the perspective of many longtime residents. Property prices are soaring. “If my taxes go up, I might not survive,” he says. “I tell you, I’m scared.” I’m here to try to reconcile that Fredericksburg with the one I remember—a small Hill Country town with deep German roots, where everyone knew their neighbors and felt like they belonged. We looked forward to bluebonnets in the spring and peaches in the summer. We heard roosters in the morning and church bells throughout the day. Everyone went to the parades and county fair. It felt like a happy place. 66 Volume
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The town was solidly middle-class, and those who did have more were generally frugal and discreet. Today the middle class is being displaced. At the same time, the town is experiencing an unprecedented boom. The proliferation of wineries in the surrounding region is changing both the physical and cultural landscape. Members of Boot Ranch, a residential golf community just outside town, come and go in private jets. Heirs to a California-based media fortune are buying up properties. At nine o’clock on a weekday morning, there’s no traffic on Main Street. The mayor, Linda Langerhans, is waiting for me at city hall. Langerhans, whom I haven’t seen since high school, looks sporty in white sneakers,
rg— en
khakis, and a lightweight sweater. In her 14th year as mayor (she served four two-year terms in the 1990s and is now completing another set of three), she’s dealing with the problems that come with rich people driving up the cost of living. “We are one of the wealthiest [small] towns in the state, but half of our students are at poverty level,” she tells me. “Real estate is so expensive that teachers, nurses, and policemen can’t afford to live here.” Memorial Hospital, she continues, is Fredericksburg’s biggest employer, but a third of its 700 employees live outside the county, and the hospital is usually 30 to 50 staffers short. The schools have trouble hiring. “In three of Fredericksburg’s old neighborhoods, only one person lives there,” Lang-
erhans says. “The rest of the houses are short-term rentals or B&B’s.” In 2015 the market research firm Phoenix Marketing International released a study that found that Fredericksburg had more millionaires per capita than any other city in Texas. I assumed at first that the statistic reflected property values, but it was based on liquidity; real estate and retirement accounts weren’t counted in the study. “I’m fifth-generation, and my husband is sixth,” Langerhans says. “There’s no question that Fredericksburg is a better place because of the people with money who have come here and done things for the community. We have two new basketball courts, better playground equipment, and baseball fields.” As property values have climbed, so has property-tax revenue. Historic structures on Main Street have been protected by strong zoning rules. National chains like Starbucks and McDonalds have been kept at bay from the street. But, still, Langerhans worries about how the current influx of wealth will affect Fredericksburg’s small-town feel.
Boot Ranch is a
residential golf community outside Fredericksburg.
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“In the 80s, when retirees started moving here, they wanted to be part of the community. They started art galleries and volunteered for theater groups and community organizations,” she tells me. “It was totally different.” Emma & Ollie is a cafe and bakery run by Rebecca Rather and three other women, where everything is done right. Bees and butterflies hover over the flowers in front of the porch. The windows are big and the ceilings high in the old limestone house a few blocks south of Main Street. Rather, a tall woman with brown hair and luminous brown eyes, moved to Fredericksburg from Austin 20 years ago, having built a national reputation as a pastry chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author. Rather has seen downtown Fredericksburg cycle through different retail phases since she arrived. For a while, antique shops were the thing, and then craft malls. Now it’s wine-tasting rooms—satellite operations for nearby wineries. On one hand, all the resulting wine tourism has been great for businesses like Rather’s. On the other hand, “some people come here just to get drunk,” she says. “It’s getting harder to live in a town with so many parties.” With 1.2 million visitors a year, the Fredericksburg region is the most popular winetasting destination in Texas. Between here and Johnson City, dozens of wineries and wine-tasting rooms have popped up in recent years, along with two breweries and three distilleries. On weekends, a fleet of white vans
Dozens of wineries line Hwy 290 east of Fredericksburg.
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Texas Farm&Ranch
hauls visitors out for wine tours. Highway 290 east of town is now referred to as “the 290 Wine Corridor.” (In California’s Napa Valley, State Route 29 is lined with celebrated vineyards and wineries.) While the proliferation of wine-tasting rooms has drawn some rowdy bachelorette parties to town, it is also part of a distinct upscaling that has taken place all along Main Street and the surrounding blocks. Rather’s friends Tim and Carol Bolton rent 25,000 square feet in the old Woerner Warehouse, a couple of blocks south of Main on Lincoln Street, that they’ve filled with rustic French furniture, farm tables, and antiques aimed at collectors and designers. Directly across the street, the former Fredericksburg Laundry has been repurposed as Blackchalk Home and Laundry, a gift and homewares boutique. And north of Main on Austin Street, John Washburne has established a burgeoning fined i n i ng d i s t r ic t w it h O t to’s G er m a n Bistro and La Bergerie, a wine bar that cures its own charcuterie. Washburne’s mother, Leslie, owns the Hoffman Haus, a multicottage inn and wedding venue that’s aimed, its website says, at “discerning guests.” So far, those contrasting versions of the new Fredericksburg coexist more or less naturally—though the fear among Rather and her friends is that Main Street could transform into something like Austin’s Sixth Street, with visitors reeling from bar to bar. Sitting outside at Emma & Ollie, with Rather in her white chef ’s coat, I see that possibility as remote. Then again, I learn later that the Fredericksburg police have in recent years coped with groups of drunken women who can’t remember where they are staying. From Emma & Ollie, it’s only a three-mile drive to the Gillespie County Airport, where a World War II–era Spitfire fighter plane roars down the runway as I pull up. Admiral Chester Nimitz, a Fredericksburg native, was the commander in chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet during that war, and the city has long celebrated his legacy. Downtown, the National Museum of the Pacific War attracts veterans and history buffs. Vintage aircraft from the Commemorative Air Force, in Midland, and the Collings Foundation, in Houston, regularly fly into the airport. As the Spitfire takes off, something else catches my eye. A private black-and-white Embraer business jet waits on the tarmac in front of a small terminal run by Fredericksburg FBO, a company that provides concierge services for pilots and passengers. Ethan Crane, FBO’s general manager, says that the
jet’s owners commute from Fredericksburg to Northern Mexico, where they own factories. According to Crane, ten privately owned jets are based in Fredericksburg. Many other folks who fly in and out own shares of aircraft through NetJets or Jetfly or have their own turboprops, if not actual jets. The Beechcraft King Air is the local favorite among private aircraft, Crane says. The Gulfstream G550, which is 96 feet long and can carry a dozen passengers, is the biggest jet that can land at the airport. Crane says that Boot Ranch accounts for much of their traffic; club members fly in for the weekend with eight or ten guests. The luggage for a single such party— golf clubs, shotguns, fly rods—can fill two Chevy Suburbans. “We’ve seen six jets today, and we have 20 to 30 a week,” Crane tells me. “In 2006 we sold 104,000 gallons of fuel, and last year we sold 360,000 gallons.” One moment I’m standing on the front porch of an old Fredericksburg rock house, the next I’m stepping into what feels like an office in Austin or Dallas. Everything looks glamorous, sleek, new. The receptionist speaks with a clipped British accent. Vaguely disoriented, I feel a gravitational force pulling me past desks, through a long conference room, and into the office of Tammy Pack, the owner of Absolute Charm, the town’s dominant real estate and B&B rental agency. She’s wearing Valentino Rockstud heels and a navy Lilly Pulitzer dress. A big white Persian cat lies curled up in a bowl on her desk. “That’s our princess,” she says with a drawl as the cat begins to stretch and Tammy’s husband, Wes, strolls in, looking natty in a blue plaid jacket. Tammy settles in behind her expansive white desk. Around town she is considered a mastermind of marketing, the person who more than anyone is shaping and selling the dream of Fredericksburg as the idyllic Hill Country village. She pulls up her website, fredericksburgtexas-online.com, on a big monitor, and I see an aerial view of downtown that pans slowly around, the buildings at just the right distance to look like a Disney set. “I bought the site because it comes up [in Google searches] right after the official Fredericksburg website,” she says. “I had to redo it completely, but I’m the first thing people see.” The site has the feel of a wedding magazine—white, gauzy, wholesome—and its dining, drinking, and shopping recommendations come with custom photography of plates of food styled just so and couples holding hands in vineyards. (Pack employs a staff photographer.) This is Fredericksburg the life-
style brand. The site’s real purpose, though, is to drive traffic to her primary business, Absolute Charm. The f irst house t hat pops up on Absolute Charm’s website one day recently looks like a chalet and lists for $13.9 million. It boasts twelve fireplaces and an infinity pool. It’s one of dozens of milliondollar-plus homes listed on the site. “It’s an expensive town, no doubt, and I get a lot of blame locally,” she says. Pack grew up in Marshall, in East Texas, and earned a law degree from the University of Texas at Austin. She moved to Fredericksburg in 1996 because she spotted an opportunity for her entrepreneurial ambitions. First up was a quilt shop. She launched Absolute Charm in 2001 as a single B&B and then in 2007 expanded as a booking service for other vacation rentals and B&B’s. She expanded into real estate sales in 2015. Most of her customers are looking for investment properties or second homes. They come from Austin, Houston, and Dallas, and compared to what they see in their neighborhoods at home, the prices in Fredericksburg aren’t all that shocking. I ask how she imagines the future of Fredericksburg. “I tell people it’s the Aspen of Texas,” she says. “And what do you think of Boot Ranch? That’s a new direction for Fredericksburg.” “We just joined, and we love it.” Nonresidential memberships cost $100,000 up front, she notes, and, as a rule, only one becomes available each year. “The members are shockingly
FREDERICKSBURG, TEXAS
ABSOLUTECHARM.COM
The first house that pops up on Absolute Charm’s website...looks like a chalet and lists for $13.9 million. It boasts twelve fireplaces and an infinity pool. It’s one of dozens of million-dollar-plus homes listed on the site. nice, mostly self-made people. Wes plays golf, and I’ll try to learn.” Leigh Lacy, the former director of member services at Boot Ranch and part of the original team that started the club, has offered to show me around. The entrance is more discreet than deluxe, a white stucco guardhouse without even a gate. We pass through and onto a narrow road that winds through the low, stony hills. We come to a spring-fed lake and a waterfall that tumbles into a stream, and then we approach the golf course.
