Balancing Act

This morning I find myself staring out the window, lost in thought.  On one hand my mind wants to dive deeply into some subject and on the other it doesn't.  I suppose diving is an appropriate thought because the pond is full.  It is on the verge of overflowing.  We have had more rain in the last few days than the country I grew up in receives in a year.

I never should complain of rain because most of my life I have complained that more was needed -- not less.  The crazy thing is that in this country, if it doesn't rain every couple of weeks, we are in a drought.  Where I grew up, I recall a year that we received no significant rainfall for 18 months.  Now that's a drought.

You would think it possible to achieve a happy medium with just the right amount of rain falling at the right time.  I suppose that would be boring because then we couldn't complain.

Now the weather will change, and we will have unbearable heat and humidity.  All of this water trapped in ponds and trees and in the ground will evaporate but not dissipate because the winds will be minimal or non-existent.  It will certainly rain but primarily it will be the sweat drops falling off of me as I go about my outside chores.

It seems we bounce between extremes.  Cool but with drenching rain or miserably hot with clear blue skies.  I know, quit complaining.

Life tends to be that way regarding most things.  It is a cycle from one extreme to another.  We have abundance and we have lack.  The real question is what we do in those times of abundance.  Do we set it aside for the times of lack?  Do we share it?  Do we hoard it?  How do we handle more than we need?

I had the opportunity to visit Africa a couple of times quite a few years ago.  I was impressed yet dismayed that if anyone had more than was necessary to meet their immediate needs, they shared the excess with someone who needed it more.  They gave it away.  Their view was that the future would take care of itself.  Holding onto more than necessary to meet current needs wasn't even a thought.  Meeting the needs of others was always on their mind.

In this country we are more likely to hoard -- accumulate -- let others worry about the needy.  Surely there is a happy medium -- a balance.  Thought for future needs yet generosity toward others.  It should be our role as individuals, not the government's role.

Below is a photo of our pond from yesterday.  Water was still running into it from the rain that had just ceased.  It is full to the point of overflowing.

Balancing at the Top of the Food Chain

This guy decided to catch a ride yesterday as we were driving around the pasture with the grandchildren after checking cattle.  I'm not certain, but he seemed to be discussing the population of various insect species upon which he preys and making general commentary on the condition of the grass along with the fact that we need some rain.  He is a fairly good counsel in that his presence is a sign of health in the pasture.  Stocking rates and pasture conditions appeared to be important topics to him.

There are many ways to measure the health of the land on which we live and raise our livestock.  The presence, or absence, of various plant species is one aspect, wildlife that we might see or, which leaves its sign is another, but also the insect populations should be monitored.  I've mentioned before that nature is a balancing act.  It is a balance between prey and predator.  That balance is based on a healthy plant mix which is affected by the soil.  It all works together.

Many, many years ago -- long before my time -- this land was farmed for cotton.  It was plowed in such a way that it was subject to erosion and the thinness of the topsoil and the scars of various washes testify to that past.  The grasses which now cover the land are rebuilding the soil.  We rotate the stock so we can maintain sufficient leaf surface to drive the roots deeply into the soil.  In time, they, along with worms, bugs, bacteria and fungi which inhabit the soil, will build and enrich the land so that it will support even more plant growth.

Cattle are an important part of managing that system.  If allowed to grow unchecked, seasonal grasses, once they have seeded, will die and fall over, shading the ground and inhibiting the growth of grasses that should flourish at other times.  If not harvested, the dry grasses provide fuel for fires which will strip the ground clear and allow weeds to colonize.  Fire can be a useful tool to control the spread of invasive brush species, but if it burns too hot due to an overabundance of fuel, it can be a problem -- especially in this area where heavy rains can cause erosion.

Many people think we should just let the trees take over.  They believe it is the best way to "lock up carbon" for the long term.  I suspect that if managed properly, grasses, with their extensive and deep root systems, can do just as good, if not a better, job of locking carbon into the soil.  Grazing animals, besides providing a nutritious source of protein for omnivores like us, are crucial to managing plant growth to maximize sustainable forage production.  Trees alone, support little wildlife.  There needs to be a mix of forest and pasture. 

Once again, it's all about balance.  The sun provides the energy.  Plants capture it and convert it to complex sugars and carbohydrates.  Grazing animals convert those to protein.  We consume the protein.  I think my little green buddy was explaining all of that to me while he hitched his ride.  He's at the top of the food chain, just like humans.  He seems to be pretty adept at balancing.