Okay, so I haven't seen any lions or tigers or bears yet, (folks do say there are mountain lions and bears in the hills), but I have had the pleasure of seeing my first rattlesnake and black widow! In both cases, after a bit of reading, I was reminded that while we should be careful with … Continue Reading ››
This morning I refined our grazing plan for the ranch. Most importantly, I re-checked my calculations for our stocking rates - the number of cows per acre under certain conditions. Knowing and following stocking rates are critical to *sustainable* rangeland management. Too many cows (and I use that term to apply to any bovine on … Continue Reading ››
We have worked out an arrangement with a nearby farmer to graze his cattle on the land. After checking and fixing the perimeter fencing, the cattle arrived last weekend. Mary provided a lovely primer for me and Zach about cattle terminology so we could understand what exactly we have on the ranch. … Continue Reading ››
If you've been following along you know I've been watching the water recede from the ponds over the summer. Not surprisingly, the ponds are totally and completely dry at this point (even the mud at the bottom of the north pond).
here are some of the past updates:
May 4thContinue Reading ››
On my last visit to the land, I was graced with a sighting of a roadrunner. Mary had mentioned that she'd seen one on a regular basis, but I hadn't yet spotted … Continue Reading ››
At some point, Mary or I will write a detailed post about the Yellow Starthistle found on our property. Our state government has declared that this plant is "one of the most ecologically and economically damaging invasive plants in California" as it is "a serious nuisance on recreational lands, degrades the value of private … Continue Reading ››
Rumor has it this building on the property to the north of us is called the "Indian School House". Whether or not it was, or what that even means, is not something I know.
One of the things we've enjoyed most is hosting friends for campouts (sometimes putting them to work, too). In June, I had the pleasure of hosting friends from my time in design school. Not only was it a fun reunion from our years together, but they also shared their wisdom from over a decade of … Continue Reading ››
As mentioned previously, we've been watching the water levels in the pond with interest this summer - assuming they would eventually go dry, but pleasantly surprised at how long they lasted! Here's some photos from June: