Texas is an ideal landscape for ranchers. The state is full of open space and key elements that form the perfect environment. However, it can be overwhelming when you look at the entire state. It is best to narrow down your search to a few select places and decipher the best areas to own a ranch in the lone star state.
The best three places to own a ranch in Texas are:
- The Blackland Prairie Region
- The Panhandle Plains
- The Gulf Coast
These three locations fit the bill for ideal ranch locations based upon certain land, water, and soil criteria. They possess all of the qualities required to provide quality ranchland.
Read on to learn more about these three unique regions in Texas and learn more about why they specifically provide excellent locations for ranching. Many items set them apart from each other and make them unique in their own right.
Article Contents
What Makes Good Ranchland?
The quality of ranchland is based upon many things, but the most important things to consider in a ranch are the natural resources that come with the location. Great ranchland has:
- A source of water, which can provide for livestock and the food that feeds them and helps them to thrive
- Fertile land, which can also help to provide for food that will feed livestock
- Diversity of land, which can provide for a variety of farmland and animals to thrive
Rainfall is important too, but it is less important if an accessible source of water is located nearby. These three items make for quality ranchland that can support a variety of flora and fauna.
The Criteria We're Using to Determine the Best Places to Own a Ranch in Texas
The ranches selected in this article are based on highly important criteria. These have been carefully selected to determine some of the best cities in which ranchers can own and operate a ranch in Texas. The items used to create this list include:
- Fertility of soil: Is the soil fertile enough for growth? Will animals have the ability to feed on natural growth?
- Availability of land: Is there land available for purchase?
- Proximity to natural agricultural aid: Is there a local body of water? What is the terrain like?
Most of these are typical items that you would consider before purchasing a ranch. Safety is included because a good ranch should be located in an area where harm is less likely to fall on the inhabitants
These five criteria helped determine the best locations to own a ranch in Texas. There may be others that you consider, so keep those in mind as you read these top three.
Where in Texas Are Most of the Ranches Located?
Most ranches in Texas are located in the Great Plains region. This is due to its capacity to produce vital crops such as wheat and sustain cattle. The flat spans of ground that stretch in this area provide places to grow.
Though rainfall tends to be scarce in this region, there are bodies of water that provide hydration. Ranchers take care to provide for the animals that they raise. Much cattle comes from that particular area. A close second is the Coastal plains. In both, the flatland is a huge factor.
The 3 Best Places to Own a Ranch in Texas
Although there are many places in Texas, these three regions stood out the most as great places to own a ranch. These provide all of the necessary factors, based on our criteria, to own a ranch. They have locations within them that:
- Have great soil for grazing, which will help livestock to survive
- Have land available, to provide space for an increasing amount of livestock
- Are near natural resources, which can supply water for livestock and the food that needs to grow for them
We will go over every one of these pieces as we go over these locations. They are all very different, but great in their ways. Each boasts different benefits that work for a variety of ranchers, both new and experienced.
The Blackland Prairie Region of Texas
The Blackland Prairies are a great place to own a ranch in Texas for many reasons. This area includes the counties of Denton, Hill, and McLennan counties which are located in central Texas.
The Blackland Prairie Region fits all of the criteria for a great land fit for a ranch. It is an excellent option for any potential rancher, as it is full of plentiful soil and areas to grow.
Quality Land
The most beneficial factor of the Blackland Prairie Region is the black soil that it holds. This soil is high in calcium content, which provides an excellent base for grass to grow. The land is also made up of flatland and gently rolling hills, which permit livestock to roam and graze.
The land in this region is also:
- Plentiful and protected
- Full of greenery
- Spaced apart
Raising cattle in any area of this region is simple thanks to the space and flora that populate the area. The soil makes it easy to feed any kind of livestock. The land is affordable and a great place to get started in owning a Texas ranch.
Local Water Supply
The Blackland Prairie Region is full of reservoirs that supply water all across populated areas, both metropolitan and rural. This constant water is useful to ranchers in surviving the hot temperatures that Texas deals with.
