The recent auction of nearly 750 acres of prime Franklin County farmland drew a slew of buyers and brought in more than $14 million.

The 11 tracts that made up the Van Rijn Farm north of Pasco – with a mix of irrigated cropland, multiple homes and a dairy facility that supplied Seattle-based dairy cooperative Darigold – had an equally diverse set of buyers.

Eight different individuals or entities ended up buying portions of the farm, ranging from local agricultural operators, an investment firm and homebuyers, according to a representative of Schrader Real Estate and Auction Company.

The auction company declined to identify the buyers until the sales close, which likely will be early in the new year.

More than 50 individuals registered to participate in the auction.

Described as an “extraordinary opportunity to acquire a large, contiguous operation in the south Columbia Basin,” much of the property is tillable farmland previously used for corn silage to support the former dairy as well as potatoes. Soils are sandy loam and loamy sand. Overall, those fields averaged $17,933 per irrigated acre in the auction.

The dairy facility, which supplied Darigold for about 20 years, is capable of milking 1,100 cows per day and has milk storage capacity of roughly 24,000 gallons. It is unclear if the facility’s buyer plans to operate it as a dairy going forward.

Five of the tracts include residences ranging from a double wide modular home, a mobile home and single-family houses ranging in size from 1,712 square feet to 2,705 square feet with outbuildings and a pool.