Prime ranch land in South Kona

Update 12/1/2011:  SC Ranch (MLS 238314), listed by Leslie Agorastos, R of Clark Realty’s Waimea, office closed escrow today. Final sale price: $2,300,000.

Also, according to MLS records, Hokukano Ranch is no longer an active listing.

SOLD – Ho’omau Ranch

Ho’omau Ranch, formerly owned by actor Jimmy Stewart, closed escrow earlier this week with a final sale price of $3.6 million. The sale includes 12 separate parcels totaling 1,593 acres of land in South Kona, ranging from pastureland to upland rain forest.

“The sale of Ho’omau Ranch is one of only a few large acreage sales on the Big Island in recent years,” says Gary L. Davis, DR, CRB of Clark Realty’s Waimea office, who represented the seller. “But,” Gary adds, “in the last four months, we had multiple offers on the property, indicating that there is an increasing interest in the market for large acreage parcels of agriculturally zoned land.”

FOR SALE – Big Island Ranch Property with Diversified Agricultural Potential

Mauna Kea Ranch is located near Paauilo on the Hamakua Coast of Hawaii's Big Island*

Gary recommends that buyers interested in large acreage parcels with potential for ranching or agricultural use similar to Ho’omau Ranch consider the following three properties:

• Mauna Kea Ranch – MLS 229804 – Located near Paauilo on the Big Island’s Hamakua Coast, this 1,000+ acre upcountry ranch is an ideal location for growing apple, pear and plum crops, according to the listing agent. There are several building sites offering spectacular Hamakua Coast and Mauna Kea views and ohia and koa dot the property. To learn more about Mauna Kea Ranch, view the virtual tour or read the full description here.
• Hokukano Ranch Estate Parcel – MLS 230462 - This 979 acre North Kona parcel is located on the slopes of Mauna Loa at about a 5,000 ft elevation. Read the full description here.
• Hilo Acreage Bordering Honolii Stream – MLS 244474 – According to the listing agent, a portion of this 564 acre South Hilo parcel is currently being grazed by cattle and a portion is being used by a zipline company. Within easy driving distance to Hilo, this parcel is zoned Ag 20, so there is a possibility for future subdivision. View the virtual tour or read the full description here.

SC Ranch in Paauilo Mauka

Hamakua's SC Ranch offers both fee simple ownership of 66.2 acres plus lease land totaling 7042 acres

Another Big Island ranch property that is attracting attention from buyers seeking large acreage property is SC Ranch in Paauilo Mauka. Listed by Leslie M. Agorastos, R of Clark Realty’s Waimea office, MLS 238314 is different from the listings above because part of the sale of the includes the lease for 7,042 acres of state land. The property includes two main homes and three cowboy houses, stables, an equipment shed and more. For details, please view the SC Ranch property description or contact Leslie directly.

For More Information

Lora Ayers, R(S), ABR

In a previous post, we took a look at the history of ranching in Hawaii and shared photos of our tour of Anna Ranch Heritage Center.  Today, we are “talking” with Lora Ayers, one of our Hilo agents, who lives on a working ranch in East Hawaii.  Here are some excerpts from our conversation with Lora:

Will you describe your Mountain View ranch for us?

We’ve owned Kahealani Ranch in Mountain View since 2000.  The ranch is family-owned and operated–my daughter, who is a nurse, and my son-in-law, a general contractor, live here and help with the day-to-day operations.  We have about 48 acres of land, two homes, one horse barn, one covered riding arena, stock pens, and one shop.  Before we purchased the ranch, we had horses, but boarded them.

Right now, we have 6 horses.  We breed two of the mares and raise and train reining horses and cutting cow horses. We also run cattle.  We have 16 head of Angus/Hereford cows, 14 wean-offs (all ready for sale) and 2 steers for our own consumption when they get old enough.  We also have 3 working dogs (two are Australian Shepherds and one is a Border Collie) used to work the cattle.

Our cows graze in 8 different paddocks, which we alternate as needed.  Our horses graze in 4 different paddocks and are stalled at night.

Tell us about a “typical” day on the Ranch.

