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| Features |
Range Rovers
Constance Gustke
05/03/2004
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Herd Mentality
Many dot-com entrepreneurs, media executives and
celebrities have bought so-called “trophy ranches” in recent years. Typically
costing $10 million to $20 million, these have been selling briskly in prime
cattle country in Texas, western Colorado, Montana and Wyoming. Their owners
often use them as private retreats and indulge in fishing, hunting, hiking and
horseback riding.
Some would-be ranchers, blinded by the blue-ribbon rivers,
pristine mountains and abundant wildlife, fail to realize that riding the range
carries a steep price tag, both in terms of ongoing capital requirements, and
effort. “Operating a 10,000-acre ranch takes many employees and equipment,” says
Billy Long, a partner with Ranch Marketing Associates in Aspen, Colo. “And it’s
ongoing. Realizing the negative impact is a challenge.”
Many of us are also
unprepared for the lifestyle. Ranching is a lonely life. In rural states like
Montana, which boasts a population of only 900,000, services are sparse. The
nearest grocery store may be hours away. “There aren’t many Starbucks in town,”
quips Rick Oncken, a realtor who specializes in ranches at Lambros Real Estate
in Missoula, Mont. “Counties may share a doctor.” Unless we put a landing strip
on our property, we may have to drive several hours to get to the nearest
airport. The best restaurant in town may be a café at the crossroads. “Ranches
turn over after three years,” says Oncken. “People decide it’s not what they’re
looking for.”
Still, for those of us who embrace the individualistic values
of ranch living, it can be truly fulfilling. Many of us are inured to city life,
and find rural America’s values refreshing. One obvious boon is the sense of
security. Gentlemen ranchers, according to Steve Fuller, president of Fuller
Western Real Estate in Denver, “feel safe. Many don’t even lock their doors.”
Others see the hard-working ethos of the ranch as a welcome antidote to rampant
materialism and other pressures on affluent families. “I wish every family could
work on a ranch,” says Bob Funk, an entrepreneur who owns and manages several
ranches. “You’re teaching kids a good work ethic. They learn values—that people
are important and that conservation is important.”
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