Memories of the Land - JA Ranch (Family Version)

Norman Smith grew up on his family ranch found on a beautiful plateau and valley that can be seen from Interstate 25 between Denver and Colorado Springs.
The Smith family cared for the ranch for over 25 years, and then sold the ranch to the Ritchie family in 1960. The Ritchie family owned JA Ranch, the oldest running cattle operation in the Texas Panhandle. They expanded operations to the Colorado property they also named JA Ranch. The Ritchie family conserved the ranch in 1999, and transferred holding of the easement to the Colorado Cattlemen's Agricultural Land Trust (CCALT) in 2023.
Norman Smith visited the JA Ranch in Fall 2023, and was gracious enough to tell us his family's story and his favorite memories of the ranch he still calls home. The Smith and Ritchie families are wonderful examples of the ethos for taking care of the land under their stewardship. CCALT is proud to become part of this great stewardship legacy and support the JA Ranch in their ownership and management of the property.