Hot and Dry!

Hot and Dry! I think those two words best describe our summer so far. In May, June, and July we received less than one inch of precipitation. To put that in perspective: last year, during that same time frame, we received 12 inches of precipitation. For a little more context, we can look at NOAA's Precipitation Report. This report shows us that from 1893 to 2020, during those same three months, Boulder averaged almost seven inches of precipitation. It also shows us that this year, 2024, is the driest year on record for that period of time.

 That's some scary stuff.

 Added to the lack of rain fall, or maybe because of the lack of rain fall, we are seeing fires sprout out, seemingly all over the Front Range.

 Even scarier stuff.

 Of course, fire and changing weather is a part of our natural ecosystem. We live in an arid and brittle environment ("brittle" being a word Alan Savory uses to describe an environment that has unpredictable rainfall). That being said, our climate seems to be getting worse. If our climate is changing for the worse, what can we do to reverse that? How do we make things better?

 These are big, complex questions that are difficult to answer.

 At Grama Grass, some of our answers are:

-- To keep the plants living for as long as possible during each season by improving soil health, water retention, and...

-- Not grazing too much of the grass; leaving some for next year -- Supporting the natural prairie environment by seeding native species or avoiding grazing nascent native species, and appreciating the wildlife that call these grasslands their home -- Grazing animals throughout the wildland-urban interface (WUI) to protect against fire -- Learning lessons from the thriving plants on a pasture, even the undesired ones, about what the land needs -- Letting the land rest for long periods between grazes -- Keeping the animals moving frequently -- Voting with our dollars by partnering with and supporting local organizations whose mission aligns with ours

It's not just these land-based solutions that we need to keep trying. We need to support each other. We need the support of our partners, and we need your support to create the regeneration that must last over years to actually address climate change. There are no silver bullets here, but it's possible that through land-based solutions, like improved grazing, we can build resilience through the changing times. - Andy & the Grama Grass & Livestock Team