Basically the way i look at it. A ranch is where livestock is raised, a farm is where crops are grown. But here in mississippi both are called farms, and the rich guy that raises nothing and drives a dually to the grocery store calls his 1 acre gated property a ranch...
Im thinking you are right about the lawyer at least. My brother was on a big outfit in Austraiia and they asked him to go in the helicopter, he went and looked at it and said "that SOB had the same motor my snow mobile in Wyoming had and it quit every time it felt like it". The Aussies laughed but he never went up.
When I was a kid, I always pictured a ranch being thousands of acres with lots of cattle. Now, I realize most of those big places out west are only running a couple hundred head of cows because the grass is spread out over a vast area. I run that on my 500 acre place now, but I have plenty of grass and water. So I guess my answer would be anyone who raises livestock for profit is a rancher and anyone who grows crops for a profit is a farmer. I do think it is silly when you see a big fancy metal entrance with a brand on it and the “ranch” is like 5 acres.
@ I am going to have to retract my comment. I think I defined more of what a rancher is instead of what a ranch is. I would say a ranch is a piece of property that’s primarily purpose is to raise beef cattle, sheep, goats, bison, or horses for profit. Hogs, catfish, dairy cattle, poultry, and dairy goats to me are raised on farms no matter how much land they have.
@@CGunRanch I don't mean this as an argument, I found it amazing when I learned that the grand Miller and Lux of the late 19th and early 20th century in California had a huge scale open range hog operation in the Tulary swamps. Vaqueros that were getting bored punching cows could go up there and rope wild hogs that were loaded on wagons and driven to the rail head. It seems most only went a month or two of roping all day everyday till they would go back to cattle. Those must have been some neat horses.
@@HorsemanshipAsAnArtThat is damned impressive! I wish our world could slow down and we could go back to some of those times. Thanks for the history lesson! I always like hearing about the old cowboys and vaqueros.
I feel like your question could be what makes an acreage a ranch and not a farm? (in addition to a wishlist of equipment). To me a ranch may do some farming, but it is primarily to feed their own stock, and any excess can be sold. A Ranch has enough range or pasture to graze their income producing livestock during the grazing season. You can ranch without horses and dogs, but what's the point, (and fun) in that? A Farm grows forages, grains, legumes, or trees to sell and may feed the excess to their livestock. Pasture or rangeland is not sufficient to support livestock without supplementation during the growing season.
My brother and I raised bucking bulls for a few years. We had a few go big but the operation remained a non profit Organization lol. Those bulls are a pain in the as$.
In modern terms I think of a ranch as producing animals, and a farm as producing plant crops. Personally, I feel that calling anything under a section "ranch" is kinda clowny. I use the phrase homestead. With my 40 odd acres of ground, 3 momma cows and a few straggler steers I couldn't tell the old timers at the sale barn I had a ranch without feeling like a towny dink hahaha!
This question will likely be answered, or viewed differently in other parts of the country. In the SW water might be the most important thing before looking at land or Infrastructure. The North might have water readily available year round, but lacks year round feed. Lack of year round feed can mean some ranches have to be part farm/ranch which would change what you would have to do to be successful. Good question, and I'm sure the answers will be interesting.
They have been so far. Water is a good one. I have worked on ranches all over this country and in several other countries. I have found one thing that is common to all of them and you hit pretty close to the nails head.
I had never seen a bale bed till I went to Oklahoma, must be 18 years ago now. How can a man I've without one? I havnt lifted many bales with them but I have skinned a lot of deer and hauled a lot of panels.
@@HorsemanshipAsAnArt they are hard to live without in my part of the country. We spend most of the winter feeding hay with one. I'm doing good Bret thank you for asking how about yourself?
Although not necessary, a four wheel drive capable utility vehicle(RTV1100 is our choice)to haul your chore gear and pull the manure spreader. A tractor with a post hole auger, hay barn, equipment shed, and tack storage. Let's not forget the obligatory hitchin' post. Of course this is for a sub-sixty acre ranchita. Big ops need more.
The biggest outfits I was ever on had the least amount of extras or equipment. At the rock pile I had a two wheel drive half ton pickup, at the RO in Nevada there was a tractor but no one knew how to run it. Some of the ranches I worked on in S America we didn't have electricity, some in N American now that I think about it.
I am proud to say that I have never watched Yellow Stone. Too busy riding real deal horses. Saw a preview when it first started and the "cowboy" was looking at his horn while dallying. That was enough for me.
Manure spreader & ground to spread on! Access to water! Access to feed or ability to make it. Drive, ambition, & desire! Health & wellness! Someone to share it with & animals to care for! Love & God's Blessings!
