(OUTDOOR NOISES) NARRATOR IF YOU'VE SPENT MUCH TIME TRAVELING THROUGH BOULDER COUNTY, COLORADO, YOU'VE NOTICED THAT CITIES AND TOWNS HERE DON'T SHARE BORDERS. THEY'RE SEPARATED BY OPEN SPACE. THAT DIDN'T JUST HAPPEN. IT WAS DESIGNED THAT WAY. MOST OF THE OPEN SPACE IN EASTERN BOULDER COUNTY IS AGRICULTURAL LAND. THESE FARMS AND RANCHES KEEP US FROM LOOKING LIKE MOST OTHER URBANIZED COUNTIES. THEY ALSO ADD ABOUT ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR TO OUR LOCAL ECONOMY. OPEN SPACE AND AGRICULTURE ARE PARTNERS HERE. TOGETHER, WE'RE KEEPING THE COUNTRYSIDE IN BOULDER COUNTY'S FUTURE. IT'S ABOUT PROTECTING THE LAND AND SAVING A WAY OF LIFE. IT'S ABOUT ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO REMAIN FARMERS AND TO BECOME FARMERS. AGRICULTURE IS THE CRUCIAL LINK THAT IMPROVES OUR QUALITY OF LIFE, SAVES US MONEY, AND ADDS AN EXTRA DIMENSION TO OUR COMMUNITY. IF WE DEVELOP EVERY LAST BLADE OF GRASS, WE LOSE A LOT. (MUSIC) (FARMING NOISES) NARRATOR FARMS ARE BUSY PLACES. THIS ONE IS OWNED BY JULES VAN THUYNE, WHO LEASES LAND FROM BOULDER COUNTY. NOW I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A FAMILY GERNATION FARM. WITH US WE HAVE JULES AND HIS DAUGHTER JILL. JULES, CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR OPERATION HERE? JULES VAN THUYNE MY GRANDFATHER AND GRANDMOTHER MOVED TO THIS AREA IN 1917 AND WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN HERE SINCE. WE'VE ALWAYS ENJOYED THIS AREA AND HOPE TO BE HERE FOR A LONG TIME TO COME. NARRATOR WHAT TYPE OF CROPS DO YOU GROW? JULES VAN THUYNE WE GROW CORN, SUGAR BEETS, COORS BARLEY, WHEAT AND ALFALFA. NARRATOR HAS THE BOULDER COUNTY OPEN SPACE PROGRAM HELPED YOU? JULES VAN THUYNE IT HAS PROTECTED THE FAMILY FARMERS AND THE HERITAGE OF THE AREA SO IT CAN BE PRESERVED FOR GERATIONS TO COME. NARRATOR YOUR GRANDFATHER AND FATHER HAVING BEEN HERE ALL THIS TIME, WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE TAKE OVER AFTER YOU? JULES VAN THUYNE I WOULD CERTAINLY LIKE TO SEE IT STAY IN THE FAMILY WITH MY DAUGHTER JILL HERE. NARRATOR AND JILL, HOW OLD ARE YOU? JILL VAN THUYNE I'M 10 AND IN THE 5TH GRADE. NARRATOR WHAT IS IT LIKE BEING PART OF A FARMING FAMILY? JILL VAN THUYNE IT'S FUN AND I LIKE WORKING OUTDOORS AND HAVING ANIMALS. I WANT TO KEEP THE FARM GOING FOR THE FAMILY. (MUSIC) NARRATOR (VOICE OVER) BOULDER COUNTY STARTED BUYING UP OPEN-SPACE THIRTY YEARS AGO. BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL 1993, WHEN VOTERS APPROVED AN OPEN-SPACE SALES TAX THAT COUNTY OPEN SPACE HOLDINGS REALLY STARTED TO GROW. TODAY, BOULDER COUNTY MANAGES SIXTY-EIGHT THOUSAND ACRES OF OPEN SPACE. MORE THAN A THIRD OF THAT LAND IS FARM OR RANCH LAND. THE CONCEPT HAS CAUGHT ON IN OTHER BOULDER COUNTY COMMUNITIES, TOO. BOULDER, LOUISVILLE, LAFAYETTE, GUNBARREL, LONGMONT AND ERIE HAVE LEVERAGED THEIR OWN MONEY BY TEAMING UP WITH THE COUNTY TO BUY MORE LAND FOR OPEN SPACE. A GOOD PORTION OF THAT LAND IS STILL USED FOR FARMING. SO WHILE COLORADO HAS BEEN LOSING NINETY THOUSAND ACRES OF FARMLAND A YEAR TO URBANIZATION, HIGH TAXES AND LOW PRICES FOR FARM GOODS, BOULDER COUNTY HAS BEEN BUILDING UP ITS AGRICULTURAL HOLDINGS. WE HELP FARMERS AND RANCHERS STAY ON THE LAND, AND THEY HELP US PERSERVE OPEN SPACE. NARRATOR (ON SCREEN) THE COUNTY EITHER BUYS THE LAND OUTRIGHT, OR BUYS THE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS - WHAT WE CALL A