Homeland - Fall 2020

FALL 2020

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PUBLICATION

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FARM, RANCH & HOME REALTY

WOLF SPRINGS RANCH

Cohagen, Garfield County, Montana

BIDDICK RANCH

Laramie, Albany County, Wyoming

HORSE CREEK RANCH

Broadus, Powder River County, Montana

Large, 10,550± acre contiguous, well-watered cattle ranch: 9,130± deeded, 640± State lease & 780± BLM lease acres. Excellent improvements.

13,146± acres: 12,826± deeded & 320± State lease acres. 4,060± irrigated acres, Owner-rated at 650 cow/calf pairs year-round. 8 miles live water.

20,591± total acres: 10,311± deeded, 9,000± BLM lease & 1,280± state lease acres.

Contact Denver Gilbert at (406) 697-3961

Contact Clark & Associates Land Brokers at (307) 334-2025

Contact Clark & Associates Land Brokers at (307) 334-2025

WO 3M RANCH

MULESHOE LAND & CATTLE

$5,125,000

MILLS HOME RANCH

Casper, Natrona County, Wyoming

$10,950,000

Encampment, Carbon County, Wyoming

$8,500,000

25,569± total acres: 19,995± deeded, 2,085± State lease, 3,539± BLM lease acres. 506± irrigated acres. Nice set of improvements.

1,040± deeded acres of grazing and hunting ground.

Abundant wildlife.

Torrington, Goshen County, Wyoming 4,606± deeded acres. 5 center pivots irrigate 693± acres plus 3,913± acres of pasture.

Contact Clark & Associates Land Brokers at (307) 334-2025

Contact Cory Clark at (307) 334-2025 or Logan Schliinz at (307) 575-5236

Contact Cory Clark at (307) 334-2025 or Logan Schliinz at (307) 575-5236

LONETREE RANCH

N. STERLING RESERVOIR RANCH

Crawford, Sioux County, Nebraska

$11,500,000

Upton, Weston County, Wyoming

42,558± acre ranch: 31,551 deeded, 1,920 State, 3,400 USFS permit acres. Owner-rated at 1,400 head of mother cows.

$18,945,000

Contact Clark & Associates at (307) 334-2025

NICHOLS RANCH

Boulder, Sublette County, Wyoming 49,808± total acres: 3,610± deeded, 240± State and 45,958± BLM lease acres.

$8,250,000

Contact Scott Leach at (307) 331-9095

$1,850,000

$5,000,000

RIMROCK RANCH

Padroni, Logan County, Colorado

800± deeded acres adjacent to the historic Fort Robinson State Park. Excellent improvements.

$3,900,000

Contact Dean Nelson at (307) 340-114 or Cory Clark at (307) 334-2025

2,149± deeded acres with reservoir waterfront.

Livestock grazing, hunting and fishing.

Contact Ted Turano 720-616-9729

ARAPAHO RANCH

Lakeside, Sheridan County, Nebraska 10,202± total contiguous acres: 8,924± deeded and 1,278± State lease acres.

$7,750,000

Contact Cory Clark at (307) 334-2025 or Ryan Rochlitz (307) 286-3307

$1,200,000

GREER RANCH

Lance Creek, Niobrara County, Wyoming

9,246± total contiguous acres: 8,566± deeded, 640± State lease, 40± BLM lease acres.

$5,100,000

Contact Cory Clark at (307) 334-2025

TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS | THE FENCE POST

Homeland FALL 2020

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Live rmo re

Ben

nett

LAND COMPANY

(970) 351-8777 • 1813 61st Ave. #200, Greeley, CO 80634

Specializing in Farms, Ranches & Rural Properties.

Hud

• Amazing views from this ranch style home • 4 bedroom, 3 bath with office

Gre

eley

son

13373 N HARBACK RD

• Indoor and outdoor riding arenas • Barn with 6 stalls & a 60’ round pen

TBD CR 37

• 160 acres, live water & hay production

• Rare large parcel north of Greeley

• 7 stall barn with apartment & shop

• Sweeping views of the entire front range

Ker se

• Pipe outdoor arena and corrals

• Nice 5 acre building site in the Kersey School District

• Two recently renovated homes

• Great Mountain views

• Weld County USR in place for Ag events

• Secluded location with few neighbors

• 3 irrigation wells/pivots on 260 acres

• All utilities are along County Road 57

• Ideal development opportunity

Ft L

• Offering 5 parcels

Ft C o

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• Located in desirable neighborhood & school district • Luxury master & master bath with large walk in closet • 3 car garage & a loft area for flex space • Finished basement make this a perfect family home

llins

Kee nesb urg

4514 CR 5 18509 CR 22

• Beautiful 5 bed custom home situated on 30+/- acres

TBD CR 79

• Southwest style with beams of natural light throughout

• Off paved road

• Barn, shed, riding arena & pastures

Our Agents:

n

Erie

upto

• Will need well, septic and propane

rnto

• Spacious & Meticulously cared for 4 bedroom, 4 bath home

• 200x300 indoor arena with box stalls

TBD CR 57

• Great views

Tho

on

37440 CR 43

sbur g

• Nice 5 acre building site

• Fenced on three sides

Eat

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• Along I-70 Corridor

• Unique rock outcroppings add character to property

15092 JOSEPHINE ST

• 80x120 Indoor arena & outdoor arena

• Prime Eastern Colorado Development Potential

• Perfect for weekend getaway and off grid living

• 79 +/- acres on corner of CR 37 & Hwy 392

• Mature trees & abundant wildlife

TBD

• Secluded 40 acre parcel with 360 views

• 40 +/- acres make for equestrian enthusiasts delight

24654 CR 6

• Secluded custom executive style home

TBD ALLEN CT

• Mature trees and landscaping for outdoor living • Incredible views

TBD CR 84

• Excellent mountain views from all parcels • Currently a 7 acre and two 120 acre parcels available • Windsor School District • Conveniently located minutes from FtCo and Windsor • N. Weld Water, PVREA & Natural gas along CR 84

• Enjoy the mountain views from this 5 bed, 4 bath home • Barn with 7 stalls and pipe runs • 40x36 hay shed or storage shed • 1,586 insulated shop or additional garage • Colorado living at its best, bring all the toys and animals!

www.orrland.com

Tammy Ellerman: Tomm Owens: Trevor Thiel: Chad Wahlert: Greg Smith: Sarah Woodland: Spencer Keirnes: (970) 539-8778 (970) 381-9909 (970) 978-0800 (970) 380-3496 (970) 443-5527 (619) 890-8101 (970) 539-2123 2

Homeland FALL 2020

TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS | THE FENCE POST

BITTER CREEK RANCH - Irrigated farm consisting of 1,269+/- acres located in the heart of NW Wyoming.

The property has 939 irrigated acres by ten pivots.

Quality soils and exceptional water rights. $8,000,000 Contact Jacque Zurcher.

MILLER LAND & CATTLE CO. - Located between Vail & Steamboat Springs, Colorado the recreation opportunities are endless on this 3,689-acre property. Open mountain pastures, aspen groves, live water creeks, grassy meadows. $7,400,000 Contact Rue Balcomb.

WY WINTER-CALVING OPERATION - 600+/- irrigated acres, 1,015+/- deeded acres. 3000 head winter-calving operation located near Riverton, WY with a top-of-the-line winter feeding and calving facility, feed base to back it. $4,500,000 ~ Contact Jacque Zurcher.

KD FARM An income producing commercial farm in the highly sought-after Dundy County in SW Nebraska. Over 2,560+/- acres with 1,700 acres of exceptional soil irrigated by 13 high quality GPS enhanced center pivots. $9,500,000 Contact John Stratman.

BIGHORN RIVER RANCH In the heart of NW Wyoming, 715+/- acres deeded lands of which 541 acres are irrigated by four Valley pivots, the property is ideally suited for and in current operation as a winter feed base growing feed crops for regional operations. $2,250,000 ~ Contact Jacque Zurcher.

PENROSE FARM AND RANCH ON THE SHOSHONE Located near Powell, Wyoming located along the Shoshone River, comprised of 1,035+/- productive acres with the perfect mix of farm, ranch and recreational opportunities. $5,200,000 ~ Contact Jacque Zurcher.

sales@ranchland.com | 303-536-7571 www.RanchLand.com TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS | THE FENCE POST Homeland FALL 2020

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Because it’s more than a deal.

