"Variety is the Spice of Life" - Sam the Soil Microbe

Doing what we can, with what we have, in terms of time, and resources. We're seeing challenges, and benefits. Knowing the we are going to make more plans, and hopefully do better as time progresses. But with all that, I simply love seeing the plant variety sprouting up from the ground. From knowing the owner who used to own it from back in the late 70's or early 80's this ground has had crops of wheat, oats, hay crops, livestock grazing, and soy beans and all kinds of activity, and the variety of plants I see is evidence of that activity. I'm hoping to get out and dig some more little shovel size holes and look at the soil compared to almost four months previously. Stay tuned! 

Earth worms.. get read to be counted.

 

"Faithfulness springs forth..."

I wanted to clip down the "Meadow Foxtail", and the invasive "Butterweed" before the cattle were allowed to graze once again in this pasture, but the wise advise of the farmer was, "...I'd wait till the cows come through first, THEN clip it." Which I had not considered, then after thinking about it, it made perfect sense. He knew these cows, and that they would not touch those two plants. Once they were done eating what they wanted, then it would leave the weeds to stick way up above the rest, and then we clipped the pasture down a bit, to cut down the taller "Meadow Foxtail", and the invasive "Butterweed". 

Having done that, now I see a lot of wonderful grasses and legumes that have had a chance at good growth without being blocked by the taller weeds. I'm sure they'll come back (weeds) but now I'm seeing a tremendous variety in the plants.. Meadow Fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, Tall Fescue, Orchard grass, Rye grass, Red clover, White clover. Now I've also seen ragweed, and ironweed. But I think that is a thing that will take years of proper management to remedy.  All in time. I'm also learning that some of the forbs (weeds) that grow can often have medicinal properties that can benefit livestock's health.

"Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven."    -Psalm 85:11

"Be praised for all your tenderness..."

 "Be praised for all your tenderness, by these works of your hands.

Suns that rise, and rains that fall to bless, and bring to life your lands.

Look down upon this winter wheat, I'm so glad that you have made 

Blue for the sky, and the color green, that fill these fields with praise." - Rich Mullins

Praying... and walking.

 Praying that this,
is that new door I was talking about back in July of 2014, seven long years ago. 

seven years ago

Here is a little boots on the ground view... 

In this video, I'm in the 14 acres, and looking at the pasture that has been, and is being grazed by the cattle for the last several days. They were fenced out of it for about seven weeks to allow the forage to really grow, but then, since the gully fence that I rigged up, was not electrified, or "hot", they eventually slipped in right underneath it. Which was actually well timed, since the pasture was ready to graze. The clovers were Beautiful, and the Tall Fescue was just at that right stage before seed head. Also now, we can start planning the go in there with a cycle mower and raise it up several inches and clip down those remaining weeds like all of that Meadow Foxtail, and the Butterweed, that the cows were smart enough to leave alone.

Worth doing?

 "If a job is worth doing, it's worth doing poorly first." -Joel Salatin

I take this to mean... We should be learning from our mistakes, and the beneficial results of work, may take a lot of time to see, and enjoy, but the pay-off will always be worth it.  And sometimes the payoff has little to do with money. 

It never gets old...

 Just another example and comparison of managed time, coupled with natural processes. 

last day on (overgrazed) ground March 14th 2021 

First day back on (recovering) ground May 4th, 2021

Inhale... exhale... 

Dances with Forbes?

 Taking a little look at the pasture today on my lunch break (Loving it). I was worried when I saw the weed (forb) which I think is "butter weed" also some meadow foxtail as well about a week or so ago, which has me concerned.. a little. 

Looking at (what I believe is) the butter weed which can be noxious to humans and animals... I pulled one or two up the other day, and again today... What I think I'm seeing is the dense grass and legume stands are choking out the butter weed... possibly. Or at least in really good competition for water, sunlight and nutrients. As I look at the low growing leaves of the butter weed down by the roots, I see them slowly decomposing. I also see a very small root system, being suffocated from lack of sunlight. Forbs are not all bad.. but can be invasive. So It's great to see such robust grass and clovers taking THIER stand, and letting them do the delicate, and competitive dance of chaos and order, in it's own way. 

Natural Progress, through time management

 Here we have a comparison of grass that was grazed once in the winter 2021 with an un-grazed residual of about 4-6" that was left on top of the soil. Now the same area in Mid-April 2021, waiting to be grazed. Probably going to start opening it up in a week or two max. The old saying goes "It takes grass, to make grass" 

A 'hole' lot of nothing going on.

 Took some time off of work to dig some tiny little holes, and look at earth worms and soil aggregate. 

A great 'life long learning' quote from an accomplished rancher...

 Listening to the Working Cows pod-cast, Episode 100, Clay was talking with Burke Teichert and they were talking about ranching, Burke was asked "what's the one thing that you wish you would have known all along, when it comes to ranching and/or life?" 

He answered: "That's a tough question to answer, it's been a series of building blocks for me. But the thing I wish I'd known all along is that ... we won't live long enough to become perfect at anything we do. Livestock handling and Grazing management for example, and we love to do those things as ranch managers...but every time we get a little bit better, we get rewarded. And that makes the challenge so enjoyable. We know there's always challenges ahead of us, and because of that we know there's room to get better. And when we get a little better, we are again rewarded." - Burke Teichert 

Water Holding Capacity and Soil