Resolutions for Your Ranch

We’ve had our holiday celebrations and parties, and maybe more than our typical share of decadence. The overindulgence is coincidentally paired with the passing of the solstice, providing us a chance to exhale and see that we’ve turned an important corner. The days are slowly getting longer and we face the prospects of a clean slate- a chance to take stock of what we know is working and perhaps resolve to make some change or improvement.
As people, we tend to focus our resolutions on ways to make our individual lives better- healthier eating, more exercise, kicking that bad habit that’s been sticking around too long. But what about your ranch?
Are there any resolutions that might help weather the ups and downs, while making sure that you’re working smarter (and not just harder)? Are there new tools or skills that you’d like to learn to use, or maybe just a different way of thinking about the same old situations? Here’s our top 5 that you might want to put on your list:
1. Mind the Monitoring: This is a great time of year to plan how you are tracking the changes on your landscape in a recordable way. The goal is to see how your management choices are causing a response in things like plant community and forage production. Just the simple act of an annual repeat photo from the same place can indicate big changes that you might not notice when you lay eyes on the place day after day. Having this record available to flip through will always be an asset to your operation, and a tool to help you know what’s working and what might need a different approach.
2. Run the Numbers: Even though we might begrudge them now and again, computers can be a big help in planning for stocking rates and dates. A handy program that makes quick work of this is a basic excel file, where you can enter your own specific numbers and see what you’ve got for AUMs and forage availability. The nice thing about this tool is that you get a chance to play with the numbers a whole host of ways and see how the numbers change right before your eyes.
3. Have Stream Sense: If you’ve got a stream or river on your place, you know full well that it provides more than just a place for stock to water and shelter. In our region, our limited amount of waterways means that these features are essential for a host of other critters, and they provide some important functions for others downstream too. This means that the management along the stream should balance what the stream needs as well as what the livestock needs. Finding that balance can be done by thoughtful timing of access, and with use of mineral placement and tanks.
4. Think Like a Kid: Specifically, your kid. Or your kids’ kid. If the decisions you’re making today are rooted in the idea that it will be a benefit now, as well as 25 or 50 years from now, then you’re on a good track. Also remember to tell them what you’re doing, why you’re doing it, and what you hope for when you’re not around anymore.
5. Stay connected and informed: Make a point to attend events that update you on industry issues and practices, and learn how new research and tools are improving the land and the bottom line. This might be the year that you want to try something new- chances are, there is someone out there who has done it already who is willing to provide some guidance and advice.

Resolutions for the ranch could be these, as well as much more. But sometimes it’s better to start with a short list of manageable items and really understand what it would take to do it correctly. It’s good to really think what best fits your situation, and post them in a place that you’ll see them often and remember to make some progress on them!

If you want to start right away with number 5, plan to attend the January 23rd Range School where resolutions 1-4 will be covered in greater detail. The event will be hosted at the Madison Valley Baptist Church in Ennis, from 10 AM until 2 PM. Expert speakers will address each of these topics thoroughly, and attendees will to take home helpful resources for planning and management. Registration is $20, and includes lunch. For more information, contact Linda Owens at 682-3259 or Sunni Heikes-Knapton at 682-3181. You can register online here!
Happy New Year to you and your ranches- may the coming year be marked by successes and improvements for healthy and productive lands!