NRCS Meeting 5/9/25

Meeting Notes

Location: OrangeStone Ranch

Participants: ShaMarie Tamminga, Mic’Kayla Hopkins, Joe Carter

Questions answered:
1. What assistance can NRCS provide on our ranch regenerative projects?
  1. See this link for a worksheet listing projects with notations on how NRCS can assist
  2. As the worksheet shows, NRCS can provide a lot of valuable assistance. The most immediate areas of assistance appear to be as follows:
    1. Finalization of our ranch regeneration plans
    2. Clearing and seeding a new hay field in the middle Poe Place pasture
    3. Design of a livestock water distribution system for North HomePlace pasture
    4. Assistance with establishing our baseline conditions in order to measure ranch regeneration progress in the future
2. Q: Is it risky to intermix stocker calves with registered livestock? A: Yes: It’s probably not a good idea to intermix stocker calves from unknown origins with our highly valuable registered livestock, especially since we plan to use vaccinations and dewormers judiciously
Ideas generated:
1. Possibly use a water trailer for water distribution to isolated paddocks until the complete water distribution system is in place
2. Dump old round bales into ravine heads to stem erosion
3. Although we have further work to do on a stocking rate plan, ShaMarie and Mic’Kayla were of the opinion that 10 cow/calf pairs would be a safe stocking rate for now given the state of our pastures and the frequency of droughts in our area. We’ll need to check with the appraisal district to determine if that would be a sufficient stocking rate to maintain our ag exemption
4. Clip and spray small brushy mesquites to minimize herbicide use:
  1. Prune at the base.
  2. Spray the wound immediately with 25/75 mix of Remedy/Diesel
5. ShaMarie and Mic’Kayla were initially confused by my “Bison Grazing” catch-all name for all of the various regenerative grazing techniques. They thought we might be planning to deploy a herd of bison. To avoid confusion in the future, I may change the catch-all name to “Regenerative Grazing” –
  - Done 5/15/25. All website references to “Bison Grazing” have been changed to “Regenerative Grazing”
6. Prickly pear fruit can be fermented and/or distilled to make alcoholic beverages. Explore this and other applications of prickly pear fruit for family use. Possibly plant a small crop of spineless prickly pear for family use. If family use is worthwhile, explore scaling it up as a cash crop. “If life gives you cactus, make cactus jelly.”
  1. Do the same for mesquite bean pods and mesquite timber.
Action items:
1. ShaMarie and Mic’Kayla:
  1. Will check into any programs to support fencing off the creek and stock ponds for erosion control and water quality improvements
  2. Will enlist expertise from the Weatherford NRCS office for assistance with water distribution systems design
2. Joe
  1. Will check with Texas Parks and Wildlife regarding horned toad reintroduction possibilities
  2. Check with TJ Cummings, Eastland County Agrilife Extension Agent regarding possible marketing opportunities for registered South Poll Cattle to FFA competitors
  3. Will check with Veterans’ Administration regarding VA support for veteran beginning farmers
  4. Get back to ShaMarie & Mic’Kayla on beginning rancher qualification parameters
  5. Other states such as Missouri seem to be supporting regenerative ranching more aggressively than Texas. Do some research to see how Texas stacks up against other states on support and adoption of regenerative ranching practices
3. All
  1. Next steps: Meet at Eastland NRCS office possibly with Weatherford expert(s) in the near future
  2. Follow-up week of 5/11/25

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