“Committed to the Land”

“Committed to the Land”. Wyoming’s Agriculture. , Large numbers of cattle populated this country prior to the devastating storms of the 1880’s. Sheep were far more profitable than cattle and sheep herds began to multiply. However, the terrible winter of 1919 and predators took their toll on the sheep industry., This land was heavily homesteaded when the federal government encouraged World War I veterans to populate the new west, offering 320 acres to anyone who asked. The climate proved too dry for even the dry land wheat that many settlers planted and they eventually sold out to livestock interests that remain dominant today. Because of arid conditions early ranchers developed many small reservoirs to capture whatever precipitation came from snow runoff or thunderstorms. It was not until the 1950’s that electricity finally came to the area making possible the drilling of water wells., Making a living in the early agriculture of this area of Wyoming meant being self-reliant. Going to town was, at best, a once a month venture. According to one rancher, whose father homesteaded in this area and who now operates over 60,000 acres of federal, state and deeded lands, it was a fantastic way of life for his six children and wife, “but you got to be committed to the land.” These challenges and this commitment remain for today’s ranchers.