Buffalo Ranch for Sale – Choosing a New Home

Doubt whom you will, but never yourself.—Christine Bovee

Page  and I recently spent five travel-packed days in Arkansas and Missouri touring quite a few properties and getting a feel for the beauty and livability of the various small- and mid-size towns.  Land is considerably less expensive there than it is here in Oregon, and just as beautiful.

Missouri and Arkansas are situated in the middle of the original bison habitat of North America.

 

 The Happy Buffy Ranch in Witter, Arkansas

We saw several beautiful farms and ranches, including one in Witter, Arkansas.  Axel Heye’s property in Witter is what started us moving in the direction of Arkansas.  I happened across the Happy Buffy Ranch for sale on the internet.  Everything needed to successfully raise buffalo is already there on his ranch, and Axel proved to be an informative and gracious host.  In the end, we decided that his 177 acres were more than we were ready to take on, even though it was hard to resist the  serenity of his green, rolling pastures.   It is a fantastic opportunity for someone looking for a ready-made buffalo ranch.

80 Acres of Heaven (and a few goats)

On the last day of our trip, we traveled from Branson, Missouri, to another little town in Missouri called Thayer, where we met a friendly realtor named Leroy.  Leroy drove us just past the town of Mountain View and introduced us to the place we fell in love with:  a beautiful 80-acre farm in the heart of the Missouri Ozarks.    We were greeted by the most convincing good will ambassadors you could imagine:  three cute and talkative floppy-eared goats.  Their plaintive greetings seemed to say:  “You’ll like it here!  Now, scratch my ears!”

If I could use only one word to describe the animals, the serene pastures, and the overall feeling of the place it would be  “balanced.”  A yellow farm cat with giant paws sauntered over to say hello, a turkey fanned its tail feathers for us, and a small herd of goats glanced our way then nonchalantly continued their grazing.  Even the dogs, who greeted us briefly and without the usual dog fanfare, were calm and unconcerned about strangers in their universe. 

As we walked around the 80 acres of green pastures, clear ponds, and groves of cedar and white oak trees, it became clear that this is what we have been looking for.

 

 

 

 

 

Entrance to the farm

Lower pasture, one of six pastures

One of six ponds 

Another pond

Upper pasture

 Home with flower and herb garden in the foreground

It’s a Foregone Conclusion

After seeing this 80 acres in Missouri, Page and I no longer have the slightest doubt that we could be successful as bison ranchers in the area.  The location, five minutes from the progressive community of Mountain View and 30 minutes from the larger town of West Plains, is perfectly situated to raise buffalo and still be within reach of employment and community services.

Owning a farm, and obtaining financing for it, is not as easy as simply buying a home, so we face some challenges in realizing this particular dream.  However, we are determined to exhaust every possibility to obtain it.   Now, more than at any time since the birth of our crazy idea, we are certain we will reach our goal of owning a bison ranch.

There is nothing like a dream to create the future. Utopia to-day, flesh and blood tomorrow.—Victor Hugo

Bison videos - bellowing and grunting

Ever wonder what sounds a bison makes? Here is one bellowing.

This one is more of a grunt. Check out the tongue!

 

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This and That: Blog Updates and a Break from the Daily Grind

Where is Moldova?

Since this blog’s inception in late September, I’ve been amazed at the amount of traffic it’s received from all over the United States and the world. 

Capriana Monastery in Moldova

Visitors from Texas, New York, Louisiana, and Illinois, as well as Moldova,  Pakistan, Egypt, Scotland, and Canada have somehow found their way to my little blog.   It really is a small world!  So, I added a fun feature over in the left panel:  a map that shows where visitors are from.  I just added it a few days ago, so it only includes recent visits, but over time, it should be interesting to see how small this world really is.

Receive Updates Via Email.  At the very top of this page is new feature that allows you sign up to receive an email whenever the blog is updated.  That way, you don’t have to keep checking back in, only to find that nothing new is here.  Between work, family, and sleeping, I sometimes go a couple a weeks between posts, and I surely don’t want to lose readers because of it!  So, please subscribe!  If you prefer RSS feeds, scroll down to the bottom of the page for several more options.

Blogs I Like. I’ve started a list of farm- and animal-related blogs (see the left panel) that I enjoy reading myself.  Check them out; they’re a fun read.

A Break from the Daily Grind

Life can get hectic for all of us, and sometimes we’re moving so fast we don’t even pause to enjoy the small things that create happiness in our daily lives.  So, today I’m paying tribute to the men in my life and some of the little ways they make my life fun.
Both of my boys are introverts, but around the house you’d never know it.  They are entertainers extraordinaire.  My son Ryan is an excellent mimic, and his imitations of Gollum from the “Lord of the Rings” movies and Peter from the TV show, “Family Guy,” never fail to entertain.  He picks up on little-known phrases from movies and television, funny tidbits that others might miss, and entertains us with perfect renditions. 


My son Jeff is an astute observer; he notices the little things about people and places, and he’s not bashful about pointing them out.  This has resulted in some very accurate, and very funny, observations.  Some of them are sweet, like “Mom, you smell as good as a popsicle!”  Others are offbeat, like the one uttered with a smile on a foggy winter day:  “The air smells like white toenails.”  Only he knows what that means, but you have to admit it’s original.   

My sweet man—he loves to cook, and he especially loves to grill outdoors.  He’s funny, wise, and good with people.  Since he joined our home, my boys have gained confidence and maturity.  I’ve been a single parent since they were 6 and 5, and I’ve done a decent job, but Page has brought balance--in the form of a positive male influence--into their lives.  As for me, Page makes me laugh every single day.

Happy Buffalo Ranching

A prominent theory in the field of psychology postulates that humans strive for the highest level of their abilities, using their creativity to reach a pinnacle of consciousness and wisdom.  But, humans cannot achieve this level of “self-actualization” until certain basic needs are met, in ascending order:  physiological needs (food, water); safety needs; needs of love, affection, and belongingness; and needs for esteem, both self-esteem and the esteem earned from others.
The happiness Page and I get from each other and the boys allows us to dream and reach for that which fulfills our need for creativity and growth.  The excitement of building a business that requires us to learn new skills and think creatively has energized both of us.  Page and I, and even Ryan and Jeff, are all looking forward to a new experience:   happy buffalo ranching!
We cannot really love anybody without whom we never laugh.
-- Alice Reppler

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