Choices, and the road less travelled

Hi, there. It’s me again. (If you haven’t at least googled “Hank the cowdog” since my last post… you may never truly “get me,” sigh.)

Let’s talk about why you or I would make the choices we do when setting up and running the ranch or farm. I can visualize several reasons why a choice might be made:

• it’s already here

• my neighbor/friend/relative/mentor said it would be a great choice

• it’s cheap

• I researched it

• I like it/them

• it/they is/are pretty

There are circumstances when any one of these reason would be the right and rational reason for making a choice. So, it is vital that you and I know before the decision is made what the goal is. What is it we are trying to achieve? I set out my core goals previously:

1. minimize capital investment to build - don’t go into debt

2. minimize labor requirement to build - it’s me and my nephew doing most of the work

3. minimize expense to maintain - it’s me and neighborhood high school kids doing the work

4. minimize labor to operate - it has to work for me alone when I am 90 years old and waddling around with cane

5. the farm has to pay for itself - all out of pocket expenses are covered by farm revenues

There are more goals, though. We are attempting to run this operation at the regenerative level. That’s beyond sustainable, beyond carbon-neutral. You may disagree with me, but I believe, not just think, that this is the lowest cost alternative for any more or less permanent operation.

“Robin”, you ask, “why does that matter?”

William Wu, a former US astronaut, has discovered that soil biology is the foundation of everything. The various regenerative movements have been preaching and teaching this idea for decades, now. Taking care of the biology of the soil as we feed ourselves becomes paramount in this bit of logic. So, what are the implications of taking great care of the soil?

The various chemicals we use as pesticides, herbicides, and medicines kill microbial life and other life in the soil. For instance, we have hardly any dung beetles in our pastures. Turns out, fly control chemicals and injected dewormers are death to dung beetles. How do pesticides and herbicides affect bacteria, fungi, and mycorrhizae in the soil? Badly.

William Wu says that we really don’t know what “soil” is. Allow me to offer a definition: Soil is dirt plus life. Soil without life is just dirt.

So, back to choices. Our choices here at Hood Family Farms are made along these lines:

• forage

  • drought tolerant

  • heat tolerant

  • high digestibility

  • high protein

livestock

• heat tolerant

• pest tolerant

• parasite resistant

• high relative intake

• thrive on less than perfect food sources

There are some strains of European and British breeds 0f livestock that might fulfill our list, but they are not easy to locate. Most cattlemen go to Bos indicus (Brahman) for additional heat tolerance, but with some adverse qualities added in. Sheep and goat breeders have been developing some excellent choices to satisfy these sorts of criteria lists.

What choices have you made? Why? Drop me a line. Let’s talk about it.

Have a great day, a great day, indeed.

Robin Hood