Babbitt Times Review 2023

BABBITT TIMES REVIEW BABBITT TIMES REVIEW

power evaluations. In 2010, the land company signed agreements with NextEra Energy Resources, the world’s largest generator of wind and solar energy, and a world leader in battery storage, to explore locations on the ranch.

A decade of environmental studies followed. SRP selected the resource after a wind energy Request for Information was issued in 2020. The project proposed by NextEra Energy Resources proved to be viable and operational in the timeframe needed to help meet SRP’s growing customer demand by 2024.

The Babbitt Ranch Energy Center will co-exist with current land uses including conservation projects, ranching, scientific research and recreation.

Construction Begins on Babbitt Ranch Energy Center North of Flagstaff

Wind power collaboration creating a new renewable energy resource for Arizona’s future

With a passion to move the state forward with renewable energy while protecting open space, creating jobs, boosting the Northern Arizona economy and planning for generations of Arizonans to come, NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, SRP, Babbitt Ranches and the Arizona State Land Department have announced that construction is underway for the Babbitt Ranch Energy Center. The

161-megawatt (MW) wind project, featuring 50 wind turbines across 669 acres on the CO Bar Ranch about 25 miles north of Flagstaff, is expected to begin delivering clean energy by December.

“In our efforts to support the delivery of renewable energy, we acknowledge the terrific and wonderful participation of so many businesses and government entities involved in the process

to make this happen,” said Babbitt Ranches President and General Manager Billy Cordasco. “We appreciate the valuable input from the Arizona Game and Fish Department, the Arizona Department of Transportation, the Arizona State Land Department, Coconino County and everyone involved in the Western CO Bar Legacy Conservation Community for the benefit of future generations.”

A subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources will build, own and operate the project. The Babbitt Ranch Energy Center is expected to create up to 250 jobs during the construction phase and generate enough power to support about 40,000 average-

sized residential homes during the next 30 years. In addition, the energy center is expected to bring about $9.5 million in additional tax revenue to the region.

With the Phoenix metropolitan area growing three times the national average, SRP officials say the utility must continue to build new generation resources that help meet the increasing energy demand from customers while also supporting SRP in its longterm decarbonization goals.

Babbitt Ranches, one of the West’s longest running land companies, has been exploring renewable energy viability in Northern Arizona since 2005, measuring wind speeds and conducting solar

Forging a Land-Use Ethic for the New Space Age Moon rover rolls across Babbitt Ranches as Artemis astronauts train

On land occupied by Hereford cattle, pronghorn antelope and mule deer, a moon rover prototype cruised at a top speed of eight miles per hour on Babbitt Ranches near Black Point Lava Flow last fall. It was here at a mobile space camp of sorts that astronauts from NASA and JAXA (Japan’s space program) worked with U.S. Geological Survey scientists, along with engineers and technicians, to practice geology and drive a 12-wheeled rover across the moon-like terrain. It was also here that Babbitt Ranches, NASA and USGS discussed a land-use ethic to be transported onto other worlds.

“We have land ethics here on the Babbitt property that we maintain and then we’re going to carry that forward as we explore future destinations in our solar system,” said NASA Mission Manager Barbara Janoiko with Desert RATS (Research And Technology Studies).

Article V

A Land Ethic Section 2.

A land ethic changes the role of Homo sapiens from conqueror of the land-community to plain member and citizen of it. It implies respect for his fellow members, and also respect for the community as such.

“The conversations about land stewardship that we’ve had with NASA and USGS have been wonderful and inspirational,” said Billy Cordasco on behalf of the Babbitt Ranches Community.

“Together, we are promoting

the idea that a land-use ethic can be extended to form our ideals in space. It’s about being aware, responsible and accountable for our actions.”

Local USGS geologist Jim Skinner is one of the key forces behind developing a statement that honors the use of land wherever humans travel. “It’s a way to have everyone understand that we are taking care of the land, whether we are on private

“Our relatives believed in a land-use ethic from the beginning – a forged ethic that continues to be at the heart of the Babbitt family and the family-business owners’ decisions regarding Babbitt Ranches operations. We are thrilled to be combining forces with others who share a strong commitment to the land, the environment and the future as we work together to generate renewable energy for generations to come,” said Cordasco.

Cle¯nera Solar Farm to Produce Energy on Babbitt Ranches Next Year

Calling Cle¯nera’s 1,500 megawatt solar farm, scheduled to be operating on the CO Bar Ranch in 2024, the company’s “crown jewel,” Project Lead Tom Fitzgerald joined representatives from Babbitt Ranches, Arizona state agencies, Coconino County, Arizona Public Service and three other renewable energy developers in the Babbitt Brothers Conference Room in downtown Flagstaff on June 2, 2022. They were there to celebrate and participate in the Western CO Bar Legacy Conservation Community. See related story on p. 3.

Babbitt Ranches Values Featured in 1952 News Article

At age 86, C.J. Babbitt offered the solution to the world’s turmoils in two words: “faith” and “love,” as reported by Arizona Daily Sun reporter Ronnie Steele.

The original news article, with the headline “Faith, Love Prescribed As Cure For Sick World,” remains in its fragile state carefully filed in Northern Arizona University’s Cline Library in Special Collections.

It states that the company grew through the intelligence, integrity, hard work and ambition of the brothers.

C.J. Babbitt, president of Babbitt Brothers Trading Company at the time, was quoted as saying “Man is leaning too much toward material things, and is forgetting his purpose in life, the welfare of his soul. Religion is not just something you put on with your Sunday suit. Religious principles should be carried out every day in family relationships, in business and in contacts with other people.”

The article made note of his modest apartment and office. He spoke of the duty of citizens to the government and his hope that modern life would lead to more leisure time. “Mr. Babbitt hopes Americans will put to good use their new-found time. He feels adult education courses can be very valuable, and that pursuit of cultural hobbies such as art, music and reading should be encouraged.”

He also recalled his years on the cattle ranges. “It does a man good to get out under

NASA Thanks Babbitt Ranches

In a letter from Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, dated Jan. 30, 2023, NASA sent an official thank-you note “for the use of the Babbitt Ranches to conduct our Desert Research and Technology Studies (Desert RATS) testing this past October. The Black Point Lava Flow area enabled us to conduct long-range testing of a pressurized rover mockup to investigate rover concept of operations and capabilities for future Artemis exploration missions on the surface of the Moon and onto Mars.”

