Bucktail Farm is a unique opportunity to own a large irrigated farm located in Arthur and McPherson counties northeast of Ogallala or southeast of Arthur, Nebraska.
Bucktail Farm is a 21 center pivot irrigated farm supported by the world’s second largest aquifer, the Ogallala Aquifer, which is a highly valued natural resource underlying parts of eight states – and nearly all in Nebraska.
Crop production on the Bucktail Farm provides strong returns to the investor with corn, soybean, and alfalfa production among the best in the area.
Twenty-one center pivot irrigated systems water the irrigated crops. Outstanding grain storage facilities round out the operation.
The farm consists of 4,599± acres that include approximately 2,744 pivot irrigated acres. There are about 1,855 acres of grass, of which 200 acres more or less are in pivot corners. There are over seven miles of underground water line that irrigates around 1,555 acres of fenced pasture with 20 rubber stock tanks. Irrigated pastures are split into three for livestock. Buildings and roads occupy around 100 acres. Total acreage is per tax assessment.
All pivots are electric and diesel motors drive all pumps. The pivots include two newer Valley pivots and nineteen Zimmatic pivots, six of which are nearly new. Each pivot has a well with most producing over 2,000 gallons per minute. Caterpillar and Isuzu diesel motors with generators are power sources for the wells. A complete summary of each well permit, well production, center pivot make, and field size under each pivot is available.
Corn is typically grown on the farm, but soybean and alfalfa are also common crops. Corn yields average around 200 bushels per acre.
The farm is under an easement with a swine confinement unit located adjacent to the property. Under this easement and certain terms and conditions, the swine confinement operation agrees to pump and spread the contents of its deep waste lagoons through underground pipe on eight specific center pivots. The term of this agreement began in 2002 and lasts for 40 years.
The Bucktail Farm is located in Arthur and McPherson Counties, northeast of Ogallala and north of Paxton, Nebraska. From Arthur, the farm is approximately 14 miles east on US Highway 92 and 6 miles south on a gravel road. From Paxton, the farm is approximately 29 miles north on a county maintained gravel road. Paxton is located on I-80 approximately 38 miles west of North Platte.
Bucktail Farm is located in the renowned sandhills ranching country and is fortunate to have abundant underground water resources, as well as a consistent climate favoring some of the best grassland in the US and outstanding crop production.
Government Programs & Payments
According to Farm Service Agency (FSA) records, Bucktail Farm has 2,744 acres of cropland with a 2,601 corn base and an 111 bushel/acre direct payment yield. The 2015 annual direct payment of the farm was $158,002.00.
Groundwater wells supply water for the property. Nebraska groundwater is regulated and an abundant water source – about as secure as water gets.
Water for the wells comes from a high plains aquifer commonly called the Ogallala Aquifer. It is the largest fresh water aquifer in the continental United States with fresh water saturation levels in the sandhills ranging up to 1,200 feet. The total volume of water in the aquifer reaches from south central South Dakota to west Texas and is estimated to be approximately 21.8 billion acre-feet, of which approximately 65 acre-feet are located in Nebraska.
Bucktail Farm is located in the Twin Platte Natural Resource District (TPNRD) and all wells are certified with the NRD. There are 21 wells on the farm producing from 700 to over 2,700 gallons per minute. There are no restrictions on pumping; however, no new well can be drilled and no expansion of irrigated acres is allowed. Information on the Twin Platte can be obtained at www.tpnrd.org.