What makes a Ranch? The right 'drive' and 'State of Mind' . Had a good friend (now deceased) who had a big outfit. 70 thousand acres. It was the sorriest outfit I ever knew.
@HorsemanshipAsAnArt You just might have. He was a big name in horse circles for years. Then he became a drunkard and died. Broke my heart. He was my friend, and I watched him piss away an absolute empire.
Depends what you want out of daily life (and financial considerations of course). So I don't own a ranch, but I work at one because it has cows. Just so I can ride my horse on cows. LOL. If I can help them make money in other ways too, I'm game.
A ranch has to produce something other than horse shit that can be sold or eaten. So many fools out here in Ca. calling their half acres a ranch. I am embarrassed for them. I am on a one acre training facility not a ranch.
Well most of what you said is a good idea. Those that have said what they would have, also good. For me? All that family a damned good dog, along with a purpose.
@@HomerEscobar1 I have never bought a dog, could be my trouble. I have had a lot of dogs and one or two hounds I have been fond of (I have a soft spot for hounds, thourbred horses and red headed women) but I would not say I ever had a good dog, just dogs I liked. I have yet to see one make breakfast or shoe my horse for me.
Hmm...a stimulating consideration. IMO, I dont own a ranch. My place is a ranchette. I dont feel l can really say I'm a rancher, because l make my dime off of construction work. The 75 acres l own comes with 'some' of what a ranch would need to operate and fend for itself independently...meaning: self sufficiency, but not enough. l think there's the division. Often l think owners, or on lookers confuse the two...ranches and ranchettes. Maybe this would be a fair parallel...Kitchens vs kitchenettes...Merely having a microwave and mini-fridge will not define what a whole kitchen is...refer to Martha Stewart for prezactness there. Again, and to your point, '"What is needed?" In the US, tbe landscape varies considerably. Not much about an Everglade ranch operation would compare with a Montana ranch. Look at Texas. The state is so vast. Its eastern border has really no resemblance to its western border, other than the proud bond that identifies a texas cowhand. A fair amount of mid-west cattle operations would clasdify as ranches, but they own no horses, and kinda void of the romantic edge because they don't. What is needed? Most importantly, desire and ambition for the hard work required. Its pretty volatile being in the ranch business. Herds come and go as much as the parcels of land...the grit to keep on going year after year...IMO, that's number one! Thats a start...
well put Sir. The American ranch is somewhat an ideal rather than a thing itself. Ranchett, the place I grew up on we called a 'Gentleman's farm or Gentleman's ranch' because while it made a profit it was held up by other means. Most of the big places I have worked on fall under this same definition, the stock may or may not turn a profit year to year but the ranch is actually funded by oil or gold or the stock market. One place I worked the brand was the short hand symbol for plaintiff because they were the ones that paid for it all. Several others were tax heavens, I have only worked a few outfits that made wages on a cows back.
Goof laugh at the Yellowstone comment!!! Cow or cows, grass land. It’s funny how many people call their piece of dirt a ranch, but they don’t meet any simple requirement to be called a ranch!!
Basically the way i look at it. A ranch is where livestock is raised, a farm is where crops are grown. But here in mississippi both are called farms, and the rich guy that raises nothing and drives a dually to the grocery store calls his 1 acre gated property a ranch...
lol
Well i watch Yellowstone so I know what Im talking about.... Definitely have to have a helicopter and a lawyer.
Im thinking you are right about the lawyer at least. My brother was on a big outfit in Austraiia and they asked him to go in the helicopter, he went and looked at it and said "that SOB had the same motor my snow mobile in Wyoming had and it quit every time it felt like it". The Aussies laughed but he never went up.
a flock of lawyers
(or do lawyers come by the gaggle?)
@@friendoengusNo, they don’t even like each other!
When I was a kid, I always pictured a ranch being thousands of acres with lots of cattle. Now, I realize most of those big places out west are only running a couple hundred head of cows because the grass is spread out over a vast area. I run that on my 500 acre place now, but I have plenty of grass and water. So I guess my answer would be anyone who raises livestock for profit is a rancher and anyone who grows crops for a profit is a farmer. I do think it is silly when you see a big fancy metal entrance with a brand on it and the “ranch” is like 5 acres.
tickles me as well.
@ I am going to have to retract my comment. I think I defined more of what a rancher is instead of what a ranch is. I would say a ranch is a piece of property that’s primarily purpose is to raise beef cattle, sheep, goats, bison, or horses for profit. Hogs, catfish, dairy cattle, poultry, and dairy goats to me are raised on farms no matter how much land they have.