The letter, signed by Desert RATS Mission Manager Barbara Janoiko, who was at the site, states, “We leveraged the lessons we learned in 2021 to continue conducting Extravehicular Activities (EVAs, or spacewalks) at night with low-angle lighting representing lighting conditions on the Lunar south pole with support from a mission control room at the Johnson Space Center, which is an important step towards more flight-like operational scenario testing on Earth to prepare for Artemis missions.”

Janoiko concludes, “We look forward to our continued partnership with the Babbitt Ranches and conducting future testing in the Flagstaff area to further the goals of human exploration of the Moon and eventually Mars!”

land, like Babbitt Ranches, or on the moon or other worlds,” he said. “We want to always be respectful and that goes beyond the ground itself, it includes the critters and the biota. That’s something we will be working on over the next year.”

A draft statement suggests a personal and professional commitment “to help maintain the integrity of the land as we take this next step off of our

At the heart of the Babbitt Ranches Community, that which truly matters most, is our effort in being aware of our character, principles, values and ethics. We strive to understand who we truly are deep inside and determine what kind of people and organization we want to be. It is through discipline and integrity that we are consistently demonstrating what it means to be at our best. In this way, we can set the example and behave as a model and mentor for our youth so that they can determine what kind of people they can become, what kind of people they want to be.

Through our efforts of learning and understanding, Babbitt Ranches, a family business and pioneering land company, raises livestock, manages natural resources, promotes science and participates in the broader community in order to join, share and do the very best we know how.

A Yellow Rose

The presentation of a single yellow rose is a tradition of Babbitt Ranches. This tradition allows us to reflect and to embrace our passed loved ones and to share this embrace with their families. Our thoughts are with those lives lived well, who will forever stay in our hearts.

A Yellow Rose

Its gentle beauty reminds us of the love our family and friends have for us… Its soft yellow hue symbolizes the hope and joy that comes with tomorrow’s sunrise… Its loveliness lives on in our hearts and reminds us of those who have wonderfully graced our lives and who will always remain in our thoughts and prayers.

Justin Morgan Rodgers (1989 – 2022)

A fifth-generation cowboy and third generation Flagstaff native, Justin Rodgers was born into the western tradition of life on the range. He grew up at Wupatki Camp and lived and worked on Babbitt Ranches his whole life. Justin started cowboying with his father, Jack Rodgers, when he was 5 years old and was home-schooled by his mother, Lori Rodgers. Family members say he was a natural cowboy, who was serious about the work and loved caring for cattle and horses. His encyclopedic knowledge of equestrian bloodlines came from his tireless efforts of research, tracing the ranch horses' ancestry. Justin was a Christian, remembered for his compassion, wit, honesty and generosity, helping homeless people when he could and taking the time to listen to their stories. Friends knew him as genuine, dedicated and faithful, an individual who didn't try to be anyone else. Mr. Rodgers enjoyed riding his horse, Winchester and his dog, Ginger.

Jennifer Sechrist Kennedy (1991 – 2022)

Jennifer “Jenni” Sechrist Kennedy was born in Flagstaff to Katy and Chuck Sechrist. Mrs. Kennedy earned a degree in nursing at Valparaiso University. After practicing as a nurse for several years, including travel nursing, she continued her studies and received her doctorate in nursing (with honors) from Creighton University. She married Luke Kennedy in 2020. Mrs. Kennedy is remembered as having a big heart and an infectious personality. She exuded warmth and kindness to all she met and brightened every room. She loved caring for plants, sewing with her sister, Melissa and bike riding and working out with her husband. She was known as an adventurer and loved to travel. Her light and memory will be carried through her family, friends, colleagues and her organ donation recipients.

Nancy Babbitt Fugatt (1938 – 2022)

Nancy Babbitt Fugatt was raised in Flagstaff by her parents Herbert and Josephine Babbitt. She earned her master’s degree in history and married Richard Ellis Fugatt. They moved to Tucson where she taught grade school. She later moved back to Flagstaff where she began working at Grand Canyon Travel. She loved to travel and ultimately purchased the travel agency. Ms. Fugatt was known for her huge heart. She was an avid fan of horses and could not only explain their lineage, but could draw a perfect picture of them in minutes. She raised and trained horses and dogs and had a number of animals including an alligator at one time. She led 4-H for many years and adored children. She loved to read and donated her extensive collection of books to Phoenix Mountain Post Acute where she spent the last years of her life. Ms. Fugatt is survived by her brother Herbert Babbitt, Jr., two daughters Jennifer Chesebrough and Kathy Hernandez, and four grandchildren.

John Paul Sharber (1955 – 2022)

John Sharber was raised in Flagstaff and graduated from the UofA with degrees in electrical engineering and philosophy. At the time of his retirement, he was the lab manager for the NAU Electrical and Computer Engineering Department. The son of Norman and Rayma, Mr. Sharber is remembered for his brilliant intellect, his love for children, sharp wit and compassion for misunderstood canines, many bird feeders and cheerful flower gardens. Colleagues say he was a kind soul with a wealth of knowledge and a gift to his students as he always shared time to troubleshoot their visions. Mr. Sharber is survived by his former wife Sharon, children Steven (Jae, and daughter Isabelle), Jesse (Ryan) Garman, and John "JM" Michael; and siblings Mary, Rayma (David) Lee, Jean (Kaign, deceased) Christy, Jane (Steven) Black of Tucson, Roberta (Wayne) Wallace of Cottonwood, William, and Frances Holmes, and many extended family members.

James Thomas Woods (1947 – 2022)

James Thomas Woods grew up working in his father’s pool business plastering pools through the hot Phoenix summer. He graduated from ASU with a civil engineering degree and set out to head up major construction projects in the West. Settling back in Arizona, Mr. Woods established B&W Construction. He would then go on to build high-end custom homes and commercial properties, and specialize in restoring historic buildings in Northern Arizona. He was devoted to the Catholic faith and became an altar boy at age 74. The consummate outdoorsman, Mr. Woods hunted and fished with family and friends. He had a true appreciation of nature and supported many wildlife programs. He and his wife, Linda Babbitt, were married for 53 years. They raised four boys, had 14 grandchildren and one great grandchild.

