The Hufford Ranch is a diverse business opportunity located in the Oregon high desert near the small community of Fort Rock, southeast of Bend, Oregon. The ranch contains three fully developed businesses: hay production, cattle, and solar electricity. The ranch has 792+/- acres of secure, certificated water rights. Six of the seven pivots are in alfalfa hay. In addition, the ranch boasts 4,500+/- acres of private grazing with a 685 AUM BLM permit. Indoor cattle working facilities complement a small feedlot with 900+/- feet of bunk space. Typically, the solar payments cover the electric power cost for hay production. The climate is ideal for producing high-quality alfalfa hay, raising hearty cattle, and generating clean, renewable electricity.
The Hufford family has built and developed multiple ranches over the years. They used their knowledge and experience to create a property that functions at a high level. A thoughtful grazing rotation and extensive working facilities allow for efficient use of time and natural resources. The farm ground is level and has been meticulously maintained for maximum productivity. The improvements include 7 center pivots and hay sheds which hold three cuttings from all pivots producing alfalfa. The homes, shops, and additional buildings are in excellent condition and free of deferred maintenance. Improvements are practical and well-designed without being overbuilt.
The solar project has its own access from the south side of the ranch and is designed to operate with minimal disruption to the ranch's day-to-day activities.
This property is financially viable in a market that increasingly values lifestyle alongside economic sustainability. Hufford Ranch offers both a strong income opportunity and a peaceful lifestyle. Situated at the end of a private road, the ranch backs up to the Devils Garden, a vast lava flow that spans several square miles and serves as a natural barrier, providing privacy and security at the rear of the property. This is a premier ranch, fully operational and ready for the next owner to step in and enjoy from day one.
LOCATION The ranch is located:
70 miles from Bend, Oregon
50 miles from Gilchrist, Oregon to the west and northwest
28 miles west of Christmas Valley
HAY The ranch produces approximately 3,500 tons of alfalfa annually. Hay in the Fort Rock area typically meets the standard tests for dairy and export quality. This ranch currently has long-established markets for its hay. Up to three cuttings from each of 6 alfalfa pivots has indoor storage. In addition, the ranch has covered equipment storage. A 7th pivot produces grass hay and grazing. 2025 first cutting alfalfa produced almost 2.5 tons to the acre and RFV averaged 197.
CATTLE The ranch includes a pipe and cable fenced grow lot. The lot includes 900+/- feet of concrete feed bunk divided into 8 pens. The ranch includes 4,500+/- private acres of grazing and a connected BLM allotment for 685 AUMs. Turnout is out the back gate. All cattle working facilities are indoor. Shipping and receiving are connected to working facilities and feedlot. The feedlot is isolated from other cattle. All cattle facilities are top-tier and designed for ease of operation.
SOLAR PROJECT NewSun Energy has a 20-megawatt installation on the east edge of the ranch. The solar field is under a 30-year contract with periodic escalation clauses. The same company holds an option for a second installation, twice the size of the first. The solar installations have minimal impact on the ranch's operations. Access to the site is off the ranch. Solar is located on the East side of the ranch and it does not interfere with operations. The solar payments typically cover the cost of electricity used to raise the hay.
WILDLIFE The ranch is home to resident pronghorn antelope and a population of mule deer. Elk are also drawn to the alfalfa fields in the fall. The mule deer bucks that inhabit the Devils Garden area are among the best in Oregon. These deer often move into the farm ground at night and can be hunted during the day on adjacent private and federal lands with very limited public access. The property is allowed 5 LOP deer tags and 5 LOP elk tags.
SUMMARY The Hufford family has long been known for producing some of the West's top cattle, along with high-quality alfalfa hay. Ken and Leslie have decided to slow down and sell their beautifully maintained, highly productive ranch. With three well-established income streams, the next owner can step in and take advantage of the full operation immediately. With multiple revenue streams, top-tier infrastructure, and an immaculate operating environment, this ranch is ready for the next owner to step in and thrive from day one.
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An attorney, rancher, and real estate broker, Scott Warner has a lifetime of experience helping people. Scott brings decades of expertise in ranch real estate and ranch transition planning. He understands each agriculture property as unique with a complex, integrated system of assets and its own challenges. Scott appreciates the opportunity to proactively work with clients to analyze and structure transactions from the beginning.Scott grew up on his familys working cattle ranch in a small town that sits in the foothills of the Warner Mountain Range on the western edge of Oregons high desert country. The landscape, dominated by sagebrush and juniper, is perfect for livestock grazing and ranchers first started settling in the area in the late 1800s. Many of their descendants remain to this day in an area where everyone knows everyone.Scott attended Oregon State University where he earned a bachelors degree in agriculture and resource economics with a minor in business. He then went on to earn his juris doctorate degree in law from the University of Oregon. With a strong knowledge of resource-based businesses, and the legal issues they encounter, he has practiced for almost three decades at Yturri Rose LLP Attorneys at Law representing ranches and ranch families in eastern Oregon and western Idaho.Scott and his wife Susan, an elementary school principal, operate a working cattle ranch west of Lakeview, Oregon where they raise Black Angus cattle, the occasional reined cow horse, border collie dogs, and their three children Nick, Kate, and Becca.