A typical day on the ranch begins with letting our horses out to pasture for the day.  Then, I clean their stalls and get the feed ready for the evening.  I check the water for the cattle and make sure everyone is good to go for the day.  After that, I head into Hilo to begin my other job in real estate.

During the show season, we ride from January to November.  In January, we start training any new colts and also ride the other horses.  Training takes place daily, 5 times per week.  Usually, we spend about 30 to 40 minutes per horse, depending on what needs to be done.

There are days when we take the dogs and go out and move our cattle to a new paddock.  Or, just check the cows (near calving time) to see who might need assistance.  The first year they calved, we had to pull 4 calves.  Last year, they were all good without help.  But I still take my horse and one of the dogs to go out and find the calves to make sure they’re ok.  (One of my Aussie dogs is great about “finding the babies.”)

There are times when we bring the cows in to the stock pens to fly spray, worm, and inoculate.  Or, to castrate any bull calves.  We don’t brand – we have ear tags (because we’re a small operation).   At the end of a typical day, we clean the horses we’ve ridden and bring all the horses back into the barn for the night to be fed.  Of course, we also then feed the dogs.  After that, I go into the house (usually no earlier than 7:00 in the summer) and cook dinner.

What do you feed the horses and cows?

I feed the horses alfalfa cubes (because it’s much more affordable then alfalfa hay) and supplement with a complete grain which has all their necessary vitamins.  They also have unlimited access to a mineral/salt block.  I give them a daily wormer and a tube wormer every 60 days.  This is necessary because, in our climate, the temperature never drops to freezing like on the mainland, so the larvae don’t go dormant as they would in colder climates during the winter months.

The feed costs are considerably lower on the mainland than here because Hawaii has to ship all of the feed in.  The grass that grows on this side of the island is not nutritious enough to support a horse, but is sufficient for cattle.  (The grass is nutritious enough in Waiamea, so one would have to feed much less in Waimea than from Hilo-side up to Honokaa.)  The cattle graze and are supplemented with salt/mineral blocks and molasses.  We worm the cows every 3 months.

Can you tell us about shipping larger animals to and from the Big Island?

We purchased 3 of our horses from the mainland and shipped them over.  Shipping can be difficult on the animals.  Between California and Oahu, they travel on an actual cargo ship with stock tenders feeding and watering them daily.  Shipping inter-island is by barge.  The animals go in a box stall, which is very limited in space.  There is just enough room for the animals to stand and for whatever food and water you can hang in the stall (usually one bucket of water and a few flakes of alfalfa).  That leg of the trip is difficult – 24 hours on the barge.

Before shipping, one has to contact the state regarding certain requirements to bring animals in.  For horses, a Coggins test has to be done by their local vet as well as certain inoculations. Once they get to Oahu, they go to the state quarantine station for inspection from the state veterinarian.  Then, they are approved to be shipped on the barge inter-island.  They’re also required to be quarantined once they get to the destination and the state vet will visit and take another Coggins test after so many days.

If one had the money to spend, you could fly a horse from California to Oahu (approx. $2500 one way) and then barge inter-island.  When my daughter represented the Hawaii Quarter Horse Association for the reining/cow horse competition at the American Quarter Horse World Show (this was about 12 years ago), we flew her horse to California and then trucked her to Texas from there.  Flying is much better than the ship, but very expensive.

What are special challenges ranchers face in Hawaii?

I would say that one of the biggest challenges for the ranch is maintaining the horses in such wet weather, especially on the Hamakua coast.  It’s hard on their hooves and they can get rain rot on their coats.  One solution is to keep them in the barn 24/7 when it’s very wet and rainy (which is what we have to do from time to time).

The other important thing to remember is that our climate is warmer, necessitating  a strict worming regime for horses and cattle.  A lot of people from the mainland think that the grass is great because it’s long and green, but it is very different from pasture lands on the mainland, so we need to supplement our horses and cattle to keep them in performance condition.  Hawaii does not grow the feed necessary for horses and thus all feed and supplies are shipped, bringing the cost of feed/supplies much higher than the mainland.  I order a lot of my supplies and wormers directly from the mainland.  It saves a little…

One last question…How did you get into ranching?