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1,436± ACRES
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REAVIS RANCH
Central Texas v Uvalde County v Utopia ocated between Utopia and Garner State Park, one of the most desirable and unspoiled areas of the Texas Hill Country, this new listing is one of the most scenic and diverse ranches available in the area. This Ranch has been in the same family since the 1930s and is now being used as a true working ranch. The ranch offers a beautiful custom-built, four-bedroom home neatly hidden from the highway, large workshop, large neighbors, excellent road system, two water wells, multiple ponds, a spring box that provides water to the home, good pipe working pens, multiple pastures, and newer fencing along highway and between neighbors. The Ranch offers the near perfect mix of flat to sloping bottomland, spring-fed canyons, deep fertile bottoms with adequate soils for cultivation, steep majestic hardwood-lined hills, limestone bluffs and outcroppings, and large open valleys covered in huge live oaks. The canyons and hill sides are home to Spanish oak, blue oak, cedar elms, wild cherry, madrone, sumac, persimmon and sycamore. Each valley has the potential for pond and lake development, and there appears to be multiple areas on the ranch with ample subsurface water to supply ponds. Additionally, the multi generational owners have selectively cleared large amounts of cedar from the property, providing excellent habitat for not only livestock but for the large numbers of whitetail, turkey, hogs and occasional free ranging exotics including fallow and trophy aoudad. The extensive cedar clearing on the property has made it one of the cleanest ranches available. This low-fenced Ranch is a rare opportunity for a buyer to purchase an exceptional Hill Country ranch that has all the features that make this area so special. $8,342,000. Won’t last! Call Morris, 210-415-9850.
210-415-9850 • texaslandandranch.net 70 Volume
Texas Farm&Ranch
500± ACRES
PARIS LAKES RANCH
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Northeast Texas v Lamar County v Paris
ocated just off Southeast Loop 286 on the southeast side of Paris, Texas, adjacent to the new Quality ER, this turnkey 500-acre ranch offers a fabulous location along with exceptional hunting, fishing, farming and recreational use. The property has frontage on 41st Street SE and Hwy 905, and offers additional access to Loop 286 and across Sandy Creek to FM 275. The ranch offers electric gate access and gravel drive up to the parking area surrounding the home and headquarters area. The ranch offers a 3,600-square-foot main home, two-car detached garage, small apartment, a 85x30foot shop with three bays and roll-up doors, 30x30 storage building a large 60x80-foot equipment barn with store rooms, shop area, working pens and multiple stalls. Near the main home the owner has constructed a fabulous mini golf course that features 11 individual tee boxes and a large artificial green with nine individual hole placements, complete with sand traps. The lake green setting was inspired by hole 13 at Augusta National and the tee boxes are situated from different angles and distances; approach shots vary anywhere from 36 yards to 200 yards in distance. Portions of the ranch are heavily wooded and offers great hunting with turkey, dove, hogs, whitetail and coyote. The waterfowl hunting on the ranch is phenomenal with Canadian geese, mallard, teal, and wood duck; several Canadian geese have made the ranch home. The ranch is highly productive and is divided into numerous pastures. Throughout the years the owner was running up to 300 angus cattle at one time using a grazing rotation system. Annual hay production is over 3,000 round bales that are sold locally. The ranch offers a 100x150 pole barn that is used to store hay, tractors and baling equipment. The main attractions of the ranch are the many stocked lakes scattered throughout the ranch. Throughout the years the owners have constructed 20 lakes and smaller ponds ranging in size from 30 acres to small ponds. The larger lakes are thoroughly stocked with largemouth, catfish and bluegill. The fishing is absolutely incredible with 10-pound bass caught regularly. The lakes are absolutely fabulous and provide endless recreation including fishing, kayaking, canoeing and swimming. $18,000,000. Call Morris, 210-415-9850.
Morris Killough, Broker 210-415-9850 • texaslandandranch.net ©2017 BHH Affiliates, LLC. An independently owned and operated franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of HomeServices of America, Inc.® Equal Housing Opportunity.
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408± ACRES
7H RANCH
Texas Hill Country v Bandera County v Utopia
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eautiful 7H Ranch is located just outside Utopia, Texas, approximately halfway between Garner State Park and Lost Maples State Park in the scenic Texas Hill Country. Excellent hunting of whitetail deer, turkeys, hogs, axis deer, fishing, dove and other wildlife. Owned by the same family for 43 years. All areas of the ranch are easily accessible by a great internal road system. The northern portion of the ranch is mostly deep soiled valley land with the southern half gently sloping hills to high majestic hilltops. One hill is over 2,000-feet tall and offers many potential homesites with amazing views of both the Sabinal Canyon and West Sabinal Canyon. Main roads are improved with caliche surface and in good repair. The ranch offers approximately 60 acres of fields for cultivation or food plots, huge healthy live oaks, post oaks, cedar elms, madrone, nine individual ponds and tanks throughout the ranch and two intermittent creeks transverse the ranch offering the potential for a large lake. 7H ranch is truly an exceptional ranch in one of the most sought-after areas of the Hill Country; don’t miss this one. $2,695,000. Call Morris, 210-415-9850.
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ord Springs Ranch is truly one of the most incredible live-water properties to come onto the market in years. Located in Real County, approximately 12 miles northwest of Leakey and six miles east of Vance, this secluded Hill Country gem offers some of the most incredible live water and possibly the strongest springs available in the entire Texas Hill Country. The ranch is a combination of rugged hilltops, sprawling plateaus, fertile valleys and incredible hardwood-lined canyons that provide habitat for the whitetail, turkey, hogs, aoudad and occasional exotics. Just a half-mile uphill hike from the original homestead are the huge springs that flow straight out of the sides of the limestone bluffs creating a series of the most incredible live-water features ever seen in the Texas Hill Country. The springs send millions of gallons of water cascading down a dozen waterfalls, limestone bottom rapids, deep swimming holes, over a man-made dam and eventually flows into Cord Springs Creek. At the site of the springs you can actually hear the roar from
1,015± ACRES
CORD SPRINGS RANCH
Texas Hill Country v Real County v Vance
waterfalls in the underground caverns. Words and pictures cannot describe the true beauty of this ranch, see for yourself. $5,250,000. Call Morris, 210-415-9850.
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Texas Farm&Ranch
380± ACRES
JSB RANCH
Central Texas v Uvalde County v Barksdale
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ocated just east of Barksdale, Texas, this incredible Nueces River Ranch is truly a unique Hill Country gem and a very rare find in today’s ranch market. This awesome ranch offers almost a mile of beautiful live water. Approximately 3,400 feet of beautiful Nueces River with multiple deep crystal clear pools, beautiful waterfalls and rapids provide the owners with unlimited recreational activities including fishing, tubing, swimming and kayaking. The ranch also offers 1,400± feet of a unique spring-fed creek that offers multiple deep fishing pools with large catfish, perch and bass. An excellent road system provides easy access to all areas of the ranch and the multiple feeding and hunting stations throughout the property. The ranch is loaded with game with native whitetail, hogs, a variety of exotics and numerous predators. Along the creek and river are hundreds of wild turkey and axis deer. Just as you enter the property, the ranch offers a small cabin, surveillance system, internet and wifi, electricity, phone service and an excellent water well. Ranch is low fenced, ag exempt, has large neighbors and is very private. $3,325,000. Call Morris, 210-415-9850.
Morris Killough, Broker 210-415-9850 • texaslandandranch.net ©2017 BHH Affiliates, LLC. An independently owned and operated franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of HomeServices of America, Inc.® Equal Housing Opportunity.
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400 ACRES TO 700 ACRES AVAILABLE
NUECES RIVER
Texas Hill Country v Edwards County v Camp Wood
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ocated just minutes from Camp Wood, this incredible live-water tract offers 3,500 feet of fabulous Nueces River frontage, 140±-acres of rich cultivated pastures, gently sloping valley land to steep hills along the western boundary, medium to heavy cover, partial game fencing, huge healthy oaks, deep soils and a good road system. This exceptional ranch also offers fabulous hunting with whitetail, hogs, turkey and free ranging exotics. The remnants of centuries-old Indian camps line the high bank along the river offering incredible artifacts. Won’t last, Call Morris, 210-415-9850, or Gene Gonzalez, 830-876-8241.
145± ACRES
MOUNTAIN VIEW RANCH
Texas Hill Country v Bandera County v Vanderpool
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ocated just a few miles north of Vanderpool, this turnkey ranch features a well-built 1,300± square-foot log cabin-style home that offers unbelievable views of the beautiful Sabinal Canyon. The very comfortable home features two bedrooms and one bath, loft, open living/dining and kitchen area, and wrap-around porches. The ranch also offers a metal building with attached guest room with kitchen and bath, a workshop with carport, two water wells and is partially game fenced. Call Morris, 210-415-9850.
210-415-9850 • texaslandandranch.net
74 Volume
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3,121± ACRES
RIM ROCK RANCH
Texas Hill Country v Edwards County v Telegraph
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ocated between Rocksprings and Junction with frontage on FM 377, this fantastic turnkey hunting ranch is ready to go for the upcoming hunting season. The ranch offers 2,841 acres of game-fenced pasture and a 280-acre lowfenced pasture at highway. The ranch offers gently rolling terrain with numerous wide fertile valleys and wet-weather creeks. Large healthy live oaks, shin oak, Spanish oak, cedar elms, cedar and persimmon provide heavy to medium cover and excellent habitat for the large population of native and exotic game that roam the ranch. The ranch offers 10 water wells throughout, six have been converted to solar, three electric and one windmill. Numerous feed and water stations, troughs, pilas and small ponds are strategically placed throughout the ranch to supply water for the large numbers of axis, black buck whitetail, red deer, fallow, aoudad sheep, turkey and hogs. Improved genetics have been introduced to both the red deer and the axis herd. Many axis deer have eight, ten and 12 points. The very comfortable headquarters of the ranch is located near the center of the ranch and offers a small twobedroom rock house, three-bedroom, twobath double wide mobile, a two-bedroom duplex, workshop/game cleaning area with walk-in cooler, barbecue and lounging pavilion, rock fire place and fire pit, feed room, office, equipment and hay barn. The views are incredible and one can see 20 miles in every direction from the highest peak the ranch. Call Morris, 210-415-9850.
Morris Killough, Broker 210-415-9850 • texaslandandranch.net ©2017 BHH Affiliates, LLC. An independently owned and operated franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of HomeServices of America, Inc.® Equal Housing Opportunity.
