It's one of the most romantic notions some of us may have ever entertained. The ¼ section with the triple rail fence, gently winding driveway and the Rocky Mountains as the backdrop curtain to a picture too perfect for words. Like something from a piece of folk art our minds picture rolling hills, a barn, a shop, and the quintessential log home with verandah, rocking chair and smoke gently rising from the chimney of a log house. That’s about as Alberta as you can get right there and the image is deeply ingrained in us all.
This is a lifestyle and it is not common. I have seen very few high-end full time working ranches in Alberta and I assure you that they are more work and less romance than you may think. With today's land prices anywhere from $10,000.00 to $30,000+ per large parcel acre in the Rockies things get expensive really fast.
I come from deep Aberdeen and Black Angus cattle ranching roots. My great grandfather was a gentleman rancher with a parliamentary seat in Ottawa and chose to live and work the dream of owning a working ranch in both Manitoba and later in Alberta. From a prize bull saboteur (tuberculosis was covertly introduced to the heard by a rival rancher) to creation of government policy this life was large enough to continue to be told through stories 3 generations later. Although Northlane Farms no longer operates, the cattle lines do and so does the Leader lineage.
Fast forward to the prospects of owning a ranch today.... big or small, here are some things that you will want to consider:
-
Large Equipment Needs- Pickup Truck, Skid steer, Tractor, Mini dig/Hoe, ATV/UTV and attachments, Livestock Trailer, Snow removal equipment, Fence repair, Spreaders, Power tools, Composters, Gravel piles, Post pounder......(the list is never complete)
-
Does it have a shop to store the equipment needed or will you have to build one, don’t forget to add extra space for the workshop you'll need to repair the equipment you own and work on the projects you will have.
-
If you want horses in our neck of the woods you need to consider 2-10AC per horse for adequate foraging land. Most of us bring in hay which allows for less land per animal if you are not relying solely on foraging.
-
The Barn-Metal Barns are more commonly seen today due to affordability and convenience. A 10-stall barn may cost anywhere from $10-20 per square foot for a basic price and compared to the wooden pole barn at $35-40 per square foot the benefits are evident.
-
Is the road adequate for cattle movement?
-
Arena for horses? Indoor or Outdoor? Footing? Size?
The romance is certainly there but so is the work and the overhead.
Here is a link to some of Alberta’s most spectacular mountain ranches for sale today