I hope people can understand that there is a big difference between what we do, and any sort of industrial agriculture. For one thing, we don’t make anything like a profit. The elk on our land probably outnumber cattle 10 to 1. Nobody in our little corner of the world has any sort of environmental damaging farming or ranching operation. The big money makers are fishing guide operations and the narrow gauge railroad.
I have to say that I am squarely on the side of those who oppose giant feed lot horrors, clear cutting, and endless spraying of poisons,and there are a very large number of us that feel that way. There is a lot of really nice wilderness out here that has been very well taken care of in private hands. This year, we had a small water pipe, which the state wanted to run through about a mile of our land. There was a lot of negotiation before they did the work, and my Dad was literally out there every day watching to make sure that they did only what was agreed to. If it had been a giant oil pipeline, we would not have been as agreeable.
There is a pretty strong sentiment up here that we really do not need the sage advice offered by urban know-it-alls. At least my generation can sort of bridge the gap between old school traditional ranching families and the back to the land hippies. My folks find the new age yurt dwelling types unfathomable. I generally find that I have a great deal in common with them.
