Category: Carbon Capture

Deliberate Disturbance

Deliberate Disturbance

The health and productivity of soils, livestock, plants, landscapes, ecology, and people is guided and shaped by deliberate disturbance — deliberate in the sense that the choice to implement a specific disturbance is a considered, conscious and intentional one. A choice that gets made as a subconscious pattern of habit, indoctrination, or dogma is not a deliberate choice. To be good stewards of the landscape, we need to make mindful choices of the disturbances we impose.

All active management decisions and actions result in imposing a disturbance, whether that be grazing livestock, pruning a tree, moving a fence, locating a water trough, adding a soil amendment, using a wormer, adding fertilizer, spraying a pesticide, or tilling the soil.

Disturbance is a reset action that can lead to greater soil and ecosystem health and productivity when used wisely. And disturbance can also reset soil and ecosystem health backward when not used wisely.

Moving Out of Equilibrium to Improve the Ecosystem

Reset actions and wise disturbance are a foundational requirement to trigger optimal health and performance outcomes and are inherent in natural ecosystem function. When a thermodynamic system remains in equilibrium, there is no output of energy or growth. If we desire for an ecosystem to evolve, to grow, to expand its carrying capacity and its biological diversity, then there is a requirement for stewardship decisions to move things temporarily out of equilibrium.

Deliberate disturbance in an ecosystem is the equivalent of pushing a pendulum. Without a push, eventually a pendulum stops moving and there is no further energy output. A slight touch to reset it will get it moving again, and the energy released from the back-and-forth oscillation is cumulative and much greater than the energy applied to get it restarted. A pendulum with no movement is a pendulum at equilibrium. A natural ecosystem at equilibrium, with no disturbances to reset it, is static and begins to decline.

Any specific disturbance is not inherently good or bad. The question to be determined is if the particular disturbance serves as a beneficial reset action in a particular context. When a reset action is applied, does it lead to greater ecosystem health and function in a reasonable timeline? A reset action that is very valuable in one context may be detrimental in another. A reset action that is needed only once in one context might be needed routinely in another.

A volcano is a reset action that can produce very positive ecosystem outcomes over a decades-long time period. A large bison herd eating every green leaf to the ground for weeks at a time is a reset action that appears to have negative consequences in the short term but is a long-term net positive. Pruning a vine or tree of a large percentage of its total biomass might appear to some as a major short-term negative, but we know that the disequilibrium this creates leads to much greater productivity.

Thinking about deliberately creating productive disequilibrium and deliberate reset actions that fit our particular context provides us with a first-principles framework such that we can lose all manner of dogma and indoctrination in our thinking. This approach is invaluable, for we have a lot of dogma to overcome around the use and value of some types of disturbance.

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Are all bales harvested from a single hayfield created equal?

https://www.agproud.com/articles/60320-are-all-bales-harvested-from-a-single-hayfield-created-equal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo by Mike Dixon.

Are all bales harvested from a single hayfield created equal?

Michael Reuter         September 18, 2024

Improper samples contribute to the biggest error in the forage analysis process and result in over- or underfeeding nutrients and prove costly to the animal’s nutrition and health and to your pocketbook.

As the calendar has turned to autumn and the hay harvest season continues in full swing across the country, forage analysis labs expect to be hit by a tidal wave of samples from clients. These customers are looking to gauge the quality and nutritional profile of the product they have produced fo r on-farm use or for resale, while others may be using the data to make a purchasing decision based upon the nutritional needs of their livestock.

To obtain the best nutritional profile of your hay, one of the most important points to remember is that the forage analysis process begins on the farm and not the moment the sample arrives at the lab.

Where does the analysis process begin on the farm? With sampling! It’s a step many (or even most) times we all take for granted, but it is the most critical part of the process and the one that is the main driver of the results returned to the customer. Always remember the golden rule: “An analysis is only as good as the sample submitted.”

How do you collect a “good” sample? The key to submitting a good sample is to collect several subsamples to form a composite. Remember, the 1-pound sample you submit for analysis is going to potentially represent several tons of forage. Thus, you want to be sure the sample represents a good cross-section of the forage, not just one bale. For example, if you sampled the worst bale in the lot, feeding recommendations based on this information would result in overfeeding and increased feed costs. A composite sample properly collected will always be more representative of your forage source.