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TEXAS ALLIANCE of LAND BROKERS
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400± ACRES
TOM WOLF RANCH
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Texas Hill Country v Burnet County v Burnet OM WOLF RANCH is located in the beautiful Texas Hill Country between Burnet and Lampasas. Owned by the same family since 1918 the 400± acre spread is an active cattle ranch. Hunting has been limited to family and friends. The Circa 1900 residence is currently utilized as a hunting cabin. Utilities include a working water well, septic, and propane tank. The ranch offers a seasonal creek, stock ponds and numerous mature oaks and cedars throughout the property. The potential use could be for development or a corporate campus.
Yvonne Hoffmann 830-626-8900
yvonnehoffmann@realtor.com
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777± ACRES
SKY ISLAND RANCH
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Texas Hill Country v Mason County v Mason ky Island is 777 secluded yet accessible acres located about eight miles northwest of prized Mason, with incredible features that include a large shelter cave. Native American signs are everywhere, and the ranch is loaded with virgin timber, limestone canyons, seasonal creeks and abundant wildlife. Incredible, untouched variety is the hallmark here. $4,273,500.
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145± ACRES
TURKEY HILL RANCH
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Texas Hill Country v Mason County v Mason urkey Hill Ranch is a 145-acre gem located just north of Mason, Texas, off US 87. This robust site includes a ridge bridging its length, offering monster views of old peanut fields and granite boulders to the north and east. A blank canvas, there is about 50 acres of decent soil bottomland, enveloped by the aforementioned ridge, sprinkled with oaks. $797,500.
David E. Culver, Broker 210-422-4676 cell 325-294-4616 dec@landtx.com
Kendra Chamberlain 830-998-7196 ktc@landtx.com landtx.com
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885± ACRES
MERIDIAN MOUNTAIN RANCH Texas Hill Country v Real County v Leakey
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his show-stopping property is nestled in the heart of the Frio Canyon. At 885± acres it is large enough to get lost on, yet still manageable. The ranch is located about three miles east of Leakey, Texas with Hwy 337 frontage, one of the most scenic highways in Texas. Bordered by large neighbors, Meridian Mountain Ranch is across from the Frio Canyon Vineyard, minutes from the Frio River, Garner State Park, Lost Maples State Natural Area and popular golf courses. Ideal location convenient to all the Frio and Sabinal Canyons have to offer but with the quiet and beauty you may not want to leave. Accessed by great roads, beautiful bottomland surrounded by tree-covered hills presents outstanding views from multiple building sites. The four-legged inhabitants of this property include the Texas whitetail deer, javelina, and feral hogs as well as exotics such as axis, audad, elk, red deer, fallow deer and sika. The pond and various springs supply water for the game, birds and other wildlife. This property is truly one of a kind offering great recreation and investment opportunities. Seller willing to divide property. Call for price.
400± ACRES
WIDOW WOMAN RANCH
Texas Hill Country v Real County v Leakey
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idow Woman Ranch is not short on views. The first thing you notice driving into this ranch is the amazing views of the hills set as a backdrop to classic Hill Country wildlife habitat. Oak-covered limestone pastures laid out on wide hilltops plunge into deep canyons full of hard woods and hidden pockets. This ranch is well located providing a nice hunting retreat or family vacation destination. Hunting will not disappoint with whitetail, turkey, hogs and numerous exotic species running free range on this low-fenced ranch. Overall, very dramatic ranch with more than enough for hunting and recreational activities. Ranch improvements include electric power line and paved easement road frontage. There is an old goat shed and the historic remnants of a home site. Call for price.
Lem Lewis 210-275-3551
lem@landandranchrealty.com landandranchrealty.com
80 Volume
Texas Farm&Ranch
Lonnie Davenport, Agent 830-591-7527 lonnie@landandranchrealty.com landandranchrealty.com
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46± ACRES
UPPER CIBOLO RANCH
Texas Hill Country v Kendall County v Boerne
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his is the one you have been waiting for! 46 acres just 10 minutes from downtown Boerne. The original home is a log cabin which was later expanded to include 4,160 square feet. It has four bedrooms, three baths with his and her offices. The living/dining areas have lots of windows to watch the abundant wildlife. The home is situated on the property to take advantage of the privacy and seclusion it offers. Wonderful pasture as you enter that is perfect for your horses! Towards the middle of the property is a six-stall barn with loft. Also a spring-fed creek that runs along the fence line on the right side and meanders behind the home. Check out the water catchment system and heated floor system. Ag exemption currently on the property and Boerne ISD. $1,995,000. Chris Callan, 830-955-7005; co-listed with Sara Baird, 210-317-9996.
57± ACRES
SKYVIEW RANCH
Texas Hill Country v Kerr County v Kerrville
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iews! Views! Views! This amazing 57.82-acre ranch is located about 10 miles south of Kerrville between Kerrville and Camp Verde on Hwy 173. Abundant wildlife includes whitetail, axis and hogs. There is a good road that goes throughout the property and a great building site at the top of the hill where you can see all the way to Kerrville. There is electricity on the property that can be connected by BEC. In addition to the great views, this ranch has a wet-weather pond, numerous oak trees, and is partially fenced. Some of the cedar has been cleared and this ranch is a great opportunity for someone to build their dream home in the country. $870,000. Chris Callan, 830-955-7005; co-listed with Dan Hatfield, 210-232-8282.
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TEXAS BEST—PADRE ISLAND/CORPUS CHRISTI WATERFRONT HOUSE OPEN WATER, FINGERTIP, RARE OPPORTUNITY! South Texas v Nueces County v Corpus Christi
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adre Island Coast House in Nueces County. Two minutes to Intercostal or Ski Basin and only 10 minutes by water to Marker 37! Two hours to downtown San Antonio. What a location! End of cul-de-sac fingertip lot with unobstructed views of open water, Intercoastal and Ski Basin known as Party Cove! Add a majestic two-story, bright and open three-bedroom, 2.5-bath home with gourmet kitchen, game-room/office, large garage, and fenced yard. Out back is a one-of-a-kind twin tower, multi-level deck and boat dock with two electric boat lifts, a deck cabana with a tile bar, underwater green fishing lights, other outdoor lighting, rope lights, fishing tables with water, and plenty of room! The property features a new, state-of-the-art security system, video camera system and electric storm shutters! This is truly a must-see for the quality minded. Move-in ready! Shown by appointment only. Call Jeff Soele, 210-705-1150.
Jeff@TexasBestRanches.com 82 Volume
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0.6± acres minutes to historic and sought after Wimberley, Texas, 15 minutes to Canyon Lake recreational water/ boating activities, and 45 minutes to Austin or San Antonio International airports. Private planes fly into San Marcos airport, only 20 minutes! Main home has 11,000± square-feet air conditioned, and 22,000± square-feet under roof and porches. The home features four bedrooms, 5.5 baths, a media room, two gourmet kitchens (one in the master wing), six fireplaces, two laundry rooms, exercise room, and a large six-car garage. The master wing has giant his and hers bathrooms, closet, her tub/shower, and his shower. Wow! Must see! There is an TEXAS BEST—BLANCO RIVER, HILL-TOP attached two-story guest house with a large TUSCANY EXQUISITE MASTERPIECE gourmet kitchen, two bedrooms, three 10± ACRES bathrooms and a fireplace. Paved private Texas Hill Country v Hays County v Wimberley access with three electric gate entries, manicured private grounds, two pools, spa, sports court, putting green, outdoor cooking area, entertaining areas—all overlooking the crystal-clear, cypress tree-lined Blanco River with deep holes, rapids, and waterfalls! Very private but not remote. Built for a large family with outdoor living and entertaining on the agenda! Shown by appointment only. Call Jeff Soele, 210-705-4013.
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he main gate to the ranch is on FM 1865, six miles north of the town of Pumpville. The headquarters’ compound (new upper camp) and barn were built in 2006 and 2013, and the foreman’s home was acquired in 2014. The main compound sits on a high bluff overlooking the ranch and has living and dining areas with two large kitchens, nine bedrooms, six full bathrooms, trophy room, gathering area, fireplace, two 80-inch flat screens, and a commercialstyle bar. Large 12-foot wide porches shade the main buildings. There is 5,500± square-feet of heated and air-conditioned area at the upper camp. There is a 50x75 barn with two large lighted area outside with covered areas connected to the barn—one for game processing. There is also a shooting range at the back of the barn. Features three silos and three large fuel tanks. 1,500± acres of the ranch is high fenced. The ranch employs an experienced part-time foreman. A 12–15 acre lake site is partially developed. Water is the best feature with four operational deep water wells. The ranch has a gentle roll with 12 large draws or canyons. Comes with MLD level three permits so rifle deer season is approximately five months long and the deer herd is prolific. All financial management and senior level ranch matters are handled in The Woodlands, Texas by the ranch CEO, Accounting, Legal, AP, Payroll, Taxes, etc... Shown by appointment only. Call Jeff Soele, 210-705-4013.
READY-TO-GO MULE DEER! 7,360± ACRES - $577 PER ACRE West Texas v Val Verde & Terrell Counties v Pumpville
Jeff Soele • 210-705-4013 FarmAndRanch.com
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TEXAS BEST—WATER, WATER, WATER! HILL COUNTRY’S MOST UNIQUE EVER! GAME-FENCED! - 374± ACRES Texas Hill Country v Bandera County v Bandera
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inutes to Medina, Camp Verde, Bandera and only 45 minutes to San Antonio, Texas. Four-bedroom, four-bath ranch home with pool, guest house, cabin, nice barn, equipment shed, airstrip, hangar, paved roads, private electric gate access. Then add a large lake, small lake, both sides of cypress-lined creek and Medina River! Call Jeff Soele, 210-705-4013.
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TEXAS BEST—FAIR OAKS RANCH - 8± ACRES Texas Hill Country v Kendall County v Boerne
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his 8.879-acre estate in Kendall County is minutes to Boerne, Texas and only 30 minutes to downtown San Antonio! Fair Oaks best! Get it before it’s gone! These two limestone rock luxury homes are situated in the Fair Oaks Ranch community. A stunning custom rock and iron fence surrounds the property and was built with the utmost security in mind. The 4,744± square-foot main home has four bedrooms, four full baths, two half baths and features alder wood cabinets with the finest fixtures throughout—wide plank oak floors, chef’s kitchen with two dishwashers, two ovens, warming drawer, large pantry, office, two gyms, and a library. Retreat to the large master suite with walk-in closet, steam shower, jacuzzi tub, private patio, and its very own yoga/gym on the main floor. The main home also has a three-car garage. Then add a 2,728±-square-foot, two-bedroom, two-bath, one-car garage guest home that has the same quality craftsmanship throughout. Relax and unwind on the manicured grounds listening to the waterfalls in the koi pond or stroll over to covered hot tub! Too many additional features to list! Call Jeff Soele, 210-705-4013.
