LAND Fall 2022

Brokers

A5 Real Estate 30

American Farm + Ranch 19, 60

Bachman & Associates 19, 60

Beaverhead Ranch Group 26, 102

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services 52, 96

BHGRE Steinborn & Assoc. 111

Burgher-Ray Ranch Sales | Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty 23

California Outdoor Properties 42, 52

Cascade Sotheby’s International Realty 107

Cascade Sotheby’s International Realty | Brook Havens 84

Century 21 Farm & Ranch Harvey Properties 60

Chas. S. Middleton and Son LLC 70

Chase Brothers, LLC 76

Clark Company Ranch Real Estate 34, 78

Coldwell Banker | D’Ann Harper 53

Coldwell Banker | Mason Morse 88

Dietra Robertson Real Estate, Inc. 60

Eagle Land Brokerage 60, 64

Foster Company, LLC 110

Fridrich & Clark Realty LLC 104 Hall and Hall 108

Harrigan Land Company 99 Hawaiian Arizona Corp 5

Hayden Outdoors Real Estate 50, 66

Heyn Real Estate 60

Icon Global 15 International Sporting Properties 60, 63

Jacobs Properties 61

Keller Williams Black Hills | Lewis Realty 86

Land and Wildlife, LLC 58

Land InvesTex, LLC 103

LandLeader 45, 56

Legacy Properties West Sotheby’s International Realty 109

Lippard Auctioneers 110

Little Belt Cattle Co. 8

Living the Dream Outdoor Properties 56

M4 Ranch Group 37, 74

Mason Morse Ranch Company LLC 90

Mirr Ranch Group 82

Northwest First Realtors 61

O’Neill Land, LLC 111

Peoples Company 38, 92

Pfister Land Company 112

Powell Land Resources, LLC 61

Premier Land Company 100

Premier Ranch Properties 61

RE/MAX Advantage Land Division 61

RE/MAX Experts Land & Ranch 61

RE/MAX Integrity Farm & Ranch 62

RE/MAX The Group WY, Land Division 62 Republic Ranches L.L.C. 41 Results Land Co. 62

Swan Land Company 80

Taylor Land Investments 62

Texas Ranch Broker, LLC 62

The Whitney Land Company. 62

United Country Ranch Properties | Northwest Realty & Auction 101

United Country Real Estate | Real Tree United Country Hunting Properties 105 Warrior Earth 106

Western Ranch Brokers 98

Whitetail Properties Real Estate 94

Dancing Moose Orchard Big Fork, Montana97

“We know that every legacy starts somewhere— and the best ones start on the land.”

I’ve been in the business of telling stories about land for more than 30 years. When my wife Lisa and I launched our first magazine, we didn’t have children. Yesterday, we dropped our oldest off at college.

Time flies. Things change.

When I got started in ranch real estate more than 40 years ago, our typical land buyers were older. Generally, they cut their teeth in the outdoors, either on their family’s property or hunting and fishing. They were shaped by landowning relatives and friends and the ideas of rugged individualism embodied by John Wayne and the Marlboro Man. For many of them, bigger was always better.

Time flies. Things change.

Today buyers are unique. Fewer have a direct tie to the land. And for those who do, the connection is as likely to be hiking, nature

photography or birdwatching as it is hunting, fishing or agriculture. They come from all backgrounds and represent all ages. While the specific reasons for them buying land may differ, many want to find a place of peace, connection, and elbow room in the chaos of modern life.

Interestingly, what constitutes plenty of elbow room is as varied as the buyers themselves. For some, like Khoa Lea, a designer at IBM in Austin, it’s five acres at the edge of a growing city. (And you can read his story in the most recent issue of Texas LAND at Network.Land.com)

For others, like Greg and Heidi Putnam and their business partners, Tim and Carmen Sheehy, who are featured in this issue, it’s thousands of acres in rural Montana. Tim and Greg are former Navy SEALS, who met in the military, and have now joined forces to launch the Little Belt Cattle Company.

Time flies. Some things stay the same.

Regardless of individual motivations and experiences, these new landowners are bound by the same sense of awe, wonder and responsibility as the generations of landowners before them. They are the hands of stewardship. They are the faces of the future.

As always, we at LAND Magazines and Land. com are proud to celebrate the stories of landowners. We know that every legacy starts somewhere—and the best ones start on the land.

TOM ALEXANDER Publisher talexander@land.com

CORRECTION : In the summer 2022 Publisher’s Letter, our team failed to properly acknowledge Jennifer Warren, the principal at Concept Elemental based in Dallas, whose insights and technical expertise provided the framework for much of that column. We regret the omission.

CARY ESTES

Cary Estes is a freelance writer based in Birmingham, Alabama.

He has written for a wide variety of publications, websites and organizations, including the Alabama Tourism Department, Associated Press, Business Alabama magazine, Children’s Hospital Today, Delta Sky magazine, ESPN.com, Livability. com, NBCsports.com, PGATour.com, Southern Living and Sports Illustrated. He previously spent 15 years working as a sportswriter at the Birmingham Post-Herald. His writing philosophy is, “Everybody has a story to tell.”

Find out more at→ EstesWriting.com

TRAVIS DRISCOLL

Travis Driscoll puts his marketing background to work for buyers and sellers of ranches and ag properties in New Mexico and Colorado. Despite his vast experience selling large hunting, cattle and recreational ranches, Travis continues to hone his knowledge and professional skills as an active member of the Realtor’s Land Institute. This affiliation opens the door to a national network of more than 1,300 land brokers, which give his clients a distinct advantage. In his free time, Travis can be found horseback, casting a fly rod or stalking that next big bull. Find out more → BeaverheadOutdoors.com

CLARK COMPANY

Clark Company began as a stage and cattle company in Ventura County in the 1890s. Five generations later, they have specialized in ranch sales and land management in the western United States, focusing on ranch real estate since 1958. Their staff is very knowledgeable, fully involved with the agricultural industry, maintains and operates their family ranches, and they are well acquainted with ranches and farm properties of the western United States. Clark Company's extensive listings and associations will provide buyers and sellers with an impressive array of choices.

Find out more → ClarkCompany.com

DAN MURPHY

Dan Murphy, ALC, Broker and CoOwner of M4 Ranch Group, has called the mountain west home his entire adult life. Dan's extensive and diverse business experience reveals a track record of success. Dan shows enthusiasm and advocacy for life by experiencing the great outdoors' wonders and pursuing professional and recreational life experiences. Life passions, dogged work ethic, and professional experiences have led to the vision and development of his team's current ownership of a nationally recognized real estate firm, M4 Ranch Group. Find out more at→ M4RanchGroup.com

JON KOHLER

Jon Kohler is a third-generation land broker and broker/founder of Jon Kohler & Associates. As a passionate advocate for land stewards across the Southeast, Jon is equally passionate about the sporting way of life. Jon also serves on the national board of Pheasants/Quail Forever, the nation's largest non-profit organization dedicated to upland habitat conservation. While much of his time is dedicated to the high-quality land nicheJon also enjoys spending quality time with his kids and wife/ business partner, Erica Kohler, at their family farm, Lick Skillet, while ensuring rich sporting traditions are passed on to their children. Find out more at→ JonKohler.com

CALIFORNIA

California Outdoor Properties, headquartered in Vacaville, California, is one of the largest farm, ranch, and recreational private real estate companies in the Golden State. Founded by Broker/Owner Todd Renfrew, the company's roots are planted deep in agriculture and the outdoors. To provide the same great customer service to its farm, ranch, recreational property, and luxury estate clients in Nevada, the firm, which is a proud member of the LandLeader network, expanded into the Silver State and operates as Outdoor Properties of Nevada.

Find out more → CaliforniaOutdoorProperties.com

ROB KOSTANICH rkostanich@land.com Publisher TOM ALEXANDER talexander@land.com

Senior Account Executive

PRODUCTION SALES

Writer & Communication Specialist

LORIE A. WOODWARD lwoodward@land.com

Senior Account Manager & Editor

SUSAN SIDES ssides@land.com

Senior Account Manager & Editor

JENNIFER SCHAEFER jschaefer@land.com

Creative Director & Production Manager

KATIE GORDON kgordon@land.com

Designer & Copy Editor

JEHAN GLAZE jglaze@land.com

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© Copyright 2022 CoStar Group. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. LAND Magazines are published by CoStar Group, 100 Congress Ave, Suite 1500, Austin, TX 78701. Information provided to CoStar Group 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, prior change or prior sale. The real estate advertised in this magazine is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968 and it’s amendments. This magazine will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Dwellings advertised in this magazine are available on an equal opportunity basis. Printed in the USA.

STORY BY LORIE A. WOODWARD PHOTOS BY CHRIS DOUGLAS

IRDn the case of Little Belt, the Putnams nor any of the other company’s principals, Tim and Carmen Sheehy, and Tim’s brother, Matt Sheehy, had any land management or agricultural experience before launching the ranch in 2020.

The Path to Little Belt

After graduating from West Virginia University, the Putnams, college best friends turned couple, left their East Coast hometowns for Idaho. Greg worked as a fishing guide and Heidi handled marketing and guest relations for a Rocky Mountain guest ranch. Among many other things, she had to learn to ride horses.

“All of his jobs have been lifestyle focused and we’ve both had to develop a skill set just to function,” said Heidi, who is a professional event planner. “He’s the innovator and I’m the adapter.”

Greg concurred, “I come up with crazy ideas and she makes them happen.”

