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Muster Creek Farm

Miles City, Montana | Custer County | 305 Acres

Property Information

Muster Creek Farm offers 305+/- contiguous acres located 16 miles north east of Miles City, Montana in Custer County. Located in the Yellowstone River Basin, this location is ideal to produce a multitude of crops from corn, alfalfa, to sugar beets, potatoes, edible beans, soybeans or wheat with an in-demand market for any of these crops nearby. Contiguous native pastureland is gently rolling hill country and creek bottom, offering good protection and cover for livestock and wildlife. The property is all in one block and is well fenced, with facilities in place for handling, feeding and watering cattle.

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ACREAGE AND DESCRIPTION

The Muster Creek Farm is a large irrigated farm operation with a secondary feedlot operation comprising 4,000 head, located in the Kinsey Irrigation District in Custer County, Montana, about 16 miles from the county seat, Miles City, Montana. The area is well known for its feed production due to plentiful water supplies and fertile soils. The principal crops grown are alfalfa hay, shell corn and corn silage. Located in the Yellowstone River Basin, this location is ideal to produce a multitude of crops from corn, alfalfa, to sugar beets, potatoes, edible beans, soybeans or wheat with an in-demand market for any of these crops nearby. Contiguous native pastureland is gently rolling hill country and creek bottom, offering good protection and cover for livestock and wildlife. The pasture interfaces very well with the irrigated feed base for spring calving or fall weaning. The property is all in one block and is well fenced, with facilities in place for handling, feeding and watering cattle.

ACREAGE & WATER RESOURCES

Irrigated lands are primarily flood irrigated with gated pipe. There is one pivot in place (113 acres), another going in (130 acres) and two purchased for installation. The pivots are rebuilds with new 2012 Valley parts, lower pressure, not computer operated. The irrigated lands are serviced by Kinsey Irrigation District.

This productive irrigated farm and native grass ranch is one of the largest agricultural properties in the Kinsey community. There are 555 shares of Kinsey Irrigation water and 150 rights from secondary water to irrigate approximately 645 acres of very good farmland. Water for irrigation comes via canal system from the Yellowstone River a mile away and the pivots and gated pipe pumped with one Cornell 25hp pump and two Berkley 10hp pumps.

The annual cost of the Kinsey water is $35.50 per irrigated acre or $19,525/year. Real estate taxes and annual water costs are to be paid semi-annually by owner.

Formed in 1938, Kinsey provides irrigation water to 7,000 acres on the north side of the Yellowstone River in Custer County, Montana, nine to 17 miles downstream from Miles City. The District`s water supply is derived from the Yellowstone River and its tributaries. Local farmer/irrigators comprise a five member Board of Commissioners who provide direction and establish the policies under which the District is operated.

WATER RIGHTS

All those of record or appurtenant to the property will convey. A complete list of well data and water information is on file in our office and available to interested and qualified purchasers.

WILDLIFE AND RECREATION

This farm offers some excellent wildlife and hunting attributes in particular mule deer hunting. They are prevalent on the property throughout the year and during hunting season. Other wildlife that can be seen on the property include pheasant, whitetail deer, ducks, geese, other small game.

PRODUCTION YIELDS 2013 ACREAGE

Crop – Yield/Ac – Acreage
Alfalfa – 3 ton/acre – 40-acre new crop, round-up ready under pivot
20 acres of regular seeded alfalfa
40 acres hay barley
2013 total – 450 ton with nurse crop and hay barley
* historical averages 5-6 tons per acre
Corn Total – 540 ac
Corn Silage – 24.5 ton – 400 acres (23 tons 2013/ hail damage)
Shell Corn – 150 bu. – 150 acres
2013 yield – 110 bu. due to hail damage ($80,000 insurance coverage)
* 24.5 x 65% federal crop guarantee – established yield not county average $800/acre guaranteed income
There are approximately 400 acres of new cultivation ready for 2014 crops. Owner is planning to seed 400-500 acres corn. There is great potential for growth with the addition of the three pivots.
Grazing – .5AUM/Acre – 310 acres used for fall grazing

SOILS

Primarily Class IV Marvan silty clay soil.

PIVOTS

Field 1 - Lockwood rebuilt with new 2012 Valley components - 10 Tower – 113 acres - length 1,245feet.
Field 2 - Zimmatec with new 2012 Valley components 130 acres – 12 tower – (11towers of 8inch) – 1,500 feet. Total of 1,640 feet with end boom and gun. Pivot #2 is presently being constructed for spring 2014 use.
Field 3 - Zimmatec 5 Tower to be installed fall 2014 (30 acres)
Field 4 - Zimmatec 9 Tower to be installed fall 2014 (55 acres)

CLIMATE

Miles City experiences a semi-arid climate, with long, cold, dry winters and hot, wetter summers. The Miles City reporting station shows an average annual precipitation of 14.00"+/-. This is taken from data from 1937 to 2005. 2.5" on average falls in the months of November, December, January, February, and March according to the Western Regional Climate Center, indicating that over 80% of the moisture falls during the months that it can really be utilized.

HISTORY

In 1804 the Northwest Company sent an expedition into this area to trade with the Sioux and Crows. The party was headed by Francois Larocque. He was the first fur trader in the area, and during his stay he explored the Powder, Tongue, Little Horn, Big Horn and Yellowstone Rivers. Captain Clark of the Lewis and Clark expedition, traveled down the Yellowstone River through this area in 1806.

Fort Keogh was established in 1877 at the mouth of the Tongue River near Signal Butte, a high knob that was used in the early days for signaling messages by heliograph to the Black Hills 175 miles away.

White men began to settle in the area with the establishment of the military forts. These settlers came by the overland route and by the steamboat route, which was the favorite method of traveling during the few months of the year it was available.

Miles City became a frontier town in 1878 and was an important army and river navigation point. The town was named in honor of General Nelson A. Miles. Livestock speculation brought thousands of cattle to the open ranges in the late 1880s, the railroad was extended through the area, and Texas drove numerous cattle to Miles City to fatten them on free grass and move them to where they could be loaded on trains bound for the slaughterhouses in the east.

Miles City is well known for its active agriculture market, the World famous Miles City Bucking Horse Sale the third weekend in May, Miles Community College. Miles City is also home to the Eastern Montana Fair and is the commercial hub of southeastern Montana.

The present area of Custer County is 3,788 square miles and it is 70 miles in length north to south and 60 miles wide. Population in Miles City is approximately 8,570 and Custer County is approximately 11,800. Elevation is 2,300 - 2,400 feet.

SUMMARY

Muster Creek Farm offers 305 +/- contiguous acres located south of Miles City, Montana in Custer County. This property is being offered to a buyer looking for a profitable agricultural venture. The area holds an abundance of water resources, as it is located in the Yellowstone River Basin. The location is ideal to produce a multitude of crops from corn, alfalfa, to sugar beets, potatoes, edible beans, soybeans or wheat with an in-demand market for any of these crops nearby. Productive farmland can also be seeded back to grass to make some of the least expensive ranches; all it takes is someone who thinks progressively.