TEXAS BEST—LIVE WATER DEAL! WATER, WATER, WATER! ONE-OF-A-KIND RARE FIND! - 100± ACRES Texas Hill Country v Bandera County v Bandera
TEXAS BEST—ALL AROUND VARIETY MINUTES TO LEGENDARY SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER 362± ACRES Central Texas v Milam County v Buckholts
Jeff Soele • 210-705-4013 FarmAndRanch.com
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BREWSTER RANCHES
420,000±-ACRE CONTIGUOUS RANCH
$319,957,696 West Texas v Brewster County v Marathon
RIO TEXICO RANCH: 117,000± ACRES $735/Acre, $85,995,000
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TESNUS RANCH: 19,814± ACRES $785/Acre, $15,554,170
View on Web
DOVE MOUNTAIN RANCH: 196,000± ACRES
$765/Acre, $149,940,000
View on Web
HORSE MOUNTAIN RANCH: 34,123± ACRES $825/Acre, $28,151,475
View on Web
Y.E. MESA RANCH: 52,022± ACRES $775/Acre, $40,317,050
View on Web
113,650± ACRES
Y-6 RANCH
West Texas v Jeff Davis & Presidio Counties v Valentine his ranch has some of the best all-around hunting opportunities in the West Texas area as it combines the mountain habitats with the grassland and desert habitats. Abundant mule deer, herds of pronghorn, whitetail deer, mountain lion, and occasional elk can all be found here. The ranch can be divided and sold into two parts. $96,091,250. View on web.
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76,185± ACRES
EAGLE & CARRIZO MOUNTAIN RANCH
West Texas v Hudspeth & Culberson Counties v Van Horn he Eagle Mountain and Carrizo Mountain Ranches are actually two nearby distinct properties that are connected by an improved caliche county road and miles of a paved/concrete private easement road linking the ranches with easy access. Similar to the Davis Mountains and Chisos Mountains of the Chihuahuan Desert, this mountain range functions as a sky island habitat, with intermountain ridge lines and valleys serving as corridors for wildlife migration. $60,567,075. View on web.
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iñon Ranch is a well-oiled working cattle and hunting ranch located within and on the slopes of Eagles Mountains which are part of a chain of “sky island” mountains that stretch from New Mexico through West Texas and into Old Mexico. This high Chihuahuan Desert ranch has elevations ranging from 4,150 feet to 6,700 feet and is a series of canyons, peaks, valleys, rolling flats, and arroyos creating rugged yet accessible terrain. The ranch offers great hunting opportunities such as mule deer, scaled quail, gamble’s quail, aoudad, elk and a huntable natural population of desert big horn sheep are on the ranch. In 2019, a permit was secured paving the way for a growing number of permits in the future. $32,674,500. View on web.
47,700± ACRES
PIÑON RANCH
West Texas v Hudspeth County v Van Horn
432-426-2024 • KingLandWater.com 86 Volume
Texas Farm&Ranch
New Listing
2,275± ACRES
DRIPSTONE RANCH
Central Texas v Uvalde County v Concan
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ripstone Ranch is uniquely located in the geographic transition area between the rugged Hill Country Balcones Fault, the Chihuahuan Desert, and the topography of the South Texas Brush Country. Ranching and nature come together here, with areas of wildlife habitat and river, combined with agricultural areas designed into improved pastures, amazing ranch infrastructure, and the famous karst limestone caves found within the ranch. $15,350,000. View on web. Under Contract
19,990± ACRES
FORD RANCH
Central Texas v Concho, McCulloch & Menard Counties v Brady ord Ranch has over 100 years of excellent land management practices and today West Texas v Presidio County v Marfa the rangeland is the beneficiary of decades of ocated only 60 miles south of Marfa, the “Art Hub” of West Texas, and just north of Big rotation grazing and wise land stewardship. Bend Ranch State Park where the east branch of Casa Piedra Road dead ends into a cul- This is a famous working cattle and hunting de-sac of heritage ranches, lies Bandera Mesa. This geologic landform, where the 14,502± acre ranch comprised of a combination of Bandera Ranch gets its name. Rich in native grasses, canyons, rims, cliffs, and wildlife where the Edwards Plateau limestone hills and valleys, desert mule deer size and populations are second to none. $13,414,350. View on web. and Central Rolling Plains fields with numerous drainages of mesquite and oaklined wooded banks and grassy draws. The ranch is known for its tremendous whitetail deer and Rio Grande turkey population as well as its upland and migrating game bird habitat for bobwhite quail, mourning dove and waterfowl. $29,850,000. View on web.
14,502± ACRES
BANDERA RANCH
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12,000± ACRES
FARMER RANCH
West Texas v Culberson County v Van Horn
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armer Ranch, one of the original farming operations developed in the Van Horn area, is now a working cattle and hunting ranch set within the vast scenic landscape of farwest Texas. Much of the ranch consists of gently rolling high-desert grasslands, draws and flats with spectacular views of the towering area mountains, providing for excellent hunting opportunities. $6,300,000. View on web.
James King, Agent Tammy King, Broker Harrison King, Agent 432-426-2024 info@KingLandWater.com KingLandWater.com
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ith world-class improvements, 4-M Ranch is a world unto itself highlighted by a paved runway, crushed rock roads and headquarters complex. Set miles away on a limestone perch sits a truly remarkable 10,000-square-foot home with infinity pool peering down at the four miles of accessible Lower Pecos River frontage below. $22,000,000. View on web.
10,955± ACRES
4-M RANCH
West Texas v Val Verde County v Langtry
675± ACRES
ALAMITO VISTA RANCH
West Texas v Presidio County v Marfa SOLD
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lamito Vista Ranch is the perfect small Presidio County ranch located just 15 minutes south of Marfa in West Texas. There are four water wells on the property; some shallow, making this one of the best watered 10,000± ACRES ranches near Marfa. There is an excellent road system and good fencing. A threeWest Texas v Brewster County v Alpine bedroom, two-bath home, a large metal shop with electricity, and surrounded by athedral Mountain Ranch’s 10,000 acres are only 13.5 miles south of Alpine. Iconic breathtaking vistas of the Davis, Chinati, San ranch with 5.3 miles both sides of spring-fed Calamity Creek. The ranch has a Jacinto, French, and Cienega Mountains. 3,000-square-foot owner’s lodge set up facing south framing Cathedral Mountain, plus a $1,012,500. View on web. three-bedroom, two-bath foreman’s home, large stocked lake, trees, rock outcrops, and elevations up to 6,868 feet. Rare opportunity. $24,000,000.
CATHEDRAL MOUNTAIN RANCH
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578± ACRES
FORT DAVIS HEIGHTS
West Texas v Jeff Davis Co. v Fort Davis ocated just east of Fort Davis at the end of Compromise Street you find a broad sweeping high grassland with some of the most spectacular views in the entire Davis Mountains. Water is readily available for additional wells with good groundwater. Chihuahua Creek keeps water in pools on the property most of the year. $1,936,300. View on web.
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9,580± ACRES
CHARCO LARGO RANCH West Texas v Presidio County v Marfa
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harco Largo Ranch is located a short drive south of Marfa, Texas. Classic cattle county of the Old West, Charco Largo Ranch is part of the Marfa Plateau, a mile-high desert grassland of basin range topography between the Davis Mountains to the north and Chinati Mountains and Rio Grande River to the southwest. The ranch has excellent groundwater and with a distribution of wells, pipelines and troughs, there is excellent water available throughout the ranch. $8,957,300. View on web.
432-426-2024 • KingLandWater.com
SOLD
7,410± ACRES
H BAR H RANCH
West Texas v Terrell County v Dryden
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Bar H Ranch is located “West of the Pecos”, a region full of early Texas history and amazing natural habitat and wildlife. True western rolling hill country and rugged wild canyon country. The ranch has 1.75 miles frontage on the Rio Grande accessible by vehicle with several limestone flat rock and beach areas. Bear Canyon runs through the ranch with steep hills, cliffs, and drainage along with grass covered flats. This is a turnkey deal with an excellent restored historic furnished rock home, many outbuildings at the headquarters and excellent hunting blinds with feeders located throughout the ranch. Seller will convey 25 percent of minerals owned. $3,149,304. View on web. Under Contract
202± ACRES
JENSCHKE LANE FARM
Texas Hill Country v Gillespie Co. v Stonewall enschke Lane Farm is large and diverse enough to give a sense of privacy while also providing excellent access, multiple homesites with incredible views, and a fantastic location amidst this booming region of the Hill Country. The farm primarily consists of gently rolling savanna woodlands studded with huge post oaks and Spanish Oaks with areas of historic and active cultivation nestled into the picturesque Hill Country farm scenery. $4,250,000.
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6,500± ACRES
TERRELL AIRFIELD RANCH West Texas v Terrell County v Dryden
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ith gently rolling limestone hills on the west end overlooking diverse habitat along small creek bottoms and open, gently sloping flats, this ranch abounds with hunting and recreation opportunities. The area is a mecca for both whitetail and mule deer hunting or just prowling the draws in search of adventure. $1,852,500. View on web.
92± ACRES
WRIGHT RANCH
West Texas v Jeff Davis Co. v Fort Davis
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ecluded 92± acres with a 3,000±-squarefoot luxury home make this Texas ranch a rare find. Located 10 minutes north of Fort Davis, the dramatic views of the Davis Mountains sere as the backdrop for this oneof-a-kind property in the heart of West Texas cattle country. $1,695,000. View on web.
2,963± ACRES
EAGLE PIÑON RANCH
West Texas v Hudspeth County v Allamoore
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his high Chihuahuan Desert ranch has elevations ranging from 4,600 feet to 5,800 feet and is a series of canyons, peaks, and valleys, creating a rugged yet accessible terrain. The higher elevations of the Eagles are to the north at 7,400 feet. The Rio Grande Valley to the south, with the Mexico mountains beyond, creates extraordinary geology and rock outcrops, one of which, Sawtooth, towers over the ranch. Sunrises and sunsets on this ranch are nothing short of stunning and you can see into the distance for 100 miles. $2,518,550. View on web.