The Little Belt Cattle Company in Martinsdale, Montana, is one more unexpected turn in Greg and Heidi Putnam’s life together.

Although both Putnams fell hard for life in the Mountain West and were succeeding in their careers, Greg wasn’t quite ready to settle down. Following in the tradition of other men in his family, he wanted to serve his country.

“Greg decided to become a Navy SEAL because everybody goes from being a fishing guide to a SEAL, right?” said Heidi, still laughing.

For nearly 10 years, Greg and Heidi embraced the military life that took them to Hawaii, California and Virginia. They started a family. As the decade-mark approached, the Putnams had to decide whether to make the military a permanent career or to pivot.

They turned. While careerwise they didn’t have a clear next step, the couple knew they wanted to make their home in Montana and raise their three girls in the wide, open spaces of the Mountain West.

Greg said, “There’s always been something about the West that just called to me.”

As a child in rural Pennsylvania, his favorite books were about cowboys and western explorers. As a fishing guide, he watched parents and children skiing, hiking, and camping together as part of their daily lives and he wanted that for his own kids someday. Heidi shared his vision for their family.

“It’s how we wanted our life to look—and we made it a priority,” Greg said.

As fate would have it, Tim Sheehy, a former Navy SEAL and officer in Greg’s platoon, and his wife Carmen, who Heidi first met in Hawaii while they were both expecting their first daughters just days apart, had left the military two years earlier, moved to Bozeman, Montana, and started Bridger Aerospace and Ascent Vision Technologies. The Putnams and Sheehys reconnected over their shared love of Montana.

Greg went to work as the business manager for Ascent Vision Technologies. He quickly discovered that office walls and desk chairs were not his natural habitat. Seeking elbow room, head space and a jolt of adrenaline, he began helping friends and neighbors on their ranches in the evenings and on weekends. The work struck a chord.

“Growing up, I hunted and fished a lot—and always liked that connection to the land and food,” Greg said. “For me, ranching creates a similar connection between people, land and food.”

As fate would have it again, Tim sold Ascent Vision. Then, COVID-19 disrupted the world including the food supply chain. When beef became a scarce commodity even in agcentric Montana, Tim and Greg recognized the market—and need—for high-quality, locally produced beef. The duo, along with Tim’s brother

—GREG PUTNAM

“It was all new to us. . . But we aren’t afraid to jump in and just figure stuff out as we go."

Matt, hatched (well, maybe calved is a more appropriate word) the plan for what became the Little Belt Cattle Company.

The Business of Beef

From the beginning, the team’s approach was unconventional. When they couldn’t find a ranch large enough to serve as the headquarters, the Sheehys bucked the national trend of sub-division and purchased three smaller, contiguous ranches.

Tim said, “They aren’t making anymore land. It’s critical we preserve, improve and protect that which remains. Consolidating these parcels into one holding is the best chance to preserve them and their productivity.”

Today, the Little Belt Cattle Company, nestled at the foot of its namesake mountain range, encompasses about 20,000 acres of deeded and leased land. In 2020, the Sheehys partnered with the Montana Land Reliance to enact a conservation easement to keep the ranch open and working in perpetuity.

“It was all new to us—putting together a large land transaction, launching an agribusiness and running a ranch,” Greg said. “But we aren’t afraid to jump in and just figure stuff out as we go.”

They started with two clear, complementary goals: producing high-quality beef sustainably and leaving the land better than they found it. Then, they conducted research and sought out industry leaders such as Turk Stovall of Stovall Ranches to serve as mentors and collaborators. They also attended courses like Ranching for Profit, and they planned extensively.

“In the military, you can’t let the little doubts slow you down,” Greg said. “Instead, you focus on your goals, get a plan together, and put action to it. Once you start moving, the fear goes away. At that point, you just do it—and you don’t quit.”

Since the cattle company’s launch, the team has established a cow-calf operation using both Angus and Wagyu cattle to produce high-grade, grass-raised, grain-finished beef. Calving is timed for mid-April to coincide with spring green up which gives their cows optimum nutrition as they raise their calves.

“We do our best to work with Mother Nature, not against her,” Greg said.

They have implemented a rotational grazing system where pastures are periodically grazed and then allowed to rest and recover, which reinvigorates rangelands and increases plant diversity. Grazing decisions are made, in large part, on the condition of the plants.

“We have adopted an aggressive regenerative agriculture strategy, which is healthier for the land long term and will support generational

improvements to the quality of our ecosystem,” Tim said.

Greg added, “It’s been rewarding because we’re seeing some positive changes on the land even sooner than we expected.”

Last summer, Little Belt had a surplus of grass. To take advantage of the bounty, the team incorporated a younger-age class of cattle into their program. Younger cattle, known as yearlings or stockers depending on their age, provide flexibility when it comes to stocking rates and marketing options.

“Some people view our lack of experience as a liability, but it can be an asset,” Greg said. “We’re not limited by the ‘we’ve always done it that way’ mindset, so we can try new things and keep those that work for us.”

The most recent innovation is the Little Belt Burger Bar, the ranch’s food truck and catering service based in Bozeman. Heidi manages the new venture. It is an interim step in the team’s distribution plan.

Currently, the ranch sells most of its cattle under the umbrella of programs such as Certified Angus Beef. Eventually, the teams want to sell the bulk of their beef directly to Montana consumers, but the state has a dearth of processing facilities. The food truck gives them a local outlet for the ranch’s ground beef and gets the company name into the marketplace. In addition, Little Belt operates an online merchandise store featuring hoodies, t-shirts and caps bearing the L–B brand.

“Ranching gets described as a lifestyle, but it’s really a business—and a career—with lifestyle components,” Greg said.

The Lifestyle Components

The ranch is located about 90 miles northeast of Bozeman. In good weather, it takes about 90 minutes to get there. During the winter, it takes much longer. The last half hour is on a dirt road, which gets tricky when the weather doesn’t cooperate.

Greg manages the ranch’s day-to-day operations and is on-site most days. Ranching, like the military, is not an 8-5 job. It doesn’t give time off for weekends, holidays, vacations, or snow days. Days are unpredictable. Plans constantly change as machinery breaks, heifers struggle to calve, or grass runs out in a pasture prematurely. Ranch work can’t be put off until it’s more convenient.

Heidi and the couple’s three daughters, aged 5, 7, and 9, maintain a home base in Bozeman. In addition to her responsibilities at the cattle company, Heidi runs her own event planning company. During the academic year, the girls’ schedule is dictated by the school calendar,

but the family gets out to the ranch at every opportunity. In the summer, they spend at least 90 percent of their time at Little Belt.

“Ours is definitely a hybrid life, but I can’t imagine a more magical upbringing for our children,” Heidi said.

A vast majority of the cattle work, about 80 percent by Greg’s estimation, is done with horses and dogs. While it’s a nod to tradition, moving the cattle with horses stresses the livestock less which contributes to higher quality beef.

According to Heidi, the girls love to be horseback and are now old enough to be “good help” as they gather and move cattle. The Sheehys’ four children are about the same ages. They help too. Everyone is best friends.

“Our kids are working alongside their parents, laughing with their best friends, and taking great pride in being truly helpful,” Heidi said. “That’s magic.”

Working on the ranch gives the kids experiences that most modern American children don’t have. On a recent branding day, the Putnam and Sheehy children were right in the middle of the chaos. Barking dogs. Milling cattle. Moving horses. Swinging ropes. Fire. Hot irons. Smoke. Medicine-filled syringes.

“The kids have to keep their heads, stay focused on the work and stick with it until the job is done, no matter the conditions or how tired they are,” Heidi said. “These are not made-up chores. There are lives on the line. And through it all, our kids are getting skills that will serve them well wherever they go and whatever they do.”

Greg agreed, “The ‘office’ where we work is a humbling place because the successes and failures of caring for land and animals are personal. On the land, people have a chance to grow and learn in a way that you can’t elsewhere.”

The Lessons

When they launched Little Belt, the team proudly included “established in 2020” as part of the company’s identity.

“It’s a misconception that if you weren’t born into this you can’t learn it, because where there’s a will there’s a way,” Greg said. “Granted, we’re strong willed, but if we can do it, anybody can do it.”

With that said, he is quick to point out the results they’re enjoying today are a direct result of all the “invisible” work they put in to get ready. They provided fellow ranchers with hours of free labor to master the foundational skills of working cowboys. They leased pastures and ran small cattle herds to learn the basics of stockmanship, marketing, and range management.

“You don’t have to do it all at once,” Greg said. “Start small. With a horse, a trailer, and some fencing equipment, you’re set to begin day working and helping neighbors. Find out if you have a passion for it.”

They also invested a lot of time in identifying willing mentors and absorbing their hardearned knowledge.

“My best advice, whether it’s ranching or anything else, is to find really good mentors,” Greg said. “When I decided I wanted to be a Navy SEAL, it seemed impossible until I found an active-duty guy who told me, ‘If I can do this, you can, too—and here’s how you do it.’”

While they are still new to the ranching business, the Little Belt team is stepping up to mentor other military professionals who are looking for their next career. From their perspective, veterans and their skillsets are particularly well-suited to production agriculture and its challenges.

Little Belt has launched an internship program so veterans can try ranching firsthand, allowing them to make an informed decision before attending college or investing in livestock. Little Belt is also a host ranch for Bearhug Cattle Company, a non-profit that teaches transitioning veterans horsemanship and stockmanship skills. Bearhug provides a 10-week course to veterans interested in pursuing a career in ranching and Little Belt Ranch is one of their first stops.