John Francis Shea (1926 – 2022)

Chairman of J.F. Shea Co., Inc., John Francis Shea, was a leader in heavy construction, homebuilding and commercial real estate, and a prominent philanthropist. He grew up in Los Angeles and attended USC's Viterbi School of Engineering where he was a standout tennis player, winning an NCAA doubles championship with his brother, Gilbert Shea. After college, Mr. Shea joined his family's civil construction business and worked on dam and tunnel projects throughout California and the Pacific Northwest. In 1958, the company was dissolved and reincorporated by Mr. Shea with his cousins to become one of the largest privately held companies in the country. In his more than six-decade career, the company rose to prominence as one of the largest and most respected civil contractors in America. Mr. Shea's life and achievements were defined by his love of family and strong Catholic faith.

Babbitt Ranches Community Takes Deep Dive into Grit

GRITT, Good GRIT and Bad GRIT. “Although on GRIT overall, more is better, when it comes to Tenacity, that is not always the case. Tenacious how? For what? In what ways?

the same cause,” he said.

“It’s been just incredible to have this deeply gratifying relationship and opportunity to help influence the amazing Babbitt Ranches ascent for these 25-plus years.”

On a crisp fall Northern Arizona morning, the Babbitt Ranches Community gathered for a day of professional and personal development, comradery and exercises in GRIT at Arizona Nordic Village with thought leader and social scientist Paul Stoltz, Ph.D., founder and CEO of PEAK Learning. GRIT, as defined by Dr. Stolz, is: “Your capacity to dig deep, to do whatever it takes – especially struggle, sacrifice and even suffer – to achieve your most worthy goals.”

“It was one heck of a great day hanging out and messing with the core team of Babbitt Ranches folks out at the always-stunning Nordic Village,” he said. “Working closely with Babbitt Ranches on our trail map for gathering, we decided it would be meaningful to really equip this gang with the right blend of the AQ [Adversity Quotient] and GRIT mindset, skillset and toolset, as both a lens for more deeply appreciating Babbitt Ranches’ gritty and resilient history, but more importantly as a way to harness whatever adversities and opportunities may emerge.”

Prior to the gathering, participants had been provided the book, “GRIT: The New Science of What It Takes to Persevere, Flourish, Succeed,” along with Life Worth tokens. Babbitt Ranches Community members were encouraged to take the GRIT Gauge, to assess qualities of Growth, Resilience, Instinct and Tenacity, and help determine “how effectively, wholeheartedly and relentlessly” individuals pursue aspirations.

Through the day, Dr. Stoltz discussed Smart GRIT, Dumb

If Instinct can contribute the most to having smarter GRIT, Tenacity-gone-bad can be the single biggest feeder of Dumb GRIT, the kind that even unintentionally causes harm to you and/or others,” he states in his book. “What’s the moral? Especially as your Tenacity grows, be sure to be funneling it into the right things in the least damaging and most ultimately beneficial ways.”

Throughout the GRIT Gauge, videos guide participants in how to improve their GRIT score.

Dr. Stoltz had worked with the Babbitt Ranches Community in the 1990s after he published his first book, “Adversity Quotient: Turning Obstacles into Opportunities.”

Alertness

“As I roam around the world teaching folks about the differences between Smart GRIT and Dumb GRIT, Good GRIT and Bad GRIT, I often share the story of Babbitt Ranches,” he said. “The story is dramatic and inspiring.

“No surprise that when we measured everyone’s Adversity Quotients (AQ) and GRIT, they came out well above average, overall, which just verifies that Babbitt Ranches has, and with the AQ and GRIT Tools, can even further tap what it takes to live its forged ethic and build a brighter future.”

During the event, participants used The Real Deal deck of cards created by PEAK Learning to identify their most cherished values such as independence, laughter, adventure, fitness, purpose, stability, family, experiences, etc. “Not surprisingly,” he noted, nearly everyone chose Relationships among their top five values.

“What a magical gathering of exceptional and diverse individuals, all committed to

Twenty-five years ago, when I had the energizing privilege of joining the extended clan up at Snow Bowl for a pivotal moment in Babbitt history, I can recall feeling that high octane blend of heartfelt conviction, mixed with uncertainty, concern, and some competing visions/ ideas for the future. Pretty much everything and every option was on the table. Since then, I’ve been so deeply impressed by the agility, resilience, and yes, True GRIT everyone has shown as Babbitt Ranches re-routed and has pioneered a whole new slate of possibilities, honoring the multiple bottom line, with a forged ethic that serves as a beacon for an ever-brighter, ever more virtuous future for many generations to come. There’s a reason Babbitt Ranches has been around this long, and an even deeper set of reasons why Babbitt Ranches is becoming an exemplar for the world, leveraging the best you have, in ever more creative and virtuous ways, to generate the greatest possible good, all around.”

Billy Cordasco was excited about inviting Dr. Stoltz back

to join the Babbitt Ranches Community again. “Dr. Stoltz is a world-leader in assessing and strengthening resilience and GRIT. Using his research, tools and exercises, he has coached top-tier professionals and global organizations on how to improve leadership, performance, productivity, optimism and resilience. We feel so honored and privileged to be able to work with him. Just as it was 25 years ago at Snow Bowl, our day at Nordic Village was transformational for many of us. I am so excited about our relationship with Dr. Stoltz and all that the Babbitt Ranches Community can continue to learn and practice through his lessons, methods and guidance.”

“As seismic as some of the challenges and changes underway truly are, I honestly believe Babbitt Ranches’ brightest days are yet-to-come, showing us all what it means to preserve the best and change the rest, in the most meaningful and impactful ways possible,” said Dr. Stolz. “I am so honored to pitch in, in my small way, to help forge a future worth living and loving. Thank you, Babbitt Ranches. You make me an evidencebased optimist for what’s to come! Gritfully, ‘Dr. Paul.’”

Coconino Plateau Forecast

As January 2023 closed out as the third snowiest January on record for Flagstaff and the snowpack was reported to be 150% of the normal at Arizona Snowbowl, National Weather Service Meteorologist in Charge Brian Klimowski said, “It's been a remarkable winter!”

However, indications are that the rest of the winter and spring should be closer to normal. “The wet pattern we’ve seen this winter is likely going to turn toward a more normal, or even

Babbitt Ranches is a Community within a Community integrated with broadly diverse groups of individuals with varying thoughts, interests, skills and history. With yourself, with family and friends, with the community and with the environment, one way or another and in the end, relationships are all there is. Thus, it’s simply not just about things and doing things, but about the meaning of things. With a genuine consideration for others, LifeScapes provides a venue through which Babbitt Ranches participates with the community.

drier than normal pattern this spring. With the wet winter we’ve had, I wouldn’t be surprised if the monsoon is delayed a bit this year. In any case, there is no indication or strong signals whether it will be as wet as last year. Right now, we’re pointing toward a normal monsoon.”