View complete listings, videos and interactive maps at hewittlandcompany.com

ING T S I L W E N Northstream Investments - Main Ranch Ft. Pierre, SD | 6,916 Acres $8,650,000

Flat Top Ranch | Squaw Gap, ND 4,867 Acres | $3,400,000

ING NEW LIST

ING NEW LIST

Northstream Investments - River Pasture Ft. Pierre, SD | 1,245.09 Acres $1,995,000

Cheyenne River Ranch | Milesville, SD 1,634 Acres | $1,510,000

South Central SD Farmland Mellette & Jackson Counties, SD 1,360 Acres | $1,768,000

Hardy Ranch | Edgemont, SD 480 Acres | $864,000

K-S Ranch | Nisland, SD 280 Acres | $700,000

Bad River Hunting Retreat | Philip, SD 223 Acres | $525,000

G N I D N E P E SAL Casey Miller Ranch - North Unit Dupree, SD | 640 Acres | $464,000

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Bliss Ranch | Perkins County, SD 1,962 Acres | $2,356,800

G N I D N E P E SAL Casey Miller Ranch - South Unit Dupree, SD | 460 Acres | $394,000

JD Hewitt 605-347-1100

Tyson Hewitt 605-206-0034

Tanner Hewitt 605-490-7952

Dan Todd 605-280-9214

Homeland FALL 2020

TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS | THE FENCE POST

Oahe Lakefront Acreage | Pierre, SD 40 Acres | $325,000

shippyrealty.com and

AUCTION 605-842-3212 W

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605 Restaurant & Bar, Kennebec, SD For Sale: $120,000 605 Restaurant & Bar is a quaint bar/restaurant that sits on 5 acres on the corner of Interstate 90 and Hwy 19 to Kennebec, SD. The potential here is endless. The restaurant sits on 5 acres having 6 camper units with electricity, water, and sewer.

Lewis Apartment Complex

Lewis Apartments - Commercial Three Phases (sold individually or all in one).

For Sale: Phase I: $500,000 Phase II: $500,000 Phase III: $600,000 Total: $1,550,000 (or Phase I, II, & III combined).

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1548 Acres in Holsclaw & Beaver Creek Townships, Tripp County in South Dakota For Sale: $1,550/ acre (NEW LOWER PRICE) Present use: +/- 1348 acres of pasture & +/- 200 acres of crop.

Pasture has 5 electric wells, 1 dam, and 3 shelterbelts.

44.24 Acres of Unrestricted River Land on the Little White River, White River, SD (Mellette County) For Sale: $199,000 Rare and exceptional home site with unrestricted access to the Little White River, 10 minutes out of White River city limits in South Dakota. Good hunting (white tail deer, mule deer, and turkey) and fishing. Sheltered and private living on or off the grid.

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145.71 (+/-) Acres in Witten Township, Tripp County, SD For Sale: $2,200/acre Present use: Cropland (+/- 34 acres of crop), tree row with two dugouts, rest hayland.

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2 Tracts (1 & 2) of Pasture/Crop/ Hunting Land in Lyman County (Earling Township), SD

2 Tracts (3 and 4) of Pasture/Crop/ Hunting Land in Lyman County (Earling Township), SD

For Sale: $2,500/acre (Sold together or separate) Present use: Pasture, CRP (comes out in 2020), Tillable acres, Pheasant hunting.

Tract 1: 160 (+/-) acres ( SW1/4 OF 4-105N-76W in Earling Twp) (SALE PENDING) Tract 2: 89.68 (+/-) acres (Portion of SW1/4 Lying North of 241st Street (RR & RY of 9-105N-76W in Earling Twp).

For Sale: $2,175/acre (Sold together or separate) Present use: Pasture, crop, hunting.

Tract 3: 154 (+/-) acres (NW 1/4 less RY of 10-105N-76W in Earling Twp) Tract 4: 160 (+/-) acres (SW 1/4 of 10-105N-76W in Earling Twp).

3 Tracts of land in Dog Ear Township, Tripp County, SD Tract 1 (160 acres)

For Sale: $1200/acres (NEW LISTING) Present use: pasture with well.

Tract 2 (160 acres)

Tract 3 (320 acres)

For Sale: $1800/acres (NEW LISTING) Present use: crop (+/- 54 acres), rest hayland, hunting.

Your Specialist in Land, Residential, and Commercial Browse our website: shippyrealty.com Contact us: RLShippy@gmail.com 102 E. 2nd Street, Winner, SD • 605 842-3212

For Sale: $2000/acres (NEW LISTING) Present use: crop (+/- 220 acres), rest hayland, hunting.

Lin Shippy, Broker / Owner / REALTOR® Rick Shippy, Owner / Broker associate, REALTOR® Robert Moyer, Broker associate, REALTOR® Steve Steinke, Broker associate, REALTOR® Brad Gran, Auctioneer, Broker associate, REALTOR®

TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS | THE FENCE POST

Homeland FALL 2020

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Celebrating our rural lifestyle.

What ranchers read.

1501 5TH AVENUE, SUITE 101, BELLE FOURCHE, SOUTH DAKOTA 57717 | 1 (877) 347-9100 | (605) 723-7013 | www.tsln.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS:

Publisher: SABRINA “BREE” POPPE Cell (605) 639-0356 | Office (877) 347-9104 spoppe@tsln-fre.com GM of Sales & Marketing & Fieldman: DENNIS GINKENS Cell (406) 670-9839 | dginkens@tsln-fre.com Editor: CARRIE STADHEIM (605) 622-8935 | cstadheim@tsln-fre.com

FALL 2020

1 (877) 347-9100

Digital & Sections Editor: MARIA TIBBETTS (605) 484-4488 | mtibbetts@tsln-fre.com Digital Engagment Editor: LIZ BANMAN MUNSTERTEIGER marketing@tsln-fre.com Graphic Designer: CHRISTA VANDYKE Special Projects & Major Account Coordinator: DIANNA PALMER Northern Black Hills Territory (605) 723-7010 | dpalmer@tsln-fre.com Greeley/Fort Collins Account Manager: MARY ROBERTS (970)301-2192 | mroberts@thefencepost.com Southeastern & Western Colorado: CHRISTINE MCGEE (970)301-2191 | cmcgee@thefencepost.com Foothills-West CO Account Manager: VALERIE RODRIGUEZ 970-590-0412 | vrodriguez@thefencepost.com Nebraska Account Manager: GAYDAWN ROGERS (970) 301-2190 | grogers@tsln-fre.com Commercial Account Manager: LEAH BRENCE West River Territory SD/ND/MT/WY (406) 839-1097 | lbrence@tsln-fre.com Commercial Account Manager: TRACY L. HAUK East River SD/ND Territory (406) 951-3211 | thauk@tsln-fre.com Cattle Marketing Assistant & NE Territory Account Manager: CARISSA LEE (877) 347-9114 | clee@tsln-fre.com Director of Field Services & Ringman: SCOTT DIRK West of River ND & SD Territory (605) 380-6024 | sdirk@tsln-fre.com Field Service & Ringman: DAN PIROUTEK (605) 544-3316 | dpiroutek@tsln-fre.com Field Service & Ringman: DREW FELLER CO & NE Territory Field Service & Ringman : MATT WZNICK MT & WY Territory (406) 489-2414 | mwznick@tsln-fre.com

CLASSIFIEDS: CLASSIFIEDS@TSLN-FRE.COM COPYRIGHT 2020. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ERRORS: The Tri-State Livestock News shall be responsible for errors or omission in connection with an advertisement only to the extent of the space covered by the error.

Opinions stated in letters or signed columns do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of Tri-State News.

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Homeland FALL 2020

TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS | THE FENCE POST

Contents 8

Real Estate

30 Move it on in

A GOOD AND STABLE INVESTMENT IN TROUBLED TIMES

BY DEANNA NELSON-LICKING

22

GRASSHOPPER CONTROL STARTS WITH UNDERSTANDING THE PESTS

BY DENISE RACKLEY

BY MARIA TIBBETTS

50 Fall clean-up on the ranch

BY MARIA TIBBETTS

54 Nothing like a county fair

Gated community OPTIONS FOR HANDS-FREE GATES

BY SAVANNA SIMMONS

40 The barns of Nebraska

16 Keep 'em hopping

BY TAMARA CHOAT

BY TAMARA CHOAT

62

Advertiser Index

TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS | THE FENCE POST

Homeland FALL 2020

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T

BY DEANNA NELSON-LICKING

his year has brought many challenges and changes to businesses; real estate marketing is one that has had to evolve as well.

Farm land is regularly offered at public auction but with the social distancing rules, a room full of people is forbidden. To comply with the new rules, some relators have gone to selling property through a sealed bid auction. “The method has distilled the auction down to the final few bids, the end results were a very good sale. The sellers were very happy, and it is a way for us to still market property, have a good sale and stay within the restrictions,� said Eric Sarff, Vice-President for Murray Wise Associates, from Champaign, Illinois.

The auction sold 208 acres in East Central Illinois, offering the property in three separate tracts using a one-shot sealed bid method of sale. Interested parties were able to bid on any of the tracts individually, any combination of tracts, and or the total property. Murray Wise, Eric Sarff, and Harrison Freeland implemented a detailed advertising plan. This comprehensive marketing plan included a detailed brochure, direct mailings to multiple targeted buyer groups, digital advertising across multiple social media platforms and farmland listing sites, and strategic print media ads running throughout the region. An online data room gave buyers the oppor-

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Homeland FALL 2020

TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS | THE FENCE POST

Social restrictions have complicated land auctions, with many going to online or sealed bid auctions.

Real Estate

A GOOD AND STABLE INVESTMENT IN TROUBLED TIMES

TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS | THE FENCE POST

Homeland FALL 2020

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tunity to examine a county GIS map, township plat page, detailed soil map with a breakdown of the individual soil types per sale tract, an aerial map of every sale tract, government farm program information, real estate tax information, and the bidding criteria, including bidding instructions, a purchase agreement, when the bids were due and how the successful bidder or bidders were chosen. A number of major bids were received on the property, which resulted in a sale to two individuals. One bidder purchased two

tracts and the other buyer purchased one tract.