“America needs food—and somebody has to produce it,” Greg said. “Don’t look at the barriers to entry and scare yourself out of it because ranching is not out of anyone’s realm. Instead, focus on the two big questions: What is the way forward and how do I do it?” °

With four± miles of private access to the Mora River, the 7,321± acre Black Willow Ranch is one of the most enchanting and productive ranches in the Land of Enchantment. The ranch, founded in 1862, is located just 16 miles from Las Vegas, New Mexico.

Set against the backdrop of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, surrounded by large legacy ranches and situated in a temperate climate zone, the Black Willow Ranch is a year-round paradise for outdoor enthusiasts.

“The Black Willow Ranch is a splendid oasis of plentiful water, abundant wildlife and almost limitless recreational possibilities,” said Bernard Uechtritz, founder of Icon Global. “Beyond that, it is a really productive, earning livestock operation, a tremendous private retreat, and an all-round excellent investment opportunity as significant upgrades and improvements have been completed.”

Water

Both banks of the Mora River, lined with its namesake willows and 150-year-old cottonwoods, lie within the ranch’s boundaries. Established senior water rights allow for irrigation that supports food plots and fields to sustain wildlife. An extensive water system that includes the historic 3.6-mile Tipton irrigation ditch and 20 dirt

tanks attracts wildlife to all corners of the ranch. Tipton Creek also courses through the ranch.

Habitat

Abundant water and habitat equals abundant wildlife. More than 5,000 acres of upland pastures feature high-protein grasses. As the elevation rises, the grassland transitions to stands of juniper, Ponderosa pines and piñon pines.

Located on a historic wildlife corridor, the ranch is home to an elk herd that can number up to 800 or more. Bulls in the 320-inch to 360-inch class are relatively common, and 400-inch bulls are not unheard of.

Other game species include mule deer, whitetailed deer, upland game birds such as wild turkey as well as migrating waterfowl. Beavers, badgers, bobcats and the occasional black bear or mountain lion are just a few of the ranch’s other wild denizens.

Recreation

Regardless of the season, life on the Black Willow is best enjoyed outside. The hunting, whether it’s for big game in the high country or for upland game birds and waterfowl in the ranch’s lower reaches, is exceptional. With an on-site long-range rifle range and pistol range and access to the nearby Valmora Butte Trap and Skeet Range, your aim will always be true.

Want to spend some time on the water? Launch your kayak into the Mora and drift along undisturbed under its shady canopy or test your flyfishing skills in the river’s riffles, ripples and pools.

Prefer to be horseback? You can rope, ride and wrangle to your heart’s content or ride the endless trails. With a 220’x300’ lighted roping arena, 120-foot round pen/arena, 50-foot colt pen/arena, and a full complement of barns, stalls and turnouts, your horses will want for nothing.

As if the abundant fun within its fence lines isn’t enough, Black Willow is 90 minutes (or less) from New Mexico’s famed ski slopes: Taos, Ski Santa Fe, Ski Sipapu, Angel Fire or Red River.

Living

Anchored by the Tipton House and Tipton Barn, both of which earned national historic preservation awards, the headquarters is the heart of the ranch. The La Jara House, built in a territorial style, with upscale contemporary comforts is the owner’s residence, while the Ridge House provides guest lodging, and the Round House accommodates staff. The compound also features the BW Cantina and El Bar as well as outdoor living areas.

As part of its legacy, the ranch includes all the necessary infrastructure to handle livestock and store ranch equipment. °

—BERNARD climate and cool mountain air make for a quiet escape from the Texas heat.”

Presenting the legendary Wahatoya Creek Ranch in La Veta, Colorado. Lush meadows carve a path leading toward the magnificent West Spanish Peak. The incredible rock wall formation towers above the valley, establishing an imposing western boundary to the ranch. Endless recreational opportunities are available, including exceptional hunting and brook trout fishing. Wahatoya creek provides a lush green bottom and water rights for the irrigated hay fields. A 1,952-square-foot territorial home and 1,276-square-foot guest house are perfectly nestled amongst the trees, along with a barn and other outbuildings. The setting is unparalleled. This is the ranch of a lifetime and will bring years of pride and joy to the most discerning buyer.

Since 1989 Bachman & Associates has prioritized providing our clients with the highest level of professionalism in every real estate transaction. Our team has the knowledge, experience, training, and work ethic to understand the needs of our buyers and sellers and to take the necessary action. For over 30 years, the Brokers at Bachman & Associates have worked diligently every day to earn the trust and loyalty of our clients, resulting in our being the top producing brokerage year after year. With the help of our full-time marketing team, we successfully provide accurate and detailed information about all of our property listings and ensure that buyers truly understand their options. If you need the services of a real estate professional, now or anytime in the future, Bachman and Associates is the number one choice—we would love the opportunity to earn your business. °

Russell, a southern Colorado native, specializes in ranches, large acreage and mountain properties. In addition to continuing his education in water law and land use, he earned the Accredited Land Consultant (ALC) designation from Realtors Land Institute, making him part of an elite group numbering fewer than 600 nationwide. In July 2020, Russell was awarded the Certified Land Expert (CLE).

“This is the ranch of a lifetime and will bring years of pride and joy to the most discerning buyer.”

RUSSELL HICKEY Bachman & Associates

Ref lecting on Relationships

Within the real estate industry, ranch brokerages are unique. The professionals who successfully help clients buy and sell rural properties must develop a different skill set than their colleagues who deal in residential or commercial real estate.

We in the ranch industry must understand and navigate a wide variety of complex issues on the national, state, regional and local levels. It's not inconceivable for a ranch broker to contend with a large variety of issues such as water rights, mineral rights, conservation easements, environmental studies, crop programs, grazing rights, wetland issues, ditch rights, access easements, undocumented historic uses, not to mention the ever-changing ramifications of the Endangered Species Act, or the waters of the USA, etc.

While the skills and knowledge base of a ranch broker obviously set our segment of the industry apart, I believe that the relationships are the foundation of ranch brokerages making us truly distinctive in the real estate business world. In fact, as I look back at my years in ranch real estate and the development of M4 Ranch Group, personally, it is clear that our successes, big or small, resulted from a relationship with a client, a fellow professional, and intimately knowing the land.

Whether it is dealing with clients or other ranch brokers, we are not in the business of "one and done." (It's no secret that repeat clients and referrals are our collective bread and butter.) To be successful in the long-term, our individual businesses must build a network—and the strongest wire in that network is trust.

Now this seems obvious to those of us with more than a few miles on our chassis, but it bears repeating for those of you who are new to this industry. The relationships that blossom from doing this business well—from truly knowing the land, the buyer and the seller—are life-changing. It's not unusual for former clients to become treasured friends.

When we're buried in a mountain of paperwork it may be tempting to see these transactions as business as usual, but we have to remember these deals—no matter the size—are high water marks in each and every client's life. With that in mind, it's easy to bring passion and enthusiasm to each and every transaction.

At RLI, our commitment is building a network of educated and dedicated ranch and land brokers that strive every day to assure each client receives personalized and dedicated expertise that extends beyond the property closing.

As I mentioned earlier, our relationships aren't limited just to our clients. As it says on the RLI website, "RLI, the Voice of Land, works to elevate the level of professionalism in the land industry by offering all land professionals the credibility, confidence, and connections that are the foundation for becoming the best in the business." Recently, at the RLI National Land Conference, I witnessed those connections in action.

I enjoyed seeing an older generation of stand out land brokers with gray hair hiding under their cowboy hats laughing with a young group of ranch brokers who called themselves the “nonAARP brokers.” Young and old, there was a great deal of experience in that room. What a joy to

see, the best in the land industry collaborating, learning, and relishing one another’s company.

Let me take a second to brag on the "nonAARP brokers." RLI, has some of the nation’s top young up-and-coming land agents. This group includes many highly educated ALC’s (Accredited Land Consultants) who grasp the historic nuances of conservation easements, western water rights, minerals, wind, ag, grazing, and recreation. These younger RLI (ALC) land brokers are also on the frontlines of defining tomorrow’s value in land that includes transitional grounds, solar, wind, battery storage, future tax implications of new energy uses, endangered species, future water demands and the technologies that better define success on any land use. The network of RLI has established the strongest land network in the world, building a “rising tide raises all ships” attitude.

As that list of emerging values and issues illustrates, the ranch/land real estate industry will constantly change to meet the demands of a changing world. With that said, I believe that the need for relationships is a constant now— and forever. If we as leaders in this industry have one responsibility, it is passing on the legacy of relationships.

To say we in this business are blessed by people and by land is a huge understatement. We are. Every day. I am proud to be an RLI broker, RLI officer and even more proud to wear the ALC designation. °

IN LAND SALES MURPHY, ALC

With abundant, crystalline water, Hill Country beauty and an ideal Central Texas location, the 3,268±-acre Clear Branch Ranch is a rarity. Ranches of this quality and size are becoming harder and harder to find, especially in proximity to the burgeoning I-35 corridor.

Nestled in Coryell County, Clear Branch Ranch, which sits just north of Highway 84 and fronts County Road 267, offers plentiful elbow room close to the heart of metropolitan Texas. The ranch is minutes from Gatesville, about 30 minutes from Waco, and about two hours from both Austin and Dallas.

