Windmills Anyone?
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June 21 – Windmills Anyone? – Maryneal, TX
Spend the day with us at the beautiful 69 Ranch in Maryneal, Texas (in Nolan County, south of Sweetwater).
What is it like to live and ranch on a wind farm?
Holistic Management Texas takes you there to see for yourself
Wind Energy is putting West Texas on the map…for the second time. In the later half of the 19th century windmills began pumping water from deep inside the earth to allow communities and individuals to settle where rivers and streams don’t flow. Now wind energy in the form of electricity created in big wind turbines is helping communities and individuals stay on the land they love, preserving green space and providing electricity for the good of the whole.
Come out to the 69 Ranch, Maryneal, Texas, with Holistic Management Texas to explore the leading edge and see what all the excitement is about. This beautiful ranch, the history of which dates back to 15,000 BC and the first Paleo Native Americans, is one of the largest modern wind farms in Texas.
Enjoy the cool beauty of the spring that is the headwaters for Sweetwater Creek
Learn the history of ranching in this area and the history of the specific site from Sibley Nature Center’s Burr Williams and Kathy Dickson.
See the results: Kathy and her late husband, Temple Dickson have landscaped with native plants for the past 15 yrs and have extensively mulched the pastures with cedars as they were cleared. More clearing went into Temple’s famous rock walls that meander around the land. The 69 Ranch is host to varies wildlife from thousands of migrating Monarchs to huge herds of wild turkey.
Learn how Kathy Dickson and her foreman Rex manage their organic natural beef Angus herd—about 450 mama cows and their calves—beneath the wind towers.
Learn how wind farms work and what they can do for individuals and communities. Greg Wortham, director of the West Texas Wind Energy Consortium and mayor of Sweetwater, Texas, will explain.
Get up close to the turbines to feel and hear their power.
Discuss Land issues and contracts. Ask all your questions
This is one field day you won’t want to miss. Dress for a day outside.
Saturday, June 21, 2008 from 10am to 3:30 pm at the 69 Ranch, Maryneal, Texas.
$35 includes catered BBQ lunch ($25 for Holistic Management Texas members).
Register by June 16, online at www.hrm-texas.org or by calling Jeanie at 325-348-3014.
Special Rate of $84.60 is offered at Sweetwater’s Best Western Motel (325-236-6512). Be sure and tell them you are with Holistic Management.
A brief history of the 69 Ranch:
The history here starts back in 15,000 BC with the Paleo Native
American camp ground around the spring headwaters (which is the source of
Sweetwater Creek)
550 -1450 Native people of the basket makers culture
900 - 1450 major Anazasi route from Chaco Canyon Pueblo to Gulf of Mexico
1300- 1700 camp-site of Tewas (Tejas), Lipans and other native tribes
1637 Spanish soldiers and friars survey region from mission site at Angelo
1650 -1750 Apache rancheria
1849 establishment of Fort Chadbourne on Oak Creek
1850s US military campaigns under General Robert E. Lee
1840-1865 Comanchero trading camps
1860-1875 New Mexico pastore sheepherders
Pre-1870 original stone fence around the spring
1873-1876 Buffalo hunters
1876 military establishment of Fort Concho (San Angelo)
1877 Sykes open range ranch established
1878 First ranch house box - strip construction lumber hauled in wagons from Ft. Worth area
1878 Spring house and rock chimney pre-railroad
1891 Dickinson Cattle Company sold 69 ranch
1890s Eventually Halsell/Arledge purchase 69 ranch and establish the Brand. 69 brand comes from 1830 with Halsells in south Texas
1850's north of Fort Worth, Palo Pinto and Decatur region.
1880's in the Wichita Falls region. Other Halsell brands were 99 and 999; later the Burnett 6666 emerged from the same irons.
1880 Main two story ranch house constructed with shiplap siding and brick flues.
1917 R.B. Kuteman Estate purchased the ranch of about 30 sections, Including old headquarters.
1938 Ranch ownership transferred to daughter Beatrice Kuteman
1950s Ranch ownership shared with her daughter, Mary Kerbow, her son Robert Murri, her granddaughter, Katherine Kerbow Dickson, and Great grand daughters.
1980s Ranch operated by Katherine Kerbow Dickson and her husband, Temple Dickson
1990s Original ranch house restored and renovated by the Dicksons
2000 New construction of an adobe ranch house in traditions old style.
More information on wind energy
http://www.westtexaswind.us/
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/12/02/sunday/main3563344.shtml
Fees to attend are $25 for HMI-Texas members, $35 for others. Register online at HRM's Secure Shopping Cart or with Jeanie Dreinhofer (jdreinhofer@hrm-texas.org or 325-348-3014).
Directions to Dickson Ranch:
From Sweetwater (on I-20), take Hwy 70 South (toward San Angelo). 12 miles out of Sweetwater, turn right at the Maryneal, FM 608 sign. Go exactly 8 miles, turn into cattle guard with green mailbox (608 on the mailbox). Follow the road down to the first red roof house to park, walk over to the second red roof adobe house to meet. From San Angelo, take Hwy 70 North (toward Sweetwater). Turn left at the Maryneal FM 608 sign. Go exactly 8 miles, turn into cattle guard with green mailbox (608 on the mailbox). Follow the road down to the first red roof house to park, walk over to the second red roof adobe house to meet.
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