Nebraska’s Dumbbell Ranch has gone to contract. According to The Nebraska Examiner, the 15,568-acre Nebraska Sandhills cow-calf operation listed in March for $16.7 million ($1,072 per acre) with Mark Johnson of Hall and Hall. Less than a month later, the ranch was reported by Cindy Gonzalez at The Examiner to be under contract to an unnamed Colorado ranching operation.
Sandhills Landmark
Owned and operated by the Anderson family since 1913, the Dumbbell Ranch is considered one of the most historic ranches in the region. It totaled 52,000 acres at its height in the early 20th century. In 1937, however, it was partitioned into three distinct operating units: the Pitchfork Ranch, the 3 Circles Ranch, and Dumbbell Ranch. Currently, the ranch consists of 15,568 acres of rolling native rangeland in Cherry and Grant Counties, Nebraska.
Ogallala Aquifer
In its current configuration, the ranch has a stocking rate of 900 head. It also has outstanding wildlife habitat According to the marketing materials prepared by Hall and Hall, the Dumbbell Ranch sits atop one of the deepest portions of the Ogallala Aquifer, the enormous underground reservoir that extends from the Texas Panhandle north across eight states to South Dakota. In addition to numerous lakes, live water, and artesian wells, the ranch has more than 1,000 acres of sub-irrigated meadows and produces an average of 1,800 tons of hay annually. 
