Ranching in the Sierra Foothills

Earlier this week (the first full week of June 2018), we had several small wildfires near Auburn. Our informal rancher telegraph system was activated - many of us started texting or calling one another to find out where the fires were burning and whether anyone needed help.

Nearly 13 years ago, I became one of the first ranchers to sell meat at the Auburn Farmers Market.

Now that our Pyrenees x Akbash "puppy" Elko has nearly reached full-size, I have difficulty remembering he's still a puppy - a 120-pound puppy, but a puppy nonetheless. There are signs, however, that his brain is catching up with his body! Here are a few updates and observations.

Multi-species grazing - grazing cattle, sheep, goats, or even poultry or pigs in the same pastures - is often cited in the popular small farm press as a beneficial practice. Each of these livestock species has different forage preferences and grazing behaviors.

Last week, I held my first California Cattle Grazing School at the UC Sierra Foothill Research and Extension Center in Browns Valley. The two-day school, an adaptation of Roger Ingram's long-running California Grazing Academy, included classroom talks and field-based learning activities.