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The Steele Ranch is conveniently located in Baker Valley at the small Eastern Oregon community of Haines and less than ten miles from the Baker County seat in Baker City. All services and supplies normally required for the operation of a cattle ranch and the needs of a family are available locally. The Steele Ranch includes approximately 800 well-blocked deeded acres of which 579.9 acres hold some of the best water rights in the Valley. The availability of water for these rights is generally excellent and provides flood-irrigation to lush hay meadows and pastures on both sides of the Powder River as it flows through the ranch in its classic "oxbow" pattern. The ranch headquarters sets back from U.S. Highway 30 just north of the City of Haines and includes a large 3 bedroom home, a shop, covered scales, tack building, shipping pens and a vintage loft barn.
The irrigated meadows are situated at approximately 3,300 feet in elevation and are comprised of soils that are rated at producing six to nine *AUM's of forage or four to five tons of grass hay per acre. Within the estimated 600 acres of irrigated and sub-irrigated meadows are at least 144 acres that have been used to harvest grass hay. Nearly 200 acres above the river bottoms are native grass lands that include three main soil types supporting Idaho fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass and Wyoming big sagebrush. The per acre forage producing apabilities of these soils range from as high as 1,700 pounds in favorable years to 300 pounds in unfavorable years.
*An Animal Unit (AU) defines the amount of feed required to maintain one mature cow in thrifty condition weighing approximately 1,000 pounds and her calf up to weaning, for one year. An Animal Unit Month (AUM) is 1/12th of an Animal Unit or the feed required to maintain a mother cow in good condition for an average month. This can vary with classes of livestock. Soil ratings are per USDA Soil Survey Data.
Superior water rights and well-managed meadows are the foundation of the Steele Ranch. Nearly all of the lands west of the Powder River have a unique privilege of water rights from multiple sources including some of the earliest rights of record from Rock Creek, Fish Creek and Sand Creek. In addition to the excellent surface water rights are two significant groundwater rights. One is from two groundwater sumps at the western boundary of the ranch and the other draws from a drilled irrigation well just south of the sumps.
Powder River primary surface rights supply the lands east of the river plus two supplemental rights for sub-irrigating lands near the river which allow the damming of the river to raise the water level. The Watermaster reports that the Steele Ranch Powder River rights are old enough that there is always water available to the ranch and that there are no rights on the Powder River downstream that are older than the oldest Steele Ranch rights. The result is that the Watermaster will never shut off the Steele Ranch to satisfy any downstream rights. All sources of irrigation water to the ranch are free of any fees other than the cost of ditch maintenance and the cost of electricity to the supplemental well if used. A detailed report on all water rights associated with the Steele Ranch has been compiled by Main Water Consulting, LLC. A copy of the report is available for review following a prospective purchaser's qualification to purchase the ranch.
The headquarters are functional and have excellent access to markets and suppliers via State Highway 30 and Interstate 84, which is only an eight mile drive from the ranch. A 3,068 square foot, three bedroom, split-level home is surrounded by mature trees and sets next to a private drive approximately 500 feet off the highway. Next to the house is a block building with 2 car bays and a shop area with two 11 foot doors. The shop has a large wood heater and is wired for a 110V and 220V. A covered 12,000 pound Fairbanks scale includes a 7' by 21' platform with stock panels and an 11' by 27' scale room. A vintage 42' by 32' loft barn with plank flooring has new wiring and stands in testimony of the valley's western heritage. A small tack building sets across from the barn. Shipping pens adjacent to the barn include a crowding alley, a squeeze chute and loading chute.
The Steele Ranch neighbors the small community of Haines, population 435. The Haines School is the hub of the community offering an exceptional experience for children grades K thru 6. From Haines, the Baker School District provides transportation for students to Middle School and High School classes in nearby Baker City. Haines offers a quality rural environment with its country store, library, volunteer fire department, the Eastern Oregon Museum and an outstanding steak house restaurant. The 4th of July celebration is centered on the Haines Stampede. This colorful rodeo extravaganza includes all of the traditional rodeo action plus events geared toward giving young cowboys and cowgirls an opportunity to compete. A "Cowboy Music Showdown" and fireworks is the finale to the Haines celebration of our nation's independence.
© 2011 Steve Turner Ranches PO Box 31 Powell Butte, OR 97753 Phone: (541) 548-9600
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