Many residents of the New West don't realize how much of the Old West still exists. They think cattle ranches and cowboys are a thing of the past, or that western traditions only survive at "ranchettes" or on the rodeo or horse show circuit. Visitors to working cattle ranches are often surprised at how many of the old ways survive, partly because they are tried and true, and partly because cowboys usually take great pride in their work and in tradition. But as any resident or visitor knows all too well, the wide open spaces of the west are quickly filling up and the struggle to maintain the old ways is getting harder.

The M Diamond, at nearly 100 years old, is one of the oldest continuously operating working cattle ranches in the Verde Valley and the only one in the area open to guests. One of the main objectives in opening it to guests is to provide understanding and experiences in western history and heritage, as well as modern rangeland management. This understanding is important for Arizonans as they make critical decisions regarding rural lifestyles and economies and the preservation of open space.

Residents of the New West are often surprised to learn that only 18% of the land in Arizona is privately owned. The image of huge ranches owned by "cattle barons" is certainly a myth in Arizona, where the average ranch is family-owned and consists of a few hundred acres of deeded property and 50-200 cattle. The fact is that most family owned ranches are forced to supplement their income in the current economy. Ranches in the west, including the M Diamond, were homesteaded in parcels of 160 or so acres because Thomas Jefferson concluded that was the ideal size for a farm. What worked east of the Mississippi was impossible in the arid west, so settlers ran their cattle on the open range. Usually a settler owned acreage in a valley where the cattle spent the winter months and were driven to higher pastures in the summer; this pattern continues on the M Diamond where the summer pastures are above the Mogollon Rim. The cattle are worked horseback, partly because of the very rugged terrain and partly because of tradition. The same combination of utility and tradition can be seen when the cowboys pull on their heavy leather chaps (leggins) and step up into stirrups covered by tapaderos to protect them from thorns and branches. When the range was open, the cattle from adjoining ranches mixed together and it was necessary to brand them for identification. Cowboys from neighboring ranches worked round -ups together and sorted their ranch's cattle out from the larger herd. Both of these practices continue on the M Diamond today, though cattle are contained on the home ranch by fences.

The open range began to be fenced when the federal government claimed ownership of the land and established various agencies to administer its use. Based on this history, the majority of cattle ranches in Arizona now pay to lease what was their rangeland as grazing allotments from the state, the Bureau of Land Management or the Forest Service ( 42% of the land in Arizona is owned by the Federal government, the State owns 13% and 27% is Indian owned). Cattle grazing on these lands is managed cooperatively between the rancher and a representative of the agency, with the rancher responsible for the maintenance of fences and waters and the welfare of the rangeland as well as his livestock. New advances in rangeland management science have made it possible to use a herd of cattle to actually improve the condition of vegetation on the range, and the presence of water, salt and supplements for livestock benefits all wildlife. The herd on the M Diamond is moved frequently from pasture to pasture with salt and food supplements packed in when necessary. In the summer, when the cattle are in more remote pastures on the mountain, cowboys frequently camp out on the range for days, sleeping in teepees. The remuda horses as well as the cattle are dependent on them for care, including doctoring and assistance in birthing of calves. These activities are driven by the seasons and nature, and so have changed little over the years.