At the end of the day,
our reputation stands.
–John D. Pearson, Broker

We are what we repeatedly do.
Excellence, then,
is not an act, but a habit.
– Aristotle

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DESCRIPTION

A productive farm that grows big mule deer and antelope in addition to alfalfa, corn and grains.  Plentiful, low-cost irrigation water.  Lots of natural cover around 2 cold-water reservoirs stocked with fish.

LOCATION: ~3 MILES WEST OF MANDERSON, WYOMING
390 ± ACRES DEEDED | 270± ACRES IRRIGATED/TILLABLE
PRODUCTIVE CERTIFIED ALFALFA SEED | DAIRY QUALITY HAY
* MULE DEER & ANTELOPE HUNTING | TROUT, BASS, PANFISH *

THE LOCATION

The Spann Farm is located approximately 2 miles west of Manderson in Big Horn County, Wyoming on the western side of the Big Horn Mountains.  The property is easily accessed off U.S. Highway 16 & 20.  Manderson and the Big Horn River are on the eastern side of an area called the Big Horn Basin.  Agriculture in "The Basin" is a mix of farming and ranching with alfalfa, sugar beets, and barley as the primary crops.  The Big Horn River flows north to the Big Horn Canyon National Recreation Area and the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range, both near Lovell, WY.

THE HOME & FARM IMPROVEMENTS

The residence on the property is a 1-story, 2,044 sq. ft. ranch style home with 4 bedrooms and 2 baths, is heated with propane forced air and has air conditioning.  The home was built in 1956 and re-modeled in 1994.  Adjacent to the residence is a 20’ x 24’ detached garage  built in 1960.  The  home is protected by a mature shelterbelt of shade and fruit trees. 
 
Other improvements include a large 33’ x 97’ metal-sided machinery storage shed and several other storage buildings, loafing sheds and grain storage structures.  The farm has a small feedlot and cattle working facilities.
 

ABOUT THE FARM

The Spann Farm has proven itself as a reliable, productive farm by supporting the Spann Family for over 50 years.  The property is situated on the southern end of the “Orchard Bench”, a productive peninsula of farmlands and with good soils and good climate suitable for farming.  The owners have cultivated alfalfa seed as the farm's primary crop and the present operation has proven to be very profitable.  The farm also produces dairy quality hay, corn, barley, and sugar beets. The low-cost irrigation water along with low-maintenance concrete ditches and gated pipe make this a very cost-effective farming operation.

Acreage: The Spann Farm consists of 390± acres deeded with approximately 270 acres under irrigation and the balance in wildlife habitat and reservoirs.

Irrigation: The farm is flood irrigated with water from the Big Horn Canal.  The farm has had sufficient, if not optimal, water to produce a crop year-in and year-out.  In addition to participation in the Big Horn Canal Irrigation District, farms in the area are also members of the Alamo Drainage District.  Thus, the Spann Farm has both irrigation and drainage systems in place. Assessments are included with the property taxes.

Hay and Crops Production:  All of the irrigated acres on the Spann Farm can produce alfalfa seed. The particular micro-environment of the Spann Farm lends itself well to alfalfa seed production and the concurrent management of leafcutter bees - a necessary pollinator. As with most production systems, growing alfalfa seed requires crop rotation for weed control and fertility management.  In 2010, the farm will be producing corn and grains in preparation for the establishment of new alfalfa stands.

Generally, alfalfa seed contracts are available with several seed companies in the immediate area.  Historically, the farm has yielded an average of 900 lbs. of seed per acre. Recent production costs are available to qualified buyers.

In addition to alfalfa seed, production of dairy quality alfalfa hay has proven to be a successful enterprise on the Spann Farm. Depending on the variety grown, hay quality reaches 20% protein levels with excellent Relative Feed Values (RFVs) reaching 200+.  Typically, three cuttings of alfalfa are harvested each year with the fall re-growth used as grazing forage. 

The Spann Farm is recorded by the USDA Farm Service Agency as a registered producer and, therefore, receives annual crop payments as specified by the current Farm Bill.  Detailed records are available to a qualified buyer.

Livestock Operations:  A small feedlot (150 head capacity) and associated livestock working corals and loading chute are protected by a mature windbreak and shelterbelt of hybrid poplar, willow and chokecherry trees.  Historically, over 1,000 lambs were fed on the Spann Farm.

WILDLIFE AND NATURAL RESOURCES

A unique amenity of the Spann Farm are the two productive 18' deep fish ponds. Spann Pond #1 and Spann Pond #2 were approved by the Department of the Army Corps of Engineers and the Wyoming State Engineer’s office.  The Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) designed and engineered the ponds with construction funded by the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) in 2002.  With assistance from Wyoming Game and Fish biologists, fish species were selected and the ponds were stocked with bass, bluegill and rainbow trout.  Outflow structures for each pond allows management of water temperature to support trout or bass-based populations.  The constant water recharge, temperature control options, and size of the ponds provide good potential for further development of a fisheries-based income.

Terrestrially, the farm with its variety of quality feed, habitat and natural protection, attracts and holds mule deer, pheasant and other small game.  Additional food and habitat plots easily could be established in support of a bird farm and pheasant hunting business. The Spann Farm has successfully leased hunting rights to individuals for many years creating yet another income stream.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

According to the Big Horn County Assessor’s records, the  real estate taxes, the Big Horn Canal irrigation water and the Alamo Drainage District assessments for 2010 are estimated at $8,532.  There is a 40 Acre Gravel Pit on the property that has been permitted in the past and has potential to be re-opened.  Buyer would be required to obtain permit from DEQ in order to re-open mining operation.

The elevation on the property ranges between 3,900’ and 3,970’.  The annual precipitation, according to the NRCS 30-year average, is 7” to 10”.

SUMMARY PROPERTY FEATURES

INCOME & RECREATION PROPERTY  |  MULE DEER HUNTING  |  ANTELOPE HUNTING  |  PHEASANT HUNTING  |  BIRD-FARM  |  TROUT FISHING  |  BASS FISHING  |  FISH PONDS  |  INCOME POTENTIAL  |  PRODUCTIVE FARM  |  ALFALFA SEED  |  SMALL FEEDLOT  |  BIG HORN BASIN  |  ORCHARD BENCH