CONSERVATION EASEMENT. THAT'S WHAT BOULDER COUNTY DID HERE AT BIG ELK RANCH IN ALLENSPARK. WE HAVE WITH US THE OWNER OF BIG ELK RANCH LILLIAN TREVARTON. I UNDERSTAND THERE IS QUITE A FASCINATING HISTORY TO THIS RANCH. THEY SUPPLIED SOME CATTLE AND DAIRY PRODUCTS TO THE AREA. CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT THAT? LILLIAN TREVARTON WHEN MY UNCLE HAD THE LAND HE DID SUPPLY MILK AND OTHER PRODUCTS TO THE PARK AND THEY HAD BOTH BEEF CATTLE AND DAIRY CATTLE. HE HAD A LOT OF HIRED HELP AND THEY DID SOME CATTLE DRIVE AND HAD SOME RODEOS. NARRATOR HOW LONG HAS YOUR FAMILY BEEN IN THIS AREA? LILLIAN TREVARTON MY UNCLE BOUGHT THIS IN 1929 BUT HE HAD BEEN IN THE LYONS AREA A LONG TIME BEFORE THAT. HE HAD A FARM AND MY FAMILY HAD BEEN THERE ALSO. NARRATOR WITH THAT TYPE OF HISTORY I GUESS IT MEANS A LOT TO YOU WHAT HAPPENS TO THE LAND. LILLIAN TREVARTON YES, MY FAMILY AND I BOTH WANT TO KEEP IT AS A WORKING RANCH AND RIGHT NOW MY GRANDSON AND HIS WIFE WORK AND LIVE ON THE RANCH. AND MY DAUGHTER IS INVOLVED AND I HAVE TWO GRANDDAUGHTERS WHO ARE ALSO INVOLVED WITH THE BUSINESS PART OF THE RANCH. THE OPEN SPACE PROGRAM BOUGHT THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON THE RANCH TO PREVENT THE LAND FROM BEING DEVELOPED BECAUSE WE WANT TO KEEP IT AS A WORKING RANCH. IT'S WORKING OUT VERY WELL AND WE ARE VERY SATISFIED. NARRATOR (VOICE OVER) THE SUCCESS OF BOULDER COUNTY'S OPEN-SPACE PROGRAM DEPENDS ON SOUND LAND MANAGEMENT, AND ... THE EIGHTY OR SO FARMERS AND RANCHERS WHO LEASE BOULDER COUNTY LAND AND RUN SOUND AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS. TOGETHER WE WORK TO KEEP THE LAND IN PRODUCTION ... CONSERVE SOIL AND LAND... MANAGE THE WEEDS... PROTECT THE WILDLIFE THAT THRIVES ON AGRICULTURAL LAND... IMPROVE RESERVOIRS, DITCHES AND IRRIGATION ... AND EDUCATE OURSELVES ABOUT THE NEWEST TECHNIQUES FOR MANAGING SMALL FARMS AND RANCHES. EVERY YEAR, FARMERS AND RANCHERS WHO WORK BOULDER COUNTY OPEN SPACE PRODUCE ENOUGH VEGETABLES TO FEED ELEVEN THOUSAND PEOPLE... ... ENOUGH WHEAT TO FEED SEVENTY-EIGHT THOUSAND PEOPLE ... ENOUGH BARLEY TO BREW BEER FOR THE COUNTY'S ENTIRE POPULATION... ... AND ENOUGH HAY AND CORN TO PRODUCE BEEF FOR FIFTY THOUSAND PEOPLE ... ... AND FEED TEN THOUSAND HORSES, TOO. FARM AND RANCH PRODUCTION COUNTS FOR A LOT IN BOULDER COUNTY (MUSIC) NARRATOR (ON SCREEN) SO HOW DOES AGRICULTURE ON BOULDER COUNTY LAND SAVE TAXPAYERS MONEY? HERE'S AN EXAMPLE. NARRATOR (VOICE OVER) FARMER SMITH AND FARMER JONES EACH HAVE 160-ACRE FARMS. FARMER SMITH SELLS HIS FARM TO A DEVELOPER WHO BUILDS AN AVERAGE OF FOUR HOUSES ON EVERY ACRE. INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THIS DEVELOPMENT COSTS A LOT OF MONEY. THE ROADS, THE WATER TAPS AND THE SEWER PIPES COME TO MORE THAN EIGHTEEN MILLION DOLLARS. FARMER SMITH'S LAND NOW ALSO NEEDS NEW SCHOOLS TO GO WITH THOSE NEW HOMES. THEY COST ANOTHER SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS. SO ALL TOGETHER, IT TAKES ABOUT $25 MILLION TO SUPPORT THIS DEVELOPMENT. COUNTY TAXPAYERS - BOTH RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES - PAY A LOT OF THAT COST. FARMER JONES, ON THE OTHER HAND, SELLS HIS FARM TO BOULDER COUNTY FOR OPEN SPACE FOR ABOUT TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS. HE OR ANOTHER FARMER LEASES THE LAND AND KEEPS IT AS A WORKING FARM. THE COUNTY NOW BEARS THE COST OF MANAGING THE LAND. BUT THIS