Dedicated producers shift focus to soil conservation

“We’ve learned more about kind of the appropriate grazing and then the amount of rest we think the land needs and just from going to conferences and learning from other people…a lot of this is being driven by the health of the soil and if we want to grow better beef and better grass, then we want to make sure to have the healthiest soil possible.”

It’s pretty common to see Mark Hoimyr moving cattle and fencing since Mark and Laura practice extensive grazing on their 250 head cattle farm. (Submitted photo/Laura Hoimyr)

It took a lot of reading, research, and education, including taking part in the Ranching for Profit program based out of Ranch Management Consultants in Wheatland, Wyom. The program offered the change of thinking they needed, she said, and they have taken on even more programming with the organization.

“It’s just been sort of a gradual process of learning more about how to do a better job of it over the past 10 years while also building the infrastructure that makes it possible, so the fence and the water (availability).”

While there hasn’t been an official measurement of how effective these changes have been, Hoimyr said they see the benefits in the quality of their meat and the positive reviews from many satisfied customers through their online store and social media presence.

“We raise good meat and we know we take care of our animals and they have a good life and that’s an important part of it too. But whether it gets in people’s heads because they love the story of it, or whether there’s an actual difference is yet to be measured but we feel there is.”

Strong roots hold the soil together against wind and rain while having a greater diversity in the plants, insects and birds they attract to the farm has also helped improve soil health, said Hoimyr.

“If we want to improve the health of the soil and then have those insects and that bird habitat and all those things that we need more flowering plants and more diversity. So we’ve tried to build that into our forage blends.”

Soil health is also the focus at Axten Farms near Minton, Sask., however, Tannis Axten told farmnewsNOW they do so with extensive crop variations, including during fall planting.

This required a change of mind set as well from growing for productivity to the focus being on profitability. Input costs have decreased since their need for synthetic fertilizer has gone down while pathogen risk has also decreased with a more intense rotation.

For this reason, Axten said they won’t grow canola because, while it pays off in the short term, long term effects like disease development over tight rotations and soil degradation are things they are working to avoid.

Extensive root systems, high stubble, compost and debris covers are just some of the ways they help bring and maintain nutrients in the soil, increase biological activity, withstand erosion, and maintain moisture; all factors that help healthy soil thrive.

Being in southern Saskatchewan, Axten said they face less snow during the winter so they have no access issues as a neighbouring producer brings their cattle over for grazing. However, they keep a close eye on how much is eaten since they see the benefits of over-winter stubble while also wanting input from the cattle.

If they do see a section of land that isn’t performing well, they’ll take it out of crop rotation for a full year.

“Just cover crop it and grow some roots and just kind of let the soil basically regenerate and get our biology pumping so that when we come back that next spring it’s ready to go to grow a crop.”

Their focus has shifted from growing for the commodity markets to growing for specific food markets. Sometimes that has taken creating their own markets but that hasn’t deterred Axten, she said. While shifting to a soil-focused operation has taken research and trial and error, the process has come with some long term benefits.

(Submitted photo/Tannis Axten)

“We’ll talk to different companies and they’re interested in trying something so we’ll grow some for them and see what they think. We enjoy trying different things, sometimes it can be kind of risky, but to do the same thing you’ve always done or do what everyone else is doing is risky too.”

Some of their processes may not work for everyone, especially since the severity of some issues they are dealing with are region specific, but Axten does encourage producers to try something new when it comes to soil conservation.

“We have people who call us all the time wondering what they should do and (ask our) advice and we can always say what we do but you really don’t know until you try something on your own land, with your own equipment in your own style to see what works, what you can alter from there and see what you can do different.”

This trial and error process is how Axten learned, she said, which has paid off in the long run, both for the soil and the farm.

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becky.zimmer@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @bex_zim

by Becky Zimmer

Dedicated producers shift focus to soil conservation

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