BigAl
Gone But Not Forgotten
Well I went and done it now . This summer my great nieghbor in Idaho brought up all his haying equipment from his ranch in the valley .He sold his old ranch to the Daughter and retired . He's like a Dad to me and my wife . Though we do not have a lot of hay fields here in Elk city the ones that do, produce very good quality hay .
He is 74 years old he loves to tinker with his hay and logging equipment . Anyway, I look out the front window and here he comes down the road in the JD Swather ,turns into my pasture and starts cutting hay . In about 20 minutes he has it all cut and rowed ! Thats about 3 arces in that field . Couple days later he is back and rolls the hay to even out the drying . Next day he is back with his Square bailer and starts spitting out bales . He also has a big JD round baler but it is too big for my use on the ranch .
Long story but I now have purchased his complete haying operation and have about 1/2 dozen big ranches to hay for next season . Its the only big haying operation for 70 miles so it should pay for itself quickly .I may have to build a bigger hay barn for all the hay we now produce .
And then it happened ........I left 70 bales of hay stacked up for the Elk to have this winter . Boy are they having a good time now . They actually sleep in the hay and refuse to leave .They pretty much destoryed it in a few weeks .
This got me to seriously thinking about something that has been on my mind for awhile .
My long term plan was and is to produce enough hay to feed the Elk through the winter that always stay in the area . Thats a couple of hundred head .
I am now in the process of buying the nieghboring ranch and removing all the cross fences to increase the size of the big meadow where the Elk stay and feed through the winter .
I am thinking of setting up Hay rides in my one horse open sliegh at Christmas and during the winter months to attract vistors and help the local economy .
The few local businesses that we have do a great business in the summer/ fall months but really struggle in the winter . Hopefully this will help .
I hope to build and design one of the largest Christmas Festivals west of Jackson Hole for our little town . So far everything seems to be coming together . My other neighboring ranch is already starting to develope a feeding /viewing area to help the animals survive the harsh winters .
I already have the sliegh so all that is left to do is develope a business plan and arrange overnight accomodations for the guest and tourist .
Heres a picture I took off the front deck of the ranch . There were a total of about 18 mother Elk and calves in this picture that morning . I have seen over 150 in the early morning hours .
I know a few of you have seen the sleigh but here is a picture for the new members to consider.
So whatta you Think ? Would you be willing to travel 100-150 miles to see a hundred plus Elk and take hay rides and sliegh rides amongst them . Maybe do a little Christmas Shopping, Find and cut your own Christmas tree off my ranch ,Cross Country ski,Ice skating , take rides in Snowcats and snowmobiles? Have big bon fires at night whiling sipping hot cider and cocoa and stay in cabins with down comforters on the bed .
I'm thinking of developing a weekend package for familys . I have set up 6 cabins so far that are all in the immediate area of my ranch . I also have one B&B ready to commit . The 2 local cafes are all for it .
Do you think this would help our little town ?
He is 74 years old he loves to tinker with his hay and logging equipment . Anyway, I look out the front window and here he comes down the road in the JD Swather ,turns into my pasture and starts cutting hay . In about 20 minutes he has it all cut and rowed ! Thats about 3 arces in that field . Couple days later he is back and rolls the hay to even out the drying . Next day he is back with his Square bailer and starts spitting out bales . He also has a big JD round baler but it is too big for my use on the ranch .
Long story but I now have purchased his complete haying operation and have about 1/2 dozen big ranches to hay for next season . Its the only big haying operation for 70 miles so it should pay for itself quickly .I may have to build a bigger hay barn for all the hay we now produce .
And then it happened ........I left 70 bales of hay stacked up for the Elk to have this winter . Boy are they having a good time now . They actually sleep in the hay and refuse to leave .They pretty much destoryed it in a few weeks .
This got me to seriously thinking about something that has been on my mind for awhile .
My long term plan was and is to produce enough hay to feed the Elk through the winter that always stay in the area . Thats a couple of hundred head .
I am now in the process of buying the nieghboring ranch and removing all the cross fences to increase the size of the big meadow where the Elk stay and feed through the winter .
I am thinking of setting up Hay rides in my one horse open sliegh at Christmas and during the winter months to attract vistors and help the local economy .
The few local businesses that we have do a great business in the summer/ fall months but really struggle in the winter . Hopefully this will help .
I hope to build and design one of the largest Christmas Festivals west of Jackson Hole for our little town . So far everything seems to be coming together . My other neighboring ranch is already starting to develope a feeding /viewing area to help the animals survive the harsh winters .
I already have the sliegh so all that is left to do is develope a business plan and arrange overnight accomodations for the guest and tourist .
Heres a picture I took off the front deck of the ranch . There were a total of about 18 mother Elk and calves in this picture that morning . I have seen over 150 in the early morning hours .
I know a few of you have seen the sleigh but here is a picture for the new members to consider.
So whatta you Think ? Would you be willing to travel 100-150 miles to see a hundred plus Elk and take hay rides and sliegh rides amongst them . Maybe do a little Christmas Shopping, Find and cut your own Christmas tree off my ranch ,Cross Country ski,Ice skating , take rides in Snowcats and snowmobiles? Have big bon fires at night whiling sipping hot cider and cocoa and stay in cabins with down comforters on the bed .
I'm thinking of developing a weekend package for familys . I have set up 6 cabins so far that are all in the immediate area of my ranch . I also have one B&B ready to commit . The 2 local cafes are all for it .
Do you think this would help our little town ?
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I baby my shoulder all the time now .
Sounds like a good idea though I think you would need a more reliable snowcat to make it work....
. I have been told you can use paper grocey shopping bags and burlap and get the same result .
(Me taking cover)