James King, Agent Tammy King, Broker Harrison King, Agent 432-426-2024 info@KingLandWater.com KingLandWater.com
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Eagle Claw 13,809± acres • West Texas • Val Verde & Crockett Counties • Ozona Sprawling across 13,809± acres in Ozona, Texas lies the Eagle Claw Ranch. A newly constructed three-bed, two-bath barndominium is on-site. Electricity covering most of the ranch is truly a great benefit to have on a property this size. With a number of water wells established on the ranch, you’ll be stepping into a ranch that has the fundamentals intact.
Forde Ranch 246± acres • South Texas • Duval County • Freer Forde Ranch has taken the necessary steps to become a professionally run exotic game hunting ranch! It is equipped with 195 ± acres that are high fenced and stocked with bison, oryx, ibex, axis, rams, blackbuck, fallows, aoudad and red stag.
Kevin Meier, Broker | (830) 755-5420 | TexasLandMen.com 90 Volume
Texas Farm&Ranch
Thunder Mountain 268± acres • Texas Hill Country • Kendall County • Sisterdale This 268± acre ranch offers crazy views from the Kendall County landmark known as Thunder Mountain. This historic property was once owned by Hondo Crouch, the Luckenbach Legend. The ranch offers scenic hills, rich fertile valleys and tons of trees. The water on the property could easily be developed into a beautiful lake for both ranching and recreation.
Bowie Ranch 123± acres • Northwest Texas • Montague County • Bowie 123± acres located in Bowie County. Situated 75 miles from downtown Dallas lies this recreational ranch primed for development. With over 1,600 feet of frontage along 287 and additional frontage on FM 1125, the ranch offers hunters the ability to enjoy the ranch today and possess the possibility of future development. Community water located just north of the property at the city of Bowie’s EDC development.
Kevin Meier, Broker | (830) 755-5420 | TexasLandMen.com FarmAndRanch.com
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Airport Ranch 116± acres • Texas Hill Country • Kerr County • Kerrville In a growing corridor of the thriving Hill Country community of Kerrville exists this unique opportunity to own a rare ranch in close proximity to town. The city limits border the front of the property as does the Kerrville Municipal Airport. Diversity abounds from a rolling field to a 250± foot rise in elevation, with plenty of trees and views for miles. With no substantial vertical improvements, your slate is clean and ready to create your commercial or residential development or build your homestead. Call today for your private showing!
Guadalupe River Lake Lodge 43± acres • Texas Hill Country • Kerr County One of the first major impoundments on the beautiful Guadalupe River. The summer weather brings people to the very popular Ingram Dam. Large rustic lodge takes in the best views and encourages entertaining with pool, spa, outdoor fireplace and kitchen area. Two identical, extraordinarily restored historic tobacco barn cabins from Kentucky, and a third newer custom home. 1,100± feet of lake/riverfront, three docks, boat slip, gazebo, creek, springs, pond, garage/shop, recreational facilities, two wells, and a great variety of trees and wildlife.
Kevin Meier, Broker | (830) 755-5420 | TexasLandMen.com 92 Volume
Texas Farm&Ranch
Cool Creek Ranch 97± acres • Central Texas • Bexar County • Marion This 97±-acre, live-water property is located within 20 minutes of downtown San Antonio, less than 15 minutes to the Forum shops and is located in the SCUC ISD. The property is very private yet close to all the major amenities of San Antonio.
Oak Tree Homestead 18± acres • South Texas • Goliad County • Goliad Custom-built 2,500-square-foot home, large oak trees, outdoor kitchen, and more all sitting on 18.84 ag exempt acres ready to be called your new home. This private retreat is beautifully put together and abuts to a 200-acre low-fence property that allows you to hunt/watch the wildlife. This property will not last long!
Kevin Meier, Broker | (830) 755-5420 | TexasLandMen.com FarmAndRanch.com
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210-924-LAND (5263) Visit TexasRanches.org to see other properties throughout Texas 94 Volume
Texas Farm&Ranch
CANADIAN RIVER RANCH 71,059± ACRES Texas High Plains // Oldham County // Panhandle
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e are proud to offer one of the most beautiful, historic, productive and largest contiguous land holdings in the state of Texas! The Canadian River Ranch, featuring 27± miles of frontage along both sides of the Canadian River. Exclusively offered by Mark Hubbard Ranch Properties and listing agent Michael Sasser.
FarmAndRanch.com
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Central Texas v Gonzales County v Luling
pportunity of a lifetime to own this pristine, 525± acres of hills, pastures, dense mature trees and beaches and 2.4 miles of the clear San Marcos River. Hiking, hunting, canoeing, fishing, kayaking, bird watching, horses, cattle—all with a log cabin overlooking unending views. Sandy beach areas for great picnics and easy access to the river for swimming or floating.
512-270-0011 • txriverranch@gmail.com 96 Volume
Texas Farm&Ranch
The main home overlooks the property with panoramic views. Located just 37 minutes from Austin and 45 minutes from San Antonio, access to the ranch is made easier by a fully paved road to the entrance. This versatile ranch provides a oncein-a-lifetime chance for private enjoyment, development opportunity or the establishment of a generational land holding. www.TXRiverRanch.com.
Jonathan Stilley & Cleta Stapp 512-270-0011
txriverranch@gmail.com FarmAndRanch.com
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98 Volume
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888.260.4470 HALLANDHALL.COM INFO@HALLANDHALL.COM
OFFERING: S A L E S | AU C T I O N S FINANCE | APPRAISALS MANAGEMENT
IX RANCH | BIG SANDY, MT 59,889± ACRES | $58,000,000
Part working ranch, part retreat, part time-machine… IX Ranch offers something truly unique in our overconnected society. IX transports you back to a time when your word was your bond, it’s a modern day expression of a pioneering spirit that has never died. It’s a salve for your soul, a personal wilderness ecosystem and vehicle to live your legacy. CONTACT DAVE JOHNSON - 406.587.3090
COLLEGE STATION - LAREDO LUBBOCK - MELISSA - WEATHERFORD WITH ADDITIONAL OFFICES IN: CA - CO - ID - KS - MT - NE - TN - WY 100 Volume
Texas Farm&Ranch
WAGSTAFF RANCH | ALMA, KS
CANYON CREEK RANCH | PLACERVILLE, CO
4,049± ACRES | $12,000,000
3,247± ACRES | $9,900,000
The beautiful Wagstaff Ranch is nestled amongst the spectacular Kansas Flint Hills just two hours from Kansas City. This private landscape of rolling hills of native grass with a gorgeous 16-acre lake includes an amazing family home.
Located only 25 miles from Telluride and within an hour’s drive of local airports, Canyon Creek Ranch offers 3,247± acres of Colorado mountain ranch land, world-class views, wildlife, and numerous sites to build.
CONTACT JOHN WILDIN - 620.622.0411
CONTACT JEFF BUERGER - 303.861.8282
CAMPOS VIEJOS RANCH | RIO GRANDE CITY, TX
PLUMMERS CREEK RANCH | GROESBECK, TX
954± ACRES | $4,150,000
492± ACRES | $1,750,000
Campos Viejos Ranch is a premier whitetail hunting destination. The turnkey property is 954± high-fenced acres, with two primary residences, hunter’s motel, three water wells, 11 hunting blinds, food plots, and barn.
Plummers Creek Ranch offers lush Bermuda pastures across hilltops and bottomland, big western views, and perfectly sized improvements for the cattlemen and weekenders alike. Several ponds, excellent fencing, and fertile soils.
CONTACT JAY LEYENDECKER - 956.337.2808
CONTACT TYLER JACOBS - 979.690.9933 FarmAndRanch.com 101
Professional Hill Country Realtors Full Service Ranch Specialists topperrealestate.net
Rodney Topper Owner / Land Specialist (830) 385 - 9658 rodney@topperrealestate.net
Tim Foster Land Specialist (830) 385 - 2668 tim@topperrealestate.net 102 Volume
Texas Farm&Ranch
Clay Fowden Land Specialist (972) 333 - 9534 clay@topperrealestate.net
Red Corral Ranch 632 +/- Acres Wimberley, Texas Hays County
This beautiful 632 +/- acre ranch is about 11 Miles from Downtown Wimberley, TX. The ranchland is a good mix of several great hilltops that offer amazing hill country views, and several open fields. The hard wood trees on this ranch are absolutely stunning and abundant. Wanslow Creek traverses the property and is seasonal. There are 3 modest homes on the ranch. There is a good road through the ranch that is easily traveled by truck or ATV. This is a fantastic ranch located in one of the fastest growing areas in the USA. The ranch is currently under a wildlife exemption Located minutes from Wimberly and Blanco, and less than an hour to Austin and San Antonio.
Contact Rodney Topper for details (830) 385 - 9658
FarmAndRanch.com 103
2,738± ACRES
OAK TREE RANCH
Central Texas v Uvalde County v Utopia
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exas Hill Country ranch! Located 25 miles northeast of Uvalde, Texas lies this sprawling 2,738-acre ranch just to the south of the quaint little town of Utopia. The land is gently rolling to flat covered in large oak covered motts. One of the last low-fenced ranches with 2± miles of paved road frontage with easy access. Call today for your exclusive showing!
830-486-5888 • john@utopiaranchrealty.com • utopiaranchrealty.com 104 Volume
Texas Farm&Ranch
2,122± ACRES
ZAVALA COUNTY WINDROSE RANCH South Texas v Zavala County v Batesville
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outh Texas high-fenced hunting ranch ready for your enjoyment is located 23± miles south of Sabinal, Texas. One that has it all. Loaded with native game to the area including whitetail deer, turkeys, hogs, doves and quail. Property has 200± acres under pivot with a new Carrizo irrigation well servicing six tanks from the front to back. Remaining acreage covered in South Texas brush. There are two houses well kept to sleep large groups. For more information please call 830-486-5888.
