When good cropland comes up for sale and there are other desirable properties, such as a farm home in close proximity to an urban area, prices can be generous at auction. That happened in Jackson County in a sale that closed Jan. 4.

A property of about 890 acres was sold in four tracts — three tracts of farmland and a separate sale of the farmstead. Tract 1, about 80 acres located a half-mile south of Whiting, was described as premium quality upland farmland with mostly Class II soils, tiled terraces and excellent productivity. It brought $5,900 per acre.

Tract 2, about 175 acres located 2 miles west of Whiting on Highway 9, was described as good quality upland farmland with excellent terraces and Class II and III soils. It included 90 acres of cropland and 73 acres of pasture, with good water and excellent fences. It brought $3,600 per acre.

Tract 3, about 600 acres, was described as gently rolling premier farmland, mainly Class II soils with some tiled terraces and highly productive runs. It includes "golf course quality" pasture with two large ponds, one watershed pond and good fences. The pasture has been hayed for several years. That tract brought $3,975 per acre.

The final tract, about 30 acres with a three-bedroom home, two-car garage and outbuilding as well as grain storage, livestock corrals, and a covered tub and working chute with an in-ground truck scale, sold for a lump sum of $175,000.

The seller was the Opal K. Featherston Trust. Farmers National Co. handled the sale.

Meade County
About 770 acres of Meade County land was sold in two tracts in a March 3 auction.

The first tract, about 420 acres of native grass and 110 acres enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program, sold for $775 per acre. The property included good property line fences but no improvements, corrals or pens. The pastureland has not been overgrazed and has water from running Crooked Creek plus a windmill.

The second tract was about 240 acres of native grass. Water source is one-half mile of running Crook Creek. It brought $960 per acre. Both tracts included all surface and mineral rights. The seller was Deb Miller and others. Jim Hush Realty of Plains handled the sale.

Rush County
A half-section of Rush County land was sold in a public auction on Feb. 21. The property included about 220 acres of cultivated land and the balance in pasture with buildings and an old farmstead. The property sold in one tract for $675 per acre. All mineral rights, believed to be intact, transferred from seller to buyer. The seller was Gary L. Wilhelm. Carr Real Estate and Auction of Larned handled the sale.

Stafford County
About 120 acres of Stafford County land was sold at auction on Feb. 27. The property included about 25 acres enrolled in CRP and the balance in cropland. The sale was for surface rights only. The property brought $930 per acre. The seller was Bert Esfeld. Carr Real Estate and Auction handled the sale.

Scott County
About 320 acres of Scott County land was sold at auction on Feb. 28.

The property was offered in a single tract of cropland, with about 157 acres planted to wheat, with the buyer to receive the landlord's one-third share of the crop.

The entire farm is silt loam soils. It was bid in at $1,300 per acre. The sellers were Lindsey and Brandon Carlson. Farm and Ranch Realty of Colby handled the sale.

Rawlins and Thomas counties
About 800 acres of cropland and grass in Rawlins and Thomas counties were sold at auction on March 7. The property was sold in four tracts, which the auctioneer described as "mostly level cropland with a small acreage on tract 1 that is a breakable grassland."

Tract 1 was 320 acres with 267 acres in cropland and the balance in grass and roads. It sold for $2,575 per acre. Tract 2 was 160 acres with 130 acres in cropland and the balance in grass and roads. It brought $1,825 per acre.

Tract 3 was another quarter section, with 153 acres in crops and planted to wheat and about 7 acres in grass or roads. It brought $2,425 per acre. The final tract, 160 acres, almost all of it cropland planted to wheat, was bid in at $2,500 per acre.

The sellers were Alyce J. Micek and the estate of Leo A. Micek. Farm and Ranch Realty handled the sale.

Anderson County
About 160 acres of Anderson County land brought $2,826 per acre in an auction sale that closed on Jan. 5.

The property included about 145 acres of cropland with the balance in hay. All mineral rights transferred to the buyer. The property brought $2,826 per acre. The seller was DD and MM Family Farm LLC. Farmers National Co. handled the sale.