Tag Archives: Sheep

Earth

Agrarians From Ancient World Knew About Biochar

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Agrarians from various ancient cultures around the world discovered the soil fertility benefits of charred biomass over two thousand years ago.

Now known as ‘biochar’, this ancient soil management practice has been enjoying a renaissance of late for a number of reasons largely related to the need for more resilient and productive soils and biochar’s ability to sequester carbon in a safe and beneficial manner.

Biochar is made by baking organic material in an oxygen-limited environment, called pyrolysis. Benefits vary depending on the soil, crops and climate where biochar is used with poor soils benefiting the most. Providing long-lasting organic material, improving water and nutrient holding capacity, and improving overall soil tilth are all potential benefits.

Due to its porous nature and cation exchange capacity, biochar can also be used as a filtration medium to prevent nutrient run-off from farms into local water bodies. In Europe livestock farmers are adding small amounts of biochar to feed rations to improve feed conversion ratios and overall animal health. Biochar as carbon fodder has also shown promise as a way to reduce enteric methane emissions.

Biochar
“When we first started in 2011 to load biochar with high amounts of liquid NP-fertilizer and tested them in pod trials, we could prove reduced nutrient leaching after simulated strong rain events. When we planted a second culture (paprika after radish) in the same pods without additional fertilization, plant growth was significantly improved in the biochar treatments (see image). From an economic point of view, the difference in growth might have been not relevant as some additional fertilization would have been cheaper than the price of biochar that saved some mineral fertilizer. However working with low amounts of nutrient enhanced biochar [1 t per hectare] applied as slow release fertilizer close to the roots every year seems very promising when viewed from both an economic and ecological perspective. ” Ithaka Institute

Biochar is increasingly available to purchase but farmers can also convert their on-farm waste biomass in to biochar.

Farm scale equipment for making biochar is evolving and shows promise not just as a waste conversion technology which produces a valuable soil amendment, but also as a means for farmers to generate renewable energy in the form of heat, and in some cases electricity.  For the Silo,  Kathleen Draper.

Seen here: “…we focused on organic plant nutrients and started multiple tests with a wide variety of nutrient rich biomass wastes including: liquid animal manure, urine, feathers, yeasts, wool, vinasse etc. Over the past four years we have developed a panoply of organic carbon fertilizer that can be produced commercially or manufactured by farmers themself all over the world. One of our favourites is the sheep wool, vinasse, pyrolyse ash, biochar pellets with 7% Norg / 6.5% P2O5 / 6% K2O “

Kathleen Draper is the US Director of the Ithaka Institute for Carbon Intelligence, a non-profit focused on research, education and program services that promote climate positive solutions which enhance land management, urban design, and resource efficiency.  

Earth

Horses Fleeing California Wildfires Helped By In Defense Of Animals

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SAN RAFAEL, Calif.  – New footage released by In Defense of Animals reveals horses, sheep, and wild turkeys who fled the California wildfires. In Defense of Animals has banded together with six other North Bay animal organizations to rescue and care for fire victims. The disaster continues to cause vast amounts of damage and massive loss of human and animal life.

Terrifying video footage shows In Defense of Animals’ Nicole Otoupalik leading a horse to safety in Orange County while huge, angry smoke plumes approach. Otoupalik was caught in the Irvine Park blaze and got straight to work evacuating horses.

“It was pretty scary, as the fires were right there, and they were moving fast,” reports Otoupalik. “The poor horses were scared, too. It was amazing to see people just running to help the horses at Irvine Park. They didn’t have enough staff to evacuate the horses, and so members of the public who had come to get a look at the fire just started running back into the park to help lead the horses out. Strangers were just offering their time, trailers, and trucks to help get the animals out of there. Others in cars stopped to offer rides to help everyone get there more quickly.”

Horse evacuation Irvine Park wildfire
Nicole Otoupalik evacuates horse from Irvine Park

The horses were evacuated safely from Irvine Park to a grocery store parking lot, and from there to an evacuation camp at the Orange County Fairground.

“Although the danger is over in Orange County, so many animals were injured and killed. Now, their homes are destroyed. It’s so sad, and northern California is even worse with many animals still at great risk. It is just a tragedy and so sad for so many people and animals. Please give what you can now to ensure the animals get the help they need.”

In Defense of Animals based in San Rafael, Marin County, has been coordinating aid to animal victims of the wildfires in concert with local organizations. Emergency relief from In Defense of Animals’ disaster fund has benefited Sonoma Humane Society, Lost Hearts & Souls Horse Rescue, and Forget Me Not Farm in Santa Rosa; Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue in Petaluma; Jameson Animal Rescue Ranch in Napa; House Rabbit Society in Richmond; and Otra Mas horse rescue in San Juan.

Sonoma Humane Society
Sonoma Humane Society receives IDA aid.

5,700 homes and businesses are reported destroyed, with at least 41 confirmed human deaths and untold animal casualties. 217,000 acres have been consumed by the flames and wild animals have no choice but to simply run as fast as they can from the terrifying blazes consuming their homes. Tens of thousands have perished, and many more are injured and need help.

Many families forced to flee the burning onslaught had very little preparation or warning. Some barely made it out alive as they dashed to find and secure their animals. Now these family members – four-legged, winged or hoofed – must find shelter and hope for the best as 11,000 firefighters battle the blaze. For the Silo, Fleur Dawes.

Donations made to In Defense of Animals’ Disaster Relief Fund help provide emergency supplies and resources to thousands of displaced victims of this sudden unexpected crisis. Support California’s wildfire victims here: www.idausa.org/californiawildfires

photos courtesy of F. Dawes/IDA.

Earth

Shephardess Innovates With Dynamic Agriculture System

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photo's: Carrie Wooley
photo’s: Carrie Wooley

Trying to find agricultural systems that are environmentally friendly and economically viable is a challenge facing the agriculture industry. So when a friend from New Zealand told us about how they graze sheep in fruit orchards we instantly liked the idea.  All of a sudden the apple and cherry orchards on the farm didn’t look just like orchards, they also looked like sheep pasture.  So we went for it and purchased our first group of ewes in January of 2013.  Our goal was to build a sheep production system that worked with the current farm set up and where we can produce quality lamb raised in an environmentally sustainable and welfare-friendly system.  

Our sheep graze permanent pastures in spring and early summer where they give birth to lambs, and are moved to orchards the rest of the year.

Utilizing the grass in the orchards allows us to reduce feed costs and grass cutting costs.  While the sheep convert grass and weeds into meat they also fertilize the orchards with their manure.  Having the sheep on pasture eliminates costs associated with keeping animals in barns such as bedding material and manure removal.  Lambs are born outside on pasture in May and June.  Raising lambs on pasture can bring challenges such as coyotes and internal parasites.  

To help protect our sheep from coyotes we utilize electric fences and livestock guardian dogs.  Livestock guardian dogs have been used for hundreds of years by shepherds to protect their sheep from people and predators. We use the Kuvasz and Maremma breeds of livestock guardian dogs, other guardian breeds include the Great Pyrenees, Akbash, and Anatolian Shepherds.  These amazing working dogs see the sheep as their family and guard them day and night. Raised with sheep from the time they are puppies, guardian dogs sleep with the flock at night and can even be found helping clean off newborn lambs.

Sheep Dogs in Norfolk County

The idea of a more dynamic and sustainable agricultural system is something we want to pursue.  We, as farmers and stewards of the land, recognize that we need to be inventive to keep soils and ultimately the environment healthy.  In agriculture there is always lots to learn and it provides me with an exciting and interesting line of work.