Ranch or Farm.....

[leboeuf]

Ok, stupid question, however I told a couple of friends about the property I have under contract. I referred to it as a ranch (116 acres), he argued it was a farm due to the small acreage size. Is he full of it or can you call it whatever? :dunce:

 

[dun]

Whatever you want. There are those that claim that a farm is one thing and a ranch another, others base it on size.

 

[Darhawk]

Ok, stupid question, however I told a couple of friends about the property I have under contract. I referred to it as a ranch (116 acres), he argued it was a farm due to the small acreage size. Is he full of it or can you call it whatever? :dunce:

Tell your friend when it's his money on the line, he can call it a farm. Since it's your money on the line, you want it a ranch, it's a ranch.

 

[leboeuf]

love it, ranch it is. Now brainstorming the names!

 

[bigbull338]

it really doesnt matter what you call it.some refer to raising crops as as a farm.or like the place your looking at 116ac a farm.because of its size.an a ranch as 500acs or bigger.

 

[Jogeephus]

This is just me but I've always thought of anything west of the Mississippi as being a ranch and anything east being a farm. I've just always thought of you western folks as ranchers moreso than anyone around my area. I think most of the folks in my locale would agree we are more just farmers. A few of us raise cows on their farms. But thats just my way of looking at it.

 

[1982vett]

Taken from Wikipedia:

A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though there are ranches in other areas.

People who own or operate a ranch are called stockgrowers or ranchers. Ranching is also a method used to raise less common livestock such as elk, American Bison or even ostrich and emu.

Ranches generally consist of large areas, but may be of nearly any size. In the western United States, many ranches are a combination of privately owned land supplemented by grazing leases on land under the control of the federal Bureau of Land Management. If the ranch includes arable or irrigated land, the ranch may also engage in a limited amount of farming, raising crops for feeding the animals, such as hay and feed grains.

Ranches that cater exclusively to tourists are called dude ranches. Most working ranches do not cater to guests, though they may allow private hunters or outfitters onto their property to hunt native wildlife. However, in recent years, a few struggling smaller operations have added some dude ranch features, such as horseback rides, cattle drives or guided hunting, in an attempt to bring in additional income. Ranching is part of the iconography of the "Wild West" as seen in Western movies.


A farm is an area of land, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of farming, the production and management of food, either produce or livestock (see also ranching). It is the basic production facility in food production.[1] Farms may be owned and operated by a single individual, family, or community, or by a corporation or company. A farm can be a holding of any size from a fraction of a hectare to several thousand hectares.

A business producing tree fruits or nuts is called an orchard; a vineyard produces raisins, wine or table grapes. The stable is used for operations principally involved in the production of horses and other animals and livestock. A farm that is primarily used for the production of milk and dairy is a dairy farm. A market garden or truck farm is a farm that raises vegetables, but little or no grain. Additional specialty farms include fish farms, which raise fish in captivity as a food source, and tree farms, which grow trees for sale for transplant, lumbering, or decorative use. A plantation is usually a large farm or estate, on which cotton, tobacco, coffee, or sugar cane, are cultivated, usually by resident laborers.

The development of farming and farms was an important component in establishing towns. Once people have moved from hunting and/or gathering and from simple horticulture to active farming, social arrangements of roads, distribution, collection, and marketing can evolve. With the exception of plantations and colonial farms, farm sizes tend to be small in newly-settled lands and to extend as transportation and markets become sophisticated. Farming rights have been the central tenet of a number of revolutions, wars of liberation, and post-colonial economics.


Always thought of our place as a farm. Dad and his father made their living growing crops (cotton, corn, milo) but also had beef cows and dairy cows, hogs, chickens, turkeys and of course a garden with fruit trees.

Today I suppose it would be more accurate to call it a ranch. The only farming (tilling of the soil) is to grow winter pasture for the cattle. Hogs, chickens, turkeys, jersey cows, and guinea are long gone and most likely won't make a comeback.

 

[hillrancher]

Taken from Wikipedia:

A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though there are ranches in other areas.

People who own or operate a ranch are called stockgrowers or ranchers. Ranching is also a method used to raise less common livestock such as elk, American Bison or even ostrich and emu.

Ranches generally consist of large areas, but may be of nearly any size. In the western United States, many ranches are a combination of privately owned land supplemented by grazing leases on land under the control of the federal Bureau of Land Management. If the ranch includes arable or irrigated land, the ranch may also engage in a limited amount of farming, raising crops for feeding the animals, such as hay and feed grains.

