Working vacation
Rick Jarrett opens his ranch to visitors who pay him to labor there. Have you ever visited a ranch like Jarrett's? Did you like it?
From Christine Gavlick How awesome to see that there are folks out there who still have managed to hold on to their farms and work them.
DON'T SELL-EVER!!! My great-grandparents had a farm in PA and my grandma and her siblings didn't want to work it anymore so they sold it.
Wish they had not sold it. I would give up everything I have to be able to work and live off the land. It's hard work, but in the end, it's yours and it's honest.
All these big money people want to buy up the land for their own selfish purposes. They don't care that it drives up the property values and makes it tough for the independent farmers to hold on to what they have.
No-they'd have to kill me before I let them take my land. If big money people want to help, donate some of that land to independent farmers or some of that money to help preserve our food supply and our heritage.
If all the land gets developed, where will the food come from????
From L. Huffman Here is the link to Rick Jarrett's website:
http://www.crazymountaincattlecompany.com/
From Jim McKiernan Kalispell MT If you really want this experience hurry up and get it. The west is being bought up. The people who buy up the large tracts may not want to share, so an experience like this is worth it. Who knows, it might change your life and bring you "back home" The day may come where only crowded national parks will give you a little bit of "that feeling".
From GREGORY BASCOMBE great article. well written. I am facinated by life in the open air but i
am stuck in a concrete jungle in a big city. Your article warms my inside
and rekindles my passion for hunting , fishing and various other outdoor
activities. I may have missed it but did you mention how the public can
contact jaret to visit—-i sure will like to spend a week on that ranch
From B. C. Bennett Cudos to Mark Svenvold and his daughter Livia! The article was
wonderfully well written, and Mark and Livia experienced the simple joys and
excitements that many of us that grew up in rural America file away in our
memories to offset the pressure and fast pace of our daily lives. Growing
up in southwest Texas on a ranch 60 miles from the nearest town, we learned
to make our own fun and be resilient to hardships. We had no phone, no
electricity, no paved roads, no modern conveniences. Instead of believing
that we were deprived, we came to be voracious readers, we learned to swim
in a stock water tank, we were able to take on an adult's responsibility by
the time we were 12, and had our own horses at 6. We didn't know that we
had missed anything important. I am not sure we did. The Jarretts are
doing what many in rural America are doing, and that is whatever it takes to
generate the income necessary to pass on their heritage to the next
generation. If they can share that heritage with the "outside world", then
perhaps both can benefit greatly. Thanks for a wonderfully written article
that was written from an objective perspective. Mark didn't prejudge the
Jarretts because of what they didn't have, he reported what appears to be a
magical four days with Livia. My impression is that both came away better
off!
From B. Bennett Clifton, Texas The Jarretts are giving the world a glimpse into what many of us grew up in. Modern conveniences, vast amounts of money, city living and all of the all of the benefits that accompany that city life don't hold a candle to a sunset in New Mexico, or the smell of rain on greasewood in southwest Texas, or the quiet so intense that you can hear your own heartbeat in your ears. If more folks treated themselves to the experience the author and his daughter did, more folks would understand the problems that America's farmers and ranchers deal with trying to hold their heritage together for the next generation.
From ccollins What a terrific idea! The vast majority of us may not be able to buy a western ranch or ever get a chance to step foot on one, so it is great to see that there are opportunities available to experience this way of life. I wish the Jarretts well with their venture!
Yes, Montana continues to be lose it's family ranches to the wealthy. The sad truth is that the middle class Montanan in all areas of the state is being pushed out because of the over-inflated prices that are being paid for all properties not just ranches. It's a very sore subject for those of us who were born and raised here but…… let the big dog eat, I guess. I've known Rick for more years than I care to admit and if you only had an hour's time to spend with him it would be very entertaining. I could only imagine spending four days with him. If you're contemplating visiting the ranch, I'd say don't hesitate.