Animal Welfare
Doing what is right for our animals and the land we live on is the way we provide a great product and a sustainable life as a ranching family.
We promote the instinctive behavior of our cattle -roaming and grazing-instead of inhibiting it. Our slow food approach to agriculture inarguably provides a better life for animals being raised for food production. We are certified by GAP (Global Animal Partnership), as a Level 4 ranch, the highest level achievable for cow/calf ranching.
Environmental Stewardship
Awarded 2018 Conservationist Of The Year for Owyhee Conservation District
We apply both conservation and regenerative ranching practices on all of the land we utilize. For example, we use rotational-rest grazing practices on all Owyhee mountain range land carefully moderating plant and grass growth so overgrazing does not occur.
We believe in working with organizations that have shared interests of environmental stewardship and currently have collaborative projects ongoing with National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and Idaho Governor’s Office of Species Conservation to reduce an invasive cultivar of juniper tree from encroaching on sage-grouse brood rearing areas. These efforts also improve grass and forage available to sage-grouse.
Likewise, we work with Idaho Fish and Game on dedicated projects to improve elk and mule deer habitat. By continually reducing invasive species, more varieties of trees, shrubs and plants that are food sources for these animals are growing and providing a better balanced ecosystem.
On our ranch land…
we strive to continually sustain and improve our natural resources. One example of of this is our in-ground, gravity-based flood irrigation system that works to reduce water consumption and waste. This system enables the water used to irrigate crops to be returned to the ground water table while evenly irrigating crops for better growth.
We look for ways to improve soil health and thereby the quality of our animal’s food as well. An example of this is utilizing cover crops such as triticale in certain years that cycle soil nutrients, improve soil structure and suppress noxious weeds.
Our animals play a role in helping us keep our fields healthy. In properly managed grazing environments the animals contribute to the soil by lightly disrupting and fertilizing it (defection and urination). They play a role in the continuous cycle that is; a healthy soil feeds the forage, the forage feeds the cattle, the cattle, in turn, feed the soil.
By supporting our slow grown beef CSA you are supporting a business that is working to conduct sustainable ranching while improving public and private land and the overall high-desert environment of our area.