The Water

The ranch takes its name from the Clear Branch of Coryell Creek, which courses through the ranch for one and a half miles. Both banks lie within the ranch’s boundaries giving completely private access.

The creek has been dammed to create a magnificent 35±-acre lake, which can accommodate a bass boat or wave runners. The lake, stocked with bass, catfish, and perch, has an excellent substructure for maintaining an abundant fishery.

When the creek was dammed, it also created spectacular wetlands habitat adjoining the lake. During the waterfowl season, hunting at the convergence of the lake and the creek is superlative. In addition, waterfowl enthusiasts can set up at one of the 20± stock ponds scattered across the ranch. The ponds attract migrating birds and provide well-placed water for livestock and wildlife. Four water wells support the improvements throughout the ranch.

The Land

The ranch’s elevation rises from 779± feet above sea level near the main entrance on the south end to 956± feet on the north end. The changing elevation delivers big, sweeping views.

True to the character of the Edwards Plateau, the land is marked by treecovered canyons and massive rock outcroppings. Pecan trees line the banks of the creek.

Historically, Clear Branch Ranch has been used as a livestock operation. When conditions are optimum, the cross-fenced ranch can carry about 300 momma cows. The current owners diversified by high fencing the perimeter and introducing exotic wildlife. Today, cattle and wildlife, including whitetail deer that have been managed with an MLD Level 3 permit, thrive side by side.

Most of the ranch is native range. Wildlife gravitates to the thick stands of brush scattered strategically throughout the ranch.

The Improvements

The three-bedroom, two-bath main house, built about 10 years ago, epitomizes comfortable, country living. The metal-roofed ranch house is crafted from limestone in the Hill Country vernacular. The ranch’s second home can serve as a home for a full-time manager or as a guest house.

Clear Branch Ranch features three sets of cattle working pens. Ranch infrastructure is rounded out by two multi-use barns.

The Opportunity

With abundant water, eye-catching vistas, hardy native range, and habitat that supports livestock and wildlife, the Clear Branch Ranch is in a class by itself. Don’t miss the opportunity to claim its unique bounty for yourself, your family—and your future.

°

—HARLAN RAY Burgher Ray Ranch Group

“The to own an oasis of and natural beauty encompassing the size, and of is becoming

Imagine a place unlike any other, where the sun shines 310 days per year. A land where snowcapped mountains gradually give way to a sprawling expanse of high plains. Here the sunrise illuminates vast lands, revealing cattle grazing peacefully alongside trophy-sized elk, mule deer, bighorn sheep, aoudad, oryx and a whole host of other diverse game and wildlife. In this enchanted land, rose-colored deserts stand in stark against the turquoise sky dotted by pillowy white clouds and the sunsets blaze red like fire against a rugged Rocky Mountains.

No this isn’t Montana or Idaho. It’s not Wyoming or Colorado or even Arizona. This is New Mexico.

New Mexico is the hidden gem of the American ranch world, whether it be for recreation, hunting or cattle. Beaverhead Ranch Group (BRG), much like the state itself, is a hidden gem of ranch brokerages.

Some of the most storied ranches in the West are here, including the Bell Ranch, The T.O., the UU Bar, The C.S., Vermejo Park and The Great Western to name just a few. A quick glance at the list of the top landowners in America will reveal that several have considerable ranch holdings in the “Land of Enchantment.” Through the years, BRG has had the privilege of representing some of them.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY TRAVIS DRISCOLL

Evolution of Beaverhead Ranch Group

Partnerships grown from mutual respect and success are the foundation of today’s BRG. For the first 11 years, the brokerage, founded by John Diamond, whose roots are based in generations of ranching and outfitting, was known as Beaverhead Outdoors. In fact, the name Beaverhead can be traced to the Diamond’s family ranch at Beaverhead, New Mexico, founded by John’s grandfather in the 1960s.

His father’s outfitting business, which in its 40-year history has grown to one of the largest in the state, also proudly operated under the Beaverhead banner. John began guiding commercial hunts when he was 18 years old. Eventually, he took his knowledge and experience and forged a new path for himself, brokering ranch properties throughout New Mexico.

Along the way John brought his long-time friend, GT Nunn, into the brokerage to bolster his roster. Nunn is one of New Mexico’s most respected outfitters, guiding some of the state's most elite big game hunts. Known for his prowess with Bighorn sheep, he has become the go-to outfitter for New Mexico’s Governor Sheep Tag.

“GT and I grew up the same way, working on our families’ ranches and guiding hunts,” said John, noting that Nunn, through his business Frontier Outfitting has earned a reputation as the state’s preeminent guide service for sheep hunting, a pursuit where the tags start at $150,000. “We know New Mexico from the inside out. Our knowledge comes from a lifetime of first-hand experience.”

In 2017, John and ranch broker Travis Driscoll worked together on a transaction for a 19,000± acre cattle and hunting ranch in Catron County, New Mexico. Based on the success of that transaction and their strong working relationship, the two decided that adding Driscoll to the BRG team made a lot of sense.

“Travis kind of came out of nowhere and made a name for himself in ranch real estate,” John said. “It impressed me because that’s really hard to do.”

Unlike John and Nunn, Driscoll, a native of southern California, got to New Mexico by happy accident. In 1992, he was en route from Colorado to California when his Volkswagen bus broke down in northern New Mexico. Driscoll spent nearly 25 years in the advertising world, where he built an award-winning career and portfolio, but at heart, he was a country boy who wanted out of the corporate world. He leveraged his marketing expertise to get a foot in the door of ranch real estate.

In 2022, BRG added a new broker, Bobby Duran, to the mix. While the brokerage never focused on growing its team, when the opportunity to include Duran came along, the team acted.

Duran is an accomplished Wildlife Biologist who worked many years with New Mexico Game and Fish and more recently with the Taos Pueblo. Additionally, he has been the go-to hunting guide for Frontier Outfitting, guiding some of the company’s most high-profile New Mexico hunters. He is also a rodeo bullfighter, sacrificing himself to protect cowboys around the state. His extensive experience, approachable personality and multi-faceted knowledge brings great strength to BRG’s roster of highly qualified brokers.

Big Things in a Small Package

Historically, land serves as a strong, safe investment; in that regard, New Mexico is especially appealing. Cost per acre and cost of ownership are some of the friendliest in the west when one considers comparable land, beauty, grazing and hunting opportunities.

Since its inception in 2011, BRG has brokered nearly half a billion dollars in New Mexico ranch real estate. Year in and year out, the brokerage handles some of the highest volume of transactions, in both deeded acreage and monetary value, in the state.

Notable transactions include the 171,000± acre UU Bar ranch in 2018 and the brokerage’s first transaction in 2012, the renowned Gila National Forest Slash Ranch at over 76,000± total acres. Over the past 12 months, BRG has brokered more than $50± million in transactions with another $30± million currently under contract at the time of this writing. Many deals handled by the team are private, off-the-market transactions that often involve honoring NDAs and privacy agreements.

New Mexico is grand, diverse, beautiful, and accessible, a place where one can experience the majesty of alpine meadows and high deserts within a short, easy drive of one another. Here the Old West still lives—and there is perhaps no team of brokers who know these lands as well as Beaverhead Ranch Group. °

“We believe in a no-nonsense way of doing business that is based on the truth and complete transparency—our client's interests come before our own.”

A MULTI-FACETED LAND COMPANY

As a businessman, investor, appraiser, rancher, hunter, angler, and conservationist, David Anderson brings a broad perspective and a wealth of experience to A5 Real Estate, based in Salt Lake City, Utah. “I love land and everything to do with it,” said David, who has been actively selling land for over 25 years. “As a result, A5 is a multi-faceted land company dedicated to realizing the value of land, water and open space.”

A5 is small and nimble by design.

“My goal wasn’t to create a large company, but to create a responsive company that puts our clients' best interest first,” said David, who is a licensed broker in Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. “Anybody who hires A5 gets me, and my direct involvement throughout the entire process.”

In recent years, Kate, the Andersons’ oldest child, as well as their oldest son Matt, have joined the company, and are both licensed in Utah. Kate, who holds a marketing degree, is A5’s marketing director. Matt, a business student at Utah State and owner of High Bar Hunting Company, specializes in selling hunting and fishing properties for A5.

The family’s passion for land shows in the firm’s results. Since the beginning of 2020, the team has sold roughly $250 million worth of real estate. David, the company’s President and Principal Broker, has sold around 1 million acres of land with a value of around $1 billion during his career, which began in the late 1990s. David has also held an appraisal license for more than 25 years and has provided consulting and appraisal services on more than $4 billion of land and commercial real estate.

The A5 Advantage

David was reared in Salt Lake City as part of an outdoor-loving family. Often, friends invited the family out to their ranches to hunt and fish. It was here that David first experienced the powerful force and draw of private land ownership.

“The experience was so different from hunting and fishing on public land,” said David, who owns a ranch in Wyoming’s Star Valley, “I just love the magic of private land ownership combined with thoughtful stewardship and conservation.”

David puts his money where his mouth is, and has invested significantly in wildlife habitat projects on his own ranch, which is an inholding in the Caribou National Forest complex. As a company, A5 also commits a percentage of its annual profits to supporting conservation groups such as the Nature Conservancy, Trout Unlimited, and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

His early passion for land was matched by his passion for business. At the University of Utah, David earned a Bachelor of Arts in Finance, and then later an MBA. Upon graduation, he became a commercial appraiser where he honed his ability to objectively analyze all types of real estate. His projects included commercial investment properties as well as complex agricultural operations and large recreational ranches. About the same

STORY BY LORIE A. WOODWARD

—DAVID ANDERSON A5 Real Estate

“We want to be partners in helping landowners realize their property’s full value— and their dreams.”

time, he obtained his real estate license. Eventually, he aligned his interests and his experience under the umbrella of A5 Real Estate.

