Routt County Conservation District
2003 Cooperator of the Year
Coberly Creek Ranch
The Routt County Conservation District is pleased to announce that its 2003 Cooperator Of The Year is Coberly Creek Ranch.
Coberly Creek Ranch is owned and operated by Merrilee Ellis and Mike Nellis. Merilee and Mike operate a 500-head cow/calf operation on 5,000 acres in south Routt County. Of the 5,000 acres, approximately 600 acres are irrigated hayland and pasture. The remaining acreage consists of rangeland and improved dryland pasture.
Coberly Creek Ranch has installed several new headgates, turnouts and checks, and turnouts on their irrigated ground. These improvements have significantly improved the efficiency of the ranch’s flood irrigation system.
In the last seven years, the Ranch has installed 10 miles of cross fencing to improve grazing distribution and to implement a rotational grazing system.
In addition, Coberly Creek Ranch has further improved their grazing distribution by constructing stock ponds and spring developments. They have also improved their rangeland by spraying and beating sagebrush on several hundred acres.
Weed control is a priority for Coberly Creek Ranch. Last year, the majority of their time and effort was directed toward controlling Monkshood, Caraway, and Larkspur.
Congratulations to Merrillee and Mike for their ranch stewardship.
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