Grazing is an integral tool we use to harvest our forage production. In the early spring sheep grazing helps to control and reduce populations of undesirable plant species. (weeds) In the late fall and winter we rent the fields that we have harvested hay from during the summer to a sheep rancher. This year we chose not to harvest the normal three cuttings of of hay and let the forage grow for pasture. Controlled strip grazing works well. The fields are left with a blanket of slightly incorporated organic matter and a mix of fresh sheep manure. We have an income producing, meat and wool production, harvesting, mulch laying, and fertilizing system. We call them sheep.
Cattle grazing is used on our fields north of the West Walker River. The soils there are quite variable and not the most efficient for harvestable crop production. They are planted with different species of perennial grasses and legumes than our market hay fields. The no till intermediate wheatgrass and annual ryegrass we planted last year established a very good plant population. The previous five years of drought had taken out most of previously established fescue. We leave the dead plant materials on the surface and plant using a Great Plains seed drill equipped with a coulter configuration that creates a narrow seed row. The mineral soils, that are characteristic of our high desert in the Great Basin, are extremely low in organic matter. I feel strongly, that the many years of deep tillage that has historically taken place, degraded the soils from what they were when farmers first tilled over 150 years ago.
It has become clear that soil health is as important, if not more, than the health of the farmer or rancher. The activity of the macro and micro soil organisms and organic matter is what gives that handful of rich living soils a wonderful odor.
