1999 Cooperator of the Year: Jones Brothers Enterprises, LLC
Terry and Kelly Jones are the owners of Jones Bros. Enterprises and are residents of Otto", Wyoming. (See above photo) Terry was born at the Basin-Greybull Hospital in 1961. Kelly, born in Mississippi, was raised in Utah and Star Valley, Wyoming. Terry has lived in Wyoming all his life and is now running the ranch he grew up on. Paul Jones, Terry's Dad, farmed & ranched the place after his father, Delbert passed it to him. Paul sold it to Terry and his brother Royden in 1982. Kelly grew up in a rural setting, her Dad was in construction and her Mom was a librarian. Their ancestors were Dutch, English, & Swiss. Terry's ancestors have been in the Big Horn Basin for four generations, Kelly's have been in Wyoming for three generations. Terry and Kelly have six children all at home, ranging in age from 16 to 2. Terry says he hopes that their children can choose to carry on the farming/ranching tradition and feels they can if it remains profitable. He says that a responsible citizen needs to be able to provide a reasonable lifestyle for their family or they will have to switch occupations.
Terry has chosen the ranching/farming profession because he loves the land. He believes that growing food and maintaining open spaces and habitat is one of the most noble professions there are. Kelly says she stays because she loves Terry.
The Jones' love the people of Wyoming, the community and wide open spaces with opportunities for development. Low crime, good schools and churches are high on their list of positives. Terry is interested in developing water resources, working cattle, fishing, wildlife, and raising his family, (not necessarily in that order).
Terry is interested in every aspect of soil and water conservation. He says "We have developed State of the Art Irrigation Systems that include reservoirs and gated pipe. We are super efficient at irrigating." Big ditches, Big reservoirs capable of re-regulating fluctuations in water flows, underground pipelines, gated pipe, and land leveling are all a part of the Jones operation. "Now we are raising fish to diversify our operation to beneficially use the land and water" he says, "these practices work to stretch our resources in a way that will make our operation profitable, and it's fun!" He says you can compare photos from the 1970's to now and you can see the increased productivity on the land after implementing the practices. The reduction of alkali spots show the better water management is paying off.
Terry is excited about the future. He believes we will all have to diversify and work together as communities in order to flourish. He sees their family still raising cows, hay, pasture, fish, and sharing the rural ranch lifestyle with fishing guests in the next ten to twenty years. He wants to help others in his area diversify to help their communities survive.
Terry has chosen the ranching/farming profession because he loves the land. He believes that growing food and maintaining open spaces and habitat is one of the most noble professions there are. Kelly says she stays because she loves Terry.
The Jones' love the people of Wyoming, the community and wide open spaces with opportunities for development. Low crime, good schools and churches are high on their list of positives. Terry is interested in developing water resources, working cattle, fishing, wildlife, and raising his family, (not necessarily in that order).
Terry is interested in every aspect of soil and water conservation. He says "We have developed State of the Art Irrigation Systems that include reservoirs and gated pipe. We are super efficient at irrigating." Big ditches, Big reservoirs capable of re-regulating fluctuations in water flows, underground pipelines, gated pipe, and land leveling are all a part of the Jones operation. "Now we are raising fish to diversify our operation to beneficially use the land and water" he says, "these practices work to stretch our resources in a way that will make our operation profitable, and it's fun!" He says you can compare photos from the 1970's to now and you can see the increased productivity on the land after implementing the practices. The reduction of alkali spots show the better water management is paying off.
Terry is excited about the future. He believes we will all have to diversify and work together as communities in order to flourish. He sees their family still raising cows, hay, pasture, fish, and sharing the rural ranch lifestyle with fishing guests in the next ten to twenty years. He wants to help others in his area diversify to help their communities survive.