Released on: May 28, 2008, 12:53 pm

Press Release Author: Russ Maytag

Industry: Real Estate

Press Release Summary: Unique Colorado Ranch Development Offers Large Homesteads,
Authentic Western Lifestyle and Community Partnership in a Working Sustainable
Cattle Ranch

Press Release Body: (Hillside, Colorado) For over 30 years, Maytag Mountain Ranch
has been Colorado\'s premier example of a working grass-fed cattle ranch. With a
commitment to sustainable ranching practices and the preservation of Western
traditions like natural grazing, healthy ecology and family participation in the
ranching endeavor, Maytag Mountain Ranch makes authenticity a way of life.

Now, Maytag Mountain Ranch is offering a limited number of families the opportunity
to be a part of this unique lifestyle by creating a residential community that
incorporates an authentic western cattle ranch and with an environmentally
responsible life.

Nestled on 3,000 acres at the foot of southern Colorado\'s Sangre de Cristo
Mountains, Maytag Mountain Ranch is a fully sustainable eco-friendly residential
community and working cattle ranch. The Ranch offers expansive 100 acre homesteads
and a vast array of outdoor recreational activities, including hiking, biking, fly
fishing, horseback riding, and more. The Ranch holds many amenities all centered
around a strong community partnership.

Developer Russ Maytag always knew that ranching was his life\'s calling. Having been
involved in his father\'s three ranches outside of Colorado Springs all his life,
Maytag finally purchased 2,000 acres of his own in 1978. Over time, he purchased a
total of eight parcels in Hillside to create the 2,968 acres that comprise Maytag
Mountain Ranch today. After 30 years of working the Ranch and raising his family
there, Maytag decided it was time to do something different. He wanted to preserve
the lifestyle and the sustainable vision of the Ranch, but he didn\'t want to work it
anymore. Instead, he decided to share his land with those who shared his passions
for ranching, sustainable agriculture, wilderness and community.

\"There has been significant development in this valley over the years, but much of
it has been detrimental to the land and is ecologically degrading,\" Maytag said. \"I
felt strongly that by thinking holistically, it was possible to have a development
that would not destroy the land. I wanted to prove that agriculture and development
can coexist by utilizing ecologically and environmentally sound ranching practices
while also offering the luxuries and amenities that buyers want.\"

Maytag Mountain Ranch is now offering homesteads and Colorado ranch land
for sale. The Ranch\'s 3,000 acres have been divided into homesteads and are
situated so that each homestead has its own unique views of the Sangre de Cristo
Mountain as well as the ranch. Each owner has a 1/27 ownership share of the Ranch
and a voice in the management and operations of the Ranch through the Ranch Owners
Association. The real estate offering includes:

- 27 homesteads
- Homesteads are approximately 100 acres each
- Pricing: $879,000 to $1.5 million
- 14 homesteads still available
- One month of use of the two guest cabins per year is included
- Architectural and design guidelines for building do apply


Maytag has always been a firm believer in sustainable living, arguing that \"you have
to maintain your ranch as sustainable or you won\'t be sustainable as a rancher.\" At
Maytag Mountain Ranch, the herd and all of the Ranch\'s bounty is certified organic
and owned by the Ranch Owners Association. The cow herd provides an income for the
association as a whole, offsetting costs and providing food for the owners, but also
creating a true sense of community. Owners can participate in the daily business of
the Ranch, raising certified organic produce and livestock, or leave the ranching to
the ranch managers. Either way, the entire community enjoys the gifts of the Ranch,
from grass fed beef to seasonal produce to fresh milk straight from the dairy cow.

Maytag Mountain Ranch practices rotational grazing, a modern way of preserving the
tradition of raising cattle entirely on pasture grass. As the herd moves from one
section of grazing land to another, cattle feed naturally on native grass, while the
land and vegetation enjoy periods of rest. Rotational grazing is better for the land
and the animals and is much better for people. Maytag Mountain Ranch beef is
healthier because the cattle are fattened on natural forage, not in feed lots. No
hormones or antibiotics are ever used. The Ranch\'s one-acre organic garden features
season vegetables, fruit trees and flowers and is farmed under the principles of
permaculture, the technique of integrating edible plants with one another to form a
symbiotic, self-sustaining system. No herbicides, pesticides or artificial
fertilizers are used in the garden or anywhere else on the ranch.

Along with sharing a love of ranching, mountains, wildlife and open spaces, Ranch
owners also share a variety of common areas, amenities and access to activities. The
traditional ranch Cookhouse features a gourmet kitchen and dining room, wood burning
fireplace, library, game rooms, fully stocked bar, covered outdoor deck,
swimming/fishing pond and outdoor gas grill and is available to all owners for
personal use or parties. Two luxury guest cabins are available for owners and their
guests and families. These two-bedroom, two-bath cottages sleep up to six people and
feature fireplaces, fully-stocked kitchens and a steam shower in the master bath.
Ownership includes four weeks of usage of these cabins per year.

Maytag Mountain Ranch\'s state-of-the-art barn and equestrian facility is where much
of the Ranch action happens. Designed in true Western style, the barn features seven
stalls, a wash rack, tack room and a lounge. Adjacent to the barn is a regulation
roping arena and round pen. Maytag Mountain Ranch also offer a four-level
horsemanship program designed to teach riders more about their horses. The Ranch has
six horses onsite that are owned in common and available for owner use. Residents
can also board their own horses at the Ranch and the staff with care for and train
them at owners\' request.

What makes Maytag Mountain Ranch so unique is the opportunity to be a part of a
working, sustainable cattle ranch where residents can participate in as much or as
little of the day-to-day ranch activities as they like. The Ranch Managers guide
owners in working and herding the 300 head of grass-fed cattle on horseback; moving
and caring for livestock; mending fences and general ranch maintenance; barn chores;
cultivating the produce garden; milking cows; gathering eggs; and much more. In
addition, the Ranch plans community events including branding of the cattle, a
pumpkin harvest hayride in the Fall, and Fourth of July barbecue, among others.

Maytag Mountain Ranch also offers a plethora of outdoor and recreational activities
for families, adults and children. The Ranch boasts ten miles of onsite trails for
hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. The Ranch also owns several bikes for
owner usage. Trout can be found in the several ponds and streams on the Ranch, and
the nearby Arkansas River has magnificent fishing. Skiing is nearby at Monarch
Mountain and residents and visitors won\'t be able to resist the countless companies
offering white water rafting in the area. Maytag Mountain Ranch and the surrounding
area is truly an outdoor enthusiast\'s paradise.

\"At its heart, this is a ranch preservation project,\" ranch manager Twyla Walker
said. \"It\'s a model for education about how to preserve agriculture. The food the we
produce-beef, eggs, milk, fruits and vegetables-feeds the families that live here,
which is exactly what a ranch should do. We are a true sustainable community.\"

Web Site: http://www.maytagmountainranch.com

Contact Details: About Maytag Mountain Ranch
Nestled on 3,000 acres at the foot of Colorado\'s Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Maytag
Mountain Ranch is a fully sustainable and ecological residential community and
working cattle ranch. Maytag Mountain Ranch offers expansive homesteads and a vast
array of outdoor recreational activities and ranch amenities, allowing owners to
experience an authentic Western lifestyle while living an environmentally
responsible life. For more information, visit www.maytagmountainranch.com or call
(800) 363-9856.