A few generations ago, if you asked someone on the street whether they or their family worked in agriculture, chances are the answer would have been yes. Today, that connection has largely faded. Many people are now generations removed from the land, feeling increasingly disconnected from where their food comes from and from the people who produce it.
But sometimes that connection runs so deep that, even after years away from the land, it still calls you back—to your roots and your family’s legacy—no matter how many years have passed.
This sentiment rings true for Robert Mackey, owner of the Murphy Ranch in the hills of Tuolumne County, California. Robert is a descendant of the Murphy family, who have owned the nearly 430-acre property since the Homestead Act of 1865.
He recalls childhood trips to the ranch and days spent working alongside his family, but as life and career opportunities pulled him elsewhere, those moments gradually shifted from lived experiences to cherished memories.
But in the early 2000s, the land came calling.
“I had always loved my time at the ranch,” Robert explained. “I always wanted to come back to it, call it a ‘romantic attraction’ to the lifestyle. So, it seemed like the right move both for my family’s heritage and me personally.”
After the last of the five Murphy brothers passed away, the ranch was left in need of renewal and consistent stewardship. Years of limited management and a large wildfire decades prior had taken their toll—fences had fallen into disrepair, weeds had overtaken the pastures, buildings were gone, and the once-productive agricultural operation had faded. To put it simply, the ranch needed a little TLC to restore it to the vibrant, working property it had once been.
With limited experience and little idea of what lay ahead, Robert and his family jumped in wholeheartedly. Bit by bit, they began bringing the ranch back to life. Over the years, they rebuilt fences, added essential infrastructure, and introduced cattle, sheep, and goats back to rotationally graze the land, steadily restoring both its productivity and vitality.
“There’s still a lot of work to do,” Robert shared. “It has taken a lot of time and, frankly, a lot of funds to get this place back to being functional and operating. But, we are proud of where we are at.”
Now that the family has found their footing in the management of the ranch, their focus has shifted to protecting it for the future. In just the short time they’ve been back, they’ve watched the surrounding area transform into a kind of boomtown, with development pressing in from every direction. Robert recalls how different the landscape looked when he was a kid visiting the ranch compared to the rapid change he sees today.
Since 1980, Tuolumne County’s population has grown by more than 20,000 people, with much of that growth happening in the 1980s and 1990s. Even though population increases have slowed in recent years, the pressure on open space hasn’t. Rising land values and the growing demand for five-acre ranchettes continue to put working lands at risk—lands that provide food and fiber, support local economies, and sustain clean air, water, and wildlife habitat.
“We are nearly surrounded by these five-acre ranchettes,” Robert reflected. “Every time I come and go from the ranch—particularly on the Sonora side—there’s more and more development encroaching on what used to be large cattle operations.”
In 2013, the neighboring Sardella Ranch became the first property in Tuolumne County to be conserved by the California Rangeland Trust. Since then, the organization has permanently protected nearly 1,500 acres in the county, with another 3,200 acres currently in progress.
Inspired by their neighbors’ success, the Mackeys decided to pursue a conservation easement of their own to safeguard the Murphy Ranch from the steady wave of development surrounding them. In October 2025, their efforts came to fruition as they finalized the easement, permanently conserving 425 acres of their property and creating a continuous stretch of more than 900 acres of protected working rangeland alongside the Sardella Ranch. The project also marked a milestone for the California Rangeland Trust—the 100th ranch conserved—a true cause for celebration.
“All of us really love this ranch and this area,” Robert shared. “The decision to put the easement on the ranch was a family decision, none of us wanted to see this place lost to development like many of the properties around us. It means a great deal that our ranch is contiguous with the Sardella Ranch, ensuring that a large chunk of land is protected in our local area. It’s humbling to know our decision contributes to something bigger than ourselves.”
The completion of this conservation effort was made possible through strong partnerships dedicated to preserving California’s working lands. Funding for the easement was secured through collaboration with the California Department of Conservation and the California Strategic Growth Council through its Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program*. The Mackey family also generously donated a portion of the conservation easement’s value by completing a bargain sale agreement to ensure the long-term protection of their land.
With the easement in place, the Mackeys are focusing on continuing to restore and enhance their land so it remains a viable working ranch for generations to come. The effort has truly become a family endeavor, with each member building their own connection to the land and sharing a common goal of seeing it thrive well into the future.
For them, the conservation of Murphy Ranch is more than a milestone; it is a commitment to the land that shaped them and to the generations who will follow. Their story shows that even after years away, the bond with the land can endure, guiding decisions that protect both heritage and habitat. By conserving their property, the Mackeys have not only safeguarded a piece of their family’s history but also strengthened the network of California’s working ranches, ensuring that the landscapes that provide food, livelihood, and a connection to the natural world remain vibrant and accessible.
In the end, their journey is a reminder that no matter how far removed we may be, the land always has a way of calling us home.
Though not everyone has a direct connection to the land, families like the Mackeys—and the 99 other ranching families who have chosen to conserve their land through the California Rangeland Trust—are ensuring that the connection remains possible. Their decisions keep open space open, preserve the legacy of ranching in California, and demonstrate that even in a changing landscape, choosing to care for the land endures.
*SALC is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that directs Cap-and-Trade dollars toward projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen the economy, and improve public health and the environment—particularly in disadvantaged communities.
California Rangeland Trust is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization (tax identification number 31-1631453) under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law.
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