Now that we’ve established that sampling is a vital driver in the forage analysis process, how is it performed properly? Let’s keep our focus on hay but realize that proper sampling is essential to all sample types submitted for analysis.

Hays of different types, cuttings or lots should be sampled separately. Using a Penn State Forage Sampler (or other suitable hay probe), core 12 to 20 bales selected at random. For square bales, sample through the center of the small square end (perpendicular to the slices). For round bales, sample on the curved side with a core perpendicular to the side. Combine all core samples and submit in a clean quart or liter-sized zip-close-style plastic bag.

So how does all this information relate to the title of this article? Well, the questions we receive at the lab quite often are as follows: Can bales from the same field really vary that much in composition? Isn’t it all the same exact hay since we took all the bales from the same place? The answer to the first question is a resounding yes and to the second, no. Let’s look at some data from a small internal study conducted at Equi-Analytical with the help of a customer who supports these answers.

To set the stage, here are some background details connected to this study.

~~Click the link above, to read more.

No-Till Highlights: Aug. 1, 2024

August 1, 2024

No-Till Farmer editors encounter a variety of articles, social media posts, podcasts and videos that offer a unique look at the grower’s world from the lofty digital realm. Here is our favorite content from the past week from across the web:

No-Till Saved Their Farm

Frustrated by back-to-back years of drought, South Dakota farmer Alan Johnson bucked a trend 40 years ago and tried his hand at no-till. It made all the difference — as now his son Brian continues the no-till tradition along with cover crops and livestock on the farm today. In 2019, the Johnsons were named South Dakota Leopold Conservation Award winners — a prestigious award that recognizes excellence in land stewardship and conservation ethics.

 

The-Johnsons

 

No-Till is a Perfect Tool for Reversing Soil Depletion

According to Dwayne Beck, retired director of Dakota Lakes Research Farm, before no-till, crop farmers worked their soils until they depleted them. Then they moved on and looked for more land to exploit. Read more about why Beck says no-till is a good tool for reversing soil depletion here.

 

Dwayne-BeckDwayne Beck, the research manager at Dakota Lakes Research Farm in South Dakota, speaks at a Pennsylvania No-Till Alliance field day on July 25, 2024, in Willow Street, Pa. Photo: Philip Gruber | Staff

 

The 7 Freebies for All Farmers

In this presentation, Green Cover Seed co-founder Keith Berns discusses the benefits of cover crops, no-till and other regenerative farming practices as well as what he calls the “seven freebies for all farmers.” Berns says “When you buy a piece of land, you are buying all the minerals and nutrients that are in that soil.”

 

 

How Many Days Does it Take to Cut Hay on a No-Till Farm?

In this video from Farming With Kels, take a look into the process for summer hay crops in central Minnesota on a no-till/strip-till farm operation.

 

 

Why One Farmer Chooses No-Till Over Everything Else

In this YouTube Short from Farm Talk Channel, this farmer explains why he would prefer to use no-till on his farm over any other type of system. He uses a visual example of moisture in his soils to illustrate the benefits of no-till.

 

Inflation Reduction Act in Action: Bell Rock Livestock Association Partners with USDA to Keep Traditions Alive

https://www.farmers.gov/blog/inflation-reduction-act-in-action-bell-rock-livestock-association-partners-with-usda-keep

Apr 22, 2024
By Leonard Luna, NRCS, New Mexico

Just west of Albuquerque, New Mexico, lies what many describe as an enchanting landscape of mesas, foothills and mountains. Spanning four counties of this vast western landscape is the 500,000-acre territory of the Pueblo of Laguna – a federally recognized Native American people.
This landscape also offers some of the state’s most interesting rock formations. In fact, one distinctive bell-shaped rock formation atop the Mesa Gigante cliffs inspired the name of one of the Laguna Pueblo’s livestock associations – the Bell Rock Livestock Association.
Over the years, members of the Bell Rock Livestock Association, alongside USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), have implemented significant conservation practices and enhancements across the landscape. Through Farm Bill programs such as the agency’s Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), these practices improved water source locations for livestock and wildlife as well as grazing lands.
In 2023, the association once again consulted with NRCS on incorporating stewardship goals specifically focused on livestock and wildlife climate-smart agriculture practices. This time, funds from the Inflation Reduction Act are helping achieve these goals.
Utilizing Inflation Reduction Act funds through CSP, the association will incorporate forage sampling throughout its vast livestock working lands. Forage sampling is collecting a representative sample of grazing material across a field to represent what the livestock are grazing in that field. Forage sampling is part of CSP enhancement – E528A (Maintaining quantity and quality of forage for animal health and productivity). Forage samples are submitted to New Mexico State University, and the association uses the results to help maintain forage quality and quantity to improve animal health and productivity, while enhancing soil carbon stocks through more precise forage management. Forage samples taken from the rangeland help increase understanding plant quantity, along with nutritional values, and aid in identifying the most nutritionally valuable grazing areas for cattle during breeding and weaning seasons.

