sanchez":3i722ja8 said:
Well hopefully I posted this in the correct forum. I've been reading and searching for the past week. I'm getting ready to retire from my telecom business and am looking for a change of pace. I have little experience with cattle, but I've owned and been around horses and sheep since I hit the ground. I'm currently in H ell-on-earth (Phoenix, AZ) and want to move to a colder climate.
So my question is, I'm looking to purchase a decent tract of land to live on full time in the Northwest/Central area, preferably in a cold climate that is cattle-friendly as I want to start a hobby cattle operation. I love South Dakota and Wyoming because of how sprawled out the areas are, and how unbelievably friendly people are. Is there anything in particular I should look for in the property search endeavor? According to the realtors I've talked to, soil is generally not an issue, and ground water (+ irrigation) is pretty common.
Any insight, or the occasional scolding is greatly appreciated.
Yeah, I've got a little insight for you - depending on the type of operation you're looking to start. Are you familiar with -40 to -60 degree(rare, but it does happen) temperatures, and do you know how to keep your calves ears (if not the calves themselves) from freezing? Are you aware that Wyoming is in an 8 year drought and, if we don't get some relief very soon, there will be no water for irrigation - or anything else, for that matter - sometime within the next couple of years? Are you prepared to attempt to live a dream in a state that has, on average(in a normal year), 10" of rainfall/year? Maybe you need to get the stars out of your eyes, and do a little research. Yes, the people in Wyoming are friendly, but the environment is not - as witnessed by the number of people from Colorado (and many other states) that bought land here, only to sell out a year later and move back where they came from.