Holistic Management

Here we are laying out the first of 60 paddocks for our goats and horses. Each paddock is 1/3 acre.  After reading Allan Savory's book on holistic management, Neil meticulously laid out a grid over our grazing area with compass and rope. We will be moving the animals every 3 days, so that they only come back around to the first paddock after 6 months, giving the grass the ideal resting period between grazings.

Here is Neil doing some work on the run in. He is getting ready to weld wheels to it, so that it can easily be moved. We will move this shelter along with the animals' water into a new paddock every three days.

It seems like a lot of effort, but it will be worth it. Just check out these before and after pictures of land that has been vastly improved using these grazing techniques which mimic the migration of great herds across the prairies. 

This transformation is stunning.

CO2 in the ground, not the atmosphere!

Look at this land before and after Holistic Grazing!

If you haven't had a chance to check out this inspiring TED talk from Allan Savory about the incredible work being done to re-green desertified areas using his system of Holistic Management, give it a look-see.

And, while I'm here, I'll show you a few more pictures from this weekend. I bought new boots for all the kids, seeing as how they keep getting fire-ant stings, not to mention the tall, snake-y grass we tend to tromp through when out exploring.

And here are a few pictures of us exploring the wet-weather creek at the back of the property. It's dry now, as you can see. A highway for wildlife. Lots of tracks and scat and other cool signs of life down there.

Neil made a cross to mark the grave  of our dear companion, Mary Jane, who we lost on July 4 this year. Rest in peace, sweet Mary Jane.

Lastly, some target practice. I'm pretty shy of guns, quite scared of them, in fact, but it turns out I am a pretty good shot!