Continue reading at link above~~

ORGANIC NO-TILL

 

https://rodaleinstitute.org/why-organic/organic-farming-practices/organic-no-till/

What is tillage?

Tillage is the practice of digging up, turning over, or otherwise agitating the soil with mechanical tools—typically a plow or disc. Tilling breaks up soil compaction, helps eliminate weeds, and incorporates cover crops for boosted soil fertility. These are important benefits, but tillage also leaves soil vulnerable to erosion and destroys important fungal networks underground. Tillage is also fuel- and labor-intensive. Some farmers, both conventional and organic, practice reduced tillage or try to eliminate it altogether.

Conventional vs. organic no-till

In conventional systems, farmers can practice no-till by using chemical herbicides to kill cover crops before the next planting. Organic no-till, on the other hand, uses no synthetic inputs. Instead, small-scale organic no-till farmers use hand tools, like hoes and rakes. Large-scale organic no-till farmers can utilize a special tractor implement called the roller crimper (left), invented here at Rodale Institute.

roller crimper rolling down a cover crop

HOW DOES IT WORK?

The roller crimper is a water-filled drum with chevron-patterned blades that attaches to the front of a tractor. As the farmer drives over the cover crop, the roller crimper mows the plants down, cutting the stems every seven inches. The cover crop, now terminated, remains on the ground where it forms a thick mulch that suffocates weeds. Implements on the rear of the tractor then part the cover crop mat, drop in seeds—soybeans, for example—and cover them up to ensure soil contact. It happens in a single pass, saving vital time and energy for farmers. The cash crop then grows straight up through the cover crop mulch.

Watch the roller crimper in action: 

no-till corn

Organic corn grows through a mat of vetch cover crop that was terminated using the roller crimper

THE BENEFITS OF ROLLER CRIMPING

REDUCES EROSION

IMPROVES SOIL HEALTH

ADDS ORGANIC MATTER

REDUCES COST

REDUCES LABOR

SAVES TIME

INCREASES BIODIVERSITY

REDUCES WEED PRESSURE

Choosing a crop

Not all cover crops are created equal when it comes to organic no-till. We have found the most success with annual crops including crimson clover, winter rye, winter barley, spring barley, spring oats, buckwheat, foxtail millet, pearl millet, fava bean, sunn hemp, black oats, hairy vetch, field peas, and winter wheat. The roller crimper won’t kill cover crops like red clover, which is a biennial; alfalfa, which is a perennial; or ‘Marshall’ rye, a kind of annual ryegrass.

cover cropping

KEY CONCERNS

Timing is everything—cover crops must be terminated at just the right time at the end of their life cycle. This prevents them from a) continuing to grow after being rolled or b) going to seed and spreading. This is why, unfortunately, one can’t use the roller crimper to simply mow down a field of unruly weeds mid-summer—they’ll just spring back to life. You want to roll when the cover crop reaches anthesis—when it switches from being vegetative to reproductive. In a rye or small grain, this will occur almost uniformly through the field and you’ll notice pollen shed. In vetch or legumes, which flower at different times, the rule of thumb is to roll when between 50% and 100% of the crop is flowering. In general, best results from organic no-till are achieved in hot, dry weather conditions.

Carbon Ranching: A Win For Your Pasture and Your Pockets

https://www.agproud.com/articles/58175-carbon-ranching-a-win-for-your-pasture-and-your-pockets
 
September 1, 2023
 

Capturing Carbon Across US Range & Pasturelands

Undoubtedly, ranching demands immense effort and sacrifices. The increasing pressure to adopt environmentally friendly practices can sometimes feel at odds with producer interests. However, carbon ranching presents an opportunity to acknowledge and appreciate farmer and ranchers’ contributions in more ways than one. By partnering with the right experts, carbon ranching or “carbon cropping” offers long-lasting benefits that extend beyond today’s generation. These practices not only benefit the planet but provide advantages, like enhanced soil quality, improved resilience to changing weather patterns, and, notably, financial rewards through carbon credit generation, to hardworking agriculture operations.