Live internet auction is another way realtors have been able to market during this time when a live auction isn’t practical. Other relators haven’t had to adjust their marketing practices much for farm or ranch property since many have home-based offices.

“There has been a smaller amount of walk in inquires about properties,” said Don Heldberg of

The volatility in the stock market has led many investors to purchase land as a hard asset in their portfolios.

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Homeland FALL 2020

TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS | THE FENCE POST

Heldberg & Nuss in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. “I sell farms and ranches so I schedule the showing to meet at the place. Up until about a month ago everyone was wearing their masks and staying apart.

From February till mid-July there was not much of anything going on. It has picked up to some degree, but not hot and heavy yet. Buyer inquiry has been probably relative to before it all started. We have had a good range of people inquiring about our area, it’s not surprising or against logic. Our

weather is comparable to the Front Range with less dense population.”

Heldberg hasn’t seen prices being negatively affected but in his region the summer is slow for real estate with fall being the time when most properties are listed.

“We are seeing more absentee investors, who are adding farm land to their portfolios, they want

Susan Browne Realtor 970-380-7879 Gatewaysusanbrowne@gmail.com

Independently Owned & Operated

www.gatewayrealtyllc.com Wiggins • (970) 483-7373

Glenn Neal Owner/Operator 970-768-7373 glenn@gatewayrealtyllc.com

County Road 4, Weldona, CO 784.58+/- Acres Farm and Ranch with Irrigation

9164 County Road 4, Wiggins, CO 80654 34.2 Acre Parcel - Home with detached garage and other buildings

Nice irrigated farm with 155 District acres of Riverside Irrigation District and 7 Private Rights of Riverside.

Additionally, 1 Quality water tap listed for Livestock use. Property reaches into the very northern tip of Jackson Lake for your own private fishing spot! Alfalfa planted under 2 center pivots, water supplied by pond and pump. Dry farmland and fenced pasture makes this a multi use property. Old homestead and corrals. Mineral rights are negotiable.

Property has excellent lease history.

Great location with huge potential.

IRES MLS #910907 Call Susan Browne 970-380-7879

4 Bed, 2 Bath, 4 Garage Spaces 3,000 Total Sq Ft, 34.2 Acres Gorgeous views of Mountains and Plains. This 4 bed/2 Bath Modular home sits on 34 acres with a 50x50 shop, Quonset hut and storage sheds. Large ample closet spaces, sprinkler system, nicely landscaped with concrete curbing, back yard side walks covered patios, xeriscaping front yard, stucco siding, central air, large beautiful trees, new vinyl floors.

IRES MLS #916888 Call Glenn Neal 970-768-7373

$2,450,000

TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS | THE FENCE POST

$525,000

Homeland FALL 2020

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Land prices have stayed steady during a time when other investments are seeing wild fluctuations.

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Homeland FALL 2020

TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS | THE FENCE POST

hard assets. I think if you are a landowner, it is a good time to sell. There is not much on the market, there are ways to market successfully and it’s not a bad time to be a seller,” Eric Sarff said.

or more than they expected since there is very good buyer interest. Families are wanting out of the cities and move back to their roots, they are able to work from home and don’t have to go to the office.”

“I work out of my house and pickup so it hasn’t changed much for me,” said Duane McClain, Nebraska Land Brokers in North Platte, Nebraska. “We have met at the properties or at coffee shops since we can’t go into banks. It’s a good time to sell property, they can get as much

McClain’s business has been really good this year, driven by buyers wanting to get out of urban areas. They are really looking for smaller properties with homes and also recreational, hunting and outdoor properties. “So far there hasn’t been much trade in cropland but we are coming into

TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS | THE FENCE POST

Homeland FALL 2020

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the season for owners to be making changes. Pastureland that is priced right there is a lot of interest, there are not many small properties available for purchase but there are a lot of buyers.

Real-estate business is good, the title companies are very busy, with the low interest rates people are trading up, refinancing, and many are looking to move out of cities,” McClain said.

Les Gelvin of Agri-Enterprises in Fort Collins, Colorado, has been seeing more urban buyers

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Homeland FALL 2020

seeking to move far out into the country, and many even leaving the state. “We have been pretty busy, I’ve been surprised with the ag economy and COVID, at the activity in property. Lower interest rates are a big part, and when the stock market gets crazy, people who have money buy property instead of stocks. They are seeking the stability of land, it might not make much money but it’s not going away.”

TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS | THE FENCE POST

So far there hasn’t been much crop land sold in our region, since fall is traditional the time when owners make the decision to sell.

The United States farm real estate value, a measurement of the value of all land and buildings on farms, averaged $3,160 per acre for 2020, no change from 2019. The United States cropland value averaged $4,100 per acre, no change from the previous year.

The United States pasture value averaged $1,400 per acre, no change from 2019.

ACCORDING TO STATISTICS RELEASED AUGUST 6, 2020, BY THE NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS SERVICE (NASS), AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS BOARD, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA).

CRP Mixes, Custom Mixes, Native, Reclamation, Pasture, Annual Forages, Alfalfa, Small Grains, Turf and Wildflowers

101 E Eastt 4th S Sttreett R Rd d.

Greeley, CO 80631 800-421-4234 www.buffalobrandseed.com

TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS | THE FENCE POST

Homeland FALL 2020

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KEEP 'EM HOPPING Grasshopper control starts

with understanding the pests

H

BY DENISE RACKLEY

ungry hordes of grasshoppers seem to be devouring every green plant in some areas of the west this year. Montana has an abundance of grasshoppers, says livestock producer Linda Poole of Malta, “The alfalfa fields look like they have just been swathed, the only difference is the stems are taller.� Gardens, crops, pasture, and rangeland are all impacted when the grasshopper population spikes.

Biological and chemical controls, along with managed grazing, can be used to control populations and mitigate damage, but we need to understand a bit about the lifecycle of grasshoppers to choose which controls to use and when to apply them.

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Homeland FALL 2020

Lifecycle Adult grasshoppers can be difficult to control because they are able highly mobile, able to jump and/or fly, traveling 15 miles or more a day. The good news is grasshoppers only live a couple of months as adults. During late summer and fall, adult females deposit their eggs in areas of undisturbed soils such as fence rows, ditches, roadsides, non-tilled fields, and pastures. Eggs are laid near the soil surface in pods containing 20 to 100 eggs.

Tilling or disturbing the soil can bury the pod deeper or expose the pod which prevents hatching. Eggs hatch as soil warms in the spring (AprilJune). Young grasshopper nymphs begin feeding on nearby tender plants. Nymphs molt five to six times, becoming adults in 35 to 50 days. Most adults die with hard frosts.

TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS | THE FENCE POST

Hopper Stories Had dinner with my dad yesterday, hes 94 now. Got to talking about grasshoppers and how bad they are here at our outfit. He said in 1933 he was 7 years old when the hoppers changed the country then. He says he can remember the sky being black as the hoppers moved through the air like a dust storm. He said they ate the paint off of houses and his mom couldn't even put cloths on the line because they would eat on them too. A lot of ranchers then had no grass to graze and cows started eating thistle. Cows’ mouths would get so sore the cows couldn't hardly eat. He says he can’t remember positively but he believed they were really bad in 1934 then they kinda went away.

Heres my hopper story. Back in the late ‘80s I was irrigating along the county road, the wind blowing hard and we had bad hoppers then too. An old timer friend, Bob Kosola, stopped to visit. We were talking about all the hoppers when I asked him how do they travel. Most hoppers that I’ve seen can only fly a little ways then they land. He says look up at the sun but not directly at the sun and just keep looking and tell me what you see. Remember the wind was blowing pretty hard that day. I did, and pretty soon I could see them zipping by at about 30 to 40 feet above me.

Hundreds of them just riding the wind. They would zip by so fast all you would see is a little streak.

-TOM SEAMAN

Populations seem to cycle with severe spikes in populations every 7 to 10 years. While some don’t believe weather impacts populations, others believe it greatly impacts the population. Warm springs and moist soils that produce abundant food favors egg hatching and growth of nymphs responsible for large populations. “We had adequate moisture in last fall and an open winter in northeastern Montana that promotes an increase in grasshopper populations,” says Marko Manoukian, Phillips County extension agent. “Experts recommend control methods if populations are over eight individuals per square foot; southern Philips country has 30 to 83 grass-

All of the second growth dryland alfalfa is gone on our place. -PAM SHUM 40 MILES SOUTH OF CHINOOK, MT

50-60% of the wheat heads were on the ground from the hoppers biting the stem in half...Only cut 40% of our hay crop also – they even devoured the crop once it was in the windrow AND rolled up into the bale! -ALISHA HERDEGEN They’re starving on our place, nothing left to eat.

-LYLE NEAL They even destroyed the sage brush in our pastures. -LAINI MCNANEY

TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS | THE FENCE POST

Homeland FALL 2020

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Owl Creek Rd. Belle Fourche, SD Price Reduced - $187,500 MLS 51470 This 80 acre property has many nice features including many possible building sights. Butte/Meade rural water on the southeast corner, power on the east side. Good views of Orman Dam on the west end.

