As the sun begins to sink on a quiet August evening, a warm breeze blows across the eastern Colorado plains as middle school teacher and buffalo rancher Carrie Bennett loads up close to two dozen guests into two white farm trailers.

The smell of fresh-cut grass is in the air.

As ranch guests begin to settle into the simple wooden bench seats, Bennett steps up to the front of the trailer with an announcement.

“We only have one rule at the ranch,” she said. “Don’t pet the buffalo.”

Bennett and her husband, Shawn — a retired Colorado State Patrol Trooper — own and operate the Prairie Ridge Buffalo Ranch, located about 90 minutes east of Denver in Limon, Colorado.

What started as a 29-animal “hobby” in 1999 by Carrie’s parents, Ray and Debbie Theiman, has now grown into a formidable comme

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