Dear Editor,
That was a nice article you wrote about the MPG Ranch in last week’s paper. It is comforting to know that a beautiful piece of Bitterroot property will be preserved, and used in a worthwhile manner. It will be a boon to education and research on a lot of different fronts—all provided by money made in an entirely different venue from farming/ranching.
This brings me to a point I would like to make on behalf of all the old time ranching families, including the Schroeders. It is easy for rich newcomers to pronounce that farming and ranching, including the cattle and sheep operations on the Schroeder place, “degraded” the property, and that they now need to “restore” it. From their point of view, their path is the only correct choice for this ranch, but they are not now, nor will ever be, trying to make a living from the property. The new owners and the previous owners are coming from two different points of view.
Since the Schroeders, and many other old time Bitterroot ranching families, have made their family livings from their property for over a hundred years—through four or five generations, I feel we must give them credit for being excellent land stewards. If they were degrading their properties, they would have worn it out, gone broke, and sold out. It is to their credit that we do not have a solid sea of houses to look at instead of some very pastoral and productive farms and ranches—open space which nurtures the soul for all, and still makes a living for those who own it.
I say thank you to all the old families who have stuck it out on their places, working hard, being good neighbors, and helping keep the economy of the Bitterroot going, and the “wolves” from their doors– through some very rough times. They have had to make their land “pay.”
I grant that criticism of the Schroeder family stewardship was light, but it still put a splinter under my skin. Today’s farmers and ranchers need all of our support, in many ways, to stay in business, and continue to make a living off their family homesteads. Overhead is high, and many margins are slim. Staying on the family farm is more challenging than ever, and not everyone in a family wants to work 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This is probably why the Schroeders sold, and the MPG owns their land.
This all has a very happy ending, because the MPG is providing employment for 20+ people, and is taking the land back to a non income producing state of being, while promoting wildlife habitat. I just think they should be thanking the Schroeders for taking care of the property so well for the last 100 years, and keeping it whole, so that their outside money can do all these good things.
Another happy ending out of this for me is now having Jim and Sharon Schroeder for neighbors. I can look out at their new ranch, and see hay ground and cattle grazing—where houses were slated to be. I can be confident in the fact that they will continue to work hard and improve their ranch, and my neighborhood – their family has over a hundred years of Bitterroot experience.
Jane Lambert
Stevensville