OFF THE MARKET: Spring Family Farm | Fay Ranches

SPRING FAMILY FARM

Belgrade, Montana

$4,895,000 | 313± ACRES

INTRODUCTION

Situated beneath the beautiful Bridger Mountains and offered for sale for the first time in four generations, we proudly present Spring Family Farm. Located just 20 minutes outside the vibrant university town of Bozeman, this 313± acre property combines beautiful views of five surrounding mountain ranges, excellent trout fishing on a private creek, abundant wildlife, premium farm ground, and enough elbow room to take it all in.

The property is a short drive from Bozeman’s bustling downtown with great restaurants and shopping. In addition, two world-class ski areas are within less than an hour and a half, and Montana’s premier international airport is 10 minutes from the farm. Positioned in one of the most productive agricultural areas of the Gallatin Valley, Spring Family Farm is renowned for its quality soil and abundance of water. The majority of the farm is sub-irrigated, lending well to robust crops and grasses and ample habitat for the resident wildlife.

Thoughtfully placed under conservation easement with the Gallatin Valley Land Trust, Spring Family Farm provides a stunning 8-acre building envelope with a sense of place for a dream home of your own while protecting this beloved area from future development. Easily continue the strong agricultural legacy of this farm as is, or employ aquatic and habitat enhancements to take the property to the next level as a sporting property of the highest quality.

Spring Family Farm is the epitome of a classic recreational farmstead located in one of Montana’s premier settings and “checks all the boxes” with inspiring views, substantial resources, and abundant recreational opportunities.

QUICK FACTS

• 313± acres

• Approximately 0.5 miles on both sides of Ross Creek

• Productive sub-irrigated soils

• 20 minutes from Bozeman

• 10 minutes from the commercial airport in Belgrade

• 1 hour to Big Sky Ski and Summer resort

• 0.5 hours to Bridger Bowl ski area

• Nine world-class trout rivers located within 3 minutes to 1.5 hours radius of the property

• Excellent pheasant, duck, and whitetail deer hunting on and around the property

• Great elk hunting on nearby National Forest Land

• Extremely rare to find a smaller piece of property that offers a stunning homesite, productive agriculture, trout fishing, and abundant wildlife this close to a commercial airport and a wonderful university town

LOCATION

Bozeman (estimated population 48,330 (2020)) has gained national notoriety for its scenic location, limitless outdoor activities, and historic downtown area. The cafes and restaurants have become a meeting place for active folks who love the fishing, hunting, skiing, mountain biking, and hiking available in the surrounding area. Bozeman also serves as a retail center for southwest Montana, with a combination of specialty shops, well-known chains, and a complete assortment of big-box merchandisers. The Montana Handbook describes Bozeman as “a lovely setting that makes the most of its physical attributes, with hiking, fishing, and skiing practically out the back door. However, what makes Bozeman such a great place is the town itself. More than any other Montana city, Bozeman has maintained its handsome old downtown as a business center, which makes the city seem centralized and community focused.”

Montana State University (enrollment of approximately 16,703 students) is in Bozeman. As is customarily found in college towns, the University brings a diversity of culture and entertainment to the community. Local residents gather to support their MSU Bobcats, particularly when they face their archrival, the University of Montana Grizzlies.

Gallatin Field Airport is the transportation hub for southwest Montana. Located about 6 miles west of Bozeman and approximately 10 minutes from the ranch, Gallatin Field has a 9,000-foot runway and is serviced by numerous daily flights from multiple airlines. The airport also caters to corporate and private aircraft and provides hangar rentals. (www.airnav.com)

Just 25 minutes from the property, Bridger Bowl Ski Resort is a tremendous asset to the Bozeman community. Considered “Bozeman’s own resort”, Bridger Bowl offers an intimate atmosphere where tickets are affordable, lift lines are short, people are friendly, and the skiing is fantastic. A total of eight lifts service 1,500 skiable acres with a 2,600-foot vertical drop. Learn more about skiing Bridger Bowl at www.bridgerbowl.com.

GETTING THERE

Located just 10 minutes south of Springhill Family Farm, Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport is Montana’s busiest airport and the hub for those traveling to and from southwest Montana. The airport has a 9,000± foot runway and is serviced by numerous daily flights from Delta, United, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Allegiant, Frontier, Jet Blue, Avelo, Southwest, and Sun Country. The airport has many non-stop flights and caters to corporate and private aircraft.

ACREAGE

Spring Family Farm consists of 313± deeded acres that have traditionally been managed for high-quality grain and hay crops. The current owners lease the farming on shares, which a new owner could continue. The opportunity also exists to further enhance the ground’s existing quality habitat by developing food plots, cover, and additional aquatic features.

WATER AMENITIES

Approximately 0.5±miles of the south fork of Ross Creek meanders through the property. Ross Creek has an average flow of approximately 5± CFS with three additional drainage canals that flow into the creek at various points. The brown and rainbow trout populations are healthy, and during the spring and fall months, we see an influx of fish to use the creek for spawning. It is not uncommon to count up to 10-15 redds on the creek during the peak spawning times. The creek is currently in great shape, but with appropriate aquatic management, a world-class creek fishing experience is a likely possibility. The downstream neighbor restored over 0.75 miles of the creek with fantastic results; truly a rare find in the Gallatin Valley.