Monsoon season 2022 was wetter than normal across the state and did much to ease Arizona’s short-term drought conditions.

Community of Babbitt Ranches fondly

The Babbitt Ranches Community enjoyed

a professional and personal development retreat at Arizona

Western CO Bar Legacy Conservation Community Forms to Protect Golden Eagles

Historic opportunity for public-private landscape-scale endeavor

On June 2, 2022, a unique group of stakeholders came together in the Babbitt Building of downtown Flagstaff to begin the Western CO Bar Legacy Conservation Program. This was an extraordinary and meaningful meeting convened at the invitation of the Landsward Foundation and Babbitt Ranches.

The goal was to create the Legacy Community that together will develop and implement a long-term, multi-use conservation plan for several hundred thousand acres of high country owned by Babbitt Ranches and the State of Arizona and situated between the San Francisco Peaks and the Grand Canyon.

In attendance were representatives of Coconino County, the Arizona Game and Fish Department, the Arizona State Land Department, the Landsward Foundation, Babbitt Ranches, and the several leading renewable energy developers planning critically needed solar, wind, and storage facilities to combat climate change and pollution.

At the conclusion of this meeting, all parties joined in signing a “goat bar,” (invented at Babbitt Ranches to allow pronghorn antelope to safely cross fences), as a symbol of their commitment to create

and implement a world class conservation program while supporting historic ranching practices and providing opportunities for globechanging renewable energy generation.

This effort will be led by the independent, non-profit Landsward Foundation and will gather additional vital Legacy Community members along the way.

Part of the process of developing the Program and its Legacy Community is to identify funding sources such that Landsward will have a predictable source of funds to dedicate to this unique effort. These Legacy Donors will come from various backgrounds and businesses, but a critical component will be the voluntary commitments of initial renewable energy developers who recognize the need to balance their important projects with other uses, including most importantly, conservation. These developers are considering sustaining, annual donations to Landsward for the life of their respective projects, in addition to contributing resource conservation and management expertise as a Legacy Community member. One of the considerations relevant to the

size of such donations are the relative potential impacts and benefits of each energy project.

The Western CO Bar Legacy Conservation Community was not conceived in a vacuum. Rather, it grew out of the long experiences of the Legacy Community members in conserving and sustaining the natural resources of this unique region.

Article IV

Cowboy Essence Character Qualities

For example, Landsward and Babbitt Ranches have for years considered the golden eagle to be a critical species reflective of the health of the ecosystem. Similarly, the partner renewable developers have sought science-based ways of avoiding, minimizing, and mitigating impacts to golden eagles and numerous other plants and animals.

Section 2. Sincerity

The genuine earnestness that binds friendship.

managed landscape. This research led the parties to work extensively with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to determine priority management activities with clear benefits to golden eagles. After much consideration, the USFWS identified four management actions that were important yet perhaps difficult to implement in the “checkerboarded” pattern of land ownership, principally alternating between Babbitt Ranches and the State of Arizona:

• The elimination of the use of lead ammunition by hunters and sportsmen. Lead poisoning has been documented as a significant threat to golden eagles and other birds that feed on animal remains left behind by hunters.

For more than a decade, Landsward has expended considerable time and money in commissioning well-regarded experts to develop one of the most complete data bases on golden eagles in a privately

Weddings in the Woods

• The elimination of indiscriminate hunting of key golden eagle prey animals, including principally prairie dogs and rabbits.

• The reduction of human disturbances of eagles during the critical times of breeding and nesting.

• Implementing effective monitoring tools to maximize understanding of how the eagles are doing over time.

With this critical input, Landsward and Babbitt Ranches went to work with the Arizona Game and Fish Department and the Arizona State Land Department and created the SP Crater Golden Eagle Complex Compact, covering several thousand acres in the vicinity of SP Crater, and addressed these specific concerns, including particularly the first three.

As to the fourth, effective monitoring, Landsward is working with experts to implement state-of-the-art, technology-based approaches to the long-term monitoring of eagles and their prey.

When a renewable energy developer becomes a Legacy Donor, it is taking action beneficial to the ecosystem and to golden eagles in particular.

Becoming a Legacy Donor, therefore, can become a valued part of any energy company’s conservation and sustainability programs.

Eaglet Success on Babbitt Ranches Provides Evidence that Conservation Measures Work

Following unprecedented action taken by Babbitt Ranches, the Arizona State Land Department and the Arizona Game and Fish Department to protect a twomile radius around a golden eagle nest, wildlife biologists reported double success. Twin eaglets were observed by a helicopter crew in what has become known as the SP Crater Golden Eagle Conservation Complex north of Flagstaff.

“This is very exciting,” said Kenneth “Tuk” Jacobson, AZGFD raptor management coordinator. “Seeing that the pair produced two eaglets after a handful of measures were implemented to try to help them out is very gratifying.”

Through a unique conservation agreement with Babbitt Ranches, the State Land Department and AZGFD, a closure went into effect during the eagle nesting season from January through May 2022. Special rules were applied, along with a ban on the use of lead bullets.

“The extraordinary conservation framework that was put together to test in the SP Crater Golden Eagle Conservation Complex was designed to improve productivity, but there was no documentation, no direct observable proof available to show that this approach would work,” said Jacobson.

AZGFD research findings reveal that golden eagle pairs will abandon their eggs if they feel threatened. “Productivity rates are definitely low in Arizona. We are still crunching the numbers from last season, but there weren’t a lot of active, successful breeding areas this year because of factors such as the prolonged drought, rabbit hemorrhagic disease and limited prey resources,” said Jacobson.

In all of the breeding areas across Arizona that have been tracked by AZGFD, only about a quarter of them produced two eaglets. “Nine percent produced three, which is exceedingly rare,” he said.

Babbitt Ranches has been monitoring golden eagles across the 750,000-acre ranch for more than a decade and has been concerned about impacts on the nest at SP Crater. The eagle pair in that territory has produced only one eaglet in at least 10 years.

The SP Crater Golden Eagle Conservation Complex rules will remain in effect from January through May for at least the next two years, as researchers continue to monitor and study the raptors and their nesting success.

“On behalf of the broader Babbitt Ranches Community, we are so thrilled to be a part of this wildlife success!” said Billy Cordasco of Babbitt Ranches.