Easy access off Owl Creek Road with a paved road to the southeast corner of the property. This property is currently used as pasture land. A great opportunity with many possibilities!

RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL FARM & RANCH BLACK HILLS LAND & LOTS

Office, (605) 642-0680

Jim Alcorn, (605) 642-0680 jalcorn@blackhills.com 109 Main St. Suite C, Spearfish

www.spearfisharea.com

IF YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THE TIME TO SELL PLEASE GIVE ME A CALL AS THIS MAY BE THE TIME!

JACK TAYLOR, GRI Broker Associates/ Partner

hoppers per square foot. Grasshoppers are consuming barley and fall forages which will have an economic impact on this area this year and possibly next, depending on our winter.�

Damage Grasshoppers tend to be more of a problem in rural communities surrounded by crops, pasture, and rangeland or in urban areas near weedy, overgrown outskirts of town. Typically, grasshopper damage begins where the eggs hatch, in roadsides, irrigation ditches, and fence rows. As they eat through their food sources, they move to other sources, preferring young tender plants like newly-emerged winter wheat.

Starting at the outer edge of the field, grasshoppers work their way toward the center.

Adult grasshoppers consume a wide variety of green foliage, but nymphs are more selective. Many species specialize in grasses or broadleaf plants. The pest species of grasshoppers consume both. In vegetable gardens they prefer lettuce and the green leaves and stems of beans, sweet corn, carrots, and onions while avoiding squash, peas, and tomato plants.

Grasshoppers chew through stems and leaves, damaging plant growth and seed production. Large population spikes can cause substantial damage to crops and pastures, causing significant economic losses, but the costs extend beyond the plants themselves.

Soil erosion, reduction of water infiltration, and disruption of rangeland ecology have all been attributed to grasshoppers, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Control Options Office: 970-419-2351 Cell: 970-420-9302 Fax: 970-221-0746 www.jacktaylorrealestate.com Email: jtaylor@thegroupinc.com

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Control options for grasshopper include managed grazing, prescribed burns, use of protective covers, as well as chemical and biological methods.

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“The only bright spot to a large grasshopper population is that the grasslands birds thrive,” says Poole. Birds, including kestrels, wild turkeys, larks, and grassland birds eat grasshoppers. Rodents, snakes, fish, and even coyotes consume grasshoppers while blister beetles feed on grasshopper eggs.

Irrigated crops, yards, and gardens attract grasshoppers, providing an oasis during dry summers.

One option to make backyards and gardens more resistant to damage is to utilize landscaping plants that are less attractive to grasshoppers. In backyards and small gardens with only a few grasshoppers, they can be handpicked from plants. Poultry, including chickens and guinea hens, consider grasshoppers a delicacy. On a seek and consume mission, like clucking missiles, they make a dent in populations. Screens or covers will provide some protection for vulnerable plants while allowing sunshine and rain to pass through. However, the plants under cover may require hand pollination. Larger populations can eat through fabric covers, making metal screens necessary.

Providing an area that attracts grasshoppers is another option.

Keeping a border of tall grass or lush green plants around a yard, garden perimeter, or crop fields, can divert grasshoppers

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TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS | THE FENCE POST

to areas where damage will be of less concern. The number of grasshoppers can be reduced by treating these borders with insecticides or baits.

Baits containing the parasite Nosema locustae are effective in killing nymphs when applied to uncultivated soils. This biological control is only effective against immature grasshoppers, but it’s slow acting and perishable, requiring refrigeration prior to use. These baits only impact grasshoppers, cause a 30-40 percent mortality rate under optimal conditions, and are sold under the trade names NOLO Bait and Semaspore.

Poison baits can be applied to crops, such as alfalfa or weedy areas, when the plants are too small for sprayed insecticides to adhere to foliage. Carbaryl insecticide-impregnated with bran bait is successful when uniformly distributed and reapplied when it’s no longer attracting grasshoppers.

Carbaryl, trade name Sevin, can be applied to fruits and vegetables, as can many permethrins.

Adult grasshoppers pose a significant threat to emerging winter wheat. “Foliar insecticides such as Lambda T-2 and Bifen IT are very effective for crops such as corn, sorghum, and alfalfa,” says Ken Vahle, owner of Warne Chemical and Equipment of Rapid City, South Dakota. He adds that spraying for grasshoppers is cost-effective at around $2 an acre, consid-

ering the amount of damage they are capable of in a short time.

Insecticides provide effective control but require care to ensure the correct selection of insecticides for your situation. The particular pesticide chosen depends on species of grasshopper, age, climate, weather, forage, and environmental risks. Some are approved for use on fruits and vegetables, others are recommended for yards, pastures, hay-fields, or crop fields. Insecticides are especially effective on young grasshoppers, but some can also be toxic to bees and aquatic life.

A solution aimed at keeping pest species of grasshoppers in check without insecticides is managed grazing.

Maintaining plant diversity and avoiding repetitive and continuous grazing improves range conditions which can reduce grasshopper populations, according to rangeland studies conducted by Dr. Jerome Onsager. Overgrazing removes the plant canopy, allowing the sun to warm the soil, increases air temperature, and decrease the humidity close to the ground, all of which favor grasshoppers. Many grasshoppers need bare soils for egg-laying. Higher temperatures accelerate grasshopper egg development, growth, and egg production. Low humidity and warmer temperatures

are also detrimental to normal grasshopper pathogens that help keep the populations in check.

Diversity in plant species and canopy structure support diversity in grasshopper species and suppress those pest species of grasshoppers from becoming overabundant. Onsager found

grasshopper densities decrease with longer rest periods and due to the variations in rotational grazing. The varied sequence of rotational grazing alters the growth of vegetation sufficiently, so no single pest grasshopper species is consistently favored.

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OPTIONS FOR HANDS-FREE GATES

A

BY SAVANNA SIMMONS

s long as livestock have been around, so, too, have gates, and while cattle guards have become a common method of bypassing opening and closing frequently-used gates, other options are gaining popu-

larity. Most of these automatic options have been readily used for some time in Australia and New Zealand (lucky ranch or cattle station wives!), and they are becoming a mainstay in the states. Like cattle guards, none of the gate options are horseback-friendly.

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KOEHN DRIVE-THROUGH GATE

CATTLE GUARD, BARKER WELDING SHOP, EDGEMONT, SOUTH DAKOTA

Dakota, has found his own way to beef up the typical cattle guard.

Throughout the Midwestern states, cattle guards, or autogates, are a commonly-used way to quickly cross fencelines without worry of livestock, and even wildlife, escaping. This is an expensive enough option, however, that farmers and ranchers often have to pick and choose the most effective placement of the cattle guards within their budgets.

“Some guys use big pipe on the bottom, but I use I-beam, which is a little more money, but they don’t squish and they hold up,” Barker said.

Most cattle guards are made of round pipe or square tubing running the width of the fence opening, with support beams underneath. Josh Barker, owner of Barker Welding Shop in Edgemont, South

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He builds cattle guards of any size, though most are from 12 to 18 feet, and cost $118 per linear foot.

Cattle guards typically require big equipment to install, but once installed are minimal maintenance.

They can, however, blow full of dirt over time and snow throughout the winter season, allowing animals access across, or necessitating periodic clean-out.

TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS | THE FENCE POST

KOEHN DRIVE THROUGH GATE, WATERTOWN, SOUTH DAKOTA

For more information on the Drive Through Electric Gate, visit www.koehnmarketing.com.

The Drive Through Electric Gate from Koehn Marketing ensures that animals will stay in the fence while allowing vehicles of all sizes through. For $169 for a 13-foot to 19-foot option, and $179 for an 18-foot to 24-foot option, the Drive Through Electric Gate is an economical option to use around the farm or ranch, though an electric fencer is needed to accompany each double-swinging gate if it isn’t being installed into an electric fenceline.

THE WRANGLER RIDE OVER GATE, NEW ZEALAND Hailing from the opposite end of the world, The Wrangler Ride Over Gate has arrived in the States since the pandemic and is available at Valley Implement out of Utah and Idaho. The Wrangler Ride Over Gate, or ROG, is primarily for shorter wheel-based

“Its a very simple design.

There’s nothing really to it, it’s just a spring loaded gate, and the pieces that touch your vehicle are garden hose,” said Jeff Koehn, vice-president of Koehn Marketing. “There’s a braided rope that’s around a wire that’s electrified, and a rubber cap, so that way, when you drive through, it doesn’t scratch your vehicle and it shuts behind you.”

A cable is included with the gate to run underground from one side of the gate to the other, ensuring the hanging coated streamers on both sides are electrified. This gate is minimally affected by snow since it is off the ground, and Koehn said they have found it holds up very well over time.

“The part that you drive through, that will wear out, but that’s the only thing that wears out,” he said. “Generally, the steel and the springs and the wires, we don’t really have to replace that stuff.”

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WRANGLER DRIVE-OVER GATE

vehicles, like ATV, UTVS, small pickups or SUVs, and center pivots, said Wilco Klein-Ovink, with The Wrangler, New Zealand. The gate itself is laid over when driven across, but it flips up and bumps the underside of longer wheel-base vehicles.

