EXTRA! EXTRA! The heightened appeal of ranchland as an asset class took center stage in this expansive article by Karen Heller for the Washington Post. Karen relied on a wide range of industry experts to craft her story, including Jim Taylor and Tim Murphy at Hall and Hall, Greg Fay at Fay Ranches, and Justin Farrell at Yale University. As always, it was a pleasure to see the Land Report 100 referenced as the gold standard of leading landowners.

Be sure to page through our summer issue, which explores 1.1 million acres of New Mexico encompassed by Ted Turner Reserves.

ERIC O'KEEFE

[email protected]

@TheEricOKeefe

Farmland

An Indiana farmer outbid 75 other hopefuls and paid $18.6 million for all 13 tracts at Schrader Real Estate and Auction Company’s August 16 auction of Lawton Farm. The 1,120-acre Indiana property's highly productive soils averaged $16,559 per acre.

Go the Distance Baseball has big-league plans for the Field of Dreams farm featured in the 1989 sports classic starring Kevin Costner. Named for an iconic line in the film, Go the Distance bought the property in 2007. A $60 million capital improvement project that includes multiple baseball fields and a fitness center is scheduled for completion in 2026.

Ranchland

After investing more than $7 million in Bar Cross Ranch, owners Jason and Ann Spaeth have placed their 12,000-acre ranch on the market for $35 million. The updates support an ecologically efficient ranch operation that runs 2,500 yearlings. The property, which has ties to the Grateful Dead and John F. Kennedy Jr., includes a 40-acre lake and approximately 2.5 miles of New Fork River frontage.

University Lands is changing how it oversees activity on 2.1 million acres of Texas land. In response to increased pressure to shift attention to environmental, social, and governance concerns, University Lands has broadened its focus to include protecting West Texas’s freshwater zones.

Timberland

Collins Timber Company’s acquisition of 58,000 acres of California timberland from Shasta Forest Timberlands coincides with the one-year anniversary of the Dixie Fire. Collins CEO Eric Schooler calls the purchase “a significant post-Dixie Fire commitment to the log supply for the Chester Sawmill, our employees, and the community.” The acquisition ranks as the largest-ever timberland purchase in the company’s 167-year history.

Domain Capital Group has increased its timberland ownership to more than 264,00 acres with two new acquisitions. The private investment management services firm recently acquired 3,389 acres of timberland in Georgia and in Alabama.

Sporting Properties

Cancha de Estrellas, a 61-acre polo ranch located in the California coastal community of Carpinteria, is on the market for $50 million. The solar-powered compound near Santa Barbara features two polo fields and equestrian trails. Sarah Siegel-Magness, producer of the Oscar-nominated film Precious, owns the property.

A 233-acre Jackson Hole ranch sold within days of being listed by Latham Jenkins with Live Water Properties. Considered one of the largest real estate sales in this coveted market this year, the $35 million listing borders Grand Teton National Park. Jeff Hubbard of Mirr Ranch Group represented the buyer.

Located in an area of Idaho widely known among waterfowl hunters, Billingsley Creek Ranch has hit the market for $21 million. The 700-acre retreat property includes lakes, ponds, and more than a mile of Billingsley Creek. The property includes a 6,000-square-foot main house, a guest house, and, during hunting season, as many as 20,000 ducks.