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About JOBE Ranch...
JOBE Ranch has been in various stages of development since July 2000. The plan was to move into the country, providing a sanctuary from the hectic lifestyle of owning and managing a local small business. It was not only a place we enjoyed coming home to but a place at which our family, friends and guests could relax.
The main house was built with an abundance of windows, each framing a different view of the surrounding hills and pastures. The surrounding National Forest provides a buffer from the adjacent roads and farms. With over 70 acres and good pasture we began to look for a way to use our ranch and transition from city life.
Ranching is part of Joe’s heritage. His dad grew up on a farm in South Dakota and several uncles were involved in farming and ranching up to today. Joe decided to start with cattle and the adventure began. We were off to Pasture Management classes, doing soil tests, clearing the fence line and stringing barb wire. Who knew we would enjoy it so much. It was decided the cattle would be pastured on the perimeter of the ranch and another interior pasture would be developed to maintain a small herd of alpacas. We sell grass grazed angus for meat processing and for breeding stock.
Aren’t raising alpacas like raising emus? This is a question we hear continually. The answer is absolutely not. Whereas the emu is a large flightless bird raised for everything from meat to oil, the alpaca is an animal related to the llama and raised for its magnificent fiber. Over 22 colors of fiber are naturally produced in alpacas which is lightweight and ideal for making warm clothing that can be worn next to the skin. There is no lanolin in alpaca fiber so individuals allergic to wool are not generally allergic to alpaca fiber. The alpaca has been raised in South America for over 5000 years and is now being raised in countries all over the world. The size and the temperament of the animal make it an ideal choice. Farms as small as 5 acres can be utilized to raise alpacas.
In September of 2004 we officially became known as JOBE Ranch, and we intend this to be our profession for years to come.
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