Hatcher Ranch: An NRCS Success Story

HAMILTON COUNTY, KANSAS, October 26, 2023 ‒ This is a story of a hidden gem tucked away in the heartland of Kansas.  A place that today would challenge the perceptions of those who judge an entire State based on a mere stretch of highway.  More specifically, this is the story of Treg Hatcher, a determined rancher from the vast plains of Southwest Kansas.  His sprawling ranch faced daunting challenges, but salvation arrived in the most unexpected of heroes: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).  

You see, most Americans form their opinions about the beauty of Kansas based on the uninspiring view along Interstate 70; that long, monotonous drive from the Colorado line to the Flint Hills.  There is no argument, it is a visually unappealing stretch.  However, beyond that seemingly endless road lies a beauty that few have seen.

This vestige of Kansas is known as the Hatcher Ranch.   Located in Hamilton County, the ranch consists of roughly 8,600 acres of pure Kansas pastureland.  As you make your way onto the property, a slight incline guides you atop small bluffs.  Here the vista unfolds before your eyes, stretching out for miles on end.

Out here, there are no towering trees casting shadows upon the land.  Instead, what greets you is a prairie teeming with life, a kaleidoscope of colors that will make your heart skip a beat.  The combination of Buffalo grass, gramma, and sand dropseed, green beyond imagination sways in the wind, creating a sea of shimmering emeralds beneath the wide-open sky.  Sand verbena adds a touch of softness to the landscape, its delicate white blooms acting like nature’s confetti.

If you look closer you cannot help but notice the sturdy yuccas standing tall and proud, their sharp leaves defying the harsh winds that blow across the plains.  Common yarrow, Indian rice grass, beach false foxgloves, Carolina anemone, and Indian blanket flowers also pepper the prairie adding their own hue to this masterpiece.

The day I visited the Hatcher Ranch was a glorious summer day, with the sky above a canvas of vibrant blue.  Cumulus clouds dotted the heavens like towering fluffy giants that grew in size and number as the afternoon wore on.  Their shadows danced across the land, casting ever-changing patterns upon the grasses below.

The breeze was a gentle companion, calm for a summer's day in southwest Kansas.  It caressed the prairie, carrying with it a hint of freshness while whispering through the native grasses, creating a soothing symphony that harmonized with the visual splendor before my eyes.

Nature, it seemed, had struck the perfect balance between warmth and comfort that day but as the day drew to a close, a transformation was in the air.  The tantalizing scent of rain tickled our nostrils, hinting at the impending change.

Then, as the sun began its descent, the first raindrops fell from the sky.  They kissed the ground, reviving the prairie with their touch.  The grasses and wildflowers swayed and danced in the rain, their colors deepening, their fragrance intensifying.

However, the ranch wasn't always this healthy and picturesque.  Ten years ago the ranch would likely have not been described as a hidden gem at all.   Treg Hatcher, proprietor of the land and second-generation rancher, had a ranch that was in dire straits.  His 8,600-acre spread was at the mercy of Mother Nature, facing severe drought and a pesky prairie dog infestation.  Treg, ever the resilient cowboy, sought out the help he needed to save his land.  

In 2014, Treg reached out to NRCS, looking for a lifeline to restore his rangeland and secure his future.  The land was in a sorry State, beaten down by the relentless drought and overrun by those burrowing little critters.  Treg sought assistance with the stocking rate and a plan to improve the land as a whole.  Little did he know that he was about to embark on a journey that would forever change his life.

You see, Treg's ranch sits in a priority area for the Lesser Prairie Chicken, a bird as elusive as it is fascinating.  Ted Houser, an NRCS Rangeland Specialist, was the man tasked with evaluating the situation.  Ted, as it turns out, was an expert on both rangeland and the Lesser Prairie Chicken.  Ted conducted a thorough vegetative inventory, analyzing every blade of grass, and scrutinizing the water facility for Treg's cattle.  What he found was disheartening—a land in very poor and extremely compromised condition, with the drought, prairie dogs, and overuse taking their toll.

Ted, armed with the wisdom and knowledge of NRCS conservation programs, had a strategy.  He also had Treg, a man who was willing to put in the work to conserve the land.   Ted initiated a prescribed grazing plan, based on the ranch's inventory.  The plan was devised with a clear objective—to improve the brood-rearing and nesting habitat for the Lesser Prairie Chicken while simultaneously enhancing the health and vigor of the native vegetation.  This plan called for a rotational grazing system, dividing the land into five paddocks of varying sizes.

The grazing season was carefully established, running from May 1 through October 28.  Treg's cow/calf pairs were set to graze for 180 days, allowing the land to breathe and regenerate.  To facilitate proper grazing distribution in each pasture, a series of structural practices were installed—livestock pipelines, tanks, a well, and sturdy fencing.  These elements worked together like a well-rehearsed orchestra, ensuring the land thrived.

NRCS didn't stop at insight and planning.  Through the EQIP-Lesser Prairie Chicken Initiative program, Treg received a grazing incentive for a period of three years.  The financial assistance provided by NRCS allowed Treg to implement the necessary changes he would have otherwise not been able to afford.

To measure the progress made and proudly showcase the improvements, photo monitoring points were strategically set up on the north end of the range.  These snapshots of transformation served as a visual testament to the practices applied and the technical assistance provided by NRCS.  What a success it was.

So wild was the success of the program that Treg's commitment to conservation only grew stronger.  He signed up for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Grasslands Program, dedicating himself to conserving the land for the next 10 years.  Treg even attributes his commitment to the program to bringing rain to the area.   You see, during his initial contract with NRCS, from the end of 2014 to 2016, the heavens opened up, showering the land with over 100 inches of rainfall—a miraculous turn of events.

As my time at the Hatcher Ranch drew to a close and I stood amidst the splendor of all it offered, I couldn't help but think about all the folks who have yet to witness this captivating landscape- an enigmatic marvel concealed beyond a stretch of highway.   Moreover, it dawned on me that the harmony between a steadfast rancher and NRCS had not only preserved this land from potential devastation but also guaranteed its conservation for future generations.   Treg's unwavering dedication to conservation not only safeguarded his ranch but also established it as a thing of unfettered beauty.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways.  Under the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy, and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate-smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America.  To learn more, visit usda.gov.