8,939.37 +/- Acres, Broken Bow, NE 68822

Ash Creek Ranch is a well-managed cattle outfit spanning 8,939.37+/- continuous acres of rolling native range south of Broken Bow, Nebraska. Extensive water development, pivot-irrigated alfalfa, and a well-kept headquarters provide the backbone of the operation.

Years of sound management show in the condition of the range and improvements, with the rolling hills and open views that define this part of Custer County.Ash Creek Ranch offers the size and continuity of a large central Nebraska cattle operation that has remained intact over the years.

Its 8,939.37+/- deeded acres lie in a single, nearly continuous block, with no scattered tracts or long hauls between pastures. The ranch includes approximately 8,470 acres of native grass, 166 acres of irrigated cropland and 286 acres of dryland crop and hay ground.

Native grass is the foundation of Ash Creek Ranch. Set in the heart of central Nebraska's Loess Hills, the ranch's deep silty soils hold moisture well and support some of the state's most productive hardland grass. The mixed-grass prairie includes big and little bluestem, switchgrass, Indiangrass, sideoats grama and blue grama to carry summer grazing, while western wheatgrass greens up early in the spring.

Together, these grasses provide quality forage from spring through fall. With proper management and timely rest, the grass takes grazing well and comes back strong. Gently rolling hills keep nearly every acre usable, and in a region where cedar trees have taken over many pastures, the ranch's clean, open grass stands out.

The irrigated ground lies along the Ash Creek valley floor on rich silty loam soils, primarily rated Class II and III. The dryland acreage is divided among several fields, including a 132-acre field on a high bench at the north end overlooking the ranch.

Highway 21 frontage along the west side and county roads serving other portions of the property provide easy, year-round access. Main residence: A single-story ranch-style home with an attached two-car garage and 1,560 square feet on the main floor, including three bedrooms and two baths.

The finished basement provides three additional bedrooms and another bath, offering plenty of room for family or guests. The home is heated by a heat pump. Second residence: The second home offers approximately 1,300 square feet, with three bedrooms and one bath on the main floor.

A partially finished basement adds two bedrooms and another bath, providing flexible space for hired help, extended family or a ranch office. Livestock barn: The 58 x 130 pole barn has steel siding and roofing, with a vet room, calving stalls, and working chutes inside.

Adjoining corrals keep cattle handling and calving facilities together in one practical setup. Machine shed: Built in 2004, this 5,000-square-foot steel building provides equipment storage and an insulated shop for maintenance and repairs, with an overhead door for equipment access.

Irrigation: Three Reinke center pivots, including two 7-tower units and one 4-tower unit, are supplied by a single well drilled in 2003. The well is certified for 222 acres, exceeding the acreage currently irrigated, and is powered by an Isuzu diesel unit.

Valves at the pump site control water delivery to all three pivots. Water and fencing: Several submersible wells supply a network of pipelines and livestock tanks throughout the pastures. Perimeter and cross-fences are in excellent condition, consisting primarily of 4- to 6-wire barbed wire with some electric fencing for flexibility in pasture management.

Well-distributed water and solid fences make cattle rotation easier and help keep the grass productive from one grazing season to the next. Ash Creek Ranch offers excellent hunting in central Nebraska, with good numbers of both mule deer and whitetails. Timbered draws and the Ash Creek bottom provide cover for whitetails, while the open hills are classic mule deer country. Hay fields along the valley draw deer to feed in the evenings, wild turke