“Our clients appreciate the different perspectives and experiences that I bring to any transaction,” said David, noting he only represents the buyer side or the seller side in any given transaction, never both. “Complex deals don’t throw me because I understand them from the business side as well as the land side.”

In ranch real estate, one of the most difficult aspects is accurately valuing the land and its water resources.

“The challenge is that no two ranches are exactly alike, and the fair market value of any given ranch tends to be a very subjective number,” David said.

David’s broad-based experience also makes him uniquely qualified to help clients properly price their properties, and to also maximize its value during the sales process.

“My 25 years of experience works to my clients’ advantage because I rely on hard facts and a professional analysis, not gut feelings or guess work,” he said.

This depth of experience and an intimate knowledge of land and water allows the A5 team to properly identify a property’s key attributes of value and to ultimately create a profile of the most likely buyers. The team creates a custom designed marketing plan for each of its clients, recommending value-add projects needed prior to bringing the property to market and formulating a property-specific plan to maximize the property's market exposure.

“We don’t rush properties to market before they’re ready,” David said. “Sometimes we invest several years in a property or a client, prior to launching the formal marketing phase.”

Conservation easements are another area where his expertise has proven to be invaluable to clients. As conservation easements have become popular tools for preserving open space, more properties than ever before are coming onto the market under a perpetual encumbrance.

“Conservation easements are complex and are forever tied to the land, so buyers need to fully understand everything that goes along with them,” said David, who has completed numerous conservation easement appraisals for the Nature Conservancy and other land trusts.

The A5 Legacy

Landowners, almost always mention the deep and emotional connection they have to their land and the legacy it often represents.

“In the land business, legacies are very important,” David said. “A large percentage of our properties have been in the same family’s ownership for generations. In fact, one ranch we sold recently spanned five generations and dated back over 150 years to the U.S. Homestead Act.”

He continued, "We try to honor and respect those important landowner legacies, by providing our clients with the most comprehensive and professional services possible. Since you only have one shot when selling a legacy property, we owe it to our clients to get it right.”

The Anderson family is building a “legacy” the old-fashioned way, through hard work, honesty, integrity, professionalism, and most importantly, relationships.

“It is rewarding to see that we are forging the beginnings of our own family legacy here at A5,” said David. "I am excited to see what the future holds for our small but successful family business."

At A5, the end of the transaction is often just the beginning of what the company wants to be a long-term working relationship with its clients. For those who have purchased land through A5, the team, as a follow-up to the

closing, offers to create a professional land and water management plan to improve the land’s value and increase its productivity.

Whether the client’s focus is on livestock, farming, conservation, or recreation, A5 has the expertise to help. The team's consulting services aren't a separate business stream, but a value-add offered to all of its clients.

“We don’t cash our commission check and disappear, instead we offer longterm solutions to help our clients realize their dreams of owning and improving their land," David said. “We focus heavily on relationships and people, because we strive to be more than just an agent during a short transaction window, we really want to be a landowner’s partner to help them realize their property’s full value—and their dreams.”

This philosophy must be working, as according to David more than 75 percent of A5’s business is repeat customers or referrals.

“At the end of the day, we always put our clients’ best interest first—whatever that means and whatever that takes,” David said. °

MONTANA WYOMING IDAHO UTAH

FEATURED LISTINGS

A5 Real Estate is licensed in Utah, Idaho, Wyoming and Montana

HILLTOP RANCH

$4,250,000 | 1,696 Acres Fairview, Sanpete County, Utah

Hilltop Ranch is a large ranch with tremendous recreation and/or development potential. It has water rights and direct frontage on Highway 89 just north of Fairview.

STEEL CANYON RANCH

$7,950,000 | 4,337 Acres | Cache County, Utah Franklin & Oneida Counties Idaho

A premium mountain ranch with many miles of US Forest border, numerous creeks, water rights, solid livestock grazing, and premium deer and elk hunting, in two states.

MILBURN RANCH

$3,500,000 | 1,733 Acres Fairview, Sanpete County, Utah

Perfect "end-of-the-road" ranch at the head of a small valley north of Fairview, offering National Forest border, live stream, irrigation rights, livestock, premium hunting, and true privacy.

SKYLINE RANCH

$11,500,000 | 3,022 Acres Skyline Drive, Sanpete County, Utah

This Ranch is an alpine ranch near Skyline Drive in the MantiLaSal National Forest. Skyline Ranch has a trout stream, excellent hunting, and huge alpine vistas.

CASTLE VALLEY RANCHES

$19,000,000 | 9,955 Acres Emery & Sevier Counties, Utah

A massive package of ranches including a 625 head year-round cattle operation, a farming and livestock feeding operation, and a premium recreational enterprise. Sold "turnkey."

STORY BY CLARK COMPANY

The record-breaking temperatures and drought conditions that gripped many parts of America over this past summer brought the topic of water availability, food production and their important role in the nation’s economy—and its future—into sharp focus.

dominanta force in

Molly Zaver led the expansion efforts for Peoples Company and continues to build the company across the nation.

agricultural land

STORY BY CARY ESTES

For more than 40 years, Peoples Company quietly served local clients close to its Midwestern roots in Iowa. As the 50th anniversary rolls around this year, Peoples Company has established itself as a leading provider of integrated farmland solutions. Peoples Company is known as one of the few firms with core competencies in land brokerage, appraisal, asset management and acquisition, providing clients with a one-stop solution for agricultural transactions across the United States.

So what transpired in the past 10 years to transform this small Midwestern firm into a dominant player in the agricultural land space? Today, Peoples Company, with licenses in 30 states and 10 offices stretching from the Pacific Northwest to the Deep South, has the capacity to serve all the major agricultural markets as a full-service national farmland transaction company.

Peoples Company President Steve Bruere explains the growth strategy was intentional and meticulously planned. According to Bruere much of the company’s growth and success can be attributed to Vice President Molly Zaver, who he handpicked and hired in 2017 to “run the business.”

“Molly, who brought extensive experience in business administration and management to Peoples Company, has been instrumental in creating and implementing our strategic plan, recruiting top talent, directing company acquisitions, and providing leadership to the team,” Bruere says. “As the demands of day-to-day business pile up, many people lose sight of big picture goals, but she’s always committed to accomplishing the initiatives necessary to achieve our company objectives.”

When Zaver arrived at Peoples Company, she was met with a vision for national expansion and plenty of work to get there. Zaver brought the focus and intensity to shift the expansion plans into high gear and began establishing Peoples Company’s presence and network outside of Iowa.

The critical first step to success in the expansion strategy was establishing a physical presence in key geographic regions. Peoples Company analyzed the regions using various metrics and identified priority areas for expansion, evaluating: 1) the inherent value in the farmland assets, 2) farmland transaction volume with a primary focus on institutional and professional investors, and 3) opportunities for value added management to improve returns, i.e. organic transition.

“We have an amazing organization that is executing on large, complicated land transactions throughout the U.S. A great deal of effort went into selecting the agricultural regions we serve and the people who represent us. We weren’t growing just to grow,” Bruere says.

Under the direction of Zaver, Peoples Company quickly established offices in Washington, California, Michigan, Nebraska, Arkansas,

and Tennessee through acquisitions and partnerships. Zaver served as the point person identifying firms that aligned with company culture and land professionals who held similar company values within major agricultural regions.

“This was not a simple process. When managing the development of partnerships and acquisitions, there were numerous moving parts that had to be balanced and synchronized,” says Dave Muth, managing director of assets for Peoples Company’s Capital Markets group. “But Molly is very skilled in that arena. Her skillset, resources, capability, and tenacity were essential to complete the expansion plan.”

Kyle Walker, Peoples Company director of land management, agrees. “A leader in this role must be able to both identify company and employee needs as well as create a viable business structure to achieve goals,” Walker says. “Her strengths, values, and intensity elevate Peoples Company and our employees to new heights.”

As the company grew geographically, Zaver saw the need to build a more robust business structure to support the company’s expansion. She began selecting individuals to lead key departments such as human resources, accounting and marketing and key divisions including brokerage, appraisal, management, and capital markets. In a historically male-dominated industry, Zaver concentrated on selecting the best qualified people in the business for the executive leadership team. Today, women make up 60 percent of the executive leadership team at Peoples Company.

Erin Larsen, who Zaver hired as the company’s director of marketing, said “Molly is a remarkable leader and a true inspiration demonstrating what women can accomplish in the ag industry.”

In recent years, Peoples Company has been recognized by leading industry trade groups with numerous awards for its brokerage, land management, and marketing services, including being named as one of America’s Best Brokerages and Top Auction Houses for the past 11 years.

Peoples Company is now embarking on a new three-year strategic plan themed, “Rooted in Tradition. Growing for the Future.” According to Zaver, the goal is for Peoples Company to continue focusing on its core business strengths, while leveraging new technology to enhance its business model, and maintaining the collaborative culture that has led to so much recent success.

“One of the things we are most proud of is the culture and team we have developed and maintained throughout our growth,” Zaver says. “The

collaborative environment we have established in each office and with all team members around the country is truly unique. We foster the team’s growth and development and put a lot of energy into creating opportunities for relationships and synergy to be formed throughout the company.”