It comes in two sizes, approximately 6 feet, 6 inches, and 8 feet, 2 inches, though Klein-Ovink is hopeful they can successfully release a wider size in time. The Wrangler ROG hasn’t been tested in snowy conditions for the lack of snow in New Zealand and Australia, though the mechanism is high enough off the ground that Klein-Ovink feels it will perform well.

The smaller ROG is ideal for allowing center pivots to pass through fields easily.

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BUMP ‘N' DRIVE, MARBLE HILL, MISSOURI The Bump 'n' Drive is a gate release kit that can be attached to an existing tubular gate. A foam-covered arm gets rolled into by the bumper of a vehicle, which then releases a gate latch, allowing the gate to swing open, which it also lifts while opening. It falls against a holding arm to keep it open for a set amount of time.

“After you drive through, the holding arm lifts up to the sky and the gate is free to fall shut,” said Bill Peters, owner of Bump 'n' Drive. “Now that it’s higher on the end, gravity takes over, the gate at the heavy end comes closed, and lands like an airplane, gently latching itself.”

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BUMP 'N' DRIVE

FCSAMERICA .COM

The gate can be set to remain open from 10 to 39 seconds, allowing for a small vehicle or longer vehicle and trailer to pass through. The gate requires no electricity, and can’t be blown or pushed open. While animals may rub and bump the gate, they lack the follow-through to properly open it, Peters said, making the gate latch effective for all kinds of livestock.

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The Bump ‘n Drive works well in snow, though with excessive amounts, it must be plowed, as with any gate. Peters recommends de-icer be applied to the mechanical parts. It works for many sizes of motorized vehicles, though vehicles must have a proper bumper.

2510 N Plaza Drive Rapid City, SD

Terms apply. See website for details.

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PUSH AND DRIVE-OVER GATE

The Bump ‘n Drive is $349 and can be purchased at www.bumpndrive.com.

PUSH AND DRIVE-OVER GATE, LAKELAND GROUP, CLAWSON, MICHIGAN Another gate option in which the operator relies on bumper-strength and nothing more is Lakeland Group’s Push and Drive-Over Gate. The spring-action gate flips down to lay on the ground when passing, then pops back up after crossing.

“We developed this pushover, drive over gate as a result of customers complaining about having to get out of tractors, UTVs and trucks 10 times a day, and so this product has really been developed out of customers' needs and wants,” said Andy Deayton, group general manager, North America Lakeland Group.

“It’s a very popular product.”

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The gate comes in three sizes, 6, 14, and 16 feet and ranges in cost from $1,500 to $2,500 and is ideal for vehicles of any size, as well as pivots.

“One guy in particular had a whole tree line with a bunch of gates in it. He had to physically open the gates every day every time the pivots came across the gate,” Deayton said. “Of course now he’s using these, and the pivots actually go over the gates themselves.”

Tension on the springs can be adjusted to cause the gate to lay over for just a moment before flipping up or be tightened to flip up quickly. It causes no damage to vehicles and works well in the snow.

The Push and Drive-Over Gate can be purchased at www.lakelandfarmandranch.com and Lakeland offers direct delivery to the farm or ranch to anyone in the 48 contiguous states.

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I

BY TAMARA CHOAT

n some rural areas, a building site for a dream home can be hard to get to – and even harder to find contractors willing to work in a remote location.

For those who enjoy life “in the sticks” but building a stickbuilt home isn’t feasible, today’s wide variety of modular and manufactured homes are a solution to consider. Both modular and manufactured homes are built off-site and moved in to the home site – usually in two or more pieces – after permitting, land preparation, and utility installation are complete.

Jimmy Jones owns Country Land and Homes in Fort Collins, Colo. Few in this sector of the housing industry have as much experience as Jones – he started in the business at age 12, assembling furniture for his father’s mobile home business, and has worked in every aspect since then, including sales, delivery, installation, service and real estate. Today Country Land and Homes offers full package services on modular and manufactured homes.

River and Bridger Doyle welcome their house to its new home near Valentine, Nebraska.

PHOTO COURTESY OF HEIDI DOYLE.

Jones and his wife and partner, Carol, work with five factory builders across the Midwest and southern U.S. “Our part of the process is we design, build, deliver and install the housing component – everything to do with the actual house we take care of,” says Jones.

The differences between modular and manufactured, or what used to be termed “mobile homes” or trailers, are mostly in the building codes.

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“‘Mobile home’ is actually a lost term,” says Jones. It used to be applied to older, single-wide “trailer houses” but that construction model has been replaced with manufactured homes. Manufactured homes are factory-built based on federal building codes from the U.S. Housing and Urban Development, which also regulates the building, sale and installation of them. Manufactured homes are all built on a permanent chassis and once installed, still have the option to be moved.

Modular homes are coded the same as sitebuilt homes, and permitting is regulated by state and local ordinances.

A determining factor between deciding between the two is the land factor – whether the home site is owned or rented.

“If you are renting land, that is definitely where you go with manufactured,” says Jones.

“They are designed with the frame system to be moved. If you want something permanent, then go with a modular, as the frame comes out and they sit permanently on a foundation or basement just like a site-built home.”

As a full-service shop, the Joneses provide subcontractors to prep the land site and install utilities and infrastructure like wells, driveways, and electricity. They also work with lenders to package the entire purchase – including land, home and improvements – and provide funding and a mortgage conversion. “It’s identical to what you would go through if you hire a builder,” says Jones.

Appreciation or deprecation on a modular is tied to the piece of property it’s on, just like a site-built home. Manufactured homes only appreciate if the replacement cost of a similar

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The fact that modular homes are factory-built in controlled climates can add longevity to their construction. PHOTO COURTESY COUNTRY LAND AND HOMES

Modular homes have become competitive with site-built homes in looks, construction, feature options and financing. PHOTO COURTESY COUNTRY LAND AND HOMES

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model go up, and tend to depreciate because their value is not tied to land.

For the most part, financing of a modular home is similar to that of a site-built version.

Rhonda Croft is vice president and a mortgage banker at The Federal Savings Bank in Fort Collins, Colo. She has 19 years of experience in mortgage lending, and shared some of the details of applying for financing on a modular or manufactured home.

“In the eyes of a lender, a modular is treated the same as a stick-built home,” Croft says, and an appraiser is allowed to use stick-built comparisons on a modular home. Because of that, modulars tend to be a bit more expensive than manufactured homes, but they appraise for more. Manufactured homes must be appraised using similar manufactured models, and lending rates are typically higher than on a modular.

“When people call, we usually say it’s worth spending a bit more on a modular because of these reasons,” Croft says.

Modular home builds can be financed inhouse, termed a portfolio loan, but manufactured homes are usually underwritten through government programs such as FHA, VA or USDA. The process for financing is similar for both types of homes. Home owners must get prequalified through the bank and provide pay stubs, tax returns, bank statements, and other documents. Then, if they have a piece of land, they choose their home model and a general contractor for site prep, foundation and utilities. With their lender they create a

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TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS | THE FENCE POST

Trendy “tiny homes” are one option in the myriad of modular and manufactured choices.

PHOTO COURTESY COUNTRY LAND AND HOMES

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total budget of the land, home and contract work, and an appraisal is ordered. The total budget must be equal to or lower than the appraisal of the completed home project.

Croft says her bank approves the budget and bids from contractors and oversees payments based on work competed and bid estimates. They normally break the lending process into a two-time close – once for construction and once for a final mortgage, but offer a 240 day “interest lock-in” to protect against rising rates. Once construction on the site is complete they conduct a final inspection, and then package the entire note into one mortgage, typically a 30-year note.

Interior options on modular homes like this Skyline model are competitive with any new build.

PHOTO COURTESY COUNTRY LAND AND HOMES

This Aurora Classic modular home is built by the Commodore Corporation, one of the largest builders nationwide with divisions in Indiana, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and North Carolina.

PHOTO COURTESY COUNTRY LAND AND HOMES

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Most home loans require between a 3 to 5 percent down payment, and interest rates depend on credit scores, risk level and other factors. If an applicant owns the land they are building on, that value can be used for a down payment. Croft notes that many applicants who are self-employed or in production agriculture have a unique situation – many show good credit and high assets, but low tax income and cash flow. “These are the ones who don’t fit into the box,” she says. For these situations they review applications in-house and make conventional loans to bridge the gap between financial situations where an applicant may apply for better terms in the future.

As a 40-year veteran in the industry, Jones has seen many changes over the years and says the op-

tions customers have today for modular and manufactured homes make them an attractive alternative to site-built homes.

He points out that the costs of land, site prep and utility installation really aren’t different between a site-built home and a moved-in version, but the real cost savings come in the home itself.

“Because these homes are built in a factory, you can save a lot of time and money on the actual building,” says Jones.

Jimmy and Heidi Doyle, between Valentine, Nebraska and Rosebud, South Dakota, opted for a manufactured house, based on the cost, location and options available. "We looked at lots of

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options, but we would have instantly lost money if we'd had one built," Heidi said. "Given the dirt roads and location, it wouldn't have appraised for what it would have cost to build it."

Jones says he has worked with several custom home builders who have purchased land to put spec homes on and opted to move in a modular instead of doing a new build. “They can make the same amount of money buying and reselling as they could if they build it themselves, but they’ve cut their time in half.”

