DECADES OF DEDICATION.
Getting to know Graff Ranch.
Vacant.
Nestled in Kiomatia, a small community near the Red River in northeast Texas, a 2,200-acre bankrupt cattle ranch sat empty in 1983. It was overgrazed and neglected, and exactly what Stan Graff was seeking. He understood its potential based on his successful experience with the family ranch near Dallas. He saw what could be yielded from hard work and focused management. He was ready. For nearly the next two decades, the transformation was becoming apparent. Clearing pastures, containing erosion, creating a road system, establishing Tifton 44 hybrid Bermuda grass, and strategically reintroducing various varieties of native grasses/herbs throughout the ranch were just a few of the efforts to enable the genesis of establishing an initial herd on the road to positivity.
Vitality.
It was hard to believe that for almost 20 years the work was merely just getting started. The foundation was certainly in place, but now the build-out would exponentially make use of those years of planning and setting the groundwork. The ranch had grown to over 5,500 acres and Graff wanted more than just a cattle ranch. He saw one large, unified area of land where lush pastures for grazing coexisted with airy woodlands and wetlands providing an ecosystem for turkey, deer, ducks, black bear, bald eagles and non-game species. There were no existing water features, so he created 42 lakes, the largest one covering 38 acres and loaded with Lone Star Lunker-sized bass. He installed a variety of habitats for fish and ducks. Prescribed burning of 500 acres a year became a process to improve the land by consuming brush, dead grasses, and eliminating debris that opens up impenetrable thickets for wildlife. The ranch has matured quite well … blending an enviable environment around a premium Registered Angus cow/calf and stocker operation.
Vision.
So where does Graff Ranch go from here? How about a continuation of refinement and controlled expansion, ensuring the best in delivery of the Angus breed? There’s also the ongoing generational vision that has an appreciation of wildlife enhancement, managing and optimizing the productivity of pastures and wetlands, and retaining, while growing, efficient timberland. In a single word, sustainability defines the philosophy of the ranch’s future. Successful sustainability, coupled with the partnerships of elite seed-Angus producers, will help ensure the goal of becoming not only one of the top regional producers but ultimately to be nationally recognized. The current Graff family understands the importance and responsibility of educating future generations in supporting and continuing the thread of common-sense sustainability throughout their vision.