OPTION COSTS TAXPAYERS ONLY A FRACTION OF WHAT THEY'D PAY TO SUPPORT A SUBDIVISION. AND THE COUNTY ALSO RECEIVES REVENUE FROM THE FARM OPERATION. TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS TO CONSERVE LAND AND A WAY OF LIFE, OR TWENTY-FIVE MILLION DOLLARS FOR A NEW SUBDIVISION - WE'RE PLEASED THAT BOULDER COUNTY TAXPAYERS HAVE CHOSEN TO SAVE FARMLAND AND OTHER UNDEVELOPED AREAS AS OPEN SPACE. BUT AGRICULTURE ON BOULDER COUNTY OPEN SPACE CREATES SOME CONTROVERSIES TOO. DIFFERENT PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT IDEAS ABOUT ... PRAIRIE DOGS ... WHAT TO DO ABOUT WEEDS ... GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS ... SLOW MOVING VEHICLES... SMELLS... SILAGE PITS... SPRAYING... BURNING... AND ENDANGERED SPECIES. THESE ISSUES GET DEBATED AND RESOLVED THROUGH THE PUBLIC PROCESS. IT'S ALL PART OF CONSERVING THE LAND AND CARING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT THROUGH AGRICULTURE. NARRATOR (ON SCREEN) AGRICULTURAL LAND ON BOULDER COUNTY OPEN SPACE ISN'T JUST ABOUT TRADITIONAL FARMING AND RANCHING. AGRICULTURE HERE IS EVOLVING ALONG WITH OUR CHANGING ECONOMY AND OUR CHANGING CULTURE. ENTREPRENEURS WHO LEASE BOULDER COUNTY OPEN SPACE ARE RUNNING ORGANIC FARMS, WEED-FREE HAY OUTFITS, PUMPKIN PATCHES, NURSERIES AND HORSE OPERATIONS. SOMBRERO RANCH, WHICH YOU SEE BEHIND ME HERE, IS THE LARGEST HORSE RANCHING BUSINESS IN THE COUNTRY. SOMBRERO RUNS MORE THAN 1,500 HORSES IN THE STATE OF COLORADO AND A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THAT LAND IN BOULDER COUNTY, MOST OF IT BOULDER COUNTY OPEN SPACE. LET'S FIND OUT MORE FROM CINDY AND DAN LISCO, THE OWNERS OF SOMBRERO RANCH. WE HAVE THE ENTIRE LISCO FAMILY, JOHNATHON AND EVELYN WITH US ALSO. IT'S ENCOURAGING TO SEE YOUR WHOLE FAMILY INVOLVED HERE. DAN, CAN YOU TELL US WHAT YOU DO WITH ALL THESE HORSES. DAN LISCO WELL, SOMBRERO RANCH IS A FAMILY OPERATION. IT WAS STARTED IN 1959 WITH REX WALKER AND HIS WIFE WEEDA AND A PARTNER NAMED SCOTT MANEL, WEEDA'S BROTHER. THEY STARTED WITH 16 HORSES AND TODAY WE ARE IN EXCESS OF 1600 HEAD OF HORSES. WE UTILIZE THOSE HORSES IN OUR OWN RIDING FACILITIES IN ESTES PARK, GRAND LAKE, STEAMBOAT, ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK AS WELL AS TWO STABELS IN ARIZONA. WE ALSO SEND MANY HORSES TO OTHER DUDE RANCHES AND KIDS CAMPS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF COLORADO AND THE WESTERN UNITED STATES. IN THE FALL OF THE YEAR WE TAKE OUR HORSE HERDS TO THE WEST SLOPE AND LEASE THEM OUT TO HUNTERS WHO WISH TO RIDE WHILE THEY HUNT. WE ALSO FARM IN EXCESS OF ABOUT 1000 ACRES OF BOULDER COUNTY OPEN SPACE, ALMOST ALL OF IT BEING HEY GROUND. WE PUT HEY ON IT DURING THE SUMMER TIME FOR OUR HORSE HERD THEN IN THE WINTER TIME WE BRING THE HORSE HERD TO GRAZE THE AFTERMATH. YES, I THINK IT IS A SUCCUSSFUL OPERATION AND THE PARTNERSHIP WITH BOULDER COUNTY IS VERY SUCCUSSFUL. NARRATOR (ON SCREEN) SO HOW FAR DO YOU HAVE TO GO FROM YOUR BOULDER COUNTY HOME TO SEE A VIEW LIKE THIS? PROBABLY NOT TOO FAR, THANKS TO THE THOUSANDS OF BOULDER COUNTY VOTERS WHO HAVE SUPPORTED COUNTY OPEN-SPACE, AND THE MANY FARMERS AND RANCHERS WHO KEEP THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF THIS LAND IN PRODUCTION, RIGHT HERE, CLOSE TO HOME. TOGETHER, WE ARE PARTNERS IN CONSERVATION, SAVING A WAY OF LIFE AND A QUALITY OF LIFE THAT BENEFITS EVERYONE WHO LIVES HERE. (CLOSING MUSIC)