Nordic Village Experiencing Extraordinary Winter Season

With all 30 miles of crosscountry skiing trails and 15 miles of snowshoeing trails open in February, Arizona

Nordic Village managers are calling winter season 2022 –’23 one of the best on record, and the snowstorms keep coming.

“It’s been just phenomenal!” said General Manager Theo Callan. “Guests are having the best time!

While the National Weather Service in Bellemont reports January 2023 the third snowiest January on record for the Flagstaff area, recreation sales are mirroring the wellabove-average precipitation. As a result, Village team members have been striving to keep up with the snow, which topped four feet in just one week.

Working through blizzard conditions, groomers are working carefully to protect

the base and prolong the life of the snowpack into spring by incorporating a gentler grooming plan than in the past. Callan says there is enough snow on the ground to ski through March as the ski resort marks a number of positive outcomes:

• Unprecedented amount of snow;

• Record number of season passholders; New Rossignol rental equipment.

• First year with masters’ and kids’ ski teams; and

• Heightened community engagement and volunteer support. The Village also has attracted much news attention. A production crew from TV Azteca out of Mexico City visited before the Super Bowl to draw attention to Arizona in February.

Arizona Nordic Village had record wedding season with popularity of outdoor gatherings

running to keep up.

“We had a pretty big mix of people coming from all over to the Nordic Village,” said Sarah. “I think a lot of our guests felt good about having the celebration outdoors with a lot of big space.”

30 to 300 people, from Boho chic to Lord of the Rings.

closure in June because of wildfire risk, as people felt more comfortable in large gatherings.

Sarah and Felipe Puente of Phoenix got married in May.

“These weddings had an extra special feel to them and an elevated level of excitement,” said Nordic Village Manager Theo Callan. “I think it’s because for many people, they hadn’t seen their friends and families in years. Some couples got married during the pandemic but are having the big party now. Some already have children, have moved out of the state and wanted to come back to Arizona for their long-awaited celebration, which is pretty cool.”

Callan says last season’s weddings were all over the place in size and style, from

“We have seen every theme under the sun. Our venue is awesome and unique in the way that couples can really make it their own. Some rent multiple cabins and yurts and create a wedding festival atmosphere that goes on for days. I’m also seeing a willingness in people to spend more for add-ons like décor, catering, photography and DJ services.”

Cowboy Essence Character Qualities

Section 3. Adaptability

The ability to adjust to any situation.

For venues like Arizona Nordic Village, the wedding business had been anything but joyous during the pandemic. The spread of COVID-19 had brides and grooms planning, cancelling and postponing events as large gatherings came to a halt. Now as couples are walking down the aisle, wedding vendors are

“The return of weddings has been great for Arizona Nordic Village,” said Callan. “We have been able to keep a larger staff for the summertime season and give them more days and hours than we were able to do in the past, which has vastly decreased the turnover rate. We are proud that now the majority of our core staff has worked at the Village for well over a year.”

The business surge has enabled Nordic Village to invest in more wedding equipment needs like a large dance floor and improved sound system. It appears the trend will continue through 2023 as 50 weddings have already been booked.

Vendors like Four Sisters Floral have transformed the ponderosa pine forest of the Nordic Village into a high elevation flower garden. “The outdoor setting feels very comfortable for people and very typical for Flagstaff as couples like to get married in the pines,” said co-owner Jordan Pynes.

Babbitt Ranches is a Family Business, as such, the work of business and the complexity of relationships have had a significant impact on each other. Through the years, Babbitt ventures have included cattle, sheep, trading posts, grocery stores, department stores, lumber companies, a livery stable, an automobile dealership, mining operations, farms, an ice plant, a funeral parlor and many others. As the 21st century organizational community carries on the spirit of adventure, exploration and love for the land, the CO Bar, Cataract and Espee Ranches remain bustling with activities that bridge the business ventures from the pioneer age to the space age with a commitment to quality and long-term decision making. Cowboys ride, rope and brand while researchers study climate, explore renewable energy and simulate conditions of the moon.

Š 730,000 acres of grazing land

Š 275,000 acres deeded

Š Mostly Hereford cattle

Š American Quarter Horses; carrying the historic Hashknife brand

Arizona Nordic Village hosted far more weddings than ever before in 2022, despite a brief forest

This photo taken by Arizona Game and Fish Department wildlife researchers shows twin eaglets in a nest tucked among craggy rocks on Babbitt Ranches.

February 2023

world and onto another.”

“We want to ensure that those who follow will have the same lands here and beyond available to them for their own stewardship, use and exploration,” said Cordasco.

Artemis Missions being planned include moon walking, moon roving, looking for water in the dark shadows of the lunar South Pole and taking humans to Mars. The successful 25-day Artemis 1 mission, which splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on Dec. 11, orbited the moon, traveled farther into space than any other rocket intended to carry humans, tested radiation levels and captured images of places never seen before.

Artemis 2 is scheduled to carry astronauts around the moon and back in 2024.

Artemis 3 is expected to land astronauts on the lunar South

Pole in 2025 or 2026. Further Artemis missions include a “lunar gateway,” a space station in orbit around the moon, a lunar space camp and humans on Mars.

“To be on the precipice of something so monumental is just huge,” said Skinner. “There are so many people that are here doing so many components of this. And the science is just one component, getting them [astronauts] there safely and back is another component.”

The pressurized rover prototype tested on Babbitt Ranches is about the size of a tank or small RV. The cockpit has two pilot seats, where each astronaut can control the vehicle using a joy stick device. Benches behind the seats fold down into beds with a toilet located between them. The wheels underneath can turn 90 degrees

to make the rover go sideways. The vehicle takes on rocks and small boulders with ease, climbs up and down hills and can turn in a complete circle. Near Spider Web Camp, astronauts from NASA and JAXA spent twoand-a-half days at a time inside the rover earlier this year.

Skinner and USGS geologist Lauren Edgar charted the paths the astronauts in training took to test the rover and make geologic observations on Babbitt Ranches.

