Rural Renaissance: A Shift in Land Management

Innovative fencing products are being developed, creating more options for land use. Markets are being set up for local food purchases and consumption. Beekeepers are finding these regenerative agriculture projects beneficial for honey production, creating a symbiotic relationship with the land. Our youth are learning these new systems in our rural schools and thinking about how to further their education and stay in the livestock production and farming industry that they have grown up enjoying.

In a regenerative, holistic grazing system, the frequent moving of livestock improves soil health, plant regeneration, carbon sequestration, and moisture retention in the ground. Some ranch and land managers refer to the system as Adaptive Multi-Paddock grazing, also referred to as AMP grazing. When livestock are held within a concentrated area with a good clean water source, the animals eat a portion of the feed and are moved to the next area of management. Whereas when held in larger areas, they forage more selectively. By concentrating the animals, the manure is being pushed into the soil by their hooves. In turn, they fertilize the smaller areas more effectively through all this hoof action. When moved to the next paddock, there is still forage left behind for future use. Much of the land is resting and regenerating as livestock moves through the grazing system. This can be compared to how the bison roamed the plains and foraged in great herds. The bison would graze the available plants, taking off half the feed and moving on. This resulted in 15-foot deep, rich soils across the plains. The heavy concentration of livestock in paddocks for short periods of time is imitating the creation of the grasslands. Tromping and covering the plants draws carbon into the soil, fostering the soil to a healthier state.

In December of 2022, Mike Moore purchased a 166-acre ranch listed by Fay Ranches, Inc. in Western Idaho at the base of Cuddy Mountain. The elevation ranges from approximately 3,000 to 3,400 feet. There are three creeks and several springs running through the property from the Cuddy Mountain watershed within the Payette National Forest. Fellow Fay Ranches' agent Dixie Barry and I worked with the seller and buyer to form a relationship that would become a community sustainability project for the new owner. Work has begun transitioning the 166 acres of land that historically were four large open pastures into a regenerative grazing project. The terrain ranges from creek bottoms to rolling hills, offering an inspiring canvas on which Moore can paint his ultimate picture of life. Knowledge Tree Films is conducting and documenting a four-year study to track the progress of this regenerative grazing project. The videos are being published on YouTube and the Knowledge Tree Films website, educating the public on the possibilities of enhancing production on grazing lands. Historically, 50 pairs of cattle were brought in late spring and grazed openly throughout the 166-acre property for a couple of months. It has been a previous practice to move the cattle off the property north to higher pastures as the temperatures heat up. Cattle typically could be brought back onto the property in the fall for a month or so and then taken off and returned to a farm in the lower valley for the winter.

In the initial phase, Moore is preparing the ranch to produce more feed. To enhance feed production, he has invested in light tilling equipment to ready the soil for seeding and essential nutrients. Moore attempts to utilize local resources as much as possible. He is an excellent example of how you don't have to be raised rural to support rural communities. Additionally, he is constructing paddocks, each equipped with fresh drinking water for the cattle and outfitted with monitoring equipment in place for efficient management. Paddocks will strategically be arranged for ease of livestock movement from one to another. Land clearing, brush removal, and stream bank restoration will be an integral portion of the project. The concept is to have each paddock offer natural shade, coverage from the elements, and ample sunshine. If you were livestock of any species, you would want to apply for residency.

Another important element of the lifestyle project is integrating the livestock operation with the wildlife that inhabits the area. There is an abundance of wildlife on the property, including deer, elk, bear, turkey, quail, cranes, coyote, and varmints, along with many songbirds and reptiles. Insects and worms are also factors taken into consideration, given their importance to soil health and regeneration. There is wisdom in nature, and typically, when lands are enhanced to a healthier phase, new species are attracted. Producers of regenerative grazing projects have witnessed plant and animal species returning to areas where they once existed or vacated for various reasons.

The Knowledge Tree Film company will be filming various seasons and how the natural elements are affecting the progress of the project. Fay Ranches, Inc. and Fay Rural Community Foundation are tracking progress and encouraging the processes for success along the way. Keep your eye out on landinvestorguide.com for future updates and developments on Moore's regenerative grazing project.

When you are out and about, whether local or visiting new areas, look around and see if you notice some land use differentiation. For example, do you notice a goat herd being concentrated on pastures? You might see a new type of fencing, with many yearling cattle grazing along a pivot divided into circular pastures. These are examples of how our rural creative people are adamant about staying in agriculture and enhancing the food supply to our communities. If you have time and you see people out working on these opportunities, stop and visit. Most of these folks are proud of their production and eager to share their progress. Observing innovative land use practices can offer insight into the people who are dedicated to sustaining agriculture and augmenting community food resources.