John A. Hutto, Broker 830-486-5888 john@utopiaranchrealty.com utopiaranchrealty.com
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4,365± ACRES he 4-Aces Ranch is located in Real County just 30 minutes from Kerrville, Leakey, Junction, and Rocksprings. This Texas Hill Country v Real County v Leakey places it in the center of some of the best hunting in the Texas Hill Country, an area known worldwide for the diversity of native and exotic trophy game animals. As the impressive gate from Hwy 41 opens, a scenic three-mile drive along a paved road winds to the headquarters where a fortunate owner and guests can relax surrounded by the natural beauty of the ranch. Rolling hills, wet weather creeks and fields abound with wildlife that includes genetically improved trophy whitetail deer, axis, blackbuck antelope, oryx, gemsbok, wildebeest, red sheep, aoudad, fallow, sika, Rio Grande turkey, dove, hogs, and bobcats. Ranch improvements include the lodge with eight bedrooms and nine baths, game-proof high fencing, a newly constructed steel barn on slab, five wells with cisterns that gravity feeds water via eight miles of pipe to troughs throughout the ranch, two large feed bins, walk-in cooler, set of working pens, and foreman’s house. A superb hunting ranch full of game for your enjoyment in beautiful Real County. Contact for pricing. Bill Barton, Broker-Associate.
4-ACES RANCH
2,006± ACRES
TRIPLE R RANCH
West Texas v Sutton County v Roosevelt
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dove hunter’s paradise with scenic views, great water, minerals, and loaded with wildlife. Ranchero Creeks passes through the ranch and is lined with giant live oaks. There are permanent water holes on the creek and big Indian camp grounds that have never been disturbed. The ranch is high fenced with trophy whitetail and has 20-mile views! Located halfway between Uvalde and Hondo puts this ranch right in the flight zone of the best dove hunting Texas has to offer! Contact for price. Joel Meek.
830-257-8881
info@meekranchsales.com • meekranchsales.com 106 Volume
Texas Farm&Ranch
742± ACRES
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hese 2,006± high-fenced acres are located 10 miles northwest of Roosevelt, Texas in eastern Sutton County. Triple R Ranch is loaded with dense oak tree-covered valleys offering smooth bottomland and lush grasses with over 270-feet elevation rises to the hilltops. Loaded with great genetics, the ranch has consistently produced top-quality whitetail, axis, sika, fallow, blackbuck, elk, and turkey. Includes quality improvements with enough sleeping arrangements for family, friends, guests, and foreman. A smooth transition for the new owner, Triple R Ranch is being sold turnkey with all heavy equipment, ranch vehicles, blinds, feeders, and furniture. $3,700,000. Marshall Burford, Broker-Associate
PALOMAVILLE - A DOVE HUNTER’S PARADISE Central Texas v Uvalde County v Sabinal
330± ACRES
MEDINA COUNTY - D’HANIS, TX Central Texas v Medina County v D’Hanis
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ocated 45 miles west of San Antonio and five miles southwest of D’Hanis. Excellent hunting retreat with great deer habitat and great area for dove hunting. Located on CR 514 just west of Squirrel Creek Road featuring a 1,600-square-foot stucco home and barn with wildlife exemption in place. Scattered oak trees and good soil. $4,800 per acre. $1,583,040. Mark Meek, Broker.
120± ACRES
SABINAL RIVER INDIAN CAMP RANCH Texas Hill Country v Bandera County v Utopia
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20± acres located in Bandera County between beautiful Utopia and Vanderpool, Texas. Approximately 1,000± feet of gorgeous cypress-lined crystal clear Sabinal River! Confirmed Indian campground! Paved frontage on Hwy 187. $12,500 per acre. $1,500,000. Mark Meek Broker, Owner is a LREB.
54± ACRES
GILLESPIE COUNTY HIDEAWAY
Texas Hill Country v Gillespie County v Fredericksburg
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4 acres of scenic valleys, lush bottomland, and a wide variety of hardwoods make the Gillespie County hideaway a rare find. Located just 25 minutes from Fredericksburg and 15 minutes from Kerrville along a paved county road. The private driveway leads to the threebedroom, two-bath ranch house overlooking the deep valleys to the southeast. Perfect for a hunting retreat, weekend getaway, fulltime living, or a vacation rental. $997,500. Marshall Burford, Broker-Associate.
830-257-8881
info@meekranchsales.com • meekranchsales.com FarmAndRanch.com 107
NEW LISTING
79,582± ACRES
CLIMBING ARROW RANCH
Montana v Gallatin, Meagher, Madison & Broadwater Counties
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ne of the most historically significant land and cattle empires in the Rocky Mountain West, Climbing Arrow Ranch, operating a cow herd of nearly 2,000 commercial black angus cattle, consists of 79,582± acres, of which 73,180± are deeded. Climbing Arrow is comprised of productive irrigated hay meadows along the famed Madison River, and dramatic limestone cliffs above the pristine trout waters of the North Fork, Middle Fork and the main channel of Sixteenmile Creek. An elk herd of 900 to 1,500, with dozens of bulls scoring in the 350 to 370 class, offer world-renowned elk hunting. Ranches of this scale are peerless in today’s western land market. $136,250,000. View on web. Price Reduced
30,974± TOTAL ACRES
STRAND RANCH
Montana v Chouteau & Judith Basin Counties v Geyser
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othing provides a more genuine sense of safety and security than land. Strand Ranch offers privacy without isolation and simplicity of ownership in a low-overhead operation in today’s high-end ranch market. Located in one of Montana’s most productive grass regions, this 30,974± total acres, with 28,894± deeded, comfortably carries 1,100 head of mother cows. Five creeks, dozens of springs, ponds and developed water provide an abundant water resource for livestock and wildlife. Reduced to $35,250,000. View on web. NEW LISTING
15,334± TOTAL ACRES
ELK RIDGE RANCH
Montana v Gallatin County v Wilsall
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lk Ridge Ranch is an extremely private mountain ranch with exceptional wildlife resources, incredible panoramic views, excellent summer grazing and close proximity to all of the amenities in Bozeman, Livingston and Yellowstone National Park. There are three resident herds of elk that utilize the Ranch, providing unparalleled elk hunting for big bulls during both archery and rifle seasons. The Ranch encompasses 13,414± deeded acres that are a mix of native pasture, riparian bottoms and timbered slopes. In addition, the Ranch includes 1,600± State of Montana acres and 320± acres of Bureau of Land Management, making a spectacular 15,334± total acre Ranch. $33,600,000. View on web.
866-999-7342 • info@swanlandco.com • swanlandco.com 108 Volume
Texas Farm&Ranch
2,937± DEEDED ACRES
JY BAGBY RANCH
Montana v Beaverhead County v Jackson
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ncompassing 2,937± deeded acres with two miles of trout-rich Englejard Creek, the Ranch provides privacy, security and safety. The 5,081±-square-foot custom home showcases high-end finishes, dramatic views and three private adjoining bunkhouse suites. The improvements are thoughtfully designed and provide all of the modern necessities expected in today’s high-end ranch properties. Flood irrigation, with solid-senior water rights, irrigate the majority of the Ranch. JY Bagby Ranch is an ideal candidate for the ecosystem conservation-minded buyer. $14,950,000. View on web. NEW LISTING
163± DEEDED ACRES
RIVER ROAD RANCH
Montana v Gallatin County v Bozeman
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he 163± deeded acres border over a half mile of the Gallatin River with beautiful rustic improvements including an elegant home designed by renowned architect Larry Pearson and built by OSM Construction, shop, pole barn and outdoor riding arena. Only 15 minutes from Bozeman, the Ranch provides irrigated hay meadows, wildlife, fishing, equestrian and recreational pursuits. Mature stands of aspen are enhanced by spectacular gardens to create a singular opportunity that is impossible to reproduce. $13,500,000. View on web. NEW LISTING
9,108± DEEDED ACRES
LINDEN CREEK RANCH
Montana v Dawson County v Glendive
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he 9,108± deeded acres are heavily influenced by the Yellowstone River which provides tremendous habitat for native pheasant, turkey and whitetail deer. The lush riparian habitat combined with the various grain crops has greatly enhanced the wildlife component of the Ranch. Abundant water sources are located throughout the pastures for both livestock and wildlife. A diverse ecosystem offers prime habitat for a variety of Rocky Mountain wildlife. Pheasant hunting on the Ranch is outstanding. The Ranch controls solid water rights in the Intake Irrigation District and decreed water out of the Yellowstone River that provide flood irrigation on approximately 810 acres. $7,900,000. View on web. Bozeman, MT • Buffalo, WY • Salt Lake City, UT • Saratoga, WY
866-999-7342
info@swanlandco.com Please visit swanlandco.com for additional listings FarmAndRanch.com 109
91± ACRES
LEON CREEK RANCH
Central Texas v Bexar County v San Antonio ld family property with over a quarter mile of Hwy 16 frontage, about two miles south of Loop 410 just a few miles west of Toyota operations. Building sites 30 to 40 feet above a beautiful section of Leon Creek. Great for recreational use, development, cattle, or full time rural residence. Call for price.
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17± ACRES
ROCKIN’ T RANCH
Southeast Texas Montgomery County v Conroe deal location for development or personal use near Lake Conroe with about 730 feet of frontage on McCaleb Road at Austin McCombs Road. Includes horse facilities, indoor arena, horse stalls, pens, walker, main house with pool and guest house. Will divide. Call for price.
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49± ACRES
LL RANCH
Central Texas v Grimes County v Navasota
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9.48 acres of beautiful, rolling land located just eight miles east of Navasota and a couple miles north of where the Aggie Expressway will meet Hwy 105. A short 20 minutes to College Station and less than an hour from Houston. Great 50/50 mix of open pasture and tree coverage, and a wet weather creek meanders through the middle of the property. Multiple ideal home sites among the live oaks, post oaks, red oaks, elms, and mesquite trees. Electricity and water well on site. Come see the potential this property has to offer! $618,500.
23± ACRES
SUMMIT RIDING ACADEMY
Southeast Texas v Montgomery Co. v Willis ummit Riding Academy Ranch is a 23acre horse property with a 20x40-meter dressage covered arena, eight-foot training walls, and viewing stands, 13 horse stalls, two tack rooms, feed room and bathroom, horse jumps throughout the property, hay barns, equipment barn, 30x70-foot garage with attached apartment and a beautiful fourbedroom, two-bath home with pool. The back pasture and pond are a picturesque view from the back patio. Located in a rapidly developing area with easy access: four miles east to Hwy 45, four miles west to Lake Conroe and 50 miles north of Houston. Come see all this equine ranch has to offer. $1,600,000.
