Many folks in and around Durango are familiar with the tasty and nutritious products of the James Ranch. We live next door to the James Ranch and got to thinking about some of the many ways that the James family contributes to our community. What triggered our thoughts was the charming sight of their herd of red-and-black angus cattle grazing happily in the lovely field of grass that adjoins our own property.
We have the good fortune to live in The Ranch, one of the most extraordinary subdivisions in La Plata County, which the James family developed as part of its plan to help maintain the beautiful character of the Animas Valley. By placing grazing fields next to The Ranch in a conservation easement, the family has sacrificed the opportunity to either do additional development or sell its land to other developers. In exchange, the Jameses have assured all of us that we and our children will continue to enjoy the beauty of their fields and the unobstructed views of Missionary Ridge and the Hermosa pyramids that help make this area so special.
They have also helped to assure that we will all have access to their wonderful, grass-fed beef for a long time to come. As one of the anchors of the Durango Farmers Market, the James Ranch makes its products easily available to all of us, while supporting another of its causes, which is locally produced food that has a small carbon footprint and the farmers that share those ideals.
The Jameses go about their business quietly, far from the political spotlight, but do things that touch a great many in this community in very positive ways.
Community builders, good neighbors, and faithful custodians of our future: the James family.
We thank them.
John and Sherry Taber, Durango
