Williamsburg Regional Library

The New West

videorecording

The New West

921958200

Originally produced by Chip Taylor Communications in 2010

26

Everyone has an iconic idea of the Old West; but as novelist, journalist, and humorist Oren Arnold once said, "Nobody knows exactly where the New West begins; it's as much a state of mind as of geography." This reflective observation is the perfect introduction to this eye-opening look at the changing face of the West. Here we first meet rancher Vince Kontny, owner of the Last Dollar Ranch, who is taking advantage of conservation easements offered by the government in hopes of saving the land from development. Next we learn that conservative projections indicate the Bison population is doubling every 5 years and by the year 2026 the numbers could be back to what they were before they were nearly decimated on the plains. We meet Roger Prock of Prock Elk Ranch, who chose to be an elk rancher because elk are three times more productive than cows and not nearly as hard on the environment; he also harvests velvet antlers to sell to people in the East. Then author Pam Houston (Cowboys are My Weakness; Waltzing the Cat; A Little More About Me) talks about making the transition from a West based on conquering to a West based on loving and preserving. Next we meet Dave Lewis of Rocky Mt. Sire Service, a Bovine Semen Custom Collection Service that collects, processes and freezes semen from bulls and allows any farm around the world to produce offspring from prize-winning stock. Lastly, we travel with some modern-day "gypsies," the Balzer family of custom cutters who follow the wheat harvest every year

live action