“We were paying attention to what the crew was seeing,” said Skinner. “When they were describing things from inside the rover, we were watching what they were describing, how accurate it was, what they could see, what they couldn’t see. And then when they got out of the rover and they were walking around, there were three or four different stations, they’d walk out

a diversity of volcanic materials and it’s got a lot of sediment cover. The moon is almost 98% covered in regolith, that means material that’s been pummeled for millions and millions of years, so it is like flour over the surface and there are rocks and flour distributed everywhere. And out here we do have that material. We see gravel. Underneath the gravel we have light-toned materials that are broken down pieces of the volcanic rock as well as the sedimentary rocks. So we have a little bit of everything. Even the vegetation is getting in the way of geologic observation but that’s a good analogue for observations they’ll be making on the moon because it’s covered up.”

continued from page 1

Character, Nature and Community have been bred into Babbitt Ranches for more than a century. The values that have made the people of Babbitt Ranches who they are and the characteristics that have shaped the organization into a lasting legacy are captured and articulated in The Constitution of Babbitt Ranches. It defines the organization’s Multiple Bottom Line, Conversation Council Creed, Cowboy Essence, Cowboy Essence Character Qualities, A Land Ethic, Sustainable Community Principles, Human Dimension and Science, Equity Model Fundamentals, Priceless Values and Constitution Commitment. These guide Babbitt Ranches’ organizational, ecological, economic and community decisions.

onto the rock outcrop and make observations. When they would walk away, Lauren and I would walk up to the outcrop and actually see if they would miss anything.”

Skinner has been involved with Desert RATS for more than a decade, as engineers, astronauts and technicians have continued to test equipment on Babbitt Ranches. The Apollo astronauts of the ‘60s and ‘70s were in the same area, working with Ranch Manager John Babbitt and testing a much less sophisticated moon buggy for their historic missions.

Skinner says Babbitt Ranches offers a landscape on Earth that can be compared to the moon.

“This is a perfect analogue because it has a volcanic flow, so it’s got the older rocks, it’s got

“It’s really exciting to be back out here on the Babbitt property,” said Janoiko. “The last time we were here for a Desert RATS mission was in 2011. They [Babbitt Ranches] have been real supporters of our testing this year as well as in the past. It’s also really exciting that what we’re doing out here –developing the pressurized rover requirements – plays a small piece in the Artemis Missions.”

“I feel like we’re standing on the shoulders of giants,” said Skinner. “So many people have done this before us and to be able to do it again, it’s full circle, from Apollo and then coming back around and doing the same thing again. Right now, I’m looking at the rover with the Peaks in the background and it’s just amazing that I am a part of this and I’m happy to play my small role,” he said to Cordasco in October at the astronaut training site near Spider Web Camp.

Arizona Nordic Village Sets Stage for Premiere Dark Skies Destination Event

Legendary Egyptologist discusses ancient Egypt’s beliefs about the night

The vision began in the living room of Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalition member William Seven in fall 2019. It would be a destination dark skies event, drawing people from around the region with a captivating world-class speaker, a talented quartet filling the night air, telescope viewing under the darkest of skies, a silent auction featuring one-of-a-kind artwork and experiences, original specialty brews crafted in Flagstaff and the kind of creative, delectable food local chefs are known for.

As the group began sharing the idea, the search for the right location ensued. That’s when Arizona Nordic Village, owned by Babbitt Ranches,

offered its unique, off-thegrid hospitality among old growth ponderosa pines and aspen-lined meadows. The yurts and cabins could offer glamp-worthy overnight accommodations for traveling guests, and the area itself, just 15 miles north of Flagstaff would create the feel of being swept up by the wilderness and the stars.

Legendary Egyptologist

Zahi Hawass also signed up. He would captivate listeners with stories about the night, where the journey into the afterlife began for Ancient Egypt’s deceased and a fantastic adventure of gods, gatekeepers, serpents and riddles ensued. The Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalition, Arizona Nordic

Village, Dr. Hawass and the vision waited out the pandemic for two-and-a-half years. Finally, on Sunday evening, Sept. 25, 2022, the event unfolded, with a setting made possible through the generosity and hospitality of Arizona Nordic Village.

Article IV Cowboy Essence Character Qualities Section

Artist Arline Marten donated artwork featuring the night sky to the silent auction. She and her husband, Chuck, attended the event, Flagstaff Dark Skies: An Evening of Awareness, Appreciation and Awe.

“My husband and I were swept away with the environment staged at the Nordic Center, the evening’s well-thought out events, with the rare opportunity to hear Dr Zahi Hawass speak of ancient Egypt,” she said.

“We also enjoyed seeing many longtime friends while swept up in the magic of the evening! Did you notice the smiles and warmth on the faces of the guests throughout

Babbitt Ranches Values Featured in 1952 News Article continued from page 1 the sky,” he said. “He has a chance to reflect, and to see his life in perspective. He realizes his own insignificance and is aware of the real values – faith in God, and a love of humanity.”

the evening? It was an evening of awe and wonder, a truly successful event, a world class event! FDSC and all the generous organizers should know this was a completae and beautifully orchestrated evening! Thank you again for an amazing night! We are still enjoying discussing our evening at the Nordic Center.”

Because of this event, the Coalition named Arizona Nordic Village a Dark Skies Champion.

“The hard-working and tremendously accommodating staff members at Arizona Nordic Village created an evening of enchantment that sets the bar so very high for dark skies destination events to come. We can’t say enough about their customer service and can-do attitude tucked into the forest that is so beautifully and uniquely Flagstaff in setting and atmosphere,” said Coalition Executive Board Member Robert Breunig who attended with his wife, Karen Enyedy.

Cle¯nera Solar Farm continued from page 1

“This is just the beginning, and bringing us all together today is a testament to Babbitt Ranches’ cohesive nature and collaborative atmosphere,” he said during the meeting.

“My heart is so full,” said Cordasco, on behalf of the Babbitt family and greater Babbitt Ranches Community, as he welcomed the group.

planet. I call it a ‘Path with Heart.’”

Article I Philosophy and Multiple Bottom Line

Section 1. Through our efforts of learning and understanding, we are better able to join, share and be a part of Babbitt Ranches' organizational, ecological, economic and community decisions, with thoughtful consideration for the next generation.

“We are all part of something extraordinary that’s not about us, it’s about the next generation, the state of Arizona, the nation and the

Underscoring the momentous Babbitt Ranches decision of the ‘90s, Cordasco displayed a goat bar signed more than 20 years ago by Babbitt Ranches and collaborating organizations symbolizing the evolution of the company and its deliberate adoption of a multiple bottom line. He then produced a new goat bar for participants to sign, commemorating the beginning of the Western CO Bar Legacy Conservation Community.