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110 Volume
Texas Farm&Ranch
Jimmy Fuchs, Broker
Hill Country, Central Texas, South Texas & East Texas
210-901-1000
info@landinvestex.com • landinvestex.com
478± ACRES
DIAMOND M RANCH
Southeast Texas v Walker County v Huntsville
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igh-fenced deer ranch with rolling hills hidden just off Hwy 190. This gem has a lot of opportunities for recreation, front-porch sittin’, and timber investment. The ranch features a sally port entrance with the main home overlooking a stocked pond, a large guest house, and a pull-through barn. You will find trophy whitetail, axis and black buck! $7,837/acre.
257± ACRES
TUCKER FARM
Northeast Texas v Nacogdoches County v Nacogdoches
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ucker Farm is located within six miles of downtown Nacogdoches, just east of SFA University. There is a vintage-style home located in the middle of the property on the crest of the hilltop. The farm includes partially wooded trees with undulating terrain and livestock pastures. Great for hunting, farming, or recreational use! $5,250/acre.
677± ACRES
BONUS LAND
514± ACRES
GUM BRANCH
Northeast Texas v Cherokee County v Alto
Southeast Texas v Walker County v Huntsville
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ig recreation on this family state land with bonus acreage fronting US 69 on the outskirts of Wells, Texas. An abundance irst time, open market offering. Low traffic frontage on FM 247 and easy access to I-45. Sloping to rolling topography with many of merchantable timber remains. Great investment, recreation, and timber opportunity. $2,995/acre. potential lake sites. $4,500/acre.
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Andy Flack, Broker John Paul Lampson, Broker 936-295-2500 office HomeLandProperties.com HomeLandLand.com
FarmAndRanch.com 111
405± ACRES
SEVEN MILE RANCH
Southeast Texas v Tyler County v Woodville
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even Mile Ranch is ideally located east of Woodville, Texas, and only a short drive from town. The majority of the property is open pasture, perfect for grazing cattle; on the south side, Sevenmile Branch transects the property. This area of the ranch is ideal for hunting with all the large hardwoods and mixed pine trees. The custom-built 4,900-square-foot home features four bedrooms and 4.5 baths with den, formal living, formal dining, island-style kitchen with breakfast nook, family room, home office/study, game room upstairs and beautiful covered porches overlooking the lush green pastures. There is a spectacular 20-acre lake that is stocked with bass; this is nothing like you have ever seen before! This lake is completely privately owned by the sellers and only accessible by the property owners. In the winter months, this lake is loaded with waterfowl. We routinely run about 100 head of cattle, and produce 600± large round bales of hay a year. There is a large equipment shed and barn, working pens for cattle and the property is completely fenced and cross fenced. There is also a cabin perfect for guests staying over when hunting season is in full effect, with a full kitchen and bath, fireplace and living space. $1,999,000.
346± ACRES
BIG CYPRESS RANCH
Southeast Texas v Tyler County v Woodville ig Cypress Ranch is an ideal property for recreation and raising cattle and horses. This ranch has future development potential with 1,850 feet of road frontage on Hwy 190. The custom home is over 5,100 square feet with five bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms, a den, formal living and dining rooms, game room upstairs, an office/craft room and a two-car carport. The home looks over lovely lush green pastures and one of the four ponds located on the property. There is a big cypress creek that follows the eastern border of the property and Falls Branch Creek creates a natural division of the property where potential building and development sites could be established. There is a wonderful custom horse barn with 14 stalls, office, huge tack room, wash rack, professional roping arena, plus working pens for cattle. Entire property is fenced and cross fenced. The property also features the only natural ridge in Tyler County Texas, which makes this property so unique. $1,895,000.
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Ashley K. Jackson, Broker/Owner 409-429-4011 ashley.k.jackson@gmail.com martindalerealestate.com 112 Volume
Texas Farm&Ranch
67± ACRES
REED RANCH
Texas Hill Country v Kendall County v Boerne
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ake, horses, arena, vintage 1880’s stone home—rarely, does such an attractive property like this become available. 67.45 acres come with this 1880’s vintage two-story, cut block stone home at 4,136 square feet with three bedrooms and three and one-half bath. Tastefully restored in the 1980s with a lazy man-made water feature flowing through the front entry. This gorgeous home sits in the shade of several heritage oaks and overlooks a tranquil one-acre lake. The original cedar log, one-room cabin is now the dining room. The property also includes two guest houses, a two-bedroom, two and one-half bath guest house of 2,700 square-feet, one-bedroom, one-bath guest house at 1,043 square feet, detached game room, eight-stall horse barn 40x96, pens, arena 150x350, round pen at 60 feet. Located just five miles east of Boerne Main Street/River Road with an easy commute to Leon Springs, The Rim, La Cantera, UTSA, medical center, USAA, San Antonio. $3,300,000.
28± ACRES
PAINTED SKY
Texas Hill Country v Kendall County v Comfort
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nbridled sophistication is found within this contemporary Texas Hill Country home. Privately gated and perched atop (1,960 foot elevation) 28 ag-exempt acres with unobstructed views. This stunning home features contemporary design elements showcasing the modern, single-story open floor plan. Exquisitely designed, featuring intimate living spaces and fine details throughout to include polished travertine floors, custom solid wood alder doors/cabinetry. A chef’s kitchen boasts professional grade Wolf/Sub-Zero appliances opening to a family room with soaring coffered ceilings and seamless indoor-outdoor integration. The master suite, with sitting room, boasts a spa-like bath with exercise room and large walk-in his and hers closet. Impeccable craftsmanship prevails with two spacious guest bedrooms. A car collector’s dream garage affording storage for 12 cars. Escape to an outdoor sanctuary perfect for entertaining or relaxing in the evenings, boasting a large covered patio with wood paneling and stacked floor to ceiling rock fireplace overlooking picturesque views. $3,675,000.
Amy Dutton 210.279.6642
amy.dutton@sothebysrealty.com amyduttonrealestate.com FarmAndRanch.com 113
45,039± ACRES
CIMARRON VALLEY RANCH Colorado v Baca County v Campo
28,028± ACRES
JORNADO RANCH
New Mexico v Sierra County v Truth or Consequences
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he Jornado Ranch is a working cattle ranch in southern New Mexico, located 26± miles from Truth or Consequences. The his is an extremely rare opportunity to own a ranch that currently supports 1,600 mother cows while managing some of the best ranch is made up of 28,028± acres consisting of 1,788 deeded acres, hunting in the country. The river bottom on this ranch averages 5,462 acres of New Mexico state lease, and 20,480 acres of BLM just under a mile wide for the entire length of the ranch (22 miles) lease, and is permitted for 300 head of cattle. The ranch has nine providing excellent soils, water, rotational grazing, excellent habitat wells equipped with solar ranging in depth from 22 feet to 500 feet deep and is cross fenced into four separate pastures. Greg Liddle, and grass. Dax Hayden, 970-674-1990. $39,900,000. 970-946-0374 or Casey Mayer, 575-313-9508. $4,300,000.
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1,420± ACRES
MOSSBACK 6A RANCH
New Mexico v Rio Arriba County v Regina
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ith over a mile of fence-to-fence border with the 880,000± acres of the Jicarilla Reservation, most known as some of the finest managed trophy mule deer ground in the world, the 1,420± acres of the Mossback 6A Ranch is available. The Jicarilla Reservation has traditionally allowed drawings for seven non-tribal mule deer tags, tags with over 100 applicants applying annually. Greg Liddle, 970-946-0374. $2,204,000.
450± ACRES
STILES PROPERTY
Central Texas v DeWitt County v Cuero
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560± ACRES
CANONCITO ON THE SECA
New Mexico v Rio Arriba County v Lindrith
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ith producing gas and oil minerals rights included, there’s no comparison to this end-of-the-road 560±-acre private holding with three sides backing up to the 1,550,000± acres of the Santa Fe National Forest. In 2019, two 30-inch plus mule deer were harvested within 200 yards of the ranch house, and over the last three years, at least one 30-inch buck has come off the deeded acres per year. Greg Liddle, 970-946-0374. $1,800,000.
348± ACRES
ONION CREEK
Texas Hill Country v Gillespie County v Doss his 450± acre ranch lies north of the city of Cuero, outside of truly beautiful Hill Country 348± acre ranch situated in Gillespie the city limits. It offers ranching, recreational and commercial and Mason Counties. This ranch offers views, oak trees and uses. Consists of mostly native grasses with some brush, rolling terrain with lots of deer, turkey and improved, and mesquite trees. The ranch will axis deer. A watering system is set up to service all comfortably run 80 cow units. It is cross fenced with parts of the ranch. Heavy-duty fencing encloses plenty of water available. It has city water and six the ranch with cross fencing and cattle guards for water wells, a set of working pens, several storage the ease of accessing all portions of the ranch. sheds and a hay barn. Rick Gohmert, 361-275-6915. Rick Gohmert, 361-275-6915. $3,500,000. $3,825,000. haydenoutdoors.com
114 Volume
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Texas Farm&Ranch
180± ACRES
18760 PIN OAK ROAD
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Southeast Texas v Montgomery County v Conroe
abulous opportunity to own farm and ranchland located just two miles east of I-45, 10 minutes from the Woodlands Mall and 25 minutes from downtown. Shopping, dining, entertainment and more are at your fingertips. Enjoy the peace and tranquility of country life on 180 acres with a 20-acre lake. Wonderful property for a country home and/or ranch, fishing and hunting camp, recreational play or a residential development. This unrestricted property features heavily wooded areas, open pastures, beautiful rolling terrain, a stocked man-made lake, and neighbors the communities of White Oak Estates and Harper’s Preserve, where homes range in price from the low $500s to the low $700s. Don’t wait to make this country property the perfect place to live, relax, play and work. Did not flood during Harvey, per sellers. $4,500,000.
Luanne Marshall 832-419-0685
luanne.marshall@nanproperties.com nanproperties.com FarmAndRanch.com 115
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A view of Main Street, looking west.