Besides this main source of water, a rancher in the Blackland Prairie region might also:
- Make use of local streams to suit their watering needs
- Create their water system to make sure that grazing food is plentiful
The water allows local animals to flourish, and thus livestock on a ranch will benefit as well. Water is crucial for life. Mixed with the plentiful, vibrant land, the Blackland Prairie Region sticks out as one of the best of the best in the state of Texas for any kind of rancher.
The Panhandle Plain of Texas
The Panhandle Plain is the current cattle capital of the great state of Texas. It is hot, flat, and dry, but this does not mean that it is not a great place to own a ranch. There is a reason why most of the cattle in Texas come from this particular region, which stretches through the counties Dallam, Sherman, and Hansford.
There are many reasons why this area is suitable for raising livestock. We will go over a few of the key ones based on the criteria that have been set in place.
Flat Area for Grazing
The panhandle plain provides an excellent flat surface that cattle can trek upon when grazing. In the case of droughts, which occur often in this region, a substantial amount of land provides an area where structures can be built to feed cattle plentiful wheat.
The flatland also boasts:
- Abundant wildlife for a beautiful backdrop for a ranch
- An aquifer for water, which provides much more than just a source of hydration for your ranch
- Affordable land that stretches for miles and miles without running into any other land
- Various streams and sources of water beside the main aquifer
Though the panhandle is hot, space provides room for ranchers to own many types of animals. It also supports an abundance of room and demand for cattle.
Diverse Land
There are many different types of soil located in this region. They depend on the land’s proximity to water. The main types of soil include:
- Coarse sand, typically located beside streams where erosion has taken place
- Clays, which are packed with nutrient but often not great for growth
- Shales, which is a rocky sheet that occurs in layers and cannot be grown or grazed upon
The diversity in the soil causes diversity in growth. The varying forms of plant life provide a lot of options to choose from. The overall choice depends on the type of livestock that you intend to raise on your ranch.
The Gulf Coast Region of Texas
The Gulf Coast of Texas, which runs through the counties Austin, Brazoria, and Chambers, is another popular ranching location. This area is where some of the biggest ranches in the state are located. These include many who utilize ranches as overnight resort locations.
The Gulf Coast also has many factors that make it a great place to own a ranch in Texas. As with the other two locations, we will discuss each in depth to prove the quality landscape of the Gulf Coast Region.
A Unique Landscape for Ranching
The gulf coast is the most unique of these three places because it is located close to the beaches of Texas. This warm and temperate environment makes ranching a one-of-a-kind experience in the Lone Star State.
The landscape of the Gulf Coast Region boasts:
- Abundant sources of water, from naturally occurring streams to small ponds
- Unique environments that are parallel to the shore
- Affordable land
With these benefits in such versatile locations, it is easy to understand why so many ranchers flock to this region. Livestock can flourish in a climate that is so different from the rest of Texas.
A Variety of Soil Types
The soil along the Gulf Coast region, like in any other area, varies in different locations. There are a few main types that exist. These include:
- Gulf marsh soil, which is wet, made up of clay, and soft
- Coastal saline, which is ideal for cattle grazing since it is full of nutrients that occur naturally through the slow draining process
- Coastal prairie soil, which is dark and full of nutrient that is great for all kinds of growth from rice to corn and everything in between
Between the coastal saline and the nutritious coastal prairie soil, a rancher should have no trouble raising livestock and growing plants that will keep them well-fed. The soil is almost always wet, thanks to the closeness to the ocean. There will never be the risk of a drought here. This is great, especially for new ranchers.
Conclusion
Texas is a great place to own a ranch. The land is cheap, the space is plentiful, and the soil is rich and abundant. However, the Blackland Prairie Region, Panhandle Plains, and Gulf Coast soar above the rest of the state as ideal places to purchase or start a ranch.
These places stood out for a variety of reasons. They are affordable, filled with great soil, plentiful in space, and located near natural resources among other factors. A ranch full of livestock can easily bloom in any of these Texas locations and grow quickly to support abundant life.
