What Hard Deals Taught Me About Protecting the Land
When land passes down, you don’t just inherit pastures and fences. You inherit history, decisions, habits, and relationships built long before you had a say. Some of it is solid, some of it is not, and learning to tell the difference takes time.
Wild Things Ranch operates on the same land I help manage as a trustee of our family’s main ranch. Over the years, I have learned that managing inherited land comes with its own set of challenges.
When we stepped into managing the family ranch, a few arrangements were already in place. Some were clear, others less so, and over time that gray area started to show. By the time I became a trustee, I had already been running Wild Things Ranch for years and had seen firsthand how those inherited deals played out on the land.
Seeing It for What It Was
Eventually it became clear that some of what we had inherited no longer served the land or the direction we were heading. Boundaries had blurred, communication had broken down, and the results spoke for themselves.
Ending those agreements was not simple, but it was necessary. Sometimes stewardship means making uncomfortable decisions for the sake of the land. It means protecting what you have been entrusted with, even if it means changing what has always been done.
A New Start
Once we turned that page, everything started moving in a better direction. We recently began a new partnership. It is still early, but it already feels different. There is clear communication, mutual respect, defined boundaries, and real excitement about what we are building together.
It feels good to start fresh with someone who sees the value in doing things right, not just fast. It is not about one side calling the shots. It is about working together. After all, a true partnership only works when both sides are heard.
Some of the old ways didn’t match how we operate today. It took hard conversations and a clean break to move forward. Now we’re rebuilding the right way, with structure, accountability, and a shared respect for the ranch.
The Lessons That Stuck
This experience taught me a lot about legacy and responsibility, things you can only really learn by living through them.
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Inherited deals come with weight. You might not have made them, but you are still responsible for how they play out.
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Protect the land first. Every decision should start and end there.
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Clarity builds trust. Write it down, talk it through, and revisit it when needed.
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Stewardship means boundaries. You cannot care for what you will not protect.
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Change is not disrespect. It is how you move things forward.
Closing that chapter wasn’t easy, but it brought clarity and strength. We’re grounded in the new direction we’re going, not standing on shaky legs. Every choice now circles back to the same goal: to steward the land well and make sure it’s here for the next generation to do the same.
Next week I’ll be sharing how landowners can build partnerships that last. It’s about having a real seat at the table, knowing what to protect, and making sure the land and the people who depend on it both win.
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