The myriad of options in modular and manufactured homes today provide almost unlimited options for customers. Country Land and Home offers over 100 standard home plans, just as a start.

“We continue to get a larger and larger share of the housing market,” Jones says. “It’s because of the technology and standards and the quality of construction of these homes. The more people are aware of what we can build, the more they choose this method over site construction.”

Additionally, the limited availability and willingness of contractors to work in rural areas makes pre-built homes a great option for farms and ranches and other rural sites. “We can maybe save someone 30 percent on the cost of their house in an urban market, but that savings can jump to 50 to 60 percent in a rural area – if you can even find a builder that will do it.”

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CHASING BARNS

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TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS | THE FENCE POST

Barns of Nebraska

the

IN PHOTOS

STORY BY MARIA TIBBETTS AND PHOTOS BY KATHY CHASE

W

hat started as an attempt to document a grandson’s childhood turned into a hobby that has led many Nebraskans down memory lane.

Kathy Chase’s husband, Dave, got her a nice camera so she could

take pictures of their grandson. One day they decided to start taking pictures of barns in Nebraska. Since then she’s taken photos of barns in every county in the state, and has created a collage of the state, which hangs in homes, nursing homes and businesses.

Chase is dealing with the after-effects of childhood polio, so was forced to retire from her job of 18 years. “I needed to do something that mattered. I found out that people loved the photos because they bring good memories, and people enjoy the beauty of them, it was good. I didn’t feel so selfish.”

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NEW SHOW HOMES ARE HERE!

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MODULAR & MOBILE HOMES

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3619 E. Mulberry (Hwy. 14, I-25 N. to Exit 269-B, then west) Ft. Collins, CO

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Dave and Kathy chase see her barn photography as a guide for the adventures they've loved sharing for many years.

“I shoot churches and windmills and old vehicles, but barns are my favorite.”

Dave is a long-time manager of a Collision Repair Center in a car dealership in Grand Island, Nebraska.

Once their three children left home, the couple decided to turn weekend road trips—something they’d always enjoyed—into something more focused. “If you’re going to take road trips anyway, you might as well have a little extra fun,” she said. “I shoot churches and windmills and old vehicles, but barns are my favorite.”

She’s photographed more than 500 different barns, and knows there are lots more out there. She never trespasses, taking 80 to 90 percent of her photos out of the pickup window, pulled over along the road side. As part of her post-polio health problems she would be exhausted if she got out and walked

around all the time. Her husband has gotten very good at stopping in just the right spot—or adjusting to get to it—for her photographs. “He’s very agreeable most of the time,” she says.

“Sometimes he just has to shut me off.

Sometimes he says, ‘You've had your quota for the day. You're done.’”

Most of the time when they leave home, they don’t have a destination in mind.

Her husband might. “I rarely ask, and he rarely says,” Chase said. They have their coffee and a map, and they just head in a direction that looks interesting.

The two of them enjoy exploring small towns, eating at mom ’n’ pop diners and staying in motels that don’t have brand names.

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“We’ve seen all of Nebraska, and Nebraska is so beautiful,” Chase said. “There’s nowhere that’s not pretty. Rolling hills and canyons and wheat fields. Steep roads and curves and some roads that are little more than a path. We’ve had a wonderful time exploring Nebraska. We see things differently because we’re looking at things differently.”

When they head out on an adventure they get coffee and breakfast to go, and turn on the radio. Christian music if it’s Kathy’s choice, Christian or oldies if it’s Dave’s.

Often times if they are out on a Sunday they will be sure to catch a church service online.

Kathy has enjoyed the hobby-turned-business, and says she’s just grateful that she gets to do something she enjoys so much, and that brings so much joy to others. She has some of her artwork in a gallery at the Crane Trust near Grand Island, sells prints online and at several Nebraska businesses and has turned her Nebraska-shaped barn collage into a puzzle. “It’s been a shock. It’s fun. I didn’t know that was going to happen,” she said.

“It’s cool that we get do something that’s kind of unique.

That makes it extra fun. I love when people say, ‘That reminds me of when I would go to my grandpa’s and gather the eggs,’ or whatever. Obviously we can’t stop at every place and get their story. When I post a picture (on Facebook) a lot of times someone will say, ‘I know that barn.’ I write the story down and plan to make a book someday.”

Chase and her husband have been married for 47 years.

“I’m 67 and don’t feel like I’m 67,” Chase said. “You either have to get older or dead, there’s no other choice. So we’re trying to live each day to the fullest. Now that I know people enjoy it, it does make me feel like it’s not just a selfish thing we do. A lot of people couldn’t do this, whether because of health or finances, or you don’t like your husband as well as I like mine. We don’t take for granted that we enjoy this and get to do it.

“If we never got another road trip, or to have another time, it would be enough. We have had so much. We’re content, and grateful. Gratitude takes you a long way.”

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11961 COUNTY ROAD 20, FORT MORGAN

NEW LISTING

7 Bedroom, 6 Bath, Custom Built home with a total of 8590 Sq feet Cement privacy fence with in ground swimming pool complete with diving board and slide 40x90 metal building, Dog Kennel and more All sitting on 6.94 acres of land with no covenants, Quality Water and Natural gas

Morgan County realty

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702 M ain St., F ort M organ , Co 80701 970-867-4908

TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS | THE FENCE POST

reed Covelli Broker/owner

“We’ve seen all of Nebraska, and Nebraska is so beautiful,” Chase said. “There’s nowhere that’s not pretty. Rolling hills and canyons and wheat fields. Steep roads and curves and some roads that are little more than a path."

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CUMBERLANDBUILDINGS.COM BARNS • LOFTED BARNS • HORSE BARNS • CABINS • LOFTED BARN CABINS • COTTAGE SHED • LEAN-TO-SHEDS • UTILITY SHEDS & MORE TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS | THE FENCE POST

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“If we never got another road trip, or to have another time, it would be enough. We have had so much.

We’re content, and grateful. Gratitude takes you a long way.”

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on the ranch

FALL CLEANUP

W

BY MARIA TIBBETTS

hile fall can be one of the busier times on the ranch, if you have some extra help looking for a job, some fall cleanup can make the winter and spring work go more smoothly.

IN THE SHOP

A trash can, empty dump trailer or dumpster is your best friend during cleanup. Start by making the rounds and throwing away any empty packaging or almost empty packaging.

Keep a notebook or a list on your smartphone of what you throw away the last of, so you can stock up when you get a chance.

Also make note of any frequently-used products that you may have already used up and need to refill—fuel additive, motor oil, hydraulic fluid, antifreeze, washer fluid, etc.

If you have some spare time, make a list of the filters your machinery needs, so when your local parts store has a sale (usually in the winter), you can gather up what you need, so you can be ready to change filters and top off fluids when the snow is flying.

If you really want to get organized, put together a small tool box for each piece of machinery, with inexpensive wrenches, screwdrivers, starter fluid, WD-40, vice grips, common-sized nuts, bolts and washers, etc. Put frequently-replaced parts, like rake teeth and sickle teeth in the tractor or machinery you’ll be using for that equipment.

Take inventory of what parts you often need, and stock up on common sizes of nuts, bolts and washers to save that last-minute trip to town when you really don’t have time to spare.

IN THE BARN Again, start with disposing of trash. Look around and identify if there are things that need to be moved that are taking up space that could be used more efficiently for another purpose. Do you need to keep that old milk-

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ing stanchion, or could you sell it to someone who needs it?

Oil hinges and latches on doors and gates, and spend a few minutes to adjust things to close correctly. Your wife will thank you.

Specializing in Quality Post Frame Buildings • Commercial • Agricultural

• Equestrian • Garages

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(402) 426-5022

222 Oak Avenue Eaton, CO 80615

1626 Washington Street Blair, NE 68008

www.GingerichStructures.com

AG TS X E PER

Examine pitchforks, shovels, post-hole diggers and other hand tools to see if the handles need to be replaced or sanded and oiled. Kids home from school can learn the difference a sharp shovel can make, and learn valuable life skills, like how to replace a shovel handle.

IN THE YARD Consider if there is any machinery or equipment out in the weeds that is simply taking up space and waiting to damage something when you drive over it or trip over it in the summer grass. Cut back the weeds around the machinery to make it more visible, easier to hook up, and so it doesn't catch as much snow.

Classified ads in newspapers and online still work to get rid of unwanted equipment and tools cost-effectively.

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For bigger, more expensive equipment, online auctions like BigIron.com can help turn unused equipment into cash. Their representatives take the photos, write the descriptions and run the auctions.

Check tires on vehicles and equipment, looking for weather-checking and flat tires. You can keep an eye on classifieds and online ads, or check with your local dealership for used tires for infrequently-used trailers and equipment. However, when you consider the dollar value of the loads

you do haul with those tires, it’s worth a few minutes and extra dollars to make sure the cargo gets there safely.

Now is also a good time to check the oil and fluids on infrequently-used vehicles, and make sure everything is running as it should be.

Look critically at how machinery and seldom-used equipment is stored and think about whether there may be a better location for it. If overgrown vegetation becomes an issue, is it worth moving once a year to mow? Is it something you’re truly committed to keeping, or is it more hassle than it’s worth?

