“Dan Bell is widely recognized in Arizona for his expertise in renewable natural resources. He holds a degree in range management from the University of Arizona and cares passionately about preserving the environment of his family’s ranch. So he advised the biologist and bridge design teams that if his cattle were not allowed to eat down the willow shoots around the stream, willow trees would flourish and soak up the limited flow of water, resulting in no stream, Read More …
“One morning Dan’s father, George, decided to go out and check the pumps at the various ranch wells. He parked his pick up at the first pump. Suddenly a helicopter zoomed over the surrounding boulders. Presuming it was Border Patrol, Dan’s father waved, checked the pump and then drove up a small canyon to check two more pups. The helicopter followed his route, hovering over him as he stepped from his truck. Again he waved, checked pumps, and Read More …
“Just after the turn of the century, Peter found work in the copper mines of Jerome. The mine belched continuous black smoke back in those early days, a toxin that slowly poisoned the air, not to mention the surrounding population. When a group of farmers won a lawsuit due to crop damage caused by the sulfur smoke, the mining company bought out nearly all the farms and ranches in the area, put a smoke easement – a deed Read More …
“When the Bells originally bought this ranch, their first foreman, Val Cason, had worked for the notorious Mexican bandito Pancho Villa. As I settle into the ranch house in this southeastern corner of Arizona, I have a few fleeting thoughts about the old Wild West movies I saw as a boy: the shootouts, galloping posses kicking up dust, and banditos threatening villages. I wonder why no one else is staying with me at the hacienda; it seems to Read More …
“The ranch holdings that the Grosetas have acquired over the years are beautiful, with miles of the Verde River and meandering streams, rocky foothills, and elevations up to 6,000 feet. And yet the W Dart is just an hour-and-a-half drive from Phoenix. This proximity to the burgeoning population of northern Arizona has brought unsettling problems to the Grosetas. Determined vandals steal heavy ranch equipment such as lock-and-chain-secured generators. Rambunctious ATV enthusiasts leave deep tracks that quickly lead to Read More …