Now that Yellowstone has turned the horses out to pasture, many fans are grieving the loss of their weekly dose of modern ranching life. Well, I think I can help you with that this holiday season. Pop into your bookstore or jump online and pick up Ranchlands—From The Land for The Land by Duke Phillips III.
Duke Phillips III is uniquely situated to tell the modern American ranching story. His parents, rugged, determined ranchers who loved the land, instilled that passion in their son. Growing up on ranches, Phillips has, in turn, done the same with his family. What started as a small family-run cattle ranching business two decades ago with 35 head of cattle has grown into one of the West’s most significant large-scale working ranches, managing properties in Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, and Wyoming. He, his family, and his team are now stewards of 380,000 acres across four western states.
“This story shows the beauty, resilience, and juxtaposition of the two ranching worlds that my family and I have traveled. It’s a daily celebration of life, working the land, and doing what we love, while bringing real possibilities that will ultimately lead to living in grace and harmony with the natural world.” — Duke Phillips III
Hollywood has enshrined an image or ideal of the American cowboy—racing back and forth on horseback, firing pistols to move cattle to new pastures or the stockyards, then tracking and shooting or stinging up rustlers, whom everyone knows are lower than a rattlesnake’s belly and have earned what’s coming. While Hollywood gets some things right, others hit wide of the mark. Today’s successful ranches are also about CEOs, COOs and CFOs, marketing strategies, human resources, and environmental science. Oh, and the county sheriff and courts deal with the cattle rustlers.
As in the westerns of Hollywood, personnel are critical for a ranch’s smooth and productive running. Folks must work well together with a shared mission and purpose.
Phillips: “When I won the lease on the Chico Basin Ranch, I thought I was getting into the business of grazing animals. Instead, Ranchlands has become more about cultivating and growing a group of people working together on a mission to create a better world through the legacy of ranching.”
One of the chief jobs of a rancher, Phillips says, is that of land manager or steward. The land, he says, is precious. “It’s where life renews itself. Essentially, it is everything.”
And about those cattle drives? Moving cattle, Phillips says, is a daily learning experience. Some days, they cooperate. Then, there are those other days: “They’re wily. Their daily routines are so apparently simple, it obscures their true intelligence.”
The book is divided into five sections that make up life on Ranchland: The Land, The People, The Animals, The Work, The Future. Phillips takes readers on a tour of these elements that make up ranching life—his life. It’s packed with beautiful photos of expansive vistas, the people who become part of the land, and, of course, the animals. The hefty tome is from Rizzoli, among the best publishers of coffee table books.
So, saddle up and settle in for a great read.
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