@@CGunRanch I don't mean this as an argument, I found it amazing when I learned that the grand Miller and Lux of the late 19th and early 20th century in California had a huge scale open range hog operation in the Tulary swamps. Vaqueros that were getting bored punching cows could go up there and rope wild hogs that were loaded on wagons and driven to the rail head. It seems most only went a month or two of roping all day everyday till they would go back to cattle. Those must have been some neat horses.
@@HorsemanshipAsAnArtThat is damned impressive! I wish our world could slow down and we could go back to some of those times. Thanks for the history lesson! I always like hearing about the old cowboys and vaqueros.
@@CGunRanch I enjoy reading about them
I feel like your question could be what makes an acreage a ranch and not a farm? (in addition to a wishlist of equipment).
To me a ranch may do some farming, but it is primarily to feed their own stock, and any excess can be sold. A Ranch has enough range or pasture to graze their income producing livestock during the grazing season. You can ranch without horses and dogs, but what's the point, (and fun) in that? A Farm grows forages, grains, legumes, or trees to sell and may feed the excess to their livestock. Pasture or rangeland is not sufficient to support livestock without supplementation during the growing season.
sounds good to me
We have a few horses and beef cattle. Also raise buckin Bulls.
My brother and I raised bucking bulls for a few years. We had a few go big but the operation remained a non profit Organization lol. Those bulls are a pain in the as$.
In modern terms I think of a ranch as producing animals, and a farm as producing plant crops.
Personally, I feel that calling anything under a section "ranch" is kinda clowny. I use the phrase homestead. With my 40 odd acres of ground, 3 momma cows and a few straggler steers I couldn't tell the old timers at the sale barn I had a ranch without feeling like a towny dink hahaha!
Fear not, I have never owned anything that couldn't be moved. We had a nice place when I was a kid but it was never mine.
That's how I feel too...
@@stevenfoulger6066 se la guerre
This question will likely be answered, or viewed differently in other parts of the country. In the SW water might be the most important thing before looking at land or Infrastructure. The North might have water readily available year round, but lacks year round feed. Lack of year round feed can mean some ranches have to be part farm/ranch which would change what you would have to do to be successful. Good question, and I'm sure the answers will be interesting.
They have been so far. Water is a good one. I have worked on ranches all over this country and in several other countries. I have found one thing that is common to all of them and you hit pretty close to the nails head.
Bale bed pickup, good toolbox, welder, shoeing tools, a good saddle house or at least something to keep saddles in
I had never seen a bale bed till I went to Oklahoma, must be 18 years ago now. How can a man I've without one? I havnt lifted many bales with them but I have skinned a lot of deer and hauled a lot of panels.
How are you doing Dane?
@@HorsemanshipAsAnArt they are hard to live without in my part of the country. We spend most of the winter feeding hay with one. I'm doing good Bret thank you for asking how about yourself?
@@danemoore2302 good
Although not necessary, a four wheel drive capable utility vehicle(RTV1100 is our choice)to haul your chore gear and pull the manure spreader. A tractor with a post hole auger, hay barn, equipment shed, and tack storage. Let's not forget the obligatory hitchin' post. Of course this is for a sub-sixty acre ranchita. Big ops need more.
The biggest outfits I was ever on had the least amount of extras or equipment. At the rock pile I had a two wheel drive half ton pickup, at the RO in Nevada there was a tractor but no one knew how to run it. Some of the ranches I worked on in S America we didn't have electricity, some in N American now that I think about it.
Welder, generator, wood burning fire place, a spring, water storage tanks, just to name a few.
when you get it built call me
I am proud to say that I have never watched Yellow Stone. Too busy riding real deal horses. Saw a preview when it first started and the "cowboy" was looking at his horn while dallying. That was enough for me.
lol. I have never seen it either but I havnt seen any TV since I was about 14, Ill have to wait till the book comes out I guess.
@@HorsemanshipAsAnArt Well said, I dropped TV 24 years ago & never looked back!
@@bliz4600 I don't know how long its been for me, I don't miss it but if I get a Motel room I will binge
Manure spreader & ground to spread on! Access to water! Access to feed or ability to make it. Drive, ambition, & desire! Health & wellness! Someone to share it with & animals to care for! Love & God's Blessings!
manure spreaders are a big deal
What makes a Ranch?
The right 'drive' and 'State of Mind' .
Had a good friend (now deceased) who had a big outfit. 70 thousand acres. It was the sorriest outfit I ever knew.
