I checked the cows this morning to make sure their water was working and everything was in order. Officially day two of working siphon - fingers crossed that it holds and we've solved the mysterious problem.
I plan on checking the cows again tomorrow and, depending on whether or not they have enough feed, maybe opening another fence to give them more space to graze. I'm starting to think about where the cows are going to go from here. Everett and I have floated a couple possibilities - keeping them watering from the same pond until it goes dry/use all the land around it now, or move them along towards Arrano Flat, like we planned.
Joe is supposed to return from vacation on Tuesday and I am sure he will have some insight into the most effective next step.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Friday, July 31, 2009
Water
Today, upon arrival at the trough to check if the siphon was working, Ev and I were both stunned to find that, in fact, the water was working!!! All week long we've been having to prime the siphon every morning so that the cows could water. Today, that changed.
In the Picnic Grounds there are three troughs, of which the lower two can feed from a siphon that drains from a storage pond at the top of the field. The pond gets its water from a tank higher up, that, in turn, gets its water from a creek. To get the siphon to work we have to pressurize the water line going down to the troughs with water from the tank. Once the line is pressurized and air has been forced out, we shut off the water at the tank. Next, we turn a valve at the pond that opens the 20 foot line that leads to the base of the pond. In doing so, the force of gravity pulling the water down to the troughs sucks water out of the pond, finalizing the pressurized line.
For the past week we've been watering the cows through this process. Every morning we've found the troughs with about a third of the water in them, meaning that some how the pressure in the line got air in it and broke the siphon.
Today, to my amazment, the water worked. Tomorrow.... is tomorrow.
In the Picnic Grounds there are three troughs, of which the lower two can feed from a siphon that drains from a storage pond at the top of the field. The pond gets its water from a tank higher up, that, in turn, gets its water from a creek. To get the siphon to work we have to pressurize the water line going down to the troughs with water from the tank. Once the line is pressurized and air has been forced out, we shut off the water at the tank. Next, we turn a valve at the pond that opens the 20 foot line that leads to the base of the pond. In doing so, the force of gravity pulling the water down to the troughs sucks water out of the pond, finalizing the pressurized line.
For the past week we've been watering the cows through this process. Every morning we've found the troughs with about a third of the water in them, meaning that some how the pressure in the line got air in it and broke the siphon.
Today, to my amazment, the water worked. Tomorrow.... is tomorrow.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Out of the Fog
Everett and I were horse back by 9 this morning. After attempting to start our water siphon - our water system for the troughs we are using - we crossed the ranch on Annie and Pearl to retrieve 31 cows out of the Lower Bull Pasture. As we did, we were drowned in fog.
Mornings in Watsonville, CA are cool and cloudy. At night, moisture from Monterey Bay extends its reach into the hills, gripping the ranch in clouds and fog until the sun burns off the moisture around noon. This morning, climbing into the clouds, I felt like I was in the civil war, waiting for musket bearing soldiers to appear over the hills. It was awesome.
We quickly gathered the cows and brought them to the Kelly Corals to bob their tails - an indicator that they have not been breed and will be grass fed beef for next year.
We returned to our high stock cattle in the afternoon, fixed some fence, started the water again, and cleared a long forgotten road through the back bowl of "The Picnic Grounds". Tomorrow night or Saturday morning we'll move the cows into the bowl and leave them there for the weekend, allowing them to water out of the "Dry Lake" pond so we don't have to worry about getting the siphon started.
I talked to Everett today and decided to start taking pictures to visually document the progress we are making with our high stock density. Look for them to come.
Mornings in Watsonville, CA are cool and cloudy. At night, moisture from Monterey Bay extends its reach into the hills, gripping the ranch in clouds and fog until the sun burns off the moisture around noon. This morning, climbing into the clouds, I felt like I was in the civil war, waiting for musket bearing soldiers to appear over the hills. It was awesome.
We quickly gathered the cows and brought them to the Kelly Corals to bob their tails - an indicator that they have not been breed and will be grass fed beef for next year.
We returned to our high stock cattle in the afternoon, fixed some fence, started the water again, and cleared a long forgotten road through the back bowl of "The Picnic Grounds". Tomorrow night or Saturday morning we'll move the cows into the bowl and leave them there for the weekend, allowing them to water out of the "Dry Lake" pond so we don't have to worry about getting the siphon started.
I talked to Everett today and decided to start taking pictures to visually document the progress we are making with our high stock density. Look for them to come.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
THREE WORDS...
High Stock Density.
This past week, we've been trying to increase stock density as a means to achieve better land management. What this means is that the cattle will be kept in a smaller paddock (15 acres is the ideal... maybe). The effect of an increased number of cattle on a small piece of land means that the grass, thistle, and other vegetation gets laid down over the ground. This, in turn, allows rain to be more efficiently trapped in the soil (as opposed to running off), promotes greater biological activity in and on top of the soil, and builds soil - in doing so sequestering carbon from the atmosphere.
To successfully obtain the ecological effects of high stock density we need to create paddocks for the cows that provide enough feed and water for a one day stay. This means that we also have to move the cattle every day to a new area or expose them to more feed each day.
So far, in three days, we've moved the cows through three paddocks. The landscape that was a result of the movement and grazing after the cows were moved indicates that we're getting closer to understanding the many variables involved in achieving optimal land management and grazing practices. Everett and I have been walking the cows from paddock to paddock and moving them to areas where higher density is needed to lay down thick areas of thistle. Soon, I think, we'll be able to accurately assess the land before moving the cows so as to successfully achieve all our holistic goals and maintain optimal cattle health!
I'm going to be more diligent in my blogging so I can better paint a picture of the day to day activities that are happening on the ranch. So really... look for daily posts to come!
- ben
This past week, we've been trying to increase stock density as a means to achieve better land management. What this means is that the cattle will be kept in a smaller paddock (15 acres is the ideal... maybe). The effect of an increased number of cattle on a small piece of land means that the grass, thistle, and other vegetation gets laid down over the ground. This, in turn, allows rain to be more efficiently trapped in the soil (as opposed to running off), promotes greater biological activity in and on top of the soil, and builds soil - in doing so sequestering carbon from the atmosphere.
To successfully obtain the ecological effects of high stock density we need to create paddocks for the cows that provide enough feed and water for a one day stay. This means that we also have to move the cattle every day to a new area or expose them to more feed each day.
So far, in three days, we've moved the cows through three paddocks. The landscape that was a result of the movement and grazing after the cows were moved indicates that we're getting closer to understanding the many variables involved in achieving optimal land management and grazing practices. Everett and I have been walking the cows from paddock to paddock and moving them to areas where higher density is needed to lay down thick areas of thistle. Soon, I think, we'll be able to accurately assess the land before moving the cows so as to successfully achieve all our holistic goals and maintain optimal cattle health!
I'm going to be more diligent in my blogging so I can better paint a picture of the day to day activities that are happening on the ranch. So really... look for daily posts to come!
- ben
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