Keith Flake - Desert Rancher

Welcome to the Cattlemen's Corner. I'm Brian Hale sitting in for the late Howard Hale as we continue his legacy of speaking with cattlemen and women from around the globe.

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We're talking the Keith Flake. He's a part in the Flake Ranches out south of Apache Junction.

We're squeezed in here just east of Apache Junction or Mesa, Gold Canyon area between Apache Junction, Queen Creek, Florence Junction. About 50 sections of state lease we don't own in acre and part of it's being developed. Part of it is overrun with recreationists. The desert floor is brilliant green.

How much rain did you get to get that grass cover?

As I recall about three 1 inch rains and the spacing was pretty good.

We figured the desert is going to make like crops, it's going to put on seed, but it comes fast and then when it turns 100 degrees, it goes fast.

The mesquite beans there may be some or when you get a year without any rain the trees don't put any beans?

Oh, it varies from year to year. I'll probably see the first bean in the middle of April and then it'll be another two or three weeks before there's much of a crop. We used to keep our to cows here year round and they were really bean harvesters. Beans are important to us. It's just not as important as they used to be when we were here year round.

Arizona rancher Keith Flake. That's it for today's Cattleman's Corner. Thanks again for listening and may God bless. I'm Brian Hale.