Restoring land by growing grass in Childress County, Texas
5/9/2023 1:35:44 AM
CATEGORIES:
Plants & Wildlife
Water Supply & Quality
AFFECTED AREAS:
Childress County, TX
Start Date: 8/15/2022
- End Date: 5/8/2023
A rancher set out to restore the soil after scores of years of growing cotton and switched to growing grass and regeneratively grazing cattle after seeing other ranches do it. He started with land that had previously had cotton on it and seeded the land to grass. The land was fenced for managed grazing. With grass growing and cattle being moved through the tracts, the soil soon began to improve and contain more organic matter. The land became more productive, and the soil did not blow away.
In late summer 2022, when neighbors who practiced conventional grazing had to sell three-quarters of their herd, the rancher with restored grassland only had to destock by 25%. Neighbors began to inquire about the abundant grass.
SF | Successful Farming Online (Des Moines, Iowa), May 8, 2023
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