Deseret Ranches facts for kids
Deseret Ranches is a very large ranch in Central Florida, owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It includes several different businesses, like Deseret Ranches of Florida and Deseret Cattle and Citrus. The ranch is located about 50 miles (80 km) southeast of the Orlando International Airport and 19 miles (31 km) west of Cape Canaveral, Florida. Today, Deseret Ranches is known as one of the best ranches in the United States for raising calves.
Where is Deseret Ranches located?
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This huge ranch, owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, covers land in three counties in central Florida: Osceola, Orange, and Brevard. It spreads across almost 300,000 acres (1,200 km²), which is a massive area! About 90 rancher families live and work on the ranch.
The ranch takes care of about 44,000 beef cattle. It operates as a business, meaning it aims to make money. It's not part of the Church's charity work. Gordon B. Hinckley, who used to be the president of the Church, once said that good farms are a safe way to invest the Church's money. He also said they can be a resource to help feed people if there's ever a need.
How did Deseret Ranches start?
The first ideas for this ranch began in 1949. Then, in 1950, the Church bought the first 45,000 acres (180 km²). Over time, Deseret Ranches grew much larger. Today, it covers an area about 50 miles (80 km) long and 30 miles (48 km) wide. There's also a separate part of the ranch near Kenansville in Osceola County.
The Church bought the original 54,000-acre (220 km²) piece of land in 1950. Over the next 50 years, the ranch grew to more than 312,000 acres (1,260 km²). By 1997, it was considered the largest beef ranch in the world.
What does Deseret Ranches do?
Deseret Ranches earns money in several ways. In the year 2000, they sold about 16 million pounds (7,300 metric tons) of calves.
Besides raising cattle, the ranch also makes money from other activities:
- They mine native shell beds, which are used to pave roads all over Florida.
- They have large orange groves and sell oranges.
- They offer hunting permits for people to hunt on their land.
- They sell ornamental palm trees.
In 2011, the ranch gained control of some of its water supply from the St. Johns River Water Management District. They then planned to sell some of this water to the city of Cocoa, Florida.
