The Nature Conservancy and the Upper Smylie Place
Windrows in the Middle Smylie
We are placing our lands in the upper Little Snake River Valley under conservation easements with Wyoming's Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the Colorado Cattlemen's Land Trust (CCALT). This has been a long and adventurous journey. In October 2008, we completed the first of six easements on our Bull Pasture with CCALT. In March 2009, we completed the second easement on the upper part of the Home Ranch, known as the Upper Smylie and the Middle Smylie, with TNC. We will complete the others over the course of the next year. Conservation easements have their fans and their detractors, but we will rest assured that our mountain ranch can never be subdivided and will remain in agricultural and wildlife production "in perpetuity". The other day, Pat and I took a ride on the four-wheeler up to the Smylie Place, named after an early pioneer family. Predictably, we got the four-wheeler stuck and walked the three and a half miles back home. We had to ford Battle Creek, which is running low this time of year. Pat just plunged in and waded across the creek. I dreaded walking miles in wet shoes, socks and pantlegs, so I stripped down to my shirt and underwear and undertook crossing the slippery rocks in bare feet. "Don't worry," I assured Pat. "I did this all time when I was a kid." Also predictably, I slipped and fell into the water, completely soaking myself and all my carried apparel. How fortunate that Pat captured this on film!
Uncut hay in the Upper Smylie
Bales in the Lower Smylie
Battle Creek between the Lower Smylie and the JO
Scorpion image on rock
Battle Creek
Before: Sharon (with Suzie)
Lower Smylie
After: Sharon IN Battle Creek
photos by Pat O'Toole
Comments
I am sorry you fell in the creek but it gave me a smile. I remember how slick rocks with water running over them can be. At least all that was hurt was your pride.
Posted by: ellie k | August 31, 2009 7:10 PM