Which practices generate carbon credits for range and pastureland in the United States?

Agoro Carbon Alliance offers three practices for range and pasture lands participants, enabling ranchers nation-wide to generate carbon credits and get paid for doing so:

  • Improved grazing: This practice involves various options based on your operation and current grazing program. The goal is to provide timely rest for the grass and promote efficient forage utilization, leaving enough biomass for critical regrowth.
  • Seeding: This practice requires introducing at least one new species to your land, to enhance biodiversity and increase biomass. There are multiple options available within this program.
  • Fertilization: This practice involves fertilizing historically unfertilized ground. Fertilizer, particularly nitrogen, is often lacking in range and pasture areas, and this practice addresses that deficiency.

What can an ag carbon program look like?

Improved grazing offers numerous possibilities. Common tactics include dividing pastures into smaller sections, or paddocks, and implementing rotational grazing by moving animals between these smaller areas. Water and mineral sources are also relocated to encourage animals to utilize different parts of the pasture. Another effective strategy is to increase the frequency of moving animals between existing pastures.

Seeding can often involve alternative methods to traditional range drill seeding. Broadcast seeding has shown positive results, utilizing ground rigs or airplanes in late fall, preferably around a snow event to facilitate seed penetration. Local seed companies and extension agents can assist in determining the most suitable species to add, which helps diversify existing vegetation and addresses pasture maturity and nutritional value.

Fertilizer can be applied simultaneously with seeding, especially with broadcast methods. The effects of water movement and freeze/thaw cycles aid in the incorporation of fertilizer into the soil. Fertilization primarily boosts forage production but can also enhance plant vigor and increase crude protein levels. Care should be taken to ensure the desired plants are benefiting from fertilization, as undesired plants may thrive at their expense. Seeding and fertilization complement each other, providing mutual benefits.

~~ read more at link above…

NRCS Making ‘Once-in-a-Lifetime’ Investment in No-Till

February 24, 2023 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101

Source: Trust in Food

No-till farming and conservation agriculture will receive nearly $23 billion in additional U.S. government funding over the next 5 years, a “once-in-a-lifetime investment into conservation,” according to USDA’s National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Chief Terry Cosby. The Inflation Reduction Act, passed Aug. 16, 2022, designates $20 billion for the NRCS. Another $2.8 billion will come from the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program, a USDA program that finances pilot projects supporting the production and marketing of “climate-smart” commodities.

With almost $23 billion coming its way, the NCRS annual budget will double to $8.5 million, according to a Feb. 6 report from Trust In Food.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime investment into conservation,” NRCS Chief Terry Cosby told attendees during a presentation at the 2023 Trust In Food Symposium in February.

 
 

The funding from the Inflation Reduction Act will be broken up into the following programs:

  • $8.45 billion for Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
  • $4.95 billion for Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)
  • $3.25 billion for Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)
  • $1.4 billion for Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP)
  • $1 billion for Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA)
  • $300 million for evaluation

Trust in Food reports the NRCS receives more than 100,000 applications each year for its programs, but it typically has funding for only 25% of those requests. This has created a backlog and frustration among farmers — two issues the NRCS hopes to resolve with the new funding.

“ To get (farmers) engaged, it funded a $50 million outreach program to get new producers through the door,” the Trust in Food report says. “Cosby calls this two-fold dynamic ‘unmet demand that includes a backlog’ of interested producers. He’s looking for support from outside the agency to help producers understand how funding is available and who qualifies.”

Cosby says that support will come in the form of 118 agreements signed by partners who will help with outreach. NRCS will also have to hire 3,000-4,000 people in the next 2 years to deliver the funding and provide technical assistance producers need to be successful. 

“We’re going to need to grow it and maintain the science base in the work we do,” Cosby says. “Farmers trust us, but with that comes an obligation to make sure that you have well-trained employees who are going to be out there on the farms making the best scientific recommendations to make sure we get this conservation on the ground.”