West Texas High-Desert Mountain Ranch
All living systems function similarly so the insights below apply to deserts as well as marshlands and estuaries. Even in Texas, the wind blows only one way on coastal estuary water issues. As to Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority and San Antonio …
A profile of Circle Ranch Co-Owner Josie Negley Gill, from Texas Monthly Magazine.
It is a sad fact that Texas’, agencies, universities, governmental and conservation organizations resist holistic wildlife and agricultural management practices. In this 5-minute video, range scientist Allan Savory discusses why this is so, and how this resistance might be overcome.
When grazed properly, cattle can be very beneficial for elk. Cattle are similar in their grazing impact to bison; bison and elk were mutually dependent for many thousands of years in North America. NOTE: originally published in HMI In Practice …
Most agencies, universities and conservationists continue to blame cattle grazing for grassland decline. The biodiversity loss described in this article is real but the blame is misplaced. The real cause of grassland decline is lack of animal impact from periodic grazing of bison or cattle and abundant wild species. The finely balanced system also requires …
Here is a Texas example of high density planned grazing, which means the owners greatly increased cattle numbers and animal density, improving habitat and forage production. The increase in productivity per acre is like getting a ranch (or two) for free. These results directly contradict the agency-university biases against cattle in general and holistic …
This paper was published in 2008. Texas A&M range scientist David Briske and several academic colleagues concluded that planned grazing is ineffective and has been disproved as a grazing method, and that low-density set-stocking, which means keeping fewer cattle in one place all the time, is the best grazing method.
Here is the legislation that changed Texas’ native elk from treasured, protected game animals to vermin that are shot on sight at all state-managed lands in far-West Texas. The legislative declaration that elk are not native is scientifically incorrect and meaningless. This legislation was introduced under the normal “radar,” declaring an “emergency,” thereby avoiding the …
Collusion between regulators and the companies they are supposed to regulate is as pervasive in food production as in every industry where power and control is concentrated in a few hands.
“Chichuahuas and Keyline” explains Chocolate the Keyline Dog’s take on contour subsoil plowing.
A terrific choice for America, for Texas, and, for Western ranchers, wildlife & habitat.
This touching photo evokes the ancient connection between humans and livestock. Sadly, modern industrial agriculture – including much dairy and meat production – breaks this connection and increasingly disregards humane animal husbandry.
When we divert rainstorm runoff from eroding gulleys to restore desertifying canyons and grasslands, what are the best equipment & practices? Our conclusions might surprise you.
Soil health and soil fertility should be the goal of every farmer and rancher. Imagine the changes in habitat and wildlife practices if every action and every inaction – such as using fertilizers and pesticides, or removing animals – were tested according to how that action would affect soil health and fertility.