F ly F ishing

Ross Creek provides fun fishing for rainbow and brown trout. In addition, the East Gallatin River is a stone’s throw (less than 5 minutes away) from the property and by nature offers classic riffle, run, pool fisheries that hold healthy populations of brown and rainbow trout. Some fish reach sizes up to 10 pounds, while the average fish is around 12-14 inches. Too small to be floated by boat, this stretch of the East Gallatin River provides excellent walk/wade fishing throughout the year. There are a variety of hatches and terrestrials that provide for excellent “top water” action. Because of the meandering nature of the East Gallatin and the overhanging grass banks, the hopper fishing in July, August, and September can be tremendous.

Due to the quality habitat and cumulative benefit of the efforts of surrounding landowners, pheasant, duck, and goose hunting is excellent. Waterfowl seem to remember this vicinity as a staging area on their way south, and as a result, the hunting can get quite impressive in October, November, and December. Additionally, the whitetail deer hunting in this part of the valley is outstanding. The current owners have even been lucky enough to harvest trophy bull elk from herds that pass through the farm on rare occasions.

The seemingly endless acres of nearby National Forest land yield outstanding big game hunting for deer, elk, antelope, and moose. As a result of so much open ground, the outdoor recreation in this area is plentiful. The vast mountain ranges, beautiful meadows and streams, and lush valleys offer a multitude of recreational pursuits, including horseback riding, hiking, backpacking, bird watching, mountain biking, cross country skiing, and just relaxing and enjoying the scenery.

CONSERVATION | STEWARDSHIP

Each of us at Fay Ranches has a love of the land and a desire to see it remain as productive agricultural ground as well as quality fish and wildlife habitat. Through promoting the use of thoughtful land stewardship, Fay Ranches has guided owners toward a legacy of conserving wide-open spaces, enhancing and creating fisheries and wildlife habitats, and implementing sustainable agricultural operations. Fay Ranches is proud to say that since our company began in 1992, our clients’ conservation ethic and landuse practices have significantly enhanced the landscape on which we work.

The Spring Family Farm has a thoughtful conservation easement in place, providing a beautiful 8-acre building envelope and restricting further development on the rest of the land. For details, please inquire with Fay Ranches.

A conservation easement fulfills different needs for different landowners. It may be the vehicle by which a farm or ranch is passed on to future generations for one family. For another, it preserves the watershed of a prized trout stream or a wintering ground for elk. There is a story behind every conservation easement, but the underlying reason is the landowner’s desire to preserve a special piece of land forever.

WATER RIGHTS

All appurtenant water rights will transfer. Water rights are available from the offices of Fay Ranches upon request.

A water right is the right to use water, both surface and subsurface. In Montana, water rights are the rights to the use of water and not ownership of the water itself. Water rights may not automatically transfer with land.

All water in Montana is property of the State of Montana for the use of the people of Montana. The actual ownership of water rights in Montana may not be known as many water rights are still the subject of a statewide adjudication process. The transfer of water rights is recorded with the state’s Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, and the transfer of any right may or may not warrant that right until the adjudication process has been completed.

MINERAL RIGHTS

All mineral rights appurtenant to the property and owned by the Seller will convey to the Buyer at closing. Mineral rights are not guaranteed. It is suggested that the Buyer conduct a mineral search with a title company.

SUMMARY

Spring Family Farm is an opportunity to own 313± premium farming acres offering a private creek within minutes of Bozeman and all its wonderful amenities. Spring Family Farm is a highly desirable piece of property in the north end of Gallatin Valley, offering incredible mountain views, private creek fishing, some of the best soils for agriculture in the valley, and multiple wildlife species.

$4,895,000 Cash

Please contact James Esperti at (406) 581-4795 | jesperti@fayranches.com or Matt Henningsen at (406) 570-5072 | mhenningsen@fayranches.com to schedule a showing. This is an exclusive listing. An agent from Fay Ranches must be present at all showings, unless otherwise noted or other arrangements are made. To view other properties, fly fishing properties, and sporting ranches that we have listed, please visit our web page at www.fayranches.com .

PRICE TERMS CONTACT NOTICE

Offer is subject to errors, omissions, prior sale, change or withdrawal without notice, and approval of purchase by owner. Information regarding land classification, carrying capacities, maps, etc., is intended only as a general guideline and has been provided by the owners and other sources deemed reliable, but the accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Prospective purchasers are encouraged to research the information to their own satisfaction.