As Peoples Company continues expanding across the nation and recruiting top talent, it remains committed to creating opportunities for landowners by being resourceful and influential in the global land business while delivering innovative solutions to clients with a team of cohesive land professionals focused on building lasting relationships. °

About Molly Zaver Vice President of Peoples Company

A native of Ankeny, Iowa just north of Des Moines, Zaver received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Marketing from the University of Iowa. Zaver began forging her career in the corporate world.

After giving birth to a son and twin daughters in less than two years, Zaver shifted to non-profit management, which enabled her to work from home. In 2011, Zaver underwent treatment for breast cancer. Her experience prompted her to found Can Do Cancer, a nonprofit that provides free support services for women with breast cancer who are undergoing chemotherapy.

Zaver’s efforts on behalf of numerous organizations in the Des Moines area caught Breure’s attention. When he served as president of the Iowa Chapter of the REALTORS® Land Institute in 2012, he employed Zaver as the chapter’s executive director.

Over the next few years, Zaver continually impressed Breure, who began thinking about how to bring her into Peoples Company. In 2016, he created a new role to divide the workload of operating the company. The job, which was specifically designed for Zaver, focused on handling on-going business functions, allowing Bruere to concentrate on executing land deals and growing the company. In January 2017, Zaver joined Peoples Company as vice president.

Vigilance Required

Purchasing a ranch encumbered by a conservation easement requires an extra level of vigilance.

conservation easement goes with the land’s title in perpetuity,” said Nita Vail, a broker associate with California-Nevada Outdoor Properties, who is a former rancher and former CEO of the California Rangeland Trust. “Each easement is tailored to that individual property, and they can range from relatively simple to incredibly complex.”

She continued, “The restrictions also fall on a continuum. While some conservation easements provide a good degree of flexibility, others can be very limiting.”

Amy Friend, an agent with California-Nevada Outdoor Properties from a sixth-generation cattle ranching family, added, “Buying a ranch with a conservation easement is not like buying a home with an outdated kitchen, you can’t just remodel a conservation easement. It’s vital that buyers understand what they’re giving up and make their decisions accordingly.”

STORY BY CALIFORNIA OUTDOOR PROPERTIES

“A

Conservation Easements

A conservation easement is an agreement between a landowner and a qualified land trust, conservation group, or government agency regarding the future uses of private property. Under a conservation easement, landowners either donate or sell most of their development rights. While conservation easements come in various forms including donated, funded, bargain sale, and mitigation, the agreements are used to protect the land’s natural, cultural, and productive features.

Over time, conservation easements have become increasingly popular. Why? As pressure to sub-divide ranches and farms has increased, the traditional landowner community has accepted the tool as a way to keep property intact.

Conservation easements can also be used as an estate planning tool. Funded conservation easements can provide an infusion of cash for landowning families in situations where some heirs want to continue ranching and others want to “cash out.” In some cases, the current owner, wanting to protect the land, transacts a conservation easement to prevent future heirs from dividing or developing it.

In addition, Congress revised tax laws to provide a significant tax benefit for landowners who donate conservation easements. This is particularly useful for agricultural producers as well as individuals who enjoy ranch ownership but derive their income from other sources. Buyers should note that these tax incentives come to the owners who originally transact the conservation easement, but not to succeeding owners.

Considerations

“Purchasing a property with a conservation easement requires more foresight and planning than purchasing a property without one,” Friend said. “It’s really important to complete due diligence and ascertain if everything in the conservation easement is compatible with your long-term plans for the property.”

The first step is getting a copy of the conservation easement from either the seller or the easement holder.

“Although the conservation easement transfers with the title, it’s not included in a preliminary title report,” Vail said. “The buyers’ team usually has to request it.”

Next, it’s vital to determine what organization holds the easement and become intimately familiar with its mission, its goals, its conservation philosophy and its leadership and Board of Directors. Easement holders can be a

government entity or a qualified conservation organization such as the Nature Conservancy or the California Rangeland Trust. Land trusts can also be local or regional organizations, or local governments. (Landowners can check LandTrustAlliance.org to determine if a land trust is accredited.) By law, the easement holder is responsible for ensuring the conservation easement’s provisions are upheld.

“At a minimum, it means someone from the group will be on your ranch at least once a year to monitor its conditions,” said Vail, noting the evaluators compare the ranch’s current conditions to a baseline established at the time the conservation easement was enacted. “Because of the easement, you and the holder are connected for as long as you or your heirs own the land, so it’s important that you’re able to work together.”

The relationship and restrictions in a conservation easement are so crucial that Todd Renfrew, broker/owner of California-Nevada Outdoor Properties, invites potential buyers for properties under conservation easements to meet with representatives of the holding organizations during the due diligence period, she said.

Some land trusts focus on scenery, wetlands, or watersheds, while others concentrate on wildlife or endangered species habit, archaeological sites, or productive, open spaces. They each have different views about their role and relationship with landowners. While some see themselves as silent partners who want to provide landowners maximum flexibility to manage their property and achieve the conservation objectives, others are much more hands-on and controlling.

“Get a feel for the agency or land trust that holds the easement because they all have different priorities,” Friend said. “If you believe in the organization’s mission and want to meet its expectations because its goals align with your personal beliefs and goals, it’s much easier than navigating a relationship with a group that you philosophically oppose.”

And it’s in a landowner’s best interest to determine if the holder has “staying power.” While government agencies generally don’t disappear, small local or regional non-profit organizations with limited financial resources might.

“If the organization holding your easement is dissolved, what would that mean for you and your land?” Friend said. “It’s better to move forward with a group that is well-established and sustainable.”

Once the easement holder is vetted, it’s time to explore the provisions of the conservation

easement. Vail and Friend agreed it’s beneficial to have an attorney with experience in this realm review the agreement.

“It’s better to invest in expertise on the front end than contend with surprises on the back end,” Vail said.

Some Examples of Questions to Ask

• What uses are allowed and prohibited?

• Can the easement be amended and what would that entail?

• How often is the property monitored?

• What is measured in that evaluation?

• What is the process for redressing an infraction if one were to occur?

• Does the easement cover the entire property as a unit or are there individual parcels that can be treated differently?

• Does the agreement allow for additional infrastructure (homes, barns, corrals, roads, etc.) or energy production?

• Does the easement affect water rights?

• Is there a mandated grazing plan? Is it flexible enough to address changes due to weather conditions?

• Is hunting and fishing allowed? Can hunting and fishing rights be leased? Can new species be introduced?

• Is the easement flexible enough to allow future generations to develop additional income streams?

In addition to an attorney, Friend also suggested sharing the conservation easement with the appraiser, who should also have experience with these agreements. The appraiser should review the restrictions, so they can be accounted for in the property’s valuation.

“A conservation easement’s impact on value— both current and future—depends on where you are. . .what part of the state. . .what part of the nation. . .as well as how restrictive the easement is,” said Vail, noting that prohibiting development generally diminishes the overall value by approximately 30 percent—40 percent.

When it comes to conservation easements, not all value is measurable. In Friend’s experience, people like her family who love the land and have stewarded it for generations, get great “life satisfaction” from keeping the land a naturally productive home for livestock and wildlife.

“By conserving the land they’ve cared about and cared for with an easement, they’re keeping their legacy of stewardship intact forever—and the purchasers get to carry that legacy forward as part of their own,” Vail said. °

At Jon Kohler & Associates, we have 30 years of experience working beside some of the Southeast’s most steadfast land stewards. Men and women who own land not necessarily for financial gain, but for spiritual reward. These landowners have a goal beyond presentday enjoyment and more toward historical reverence and conservation for the future. Keeping land natural and healthy is a lot of work! Unsurprisingly, it takes a team to do all this. In steps the Land Manager—the individual with the energy and know-how to implement the landowner’s goals and turn these worthy pursuits into reality.

STORY BY JON KOHLER

From day one of Jon Kohler & Associates, we’ve revered the land manager. To us, he likens with advisors from the Old Testament such as Daniel or Joseph in their role to the Pharaoh. The land manager may not be the king but on these properties he’s the closest thing to it. His power lies in the fact that the landowner knows he will not prosper without his solid work ethic or heeding their good advice. It takes a rare skill set of knowledge, ambition and resources to manage the constraints they are under. Put it all together—and they do it all even in the high heat of July through September.

“I have to admit, I have a bit of envy for how land managers spend their day – until the dog days of summer.” —Jon Kohler

While historically a physically laborious profession, today’s land managers must bring a certain savvy to the job. They must understand today’s science of land management. There are national and local resources, such as Quail Forever and Tall Timbers, that share knowledge and support to help with just that. However, with upheaval and supply chain issues the norm these days, land managers are running major operations, with high monetary value, on limited resources given that prices on necessities such as fertilizer and fuel continue to rise. Shortages of things as simple as feed are commonplace.

“Wild quail and good aesthetics are number one, products of fire and number two, products of diesel.” —Jon Kohler

Even with these challenges, if there is anyone on this Earth more passionate about a tract of land than the landowner himself, it is the land manager. Most likely, this individual has had his hand in land management since, well, someone they respected in their youth first introduced them to it. For most, it started with a childhood reverence. Seldom does one just decide, to go into this complex field without being grounded in the land.