Discovery with Babbitt Ranches

Podcast Delves into Conservation, Space Exploration and All Things

Cowboy Essence

The Discovery with Babbitt Ranches podcast covers a variety of topics and projects occurring across Babbitt Ranches. Recent episodes explore "All Things Pronghorn Antelope" with Larry Phoenix, Flagstaff regional supervisor with the Arizona Game and Fish Department and "Training Artemis Astronauts, Forging a Land-Use Ethic for Other Worlds on Babbitt Ranches," with U.S. Geological Survey research geologist Jim Skinner.

Discovery is “All Things Cowboy Essence,” people

at their best, accomplishing extraordinary achievements. "Cowboy Essence is defined by the character qualities we admire in others, inspired by the Cowboy Culture, the code that guides Babbitt Ranches," said Billy Cordasco.

Wide and Varied Science is promoted, supported and acknowledged by Babbitt Ranches across the Coconino Plateau. The goal remains to affect a land ethic so that private and public land managers have science-based knowledge and technologies to support the sound stewardship and conservation of their lands and natural and cultural resources. Focus areas include:

Community and Relationships ◆ Sustainability ◆ Land

Use Ethic ◆ Cross-Disciplinary Programs ◆ A Blend of Natural and Social Sciences ◆ Science and a Sense of Art ◆ Information Dissemination ◆ Regional Planning.

Conservation Projects support efforts to reintroduce the nearly extinct black-footed ferret; establish a golden eagle conservation area; and develop habitat for pronghorn antelope and other wildlife species.

Conservation Easements preserve open spaces for the enjoyment and participation of generations to come.

◆ Cataract Ranch, 34,000 acres to The Nature Conservancy

◆ Cataract Ranch, 6,000 acres to Coconino County

◆ CO Bar, 640 acres to Coconino County

NASA Desert RATS Mission Manager Barbara Janoiko and other officials speak with the media while training on Babbitt Ranches.

Billy Cordasco leans out of the moon rover prototype near Spider Web camp.

USGS geologist Jim Skinner discusses Flagstaff's historic role in moon missions, while videographer Chad de Alva captures the interview with Cordasco.

Babbitt

Ranches: Forging a Path with Heart

Being part of something bigger for more than a century

Looking out at the hundreds of spectators, ranchers, rodeo champions and family members seated together on time-worn bleachers against a backdrop of the sacred San Francisco Peaks, Babbitt Ranches

President Billy Cordasco greets the crowd with a warm smile as comfortable as a well-worn pair of jeans. “It’s never been about selling horses,” he says, referring to the popular Annual Hashknife Colt Sale celebrated at Spider Web Camp every July in the open high country desert of Northern Arizona.

In this place where juniper trees stretch their shallow roots to hold down the redbrown dirt, pronghorn antelope race across the Southwestern landscape and golden eagles soar in an endless blue sky, time stands still. In these moments, Cordasco feels the depth of character, values and principles, what he calls Cowboy Essence, of those who came before him.

“We feel privileged to carry on the legacy,” says Cordasco of the 750,000acre ranch on behalf of the Babbitt family and the Babbitt Ranches community. “It is our responsibility and obligation to be part of something bigger than ourselves.”

A fourth generation Arizona Babbitt, Cordasco is young enough to feel the past yet old enough to touch the future. On Babbitt Ranches, industriousness, resourcefulness and hard work have connected the pioneer age to the space age. But it’s the relationships, “with ourselves,

with each other and with the environment,” he’ll tell you, that have created a forged ethic and a path with heart for more than a century. “Our success is a reflection of our relationships.”

The Arizona Babbitt story is an all-American story that began in the family grocery store in Cincinnati, Ohio. “In 1884, five Babbitt brothers were selling groceries, doing their chores and getting ready to close for the day when suddenly this fella shows up, bursting in with over-the-top enthusiasm. As snow flurries flew from this exuberant visitor’s overcoat, the young men gathered around the pot belly stove in wide-eyed amazement to hear him gush with excitement about the adventure and promise of the West. This salesman had pamphlets. In essence, he held the future in his hands.”

Two years later, the brothers arrived in Flagstaff, a small frontier town in the Arizona Territory, with $20,000 and a dream to become cattle ranchers. “It was a big deal to risk everything they had and venture into the unknown. I’m sure it was messy at times, but they were all in. I believe they understood they were saying yes for the chance to be part of something much bigger than themselves, to build communities, to participate in the growing agricultural industry and to help feed, clothe and build a nation,” Cordasco said.

Through the last 137 years, the Babbitt family business has

experienced great change. The 1990s brought much turnover in leadership. Many family members had moved away from the rural lifestyle and had become disconnected from the goings on of the ranch. Business interests were up for sale and there were offers on the land.

“Babbitts was going through a lot of successional changes. One of the things that was happening was the pressure to sell. We had offers from neighboring entities and there ended up being this big push for 40-acre development. In this time of uncertainty, we knew we had to say either yes or no to our future and define what that was going to be.”

Cordasco described how the company brought in a real estate developer to show what 40-acre developments would look like across Babbitt Ranches along with the cash value they would bring to the owners, the Babbitt family, over time.

“What was absolutely remarkable, the owners took it to a vote and it was unanimous not to go that direction,” said Cordasco.

“It was a benchmark. What it established was a new mission statement for Babbitt Ranches: Through our efforts of learning and understanding, Babbitt Ranches, a family business and pioneering land company, raises livestock, manages natural resources, promotes science and participates in the broader community in order to join, share and do the very best we

know how.”

That decision started the owners talking about a land-use ethic, which led to the creation of the science, research and educational nonprofit arm of the company, the Landsward Foundation.

“We started to have conversations about what a land-use ethic meant to us. Folks like Aldo Leopold and many others were very instructive in guiding some of that ethic, but it got wellseeded in a family that already had it in them from 1886. It got reestablished and wellarticulated.”

They also discussed how to apply awareness, responsibility, obligation and a sense of accountability to their land-use ethic.

“Of course, that included conservation stewardship and most importantly, relationships,” he said.

The land-use ethic focus resulted in the development of The Constitution of Babbitt Ranches, in which the company defined its principles, values, purpose and Cowboy Essence, a description of core character qualities for how the company strives to operate and interact.

Much like the salesman in the grocery store, Cordasco says that defining moment opened doors to possibilities. Babbitt Ranches could then participate in a number of endeavors with a wide variety of people and organizations including wildlife conservation projects that protect habitat for pronghorn, bring the most

own Roadrunner Drywall, a construction business that operates in Phoenix, Tucson and Las Vegas.