RELATIONSHIPS IN REAL ESTATE

As required by Montana law, a broker or salesperson shall disclose the existence and nature of relevant agency or other relationships to the parties to a real estate transaction. The various relationships and description of duties are as follows:

1. SELLER AGENT

A “Seller Agent” is obligated to the Seller to:

Act solely in the best interests of the seller; Obey promptly and efficiently all lawful instructions of the seller; Disclose all relevant and material information that concerns the real estate transaction and that is known to the seller agent and not known or discoverable by the seller unless the information is subject to confidentiality arising from a prior or existing agency relationship on the part of the seller agent; Safeguard the seller’s confidences; Exercise reasonable care, skill, and diligence in pursuing the seller’s objectives and in complying with the terms established in the listing agreement; Fully account to the seller for any funds or property of the seller that comes into the seller agent’s possession; and Comply with all applicable federal and state laws, rules, and regulations.

Montana law permits a real estate agent, after providing written disclosure to a seller and obtaining a seller’s written consent, to represent multiple sellers of property and to list properties for sale that may compete with the seller’s property, without breaching any obligation to the seller.

A “Seller Agent” is obligated to the Buyer to:

Disclose to a buyer or the buyer agent any adverse material facts that concern the property and that are known to the seller agent, except that the seller agent is not required to inspect the property or verify any statements made by the seller; Disclose to a buyer or the buyer agent when the seller agent has no personal knowledge of the veracity of information regarding adverse material facts that concern the property; Act in good faith with a buyer and a buyer agent; and Comply with all applicable federal and state laws, rules, and regulations.

2. BUYER AGENT (cont)

A “Buyer Agent” is obligated to the Seller to:

Disclose any adverse material facts that are known to the buyer agent and that concern the ability of the buyer to perform on any purchase offer; Disclose to the seller or the seller agent when the buyer agent has no personal knowledge of the veracity of information regarding adverse material facts that concern the property; Act in good faith with a seller and a seller agent; and Comply with all applicable federal and state laws, rules and regulations.

3. DUAL AGENCY If a seller agent is also representing a buyer, or a buyer agent is also representing a seller with regard to a property, then a dual agency relationship may be established. In a dual agency relationship, the dual agent is equally obligated to both the seller and the buyer. These obligations may prohibit the dual agent from advocating exclusively on behalf of the seller or buyer and may limit the depth and degree of representation that you receive. A broker or a salesperson may not act as a dual agent without the signed, written consent of both the seller and the buyer.

A “Dual Agent” is obligated to a Seller in the same manner as a seller agent and is obligated to a Buyer in the same manner as a buyer agent, except

a dual agent:

Has a duty to disclose to a buyer or seller any adverse material facts that are known to the dual agent regardless of any confidentiality considerations; and May not disclose the following information without the written consent of the person to whom the information is confidential; The fact that the buyer is willing to pay more than the offered purchase price; The fact that the seller is willing to accept less than the purchase price that the seller is asking for the property; Factors motivating either party to buy or sell; and Any information that a party indicates in writing to the dual agent is to be kept confidential.

4. STATUTORY BROKER

A “Statutory Broker” is not the agent of the Buyer or Seller but nevertheless is obligated to them to:

Disclose to: i. a buyer or buyer agent any adverse material facts that concern the property and that are known to the statutory broker, except that the statutory broker is not required to inspect the property or verify any statements made by the seller; and ii. a seller or a seller agent any adverse material facts that are known to the statutory broker and that concern the ability of the buyer to perform on any purchase offer; Exercise reasonable care, skill, and diligence in putting together a real estate transaction, and Comply with all applicable federal and state laws, rules and regulations.

5. IN-HOUSE SELLER AGENT DESIGNATE Created when the agency holds both the listing on a property from the seller and a buyer broker agreement with the buyer, an in-house seller agent designate is a broker or salesperson employed by or associated as an independent contractor with a broker and designated by the broker as the exclusive agent for a seller for a designated transaction and who may not be considered to be acting for other than the seller with respect to the designated transaction.

6. IN-HOUSE BUYER AGENT DESIGNATE Created when the agency holds both the listing on a property from the seller and a buyer broker agreement with the buyer, an in-house buyer agent designate is a broker or salesperson employed by or associated as an independent contractor with a broker and designated by the broker as the exclusive agent for a buyer for a designated transaction and who may not be considered to be acting for other than the buyer with respect to the designated transaction.

BUYER AGENT

A “Buyer Agent” is obligated to the Buyer to: Act solely in the best interests of the buyer; Obey promptly and efficiently all lawful instructions of the buyer; Disclose all relevant and material information that concerns the real estate transaction and that is known to the buyer agent and not known or discoverable by the buyer, unless the information is subject to confidentiality arising from a prior or existing agency relationship on the part of the buyer agent; Safeguard the buyer’s confidences; Exercise reasonable care, skill, and diligence in pursuing the buyer’s objectives and in complying with the terms established in the listing agreement; Fully account to the buyer for any funds or property of the buyer that comes into the buyer agent’s possession; and Comply with all applicable federal and state laws, rules and regulations.

Montana law permits a real estate agent, after providing written disclosure to a buyer and obtaining a buyer’s written consent, to represent multiple buyers interested in buying the same property or similar properties to properties in which a buyer is interested and to show properties in which a buyer is interested to other prospective buyers, without breaching any obligation to the buyer.