Another option for getting rid of that equipment you bought because you thought you “might need it someday” is to find out when a scrap metal buyer will be in the area. You won’t get rich with this method, but if someone will pay you to haul off your junk, instead of you paying and doing the work, it can help out a little.

Some landfills offer free days, when you can dispose of your junk at the local landfill without paying. Make sure you follow the guidelines for what can be disposed of. Some also offer free tire recycling for a certain number of tires on certain days, which can help a lot in cleaning up around the place without forking out money to get rid of your junk.

IN THE SHED It’s important to examine chemicals, whether insecticides, herbicides or fertilizers, to make sure they’re up-to-date, and properly labeled, and stored.

If possible, keep all chemicals in a locked cabinet. Sometimes DENR or University Extension offers free chemical disposal and recycling. Check into when that is and take advantage of the service to safely dispose of chemicals you won’t be using.

Sometimes kids can come up with their own ideas for making cleanup fun and efficient.

Free Help If you’re planning to use child labor to get the job done, here are some tips from professionals (other ranch parents) for getting the kids involved, without making them hate you.

1. Clearly communicate the goals.

Whether the plan is to spend an hour sorting tools in the shop, or to get the work bench all cleaned up, kids tend to work better when they know the task is manageable.

2. Make sure the job is within their abilities, and be around to (patiently) answer questions. This is a great chance to teach the kids about how to properly care for tools, the names of unusual items and the importance of putting things back where they belong.

3. Provide a set time and time limit for drinks and bathroom breaks.

Sending each kid out with their own special water bottle can help them stay hydrated, and on task.

4. Ask the kids what they want to help with or what they want to learn.

You can’t always accommodate them, but giving them options and letting them feel like they have some say in what happens can make them more willing workers.

5. Praise liberally, but sincerely. You don’t have to tell them how great they are at putting away a screwdriver, but a compliment when they stay on task, or for their thoroughness and attention to detail can build those characteristics. Ask yourself what character traits you want your kids to have as adults, and put some thought into what it’s going to take to start instilling those things when they’re small.

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Above left: Levi Eaton (l) and Abby Eaton (middle) show their market lamb and goat.

Upper right: Kamrie Choat, 2, shows her first animal on her own – her bum goat named Ellie.

Lower right: Kamrie Choat and Emery Eaton, 5 (background), jump in to help wash Kamrie’s pony, Lily.

Below: The market steer class at the Prairie County Fair is small but mighty.

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The horse show at the Prairie County Fair brings lots of family tradition. Landon Nielsen, 6, shows Bonanza, the 29-year-old 4-H horse broke by his dad, Will Nielsen. Karity Choat, 8, shows Miss Kitty, bred by her uncle and trained by her aunt. Kolter Nielsen, 9, (background) shows Bonnet, a paint raised by his and Landon's grandmother, Eileen Nielsen, and late grandfather, Terry Nielsen, who would have been immensely proud of his grandsons carrying on the family horse legacy.

Nothin' like

“Greatest Little Fair in Eastern Montana.”

A

s events across the country locked their gates and refunded tickets this summer, county fairs were caught in the crossfire. Some conducted hybrid judging and exhibitions or limited spectators. Very few went about business as normal.

An exception to the rule was the “Greatest Little Fair in Eastern Montana.”

Deemed “little” enough to not exceed gathering limits, Terry, Montana’s annual exhibition of 4-H and pride in the local ag heritage carried on. The result was a community gathering that for many was a reprieve from the worry of the world, a respite from fears of the future.

In a year when being small was a ticket to freedom, the three exhibition halls and one livestock barn were filled

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Karity, Will and Kamrie Choat show their bum goats in the first-ever open class goat exhibition, along with Jett Eaton (not pictured).

with the normal amount of canned goods, baking, photography, quilting, crafts, vegetables and flowers.

But along with the exhibits was a sense of strength and steadfastness running deep in a community that knows well the reality of risk, of hardship, of caution.

Not one person who makes a living in agriculture has not witnessed the devastation of weather, the heartbreak of commodity price crashes or the fear of accidents and illness in a self-owned business.

They’re no stranger to the rain; or the drought. It’s this exposure to the unknown that makes them more determined to live life to the fullest right where they are at, one day at a time.

And so the county fair carried on.

The livestock and horse classes were comprised mostly of kids from third generation or more ranch

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and 4-H families. They showcased years of astute genetic programs resulting in superior animals – and even more extraordinary kids. The Prairie County 4-H program is small, but what it lacks in quantity it makes up in quality. These kids are tough to beat and would be competitive no matter the class size. They set the bar high for the little kids idolizing them. The grandparents no longer there to watch them lead their goats and trot their horses would have been so proud.

The ripple effect of generations was felt, both those looking down and those looking up.

The 31st annual Friday night community play from the Parched Prairie Players brought humor, talent and higher attendance than normal. This year the production was dedicated to a man involved in directing and producing sound since the group’s in-

TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS | THE FENCE POST

Above left: Devin Solle, 8, rides his bum heifer, Spirit, while Will Choat, 6, takes pointers on how to ride a calf.

Above right: Blues, red and whites are recorded as the entries are judged in the Ag Barn.

ception. He was honored and missed by cast members who called him “the heart and soul of our performances, our encourager and whipcracker.”

He had lost his battle to cancer in June.

Three little boys brought their bum calves or heifers to the fair – all three were riding their calves at some point. When the judge asked the eager showmen about their bums their key points were not breed type or nutrition. One proudly told the judge he had broke his calf to ride. The other offered that his wasn’t quite finished, he still bucked him off a lot. The third had his heifer washed and ready, then waited for the show sitting on her backward.

What good is it to be a little boy with a calf at the fair if you can’t ride it with your friends?

The 4-H hall was a showcase of handmade articles and an exhibit of the time-honored tradition of apprenticeship. An elaborate wooden toy barn was brought in by a young man who built it alongside his dad; he explained to the judge which parts were his responsibility. The sewing entries were intricate items handcrafted by girls who all had sewn with their grandmothers. All were confident in explaining fabrication, but even more articulate at conversing about the learning process and their goals.

It’s training any future employers can savor.

Saturday’s ranch rodeo came with warm sunshine and a breeze. The 4-H girls carried in the colors – the Stars and Stripes brought everyone to full attention – parents instructing even the tiniest toddlers to put their hand on their heart. The blue of the Montana flag mirrored the brilliant colors of

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Opposite page: Will Choat gets Fuzzy ready for the ring.

Top: A good old country concert and dance is just what the doctor ordered.

Bottom left: Baby Jayla Schroeber tunes out the noise while she enjoys the concert with Grandma Cheryl Morrison.

Bottom right: Karity Choat checks out her placing in the table setting contest.

the Yellowstone River and Terry Badlands, creating the most rugged and beautiful backdrop of any arena in the country. These people stand against inequality, but do it at the same time they honor our flag, our veterans, our country.

Here the injustices to one sector of people are not called out by disrespecting the heroism of another.

The night show was a band from three counties away belting out well-known cover songs that spread a level of energy and comfort across a crowd ranging from toddlers to near-centenarians. The baby in the front row bobbed with her grandma while wearing noise-reducing headphones. The second song in brought little boys dancing with their mommies, kids two-stepping with cousins, families and friends

immersed in the enjoyment of music and being together and the riveting peace of a summer night in Eastern Montana.

Here a daddy daughter dance isn’t an event; it’s a part of normal life.

The annual Homemaker’s Pie Auction was a barn burner, despite light crowds on a Sunday afternoon. The first loaf of bread sold for $55, the famed gallon of homemade ice cream pushed $100. All proceeds go to the fairground improvement fund.

On a per capita basis, Prairie County may have the most active group of Homemaker Clubs still in existence, capturing a passing era that still celebrates burning the home fires and hails the volunteer dedication of rural women.

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These traditions keep the fairgrounds maintained, but moreover, they are what maintain the fair.

As I looked around at the place, the people, the culture of this small community and this small town fair, the uninvited thought slips in: Could this be the last time? Will the craziness brewing in the world escalate

until it furtively represses our lifestyle? If we’re pardoning rioters yet jailing people for being in public, how long can we fight for common sense? Even with our masks in the glove box of our trucks and a subconscious hesitancy to buy school supplies for our kids, will these be the days we look back on fondly as “the good times”? We don’t like the world now, but will it only get worse?

We don’t know the answer to that.

A year from now our lives will be different. You can’t step in the same river twice.

New laws will be in place, new fears circulating in the world, new people will be present in our lives.

It’s unlikely our rural communities won’t eventually be caught in the fray.

If the common sense freedoms and respect for each other we share here beckon those squashed by government overreach. If the enticement of the beauty of our Badlands calls out to those looking for wide open spaces. If the simplicity of homemade jam and halter-broke calves draws those escaping from what they created.

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Opposite page: Following the Saturday morning parade, kids from the 4-H float experience first-hand patriotism as veterans teach them how to fold the 34 American flags from the American Legion float.

Middle: The annual Homemaker's Pie Auction is a crowd favorite, with blue ribbon recipes bringing the big bucks.

If those who see what we have wish to hold it as their own, and come to own and legislate, I can only hope they will pause for a minute and sample a piece of homemade bread, marvel at a wooden toy barn built by a little boy and his dad, and smile at a goat eating the straw hat of a toddler attempting to lead it in a circle.

