Utah Stories

Hobby Farming in Utah: Gov’t Forces one Man to Sell Land

Utah is one of the worst states for farmers. Read how enforced rezoning laws forced one man to sell his pastures and abandon his property.

|


DSC_0478
Photos by Richard Markosian

Thistle, Utah— Having driven for nearly 20 minutes in this town, the appearance could best be described as charmingly post-apocalyptic. There are many abandoned homes and former farm facilities. A few totally flooded roadside residential properties now serve as a rest stop for ducks and habitat for fish. The rains have made the pastures rich and lush, the hills are dotted with Angus cattle; and there is no sign of people. No smoking chimneys, no passing cars. With fog rolling in and crumbling edifices Thistle appears a up and coming ghost town, lovely in its dereliction.

In alignment with the apocalyptic theme, I come upon a sign that was clearly written by someone unhappy with a recent government action: “My property was deemed abandoned.” The sign belongs to long-time resident Randy (he didn’t offer his last name). The referred to action allowed the county to call the private road his father built a “public wilderness access road.” Randy said, “I would allow nearly anybody to use my road, but sometimes people would use it and party up there and leave litter. So the county, along with the Division of Natural Resources, decided to seize my property.”

Randy grew up ranching in the area. He raised alfalfa in Spanish Fork until the city decided to zone his property commercial, causing his taxes to skyrocket, forcing him to sell his pasture to developers. Besides changes to zoning laws, Randy blames the federal government for the problems ranchers have suffered. “NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement) killed cattle ranching in this area. Today nobody in this area can make a living ranching. For us it’s now more of a hobby.” Randy’s “hobby” consists of some 10 African long-horned grass-fed cattle known as “Ankole-Watusi”. “We figured if we were going to have them, these are the most fun to look at,” Randy says. He also gets quite a bit of money for the horns.DSC_0524

Randy works in construction. He says he’s fortunate because it is not far and he can go to Orem and Provo to find jobs. But he says that the state of Utah is, “terrible to farmers. It’s one of the worst places to try to make your living doing this. The state agencies have no respect for farmers, and are doing nothing to preserve the traditions.” Randy adds, “We come to rely on food in their grocery stores and water out of the faucet. If the government keeps this up, someday there will be neither.” Randy’s son is a rancher in Colorado, where he says the state and local governments treat farmers much better than they do in Utah.



Join our newsletter.
Stay informed.

Related Articles


  • The “Monster” of Bear Lake

    Have you ever heard of Utah’s hidden lake monsters? Beyond the tourist buzz of Bear Lake, whispers of a mysterious creature have persisted for generations. Dive into the untold stories, rare sightings, and eerie folklore surrounding Utah’s most elusive aquatic legend. Are the rumors real, or just a product of overactive imaginations?

    To access this post, you must purchase Full Access Membership.


  • Frisco, Utah: The Untold Story of the West’s Most Notorious Ghost Town

    Once a wild silver mining town, Frisco, Utah, was infamous for its nightly violence and lawless streets. Known as the “toughest mining town in the West,” its fortunes changed after a catastrophic mine collapse. Today, the deserted remains of Frisco, with its decaying kilns and empty streets, tell the story of a town that lived fast and died young. The mysteries of its vanished lawman and the outlaws who once ruled the streets still linger in its desolate landscape.

    To access this post, you must purchase Full Access Membership.


  • Utah Book Bans Ignite Cultural Clash: Educator John Arthur on Local Control

    A battle over book bans is sweeping Utah’s schools, pitting state laws against local communities’ rights to shape education. Utah Teacher of the Year John Arthur steps into the fray, challenging restrictions that he believes rob students of vital perspectives and the freedom to explore. Are blanket bans the answer, or are we sacrificing young minds in a cultural clash?


  • Why Utah’s Homelessness Crisis Needs a Radical Solution: The Peer-Led Village That’s Succeeding Where Government Programs Fail

    Utah’s homelessness crisis is getting worse, despite billions in taxpayer dollars spent on traditional solutions. But a bold, peer-led project in Salt Lake City is defying the odds, delivering life-changing results with a human-first approach. The Other Side Village is run by people who have been there—survivors of homelessness, addiction, and incarceration—and they’re proving that a radical, no-bureaucracy model can achieve what the government hasn’t. Could this be the breakthrough we’ve been waiting for?