I probably worked for him lol
@HorsemanshipAsAnArt You just might have. He was a big name in horse circles for years. Then he became a drunkard and died. Broke my heart. He was my friend, and I watched him piss away an absolute empire.
@@TheCowboylogic well he isn't alone, many have done the same
Ranch hands, or at least one Ranch Hand.
That helps lol
Depends what you want out of daily life (and financial considerations of course). So I don't own a ranch, but I work at one because it has cows. Just so I can ride my horse on cows. LOL. If I can help them make money in other ways too, I'm game.
Only reason I ever took a job as a cowhand was to work my horses.
@@HorsemanshipAsAnArt 😂👍
I refuse to work at any type of ranch that does not have a good well (or year round running spring box), and at least one woman.
one is enough
@@HorsemanshipAsAnArt fair enough
@@HorsemanshipAsAnArtOnly if she is a good one. If not, one is too many.
@@mjsta4d lol
A ranch has to produce something other than horse shit that can be sold or eaten. So many fools out here in Ca. calling their half acres a ranch. I am embarrassed for them. I am on a one acre training facility not a ranch.
What part of California? I miss it there.
Cattle
what if its a hamster ranch?
@@HorsemanshipAsAnArt I'm screwed!
@@barrynelson634 Gathering a herd of wild hamsters is tough work.
@@HorsemanshipAsAnArt I've only gathered a clowder of cats. That was bad enough! I've been told I'm picky.
@@barrynelson634 lol
A garden. Hay barn. Work shop. Well house. Tractor (s) Trucks n trailers.
Ahhhh not a tractor, I hate tractors lol
well house is right
without water, ya got nothin'
Well most of what you said is a good idea. Those that have said what they would have, also good.
For me? All that family a damned good dog, along with a purpose.
Iv never had a good dog lol
Don't go out and buy a dog and a good one just might come to you! You'll know it when you find it
@@HomerEscobar1 I have never bought a dog, could be my trouble. I have had a lot of dogs and one or two hounds I have been fond of (I have a soft spot for hounds, thourbred horses and red headed women) but I would not say I ever had a good dog, just dogs I liked. I have yet to see one make breakfast or shoe my horse for me.
An Australian shepherd and a dually diesel truck. Oh and a sign that says something or other Ranch
lol "Almosta" ranch.
Somebody else’s money
That is the best way. Tell me how!
Most farms have those things...
Yes but what things do you think a place really needs?
@HorsemanshipAsAnArt I actually just have a small place with a few cows and horses, so land and a set of sorting pens I would think.
@@stevenfoulger6066 I guess in a lot of places a ranch is a mindset.
Hmm...a stimulating consideration.
IMO, I dont own a ranch. My place is a ranchette.
I dont feel l can really say I'm a rancher, because l make my dime off of construction work.
The 75 acres l own comes with 'some' of what a ranch would need to operate and fend for itself independently...meaning: self sufficiency, but not enough. l think there's the division.
Often l think owners, or on lookers confuse the two...ranches and ranchettes.
Maybe this would be a fair parallel...Kitchens vs kitchenettes...Merely having a microwave and mini-fridge will not define what a whole kitchen is...refer to Martha Stewart for prezactness there.
Again, and to your point, '"What is needed?"
In the US, tbe landscape varies considerably. Not much about an Everglade ranch operation would compare with a Montana ranch. Look at Texas. The state is so vast. Its eastern border has really no resemblance to its western border, other than the proud bond that identifies a texas cowhand.
A fair amount of mid-west cattle operations would clasdify as ranches, but they own no horses, and kinda void of the romantic edge because they don't.
What is needed? Most importantly, desire and ambition for the hard work required.
Its pretty volatile being in the ranch business. Herds come and go as much as the parcels of land...the grit to keep on going year after year...IMO, that's number one!
Thats a start...
well put Sir. The American ranch is somewhat an ideal rather than a thing itself. Ranchett, the place I grew up on we called a 'Gentleman's farm or Gentleman's ranch' because while it made a profit it was held up by other means. Most of the big places I have worked on fall under this same definition, the stock may or may not turn a profit year to year but the ranch is actually funded by oil or gold or the stock market. One place I worked the brand was the short hand symbol for plaintiff because they were the ones that paid for it all. Several others were tax heavens, I have only worked a few outfits that made wages on a cows back.
Goof laugh at the Yellowstone comment!!! Cow or cows, grass land. It’s funny how many people call their piece of dirt a ranch, but they don’t meet any simple requirement to be called a ranch!!
Well I never had any more dirt than is under my fingernails so I can't say.
Number 1 land
Well I guess so
a dog