I grew up loving horses, but with limited access to them.  My husband grew up on the Bear Ranch in Northern California where his father was the foreman and his mother was the cook for the ranch.  So, he is the one with the most ranch experience.  I have always loved animals and had a dream of raising horses.  I got a horse when I first got married and have had them ever since.

If you are looking for ranch properties on the Big Island, Lora Ayers is one of our agents who really knows that territory. You can contact her directly by phone at 808-987-7945 or by email at loraayers (at) hibr (dot) net.

Mahalo, Lora, for taking the time to share this information with us!

Beyond White Sand Beaches and Volcanoes

Those unfamiliar with Hawaii are often surprised at the vastness of the ranch lands here on the Big Island.  But, ranching has played an important role in the history of the Island of Hawaii.  Thanks to a recent visit to Anna Ranch Heritage Center in Waimea, we’re taking a closer look at that history in this post.  In an upcoming interview, we will talk with Clark Realty’s Lora Ayers about her ranch on the Hamakua Coast.

Early History of Ranching on the Big Island

From the Anna Ranch website:

The history of ranching in Hawai’i started in 1793 when Captain George Vancouver introduced the first cattle to the islands. King Kamehameha I, in an effort to increase the number of cattle in his kingdom, proclaimed a ten year kapu (restriction) on the killing of cattle. The end of the kapu coincided with the introduction of horses in 1803. Western settlers were contracted by Kamehameha III to hunt these wild cattle–first for tallow and hides and later for beef to supply visiting ships. Immense herds were found, and by 1851 the island of Hawai’i was estimated to have 12,000 wild cattle and only 8,000 domesticated ones.

Anna Ranch Heritage Center

Located on Kawaihae Road in Waimea, Anna Ranch is the realization of a dream of Anna Leialoha Lindsey Perry-Fiske.  The Heritage Center exists in part to celebrate the legacy of her remarkable family.  The Ranch was placed on the Hawaii State Register of Historic Places in 2005 and on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.  The home, originally built in 1910, is full of beautiful furniture, paintings and items that tell the story of the blending of Hawaiian culture with ranching culture.

Anna, often called the “First Lady of Ranching” in Hawaii, was a cowgirl, jockey, and a pā’ū rider.  She was also a community leader, a world traveler and a humanitarian.   A visit to the ranch offers visitors the opportunity to take a look back into Anna’s world.

Photos of Anna Ranch

View our slideshow above, or visit our Facebook page where you can leave comments on our ‘Visit to Anna Ranch’ photo album.

Coming soon: An interview with Lora Ayers, who lives on a working ranch here on the Big Island.

Here are  a few properties where you, too, can escape the heat:

• WAIMEA IN-TOWN ACREAGE!  Walk to the park, school, theater & shopping from this charming kama’aina cottage on 2.57 secluded acres of trees & flowering shrubs.  $1,250,000, MLS#214955
  
• WAIMEA OFFICE CONDO  right up the street from Merriman’s restaurant is the perfect location for  a small business.  $79,000, MLS#223368
• WAIMEA ACRE with intermittent stream, view of Mauna Kea, $340,000, MLS#220695
  
• WAIMEA HORSE PROPERTY  5 level acres minutes from town with Mauna Kea view $675,000, MLS#218689
  
• ARTIST’S DELIGHT  Enjoy the rustic charm and personality of a spacious home with craftsman windows & fireplace, custom tile, and hobby room on 2.65 acres (CPR) in upcountry Paauilo.  $675,000, MLS#225244
  
• BRING THE HORSES to 6.66 acres of lush green pasture in upcountry Paauilo.  For you, there’s a nearly new 3BD/2BA home with wood floors, country kitchen, and custom woodwork.  $599,950, MLS#220836
  
• POHAKEA RANCH  Live your ranch dream on 86 acres of rolling green hills only 30 min. from Waimea.  Entertain in style in a ranch home with 3 fireplaces, bar, wine cellar, chef’s kitchen, and spa.  Separate guest house, too.  Ag-5 zoning offers many possibilities.  $3,900,000, MLS#224058