Ranches that cater exclusively to tourists are called dude ranches. Most working ranches do not cater to guests, though they may allow private hunters or outfitters onto their property to hunt native wildlife. However, in recent years, a few struggling smaller operations have added some dude ranch features, such as horseback rides, cattle drives or guided hunting, in an attempt to bring in additional income. Ranching is part of the iconography of the "Wild West" as seen in Western movies.


A farm is an area of land, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of farming, the production and management of food, either produce or livestock (see also ranching). It is the basic production facility in food production.[1] Farms may be owned and operated by a single individual, family, or community, or by a corporation or company. A farm can be a holding of any size from a fraction of a hectare to several thousand hectares.

A business producing tree fruits or nuts is called an orchard; a vineyard produces raisins, wine or table grapes. The stable is used for operations principally involved in the production of horses and other animals and livestock. A farm that is primarily used for the production of milk and dairy is a dairy farm. A market garden or truck farm is a farm that raises vegetables, but little or no grain. Additional specialty farms include fish farms, which raise fish in captivity as a food source, and tree farms, which grow trees for sale for transplant, lumbering, or decorative use. A plantation is usually a large farm or estate, on which cotton, tobacco, coffee, or sugar cane, are cultivated, usually by resident laborers.

The development of farming and farms was an important component in establishing towns. Once people have moved from hunting and/or gathering and from simple horticulture to active farming, social arrangements of roads, distribution, collection, and marketing can evolve. With the exception of plantations and colonial farms, farm sizes tend to be small in newly-settled lands and to extend as transportation and markets become sophisticated. Farming rights have been the central tenet of a number of revolutions, wars of liberation, and post-colonial economics.


Always thought of our place as a farm. Dad and his father made their living growing crops (cotton, corn, milo) but also had beef cows and dairy cows, hogs, chickens, turkeys and of course a garden with fruit trees.

Today I suppose it would be more accurate to call it a ranch. The only farming (tilling of the soil) is to grow winter pasture for the cattle. Hogs, chickens, turkeys, jersey cows, and guinea are long gone and most likely won't make a comeback.

Very good, now we know.

 

[cfpinz]

This is just me but I've always thought of anything west of the Mississippi as being a ranch and anything east being a farm. I've just always thought of you western folks as ranchers moreso than anyone around my area. I think most of the folks in my locale would agree we are more just farmers. A few of us raise cows on their farms. But thats just my way of looking at it.

Yup. Depends on what side of the creek you're on.

 

[Mahoney Pursley Ranch]

It's your place,call it whaever you want.

 

[TexasBred]

Got a place down the road from me with a nice stone entrance and name over the gate "Aspirin Acres Ranch". The whole thing probalby covers 10 acres. Evidently even that amount can cause headaches. :lol:

 

[MissouriExile]

A few weeks ago someone posted a definition that I liked.....

If you can walk out on your pasture and pet the cattle it's a farm.

If the idea of going on foot around your cattle causes you to fear for your life.... then it's a ranch.Jon :cowboy:

 

[Earl Thigpen]

Call it what ever you want to call it. Folks in California call anything from 1/4 acre and up a "ranch" and don't have any livestock. I call my place a farm even though the only thing I grow is feed for my cattle.

 

[Brute 23]

If you primarily grow a crop you are a farmer... on a farm. If you primarily raise livestock you are a rancher... on a ranch.

 

[TexasBred]

I gotta farm...a small farm. I figure if it doesn't take at least a six pack to get from the front gate to the main house it's not a ranch. :lol2: But whatever fits best for you is what you should call your place.

 

[leboeuf]

Well that all depends on how slow you walk, how fast you drink and if you use straight lines from A to B. :clap:

 

[TexasBred]

Well that all depends on how slow you walk, how fast you drink and if you use straight lines from A to B. :clap:

hmm....walk slow, drink fast, and definitely not a straight line....best make that a 12-pack.

 

[Cowdirt]

Don't know why but this one reminds me of the western rancher and Tn. farmer who were talking. Rancher says, "I can get get in my truck and drive until mid morning and still be on my ranch." Tn. farmer says, " I use ter hav a truk lack that".

 

[iowahawkeyes]

I used to post on a "Farm Life" forum. Basically it was a forum for people with 1-2 acre "farms" that asked an endless list of questions about how to raise chickens. Someone asked what a farmer was and I gave my opinion about all these wannabes. They didn't like it. I don't go there anymore.
Point is you can sall it whatever you want, it depends on your locale and essentially it doesn't really matter what people think anyway. The hard part is coming up with a name you want to live with. Take your time.

 

[TexasBred]

Don't know why but this one reminds me of the western rancher and Tn. farmer who were talking. Rancher says, "I can get get in my truck and drive until mid morning and still be on my ranch." Tn. farmer says, " I use ter hav a truk lack that".

:lol2: :lol2: good one :lol2: :clap: