The 9K Ranch was established by Pete and Bessie Kaldis in the late 1960s. It was a place for them to raise their seven kids, nieces, and nephews away from the city life. The initial ranch was covered in woods, and pastures were improved to their current state with coastal bermudagrass. The clearing that was done on both sides of the Navidad River allowed for safe passage of cattle on either side of the creek. The front pastures were also improved around the house.The barn was built as was the working cattle pens.
The ranch was initially inhabited by Emmett Pauler and his family and later the Kunczek family of Schulenburg, Texas maintained the ranch while Pete ran a 100-head herd of commercial cattle. He and his wife frequented the place with their children and enjoyed hunting and gardening and the leisure of country life.
Pete always said that he was the only Greek in the middle of all the Czechs and German people that inhabited Schulenburg and surrounding towns. After many years of the commercial cattle business, he decided to sell his herd and lease the ranch for cattle. The ranch was first leased by Mr. Bryant the who ran about a 150-head of commercial cattle. Following their tenure at the 9K Ranch, the ranch was ran and leased for commercial cattle business by Bohuslav brothers. When Mr. Bryant retired, Carl Gallip took over the leasing of the ranch and ran a commercial cattle business for many years.
Once Pete passed, the ranch was taken over by his children. The family decided to renovate the homes on the ranch, first renovating the main house and then renovating the tenant house. The ranch was leased by Terry Guentert for a few years in the commercial cattle business and then during the drought it was taken over by Michael Kaldis who began his cattle business. He initially started with star five Santa Gertrudis/Hereford cross commercial cattle and then built a registered Santa Gertrudis herd over the following few years.
He is currently crossing registered Santa Gertrudis with registered Hereford and Angus sires. In addition, more recently, the registered Angus herd is being established. The bloodline of this registered Angus cattle is using such sires as AAR Ten X,VAR Ranger, Deer Valley All In and Quaker Hill Rampage. He has brought in these bloodlines from ranches in Oklahoma and Texas.
At 9KRanch we breed cattle that have Calving Ease, Good Udders, Fleshing Ability, Fertility, Low Birth Weights, Higher Weaning Weights, Higher Yearling Weights and, Performance. Every year we offer an outstanding set of bulls and heifers for sale by private treaty. 9KRanch focuses heavily on the maternal abilities in our breeding program. We have a strict culling program that enables us to produce and retain only the genetically superior animals. Cows are culled based on fertility, performance, soundness and udder quality.
The 9k Ranch is also involved with wildlife conservation. It is in the USDA Natural Resource Program as well as Conservation Reserve Program.
The ranch continues to be a family-run ranch with Pete and Bessie's children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren enjoying the country life.
Michael G. Kaldis, M.D.
MGK/jlm