For 135 years, the Kettle family has been raising hay and cattle in the Wet Mountain Valley. That long history was in the spotlight when the 1,000-acre San Isabel Ranch was presented the prestigious Leopold Conservation Award.

The award, which came with a $10,000 check, was presented to Bet Kettle and her daughter, Sara Shields, during last week’s Colorado Cattlemen’s Association annual convention in Steamboat Springs.

The Leopold Conservation Award is a competitive award that recognizes landowner achievement in voluntary conservation. In addition to the cash prize, recipients receive a crystal depiction of Aldo Leopold seated on a horse.[…]