Boot Ranch was the dream of Hal Sutton, a major championship winner on the PGA Tour who hails from Shreveport but loves the Hill Country; he imagined starting a residential club that was somewhat remote but still accessible from Texas’s major cities. The club is an hour and a half from four million Texans. The golf course was completed in 2006, but the development had a rocky start. It was bought out of foreclosure by the investment bank Lehman Brothers (which later collapsed in the largest bankruptcy in U.S. history). It is now owned by Terra Verde, a real estate private equity company with offices outside Dallas and Nashville that specializes in buying distressed assets and developing them, in partnership with another private equity group named Wheelock Street 116 Volume
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Capital, based in Greenwich, Connecticut. The dark and massive silhouette of a structure on a distant hilltop makes me gasp. “That must be the clubhouse,” I say. “No, it’s one of the homes,” Lacy answers. The larger houses run to 12,000 square feet, and some have live-in staff. Property management is a booming business in Fredericksburg. In the beginning, the club offered “estate-size lots” (ten to twelve acres) for “estate living.” But the club now also offers two-acre lots, and some houses measure a relatively cozy 3,200 square feet. The original 2,000-acre property is half developed. The club has 278 members, a third of whom are full-time residents, a third weekenders, and a third nonresidentials, like
Tammy and Wes Pack. To join, you have to be vetted and voted upon. “We are creating a family here,” the general manager, Emil Hale, tells me later by phone. Lacy shows me the clubhouse complex, whose grounds include four pools, a spa, restaurant, bar, and wine cellar. She drives me around, up and down hills, so that I can take in the different views. Everything is built in the traditional Fredericksburg style—limestone, casement windows, standing-seam tin roofs. The scale in Fredericksburg was always small, the houses modest, so it’s strange to see them blown up to such proportions. One morning in Fredericksburg, I learn that Bunny Becker has just died. She and her husband, Richard, founded the acclaimed
Becker Vineyards 28 years ago and were the first serious winemakers in the area. That afternoon, I drive east on 290, the Wine Corridor. Hillsides of green trellised vines line the road, and small blue-and-white TxDOT signs announce wineries at regular intervals. Some of the tasting rooms are understated, farmhouses with dirt parking lots. Some are out of sight, off the road. And some trumpet themselves like theme-park rides vying for attention. A Tuscan-style villa at Grape Creek Vineyards is surrounded by rows of Italian cypress and features a tower with a terra-cotta roof. Beyond the tiny town of Stonewall, across the road from the Hye Market, I turn in at William Chris Vineyards. I’d met co-owner William “Bill” Blackmon by chance while
dining at the bar at Otto’s, which is popular with the wine crowd. He and Chris Brundrett opened William Chris in 2008. It’s harvest time, and Blackmon looks happy, his face ruddy, as if he just came off a ski slope. He walks me over to a metal building where rock music is blaring and a forklift driver is moving big containers of grapes. The vineyard employs sixty and produces about 30,000 cases of wine each year, a modest-sized operation for the region. Blackmon started out as a cotton farmer near Lubbock and still thinks of himself as a farmer. “Wine is made in the field,” he says as we walk to the property’s original farmhouse, where visitors are tasting wines in several different rooms. As we sample a Pétillant Naturel sparkling rosé, he marvels at how much junk
they had to pull out of the house when they converted it. The crawl space had been filled with old shoes, and they discovered a small, overgrown family cemetery on the property. Following in the footsteps of Bunny and Richard Becker, William Chris is one of several Fredericksburg-area wineries that are working hard to establish the region as a premier wine destination, not just a party-bus circuit. As part of that effort, Blackmon and Brundrett are advocating for a movement that would require wines labeled “Made in Texas” to use only Texas grapes. Wine connoisseurs believe that wine should reflect its terroir— the soil conditions, climate, and topography in which the grapes are grown. Notably, the terroir of most of the wine produced around FarmAndRanch.com 117
Fredericksburg extends far beyond the Hill Country; that’s because William Chris and most wineries in the area supplement what they grow here with grapes from the High Plains around Lubbock, where the conditions are more favorable. That area—flat, dry, and largely treeless—is a harder sell to tourists, though, be they the hard-partying variety or more refined. And the tourism here is only growing. According to Mayor Langerhans, several hotel projects are planned for Highway 290. A local named Billy Scripps has plans for a 150room all-suite hotel at his recently opened Altstadt Brewery, which looms like a Bavarian castle above a field east of town. Stewart Skloss, the founder of Houston-based tequila brand Pura Vida Spirits, wants to build a new hotel at 290 and Luckenbach Road. Fiesta Winery
Gary and Maggie Scripps-Klenzing outside their Fredericksburg home. The Altstadt Brewery, started by Billy Scripps, evokes a Bavarian castle.
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has more than 70 acres between 290 and the Pedernales River, where the owners will build a 150-room hotel overlooking the water. That’s on top of the hotel projects popping up in town. The most unusual is the Albert Hotel, on Main Street, which will incorporate four historic properties. And then there are two more hotels coming on the east end of Main Street from Billy Scripps’s sister and her husband, Maggie and Gary Scripps-Klenzing. Billy Scripps, Maggie Scripps-Klenzing, and their siblings are heirs to a family fortune that, according to Forbes, has long been one of the largest in the country. But people in town seem a bit confused about who the Scrippses are. One local tells me they are from Mexico; another believes their money comes from Scripto, the company that manufactures pens and lighters. Neither is true. E. W. Scripps started the Cleveland Penny Press in 1878 and founded the United Press newswire in 1907. The E. W. Scripps Company would at one point grow to own hundreds of newspapers around the country and today operates sixty television stations. The Scripps family established the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the Scripps Health hospital network, and Scripps College—all in Southern California. E. W. was a contrarian. He read, wrote, traveled extensively, and was not impressed by money. In 1922, four years before his death, E. W. set up a trust for his children and grandchildren. In 1941 E. W.’s eldest grandson, Robert P. Scripps Jr., was drafted for World War II and fought in the Pacific. When he returned from the war, he made an unconventional decision that would have pleased his grandfather. He left Miramar, the Scripps estate in California, to become a farmer in West Texas, near Pecos. He eventually had eleven children, including Billy and Maggie. In 1981, the family moved to Fredericksburg, where, despite the size of their brood and their fortune, they didn’t initially attract much attention. Robert Jr. grew peaches and kept bees. He died in 2012, at the age of 94, the last of his generation, and the $7.2 billion family trust expired and was eventually paid out to dozens of beneficiaries—including Robert Jr.’s kids. All but three of them had remained in Fredericksburg. If Billy’s brewery is the most visible recent manifestation of that windfall, it’s not the one that’s had the biggest impact on Fredericksburg. Maggie and Gary Scripps-Klenzing have become two of the most active real estate developers in town. They opened the Crossroads Saloon and Steakhouse ten years ago on
the west end of Main Street and then in 2017 opened the Altdorf, a cafe and biergarten, next door. In the past few years, their acquisitions and restoration projects have accelerated as they’ve bought other properties on the east end of Main Street. Throughout my visit, people in town have been telling me that the Scrippses are a private family and don’t want publicity. But on a Thursday night, I order a drink at the bar at the Crossroads and leave a note for the owners. The front room is handsome—exposed stone walls, lots of wood, high ceilings. A country band plays on a stage that faces the bar. I watch the dancers, thinking that Maggie and Gary will never get my note, but a few minutes later, a man comes out to greet me and leads me through swinging doors into a large dining room, where he asks me to wait. Gary appears a few minutes later, casually dressed in an untucked button-down, curious and friendly. He tells me that Maggie is in town but isn’t available now, as they’ve had a death in the family. Late the following morning, I meet both Gary and Maggie next door at the Altdorf. They are sitting on stools at a high table in the back bar, Maggie is shy and unassuming, with short, dark hair and high cheekbones. Gary shows me around the Altdorf, one of the oldest buildings on Main Street, formerly a home and a pharmacy. He tells me how their architect painstakingly peeled back layers of paint with a razor blade to discover the original color of the trim on the front porch. Restoration work is often much more expensive than new construction, and they spared no expense when they restored the property. Maggie says she and Gary lived in the basement of the Crossroads for a year while the business got started. The building was originally a general store, then a taxidermy shop. “I thought Fredericksburg needed a place like the Crossroads,” Maggie explains. They live on a ranch ten miles outside town, but they also have an old limestone house on the east end of Main Street to use as a pied-à-terre while they work on projects in town. They’re building a boutique hotel, the Emigrant’s Inn, on Main Street in front of the B&B they have by the same name. On the vacant lot next door, they’re building yet another new hotel. “I think it might be nice to have a piano bar in the basement,” Maggie says. Gary points to another building, which will become their Italian restaurant. “When our realtor calls, Maggie usually says yes,” he says. “She knows what she wants.”
Langerhans as his sister. That’s the kind of familiarity that develops between old families who’ve been in a town through the ages. They share the same memories. They see changes in the same light. Treibs looks German—fair complexion, blue eyes, strong features, a prominent nose. He grew up speaking German and, like many people his age in Fredericksburg, still has a slight accent. He and his wife, Peggy, live on a family ranch on Treibs Road, near Boot Ranch. He inherited another ranch in Cherry Springs, and they also own property in town. Treibs taught middle school Texas history and is the official county historian. When he was the chairman of the local historical society in the 1980s, he led the organization to file suit to keep Exxon signs from towering over Main Street. I knew Treibs in school and am staying in a house on Cora Street that he and Peggy keep as a B&B. He’s shoveling pea gravel from the back of his pickup onto the driveway in the afternoon sun. He says Germans like him are so driven that they have to work 15 hours a day. He knows all of the family trees, all the stories. He can speak to the local schisms between Catholics and Lutherans. As a defender
REATA RANCH REALTY Michele "Mitch" Smith Land Broker | Owner
(325) 347-4702 FPO
Genuine, Devoted, Proven Specializing in the Texas Hill Country
As a defender of local tradition, he is alarmed that money has become so important in Fredericksburg.
of local tradition, he is alarmed that money has become so important in Fredericksburg. It’s a long conversation to have while standing in a driveway, and I notice that his eyes are watering. Allergies, perhaps? Treibs collects antiques and anything of note from Fredericksburg, as if single-handedly trying to save the past. He says the house on Cora Street was built in 1909, so all of the furnishings come from that era—the canopy beds, the cabinets, the lamps. The house feels like a small museum or as if the original owners still live there. My family lived nearby for more than 50 years, and I went to school two blocks away. The houses on Cora Street look occupied, so it takes me a while to realize that full-time residents live in only two of them. At night it feels eerie, as if I’m in an episode of The Leftovers. But instead of individuals mysteriously disappearing, an entire economic sector of a town vanishes from the neighborhood, leaving only the rich. “I have something in my eyes,” Treibs says. He dabs at the moisture and looks quizzically Glen Treibs, a fifth-generation Fred- at his fingertip. “Salt.” erick sbu rg nat ive, t hi n k s of Mayor FarmAndRanch.com 119
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