“I believe God called me to land stewardship,” Walter Hatchett, Jon Kohler & Associates. “Even as an unsteady toddler, I always wandered off to the woods—much to my mother’s horror. I just couldn’t keep my eyes off it. I had a desire to know everything growing and living out in those woods. A feeling that still sticks with me today.”

It takes that sort of passion along with a healthy dose of grit and a huge portion of work ethic to manage a tract of land along with the owner’s goals and their guests’ expectations—all with Mother Nature’s input. The land, the weather, and the wild game are not completely in our control. We can plant a tract of pine today, only to have a pop-up windstorm knock half of it down tomorrow. Maybe it’s that challenge—a bit of

taming the wild—that gets the property manager out of bed before sunrise each day.

“The greatest reward from all those years managing property is going back, 30 plus years later, and seeing the results: Superior deer because of the management program I put in place years and years before. Or, a stand of trees I planted as seedings that are now imposing sentinels of the property.” —Walter Hatchett

There is something Biblical about caring for the land, and something equally redeeming about taking land that has been damaged and restoring it. It is in Genesis, the first book of the Bible, where God outlines man’s dominion over Earth:

“God said, let us make man in our image. . .and let them have dominion. . .over all of Earth. . .” Genesis 1:26

The work done by land managers is directed by God. God created Earth. He gave man dominion over it. The land managers today are following his directive while also creating beauty and sustenance that will last well into the future.

So, here’s to the land managers—those unsung heroes of land stewardship that are daily working the land, with a little bit of grit, and help and direction from God above. °

“Even as an unsteady toddler, I always wandered off to the woods— much to my mother’s horror. I just couldn’t keep my eyes off it. I had a desire to know everything growing and living out in those woods. A feeling that still sticks with me today.”

WALTER HATCHETT, JON KOHLER & ASSOCIATES.

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OriginMaine.com

THE APPLE ORCHARD SWEATER

Enjoy the most all-American fall festive, leaf falling, fire-crackling, acorn-popping, apple-picking, pumpkin-spicing, turkeyroasting, eggnog-nogging, coziest-cabin, road-trip tripping sweater of all. KielJamesPatrick.com

HERSHEY’S CHOCOLATE PORTER

Seasonal specials. The iconic Pennsylvania brands have brought together Yuengling’s nearly 200 yearold Dark Brewed Porter with the original taste of Hershey’s Chocolate to create a deliciously smooth porter with hints of roasted malts and rich chocolate finish.

Yuengling.com

NO.11 DEEPSKILLET WITH GLASS LID

This Smithey's deep skillet with custom-fit glass lid is a piece of cookware that will get passed down over generations. The polished, curved interior walls are perfect for browning and stirring ground meat and vegetables. The extra depth helps minimize oil splashes.

Smithey.com

FEROCIOUS BEAST SOAP

Take a walk on the wild side with this untamed scent. The mix of cedarwood, campfire beers, and a hint of musk with a breath of earthy freshness may awaken a thirst for adventure, an appetite for the unknown, and a longing for the great outdoors. This soap uses plant-based ingredients that go easy on the skin.

BuffCitySoap.com

Featured products that are sourced from the land.

Featured products to enhance your life on the land. for the land

PROXIMITY HOODED INSULATED JACKET

Silencing your every move, Proximity is complete concealment in every sense. Engineered as an ultra-quiet system for cold weather hunts, this insulated hooded hunting jacket is purpose built for close encounters.

Kuiu.com

NORTH STAR ONA

The ideal traveling utility knife. The fiveinch long and two-inch wide blade is made from S35VN stainless steel, and the handle is made out of titanium to keep the weight down and protect the blade. This folding chef's knife designed for the traveling cook.

MiddletonMadeKnives.com

A3 TRADITION—USA AUTO 36MM

These automatic watches, assembled in the USA, are durable and waterproof. The mechanically powered A3 is perfectly suited to long ocean adventures, boating trips, and extended stays on deserted tropical islands if the need arises. With no batteries, the Vaer A3 will keep time for decades with proper care. All A3 watches come with a waterproof silicone strap and your choice of a custom second strap.

VaerWatches.com

KOBALT REALTREE ® EDGE ™ BONE COLLECTOR

Get ready for the hunting season! Loaded with Hoyt technology and built for young archers, the new Kobalt adjusts from 18 inches draw length all the way to 28 inches with increases in poundage from seven pounds to 45 pounds. Kobalt is built for the long haul and available with a custom FUSE® Hoyt.com

Bently Ranch 12,393.23± Acres in Douglas County, California Property ID: 14291534 | $100,000,000

Bently Ranch is on the market for the first time ever selling all of its agricultural holdings. Situated on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountain range in Minden, Nevada, the property is located just 25 minutes from the popular Lake Tahoe area and just minutes from downtown Minden and Gardnerville. Over the last several years, the current owners have focused on sustainable farming, aiming to grow a variety of crops that are used in their distilling industry. What makes this possible are the senior water rights and the reservoirs used for irrigation. Water is abundant here on the Bently Ranch. There are about 6,046-acres irrigated with 34 pivots. Water on the property includes 3,746-acre Mud Lake and 1,784-acre East Valley Reservoir. Senior water rights are from the West and East fork of the Carson River. Currently being grown on the property are grains of wheat, rye, barley, hops, and oats as well as premium alfalfa. Improvements include 10 homes, 4 bunkhouses, 7 shops, 5 horse barns, 12 hay barns, 12 storage barns, a feedlot, and a compost facility.

Listing agents: Todd Renfrew 707-455-4444

Bettencourt Family Property 750± Acres in Merced County, California Property ID: 8272102 | $20,000,000

Diversified income-producing property encompassing 750± acres on the Merced River. Opportunities for farming with, arguably, one of the best water rights in Northern California backed up by two deep wells. Income-producing partnership with a farming-friendly aggregate company, controlling a hot mix (asphalt) plant, and a large percentage of the last virgin aggregate deposits in the area. Gorgeous recreational and fishing opportunities on more than a mile of the river and adjacent ponds. The property is located near enough to be convenient for major marketing yet far enough to be isolated from “civilization.”

Listing Agents: Todd Renfrew 707-455-4444

SANTA ROSA MEADOWS RANCH

The beautiful Santa Rosa Meadows Ranch rests in the shadow of the mountains and boasts magnificent views. Positioned outside of historic Paradise Valley, Nevada, Santa Rosa Meadows Ranch, comprising 948± acres, is a true oasis. Benefiting from more than six wells, Santa Rosa Meadows Ranch enjoys generous water rights and is presently utilized as a cattle ranch, supporting 300-500 head of cattle. Furthermore, there are 521± acres irrigated (flood and pivot) planted to pasture grass. Property ID: 1322394 8 948± acres Paradise Valley, Nevada Humboldt County

MIDDLECAMP RANCH

The ravishing Middlecamp Ranch comprises 110± acres (two point six± acres hobby orchards, 100± acres grazing) enveloped by the enchanting Edna Valley offering various locations for future home sites with scenic views. Water is supplied via two wells, springs, and reservoir. Property ID 14281968 110± acres San Luis Obispo, California San Luis Obispo County

Vagabond Ranch

108± Deeded Acres in Grand County, Colorado

In the shadow of Colorado’s Never Summer Mountain Range and near the western edge of Rocky Mountain National Park lies the Vagabond Ranch, a private inholding deep in the Arapaho National Forest. The 108-acre property is situated in a private valley at the confluence of Bill and Willow Creeks. It is flanked by dense timber on the surrounding National Forest lands, making the property feel infinitely larger. Contact Daniel Carter.

$3,700,000

Property ID: 15212510

Redstone Reserve at Horsetooth in

Redstone Reserve at Horsetooth can be your private “backyard” within fifteen minutes of northern Front Range communities. Largely surrounded by perpetually-protected Larimer County open space the ranch is sheltered behind a dramatically-crowned mesa that separates the property from development in the nearby metro area, providing the ranch with a remote feel but with immediate proximity to Horsetooth Reservoir. Contact Tommy Latousek.

Property

Dallenbach on the Fryingpan

137± Acres in Eagle County, Colorado

Anchored in the heart of the redstone-flanked, Gold Medal trout-fishing waters of the famous Fryingpan River, this legacy ranch has been carefully stewarded by the Dallenbach family for a generation. With approximately a half-mile stretch of rare, totally private river, this ranch is located only two miles away from quaint downtown Basalt, and world-class Aspen/Snowmass is just a thirty-minute drive. Historic cabins date back to the days of the Basalt-Leadville railroad; sites for a new, custom residence sit up above with awesome views of the valley. Contact Tommy Latousek

$15,950,000

Property ID: 10505053

Pass Creek Ranch

1,292± Acres in Summit County, Colorado

This is one of the most coveted river valleys in Colorado with world-class fly fishing and spectacular panoramic views of the Gore Range, all within 20 miles of skiing and 80 miles of Denver. Bordering the White River National Forest for three miles, the Pass Creek Ranch offers exclusive Blue River frontage, lush irrigated fields and exquisite improvements. Contact Ken Mirr or Woody Beardsley

$29,000,000

Property ID: 11749601

Full Throttle Ranch

222± Deeded Acres in Garfield County, Colorado

Full Throttle Ranch offers live water, extraordinary improvements, irrigated meadows, equestrian/cattle infrastructure, and stunning views 15 minutes from Carbondale and only 45 minutes from Aspen. Cattle Creek traverses the entirety of the property and offers excellent small stream fishing. Elk and deer thrive here and never have to leave, given the ample cover and feed between the oak brush, aspens, and irrigated meadows. Contact Jeff Hubbard or Pat Lancaster.