I hope they will let us hold on to what we’ve built, and perhaps share a piece of what we offer – be it apple pie or a deepheld belief in God, love of family, and hope for our future.

Right: Hayden Sackman, 9 (also a grandson of Terry & Eileen Nielsen), with his lifelong heirloom built with his dad, Bob Sackman.

Excited to announce the NEW PARTNERSHIP

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I-90 EXIT 48 • BLACK HAWK, SD 800.556.8393 • WWW.LIECHTYHOMES.COM

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Advertiser Index

62

Agri-Enterprises, Inc. ......................................................Back Cover

Kraupies Auction Service ............................................................... 35

Alpine Homes, Inc. ........................................................................... 42

Kreps-Wiedeman Auctioneers ................................................... 35

Austin & Austin ................................................................................... 21

Landgate ...............................................................................................14

Buffalo Brand Seed ..........................................................................15

Liechty Homes ...................................................................................61

Chase Brothers Properties ............................................................39

Lynn, Jackson, Shultz & Lebrun P.C. ........................................... 12

Clark & Associates Land .................................Inside Front Cover

Mason & Morse Ranch Co ................................................................3

Country Land And Homes Llc ..................................................... 25

Morgan County Realty ...................................................................46

Cumberland Buildings .................................................................... 47

Morton Buildings/Ft Morgan ....................................................... 37

Farm Credit Services -Rapid City, SD........................................ 27

Nebraska Land Brokers ...................................................................62

Gateway Realty....................................................................................11

ORR Land Company ..........................................................................2

Gingerich Structures ........................................................................ 52

Pearson Real Estate Co., Inc .........................................................63

Hayden Outdoors ................................................................................1

Premier Farm Credit - Yuma ........................................................ 52

Hewitt Land Company ......................................................................4

Reck Agri Services, Inc. ...................................................................33

High Plains Alcorn Realty ...............................................................18

Schroeder's All American Homes ..............Inside Front Cover

IC Construction Solutions ............................................................ 60

Shippy Realty ........................................................................................5

Iseman Homes - Rapid City, SD ................................................38

Swan Land Company .....................................................................64

Julie Piland ...........................................................................................29

The Group- Jack Taylor ....................................................................18

Homeland FALL 2020

TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS | THE FENCE POST

Big Sandy River Ranch

Sublette & Sweetwater Counties, Wyoming

An exceptional low-overhead livestock production ranch with numerous recreational opportunities Listing Price: $19,500,000 or $6,965 per animal unit Size: 1,044,566 +/- acres total Taxes: $8,600 (approximate)



 





The Big Sandy Ranch is comprised of 9,613 acres deeded; 20,273 acres State of Wyoming leases; 32,749 acres USFS Permits and 981,931 acres BLM permits for a total of 1,044,566 acres. The ranch currently runs both sheep and cattle as well as a small goat herd. The property ranges 170 miles from north to south. This is a working ranch with few fences and the belief in the transhumance (a practice of conserving the rangeland pastures and efficient production) of herding the livestock.

Ranch has territorial water rights: irrigation water rights to 1,600 acres, however, ranch currently hays 435 acres.

Ranch is rated at 2,800 animal units, running approximately 1,200 mother cows from the original Hereford stock, 800 yearlings and 8,000 Rambouillet ewes and a small herd of goats. At present the ranch crossbreeds cows with Angus bulls; the crossbred heifers are sought after by the local cattle ranchers as replacements.

Cattle are trucked from the main ranch in the fall to winter pastures at Vermillion Creek. Sheep are trailed from their winter pasture on Vermillion Creek to the spring-summer allotments and Forest Service lands.

Ranch has two dwellings at the headquarters along with two bunk houses, sheep shearing sheds, barns and corrals plus a typical set of ranch outbuildings. There are several working corrals and scales throughout the ranch. There are fifteen wells, of which twelve are artesian, on the ranch.

The headquarters lie between two main river drainages (Big Sandy River & Little Sandy River). Big Sandy River flows southwest from the foothills of the Wind River Mountains then west to the plains of the Little Colorado Desert. The Little Sandy River flows into the Big Sandy River southwest of the junction of State Highways 28 & 191.

Detailed information may be obtained by contacting Theo Hirshfeld, at

307-684-9556 (O) or 307-217-0562 (C).

MONTANA & WYOMING PROPERTIES

58 E. Benteen Street | Buffalo, WY 82834 Ph 307-684-9556 | Toll Free 888-684-9557 Email: jdp@pearsonrealestate.com Website: www.pearsonrealestate.com

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Genuine. Devoted. Proven.

STRAND RANCH | GEYSER, MT Tremendous Grass & Water Resources

PARKER RANCH | KEYSTONE, NE Well Watered with 120 Stock Tanks & 67 Miles of Pipeline

FOR SALE FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1944 Nestled at the base of the Highwood Mountains in one of Montana’s most productive grass regions, this 30,654± total acres of which 28,894± are deeded comfortably carries 1,100 head of mother cows. Five creeks, dozens of springs, ponds and developed water provide an abundant water resource for livestock and wildlife. Round Butte provides an idyllic ecosystem for about 30 head of native mountain goats.

RARE OPPORTUNITY IN THE SANDHILLS This 28,750± total acre ranch with 27,482± deeded acres, offers abundant grass, unlimited stock water, efficient cross fencing, well-designed improvements, close proximity to cattle markets and convenient to abundant feed resources. One of the cleanest and most efficient ranches on the market, the Ranch has consistently supported 1,600± Animal Units.

Offered at $37,250,000

Offered at $21,500,000

NEW LISTING

64

NEW NEWLISTING LISTING

JY BAGBY RANCH | JACKSON, MT Two Miles of Beaverhead National Forest Border

22 RANCH | MCALLISTER, MT State-Of-The-Art Equestrian Facility

EXQUISITE SETTING & IMPROVEMENTS | The 2,937± deeded acres with 2 miles of Englejard Creek, provide privacy, security and safety. The 5,081± sf home showcases high-end finishes, dramatic views and 3 adjoining bunkhouse suites. The thoughtfully designed improvementsprovideallofthemodernnecessitiesexpected in today’s high-end ranch properties. Flood irrigation, with solid-senior water rights, irrigate the majority of the Ranch.

AMAZING MADISON RANGE VIEWS | With uninterrupted views of Ennis Lake and the surrounding mountains, the 1,362± deeded acres, including 196± pivotirrigated acres, consist of native mountain pasture, improved pasture and significant hay ground potential. The state-of-theart 125’ x 260’ indoor riding arena and immaculate eight-stall barnisanidealsetupforanavidequestrian.Big-gamehunting is exceptional on the Ranch and the adjoining public lands.

Offered at $14,950,000

Offered at $5,900,000

SWANLANDCO.COM | INFO@SWANLANDCO.COM | 866.999.7342 BOZEMAN, | SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH Homeland FALL 2020 MONTANA TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS | THE FENCE POST| BUFFALO & SARATOGA, WYOMING

Modular/Manufactured Homes & Land/Home Packages MOD Price BaseBase Price/IRC without options

without AND optionsSET UP DELIVERED

DELIVERED AND SET UP

$143,900 UBC/IRC $145,200

Redman & Champion Homes, York, NE www.redmanhomesyork.com

2,030 1,856 Sq. Ft.

Many Options Many Options Available Available (Deliverywithin within100 100 miles) (Delivery miles)

Drive a couple more miles to save thousands!

West

South Greeley Hwy 85

Interstate 80 South from I-80 on Greeley Highway, East at the first light on Fox Farm Road one half mile to Schroder’s All American Homes

East

Morrie Ave.

Fox Farm Road

WE’RE EASY TO FIND!

10 Morrie Avenue, Cheyenne, WY 82007 • 307-634-7399 • Toll Free 1-877-391-9762 Mon-Sat 9-5 Mon-Sat 9-5 www.schroederamericanhomes.com www.schroederamericanhomes.com

977+/- ACRES YUMA COUNTY, COLORADO 753+/- ACRES IRRIGATED, 223+/- ACRES GRASS PASTURE North of Wray, Colorado on County Road 54

Three Valley center pivot sprinklers. Two irrigation wells. 1275 acre feet annual allotment of irrigation water.

In Sections 3, 4, and 5 Township 4 North, Range 43 West of the 6th P.M. Real Estate Property Taxes: $7090 (2017) Republican River Water Conservation District Assessment: $11,120 (2017) Sand Hills Ground Water Management District Assessment: $1785 (2017) Two irrigation wells: One 450 hp electric, One 125 hp electric. Three pivots: 2000 Valley 2700 feet long, 2005 Valley 1447 feet long, older 6 tower Valley updated with new Valley control box and other parts. Two electric stock wells.

The crops and maintenance on this property indicate excellent Tenant care

Offered exclusively by Agri-Enterprises, Inc. Fort Collins, CO www.agrienterprises.com Les Gelvin • (970) 214-6139 • les@agrienterprises.com

The information herein has been given to us by sources that we deem reliable. We have no reason to doubt the accuracy, but we cannot guarantee it.

This offering is subject to errors, omissions, or change without notice.

970-214-6139