09/18/07 Oldest cattle ranch

Established in 1658 our nation's oldest working cattle ranch is truly unique, I'm Jeff Keane and I'll return with how this ranch stands out. Operating since the mid 1600's Deep Hollow Ranch is located in the state of New York, yeah, New York. Here's Becky with how this Montauk, New York ranch has worked it's way into present day. The Montauk area was extremely popular for grazing in the 1600's as the coast lush feed. With its then central location and continuous forage the Deep Hollow Ranch was soon pressed into existence. The Long Island Railway made it's way into the area, laying new track in 1885, bringing with it problematic tourists, and the dynamics of the quiet cattle ranch have been adapting ever since. Over the years the Montauk ranch provided a rest heaven for Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough riders in 1898, invited Polo ponies for entertainment in 1926. The year 1947 found white face cattle back at the ranch to stay, and today fifth generation owners Rusty and Diane Leaver continue to keep their ranch and it's history alive. With a lot of ingenuity and the strong ranching family work ethic, the Leavers invite guests to glimpse into the past at their ranch where history truly comes to life every day at dawn with the chores on the oldest working cattle ranch in the nation. I think that proves if you have grass and gumption you can make a cattle ranch work anywhere, I'm Jeff Keane.