$10,900,000

Property ID: 11370120

Hat Springs Ranch

4,400± Acres in Cassia County, Idaho

& Box Elder County, Utah

Located in both northern Utah and southern Idaho, Hat Springs Ranch, a working cattle and equestrian ranch, is a pleasant drive from Salt Lake City. The ranch compound is neatly arranged on both sides of a well-maintained road in Malta, Idaho, with the Raft River Range providing a dramatic backdrop. Feedlots provide capacity for 800 head of cattle with summer grazing on higher grounds. Irrigation and stock watering are done with water flowing from three springs located at the foothills of the Raft River Mountains. Contact Chris Corroon

$4,500,000

Property ID: 11370119

Belmont Ranch

1,463± Deeded Acres in Dawes County, Nebraska

The Belmont Ranch, located in a recreational mecca of Nebraska, is a haven for wildlife with big elk and breathtaking views. This property is picturesque and scenic in every direction. The big game habitat is prime, with a number of deer, elk, and turkeys located on the property. The timber is thick and healthy, and three deep ravines with intermittent streams traverse the length of the property from west to east, draining into the cultivated cropland below and providing not only excellent travel corridors for game but critical bedding habitat and scenery for the property. Contact Jared Souza.

$2,175,000

Property ID: 15212508

Valley Springs Ranch

250± Acres in Delta County, Colorado

This compelling sporting retreat along the banks of the Gunnison River offers 250 acres of prime hunting and fishing habitat with 0.9 miles of Gunnison River frontage, approximately 1.5 miles of Tongue Creek frontage, several springs and water rights. Conveniently located near the base of the Grand Mesa, the ranch enjoys year-round county-maintained paved access and scenic views of the West Elk and San Juan mountain ranges. Contact Mike McGarry.

$1,800,000

Property ID: 9838875

LOWER BRIDGE / DRY CREEK FARM

$7,975,000 #220116998 ACRES

terrebonne, oregon 731 acres with 547 acres of well water rights in the desirable Lower Bridge Valley. This farm has eight pivots and is planted in alfalfa and grass hay. The property operates as a purebred livestock operation with quality infrastructure. Includes office,  vet room, covered working facility, pipe corrals, loading chute, concrete feed bunks, shops, show barn, hay barns and calving barns. DryCreekRanchOR.com

pam mayo phillips & brook havens

Pending

BADGER CREEK RANCH

$7,925,000 #220110775

mitchell, oregon This recreational and cattle ranch encompasses meadows with creeks and stocked ponds, timber forest, varied topography and range land bordering the Ochoco National Forest. The ranch includes 913± acres of water rights from Badger Creek, Thorn Hollow Creek, Indian Creek and Mountain Creek, a log cabin, bunkhouse, shop, equipment shed and corrals. BadgerCreekRanch-MitchellOregon.com

pam mayo phillips & brook havens

CENTRAL OREGON RANCH

$2,875,000 94 ACRES

powell butte, oregon 94 Acres 79 Acres Central Oregon Irrigation Water Rights | Cascade Mountain views custom country home is a 3,187-square-foot single level, open floorplan, three beds, two-anda-half baths. 2,880-square-foot shop with a studio, hay/equipment barn, and hay barn with feed bunk— fields planted in grass hay crop with new GPS pivots. 12512Cornett-PowellButteOR.com

pam mayo phillips & brook havens

OCHOCO CREEK LAND

$1,900,000 ACRES

prineville, oregon 640 acres | 165 acres water rights Recreational Retreat Ochoco Creek runs through buildable acreage bordering the Ochoco National Forest. Beautiful setting with views of the creek, mountains and valley. Varied topography, forest, and meadows with 165 acres of seasonal water rights from Coyle Creek. Property qualifies for LOP Hunting tags and is fenced for livestock. One of a kind opportunity in Central Oregon.

pam mayo phillips & brook havens

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Flathead Lake Orchard Oasis

22+ ACRES IN ROLLINS, MONTANA

22246 US HIGHWAY 93

$7,500,000

ZB Cherry Orchard

9+ ACRES IN POLSON, MONTANA

NHN BEAR HOLLOW

$1,100,000

Exceptionally scenic property (ten parcels) with layered views of bays, islands, the open lake and the high Mission Mountains. 171 feet of calm water Flathead Lake frontage includes a dock protected from large waves and an exquisite beach swimming spot. This profitable orchard enjoys three water rights for irrigation from Flathead Lake. There’s also an existing home and multiple building sites with fantastic views for your own masterpiece from which to enjoy the lake and relax in your private Eden.

The Lake House

30+ ACRES IN BIGFORK, MONTANA 280 HOLT DRIVE $3,669,000

Build your dream estate on this exceptional site nestled above Blue Bay in the heart of Montana’s cherry orchards! At sunrise, enjoy breathtaking views of Mission Mountains to the east. At sunset, gaze over your cherry trees to open vistas of majestic Flathead Lake. Explore Blue Bay Campground and Yellow Bay State Park and the astonishingly clear water of Flathead Lake, and trails into thousands of acres of state and tribal lands.

One of the largest waterfront properties in the best of Bigfork locations between town and the Eagle Bend Golf Club, with 653± feet of water frontage at the south end of this 30+ acres. The fresh and newly remodeled home (four bedrooms, two bathrooms—2,464 square feet) has high ceilings, and Flathead Lake views are enjoyed from all living areas. The southern exposure provides abundant sunlight. There is a barn, bunkroom, shed, ponds, and it is fenced for horses.

Foys Lake Estates

24+ ACRES IN KALISPELL, MONTANA

140–150 GRANITE HILL ROAD

$4,595,000

Presenting a fabulous entertaining masterpiece! This custom built and award-winning modern home is simply stunning in every architectural feature. It is perched at the top of 24+ acres (two lots) with 4,601 square feet, six bedrooms, four bathrooms, private HOA, Foys Lake dock access that is shared with just a handful of neighbors, and 360-degree views that stretch across the lake and up to Glacier National Park and beyond. Just minutes from town at the end of a private road.

7+ ACRES IN BIGFORK, MONTANA 21792 MT HWY 35

$850,000

This fantastic property features an incredibly cute farmhouse that has been completely remodeled (two bedrooms, one bathroom—1,208 square feet) and an irrigated orchard with a variety of cherries, apples, peaches, pears, and grapes. The acreage extends back to the Forest Service above, where there are thousands of acres to explore. There are spectacular Flathead Lake views from many locations on the property. Located between Woods Bay and Yellow Bay.

Mountain Bird Ranch

Mountain Bird Ranch stretches approximately 610-acres, with an end-of-the-road location in the awe-inspiring Blanco Basin high country just 35 minutes southeast of downtown Pagosa Springs. It was custom-built for the famous singer Dan Fogelberg, who fell in love with the sweeping vistas of this serene location. The ranch consists of towering aspen groves and pine forests, scattered stands of gambol oak, lush open meadows and pastures, beautiful lakes and ponds stocked with trout and bass, and seasonal streams to support horses or cattle and a myriad of wildlife species. This exceptional property delivers the best, with a newly remodeled four-bedroom main house with five baths and a six-bedroom guest house with five baths, both taking advantage of the incredible views of the Continental Divide. Other features include a heated, year-round horse barn and riding arena with 12 stalls and a foaling stall. The National Forest borders the ranch on three sides, offering a private gateway to one of the most beautiful mountain areas in all of southwestern Colorado. 970.391.2600

Bar Lazy 7 Ranch

594.38± Deeded Acres

Colfax County, New Mexico $3,800,000 | Property ID 13761189

A quality elk habitat areas located on the Enchanted Circle of Northern New Mexico.

View All Properties: Land.com/member/1891

Nice headquarters with three wells

Capulin-Sierra Grande View

520± Deeded Acres

Union County, New Mexico $898,000 | Property ID 15116137

A beautiful property in the shadow of the extinct Capulin Volcano National Monument.

Eagle Nest Lake View

78.42± Acres

Colfax County, New Mexico $825,000 | Property ID 15248022

Privacy and views, with a three bedroom, two bathroom cabin in the mountains.

TIMOTHY JOHN O’NEILL, Broker • (575) 376-2341 • LAND@SWRANCHES.COM

WWW.

CAMBRAY RANCH

23-section cattle ranch west of Las Cruces, New Mexico. $2,225,000

• 14,973± total acres, 2,994± acres of deeded land, 7,284± acres of state land, 3,934± acres BLM, 761± acres of wild land.

• Eight total wells, 114 AYL.

• Headquarters has a custom-built 3,089 square-foot home built in 2008, with three beds and two-and-a-half baths.

• Three sets of corrals, five pastures and good fences.

CEDAR GROVE RANCH

37-section cattle ranch, Deming, New Mexico. $2,900,000

• 23,714± total acres, 1,280± acres deeded land, 2,632± acres of state land, 19,802± acres BLM.

• All of the pastures come into the shipping pens. The shipping pens are a complete cattle working facility, 333 AYL.

RAINBOW WASH

NORTH RANCH

17-section cattle ranch located between Lordsburg and Animas, New Mexico, in the Pyramid Mountains. $1,350,000

• 11,383± total acres, 640± deeded land, 3477± of state land, 7,266± acres of BLM.

• Beautiful views of the Animas Valley, 112 AYL. GRI Brownfieldkeith@gmail.com | 575-640-9395

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