Meanwhile, Jay Holcomb came to the Colt Sale with the intention to buy. He has been building a horse program on his 52,000-acre ranch, Sky 9, near Winslow. Holcomb successfully bid on four fillies at the 2022 event. Last year at the Colt Sale, he bought two. “In Arizona, you have to have horsepower. Besides the romance of living the western lifestyle, we love horses,” he says of his wife, Kelly and their seven children.

Holcomb is the general manager of the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram dealership in St. George, Utah and the executive manager of the Nissan store there.

endangered mammal in North America – the blackfooted ferret – back to the grasslands and create the SP Crater Golden Eagle Conservation Complex.

It also led to one of the largest conservation easements in the country, in which a portion of the Cataract Ranch – with Grand Canyonlevel splendor – was donated to Coconino County and The Nature Conservancy to be set aside for open space in perpetuity. With this refreshed vision, engaging in space exploration projects beyond the Apollo missions and working with NASA, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, astronauts, planetary scientists and others made sense for Babbitt Ranches.

“You know what? Let’s go for it. Let’s be a part of this.”

Article II Conversation Council Creed

Section 5.

Our character will be demonstrated through our patience, kindness, humility, respectfulness, selflessness, forgiveness, honesty and resilience.

Cordasco says, what’s special about being involved in renewable energy is that it allows Babbitt Ranches to take a look at the whole conservation framework on a landscape scale. “It’s not just about agriculture, not just about recreation and not just about the conservation of various wildlife species or vegetation. It’s also about being a part of developing renewable energy. It’s about dark skies and it’s about all of these different timeless and priceless values.

As the popularity of outdoor recreation grew, the Babbitts’ newly articulated land-use ethic created space for the Arizona Trail to stretch through the ranches while elite running events such as the Stagecoach Line 100 became a match for the company’s vision as well, along with cross-country skiing opportunities through the acquisition of Arizona Nordic Village.

“We didn’t know what all the future held, but we defined ourselves through our values and guiding documents so that when opportunity showed up, we could recognize the fit and embrace it,” he said.

“We were again positioned, excited and open to be part of something bigger than ourselves.”

Currently, Babbitt Ranches is working with four global renewable energy companies to generate wind and solar power. “Here we are today and these companies show up and say, “Hey, here’s an opportunity for the future. So we take a look at it and we do like those brothers did 137 years ago and we say,

So when it came time to making a decision about renewable energy as a function of what we do, it really fit with the ethic of a landscape-scale conservation model.”

Cordasco says the greatest challenge to agriculture and land ownership is the transition through turbulence, moving away from what is certain to what is uncertain. The key to succession, he says, is having the framework, the paradigm, the context in place defining how the company will engage through time.

“It’s about being open to opportunities that are bigger than all of us, knowing who we are and why we do what we do, remembering that relationships are all there is and making decisions that will benefit future generations and set them up for opportunities to come. The decisions we make today are on behalf of our children, our grandchildren and their children. And that is our motivation as we forge ahead with meaningful new business, conservation and community opportunities. It’s recognizing the moment when that ‘Go West spirit’ catches fire, ignites our enthusiasm and fans our imagination about participating in something bigger than ourselves.”

Building on Tradition

Babbitt Ranches horses joining Arizona families and ranches

The 2022 Annual Hashknife Colt Sale packed the bleachers and brought family and friends together from all over Arizona and beyond.

Cave Creek business owner Ty Nuessle came to the Annual Hashknife Colt Sale just to learn. “I left my checkbook at home on purpose,” he said.

But just like hundreds of others in the stands, a palomino filly caught his attention. “My wife, Luisa, leaned over and said, ‘Just think how pretty I’ll look on her.’”

That’s when Ty knew they were in the game, joining other bidders in the time-honored auction held the second Saturday of July at Spider Web Camp, about a 30 minute drive north of Flagstaff. “Babbitt Ranches has a great name and these horses have great bloodlines,” said Ty, a native Arizonan. “I grew up in the outdoors, hunting, camping and fishing. I’ve been on Babbitt Ranches quite a few times.” The young palomino, will

stay with its mother on the ranches for a year before joining the Nuessle household, which includes donkeys, miniature horses, dogs, chickens, turkeys, turtles, a peacock and a longhorn.

At the Colt Sale, the couple beamed with joy about welcoming the newest member of the family. “I won’t ride her before she’s 3,” said Luisa.

Both Ty and Luisa were born and raised in the Phoenix area and have been around horses all of their lives. They

“I’m an American Quarter Horse guy,” he said. “That’s why we went to Babbitt Ranches. This is a familyowned operation that has been in Arizona since the 1800s. The bloodlines are foundational. We need big strong horses for our family and to cover a lot of ground on the ranch. These horses have a good mind and a lot of heart. They have long legs and good feet. When you go to the Babbitts’ you know these horses were born in the dirt, raised on the rocks and predisposed to building a lot of muscle.”

The Holcomb family is heavily involved in rodeo sports. Jay competes in roping and bareback. His youngest son is in pro rodeo for bareback competition. His oldest runs Sky 9 and is involved in steer wrestling and bareback.

To find the story in On Land magazine, go to https:// onland.westernlandowners.org/2023/stewardship-in-action/ surviving-and-thriving-through-generational-change/

“We’ll bring them in, love on them, put them out in the pasture for six months, trailer them a bit, and use them to gather cattle when they are about 2 years old,” Jay said of the colts. “Later, we’ll see if they will be good horses for riding.”

Article III Cowboy Essence

Section 2. Enthusiasm

Enjoyment for what you are doing motivates those with whom you come into contact.

Two dozen colts were sold at the Colt Sale. Recordbreaking bidding reached $15,500 for a stunning blue roan colt. “The horses were looking really good,” said Ed Babbitt, who served as a bid spotter at the time-honored event. “You can sure tell who the horse people are.”

“Everything was in order early this morning so we

could start a little earlier in the day to avoid the heat,” said long-time Babbitt Ranches cowboy Everette Ashurst, referring to the forecast temperatures expected to be in the 90s. “The most beautiful part for me is watching the thunderheads build,” he said, referring to the need for rain. Ranch Manager Clay Rodgers introduced each colt and mare and described their bloodlines, as they entered the arena. “I thank the Babbitt family for letting us keep up this tradition,” he said.

Acknowledging all the people at the event and remembering all those who have participated in the past, Cordasco said, “This Colt Sale is about community.”

Breaking ground for a future in renewable energy.