Commonalities

The true key to solving major challenges is commonality of purpose.  A diverse team, focused on a solution, under inspired leadership can solve anything.

I am a firm believer in diversity.  But I don't define diversity by how we look, our belief systems or our lifestyles; I define it by styles of thinking.  If we all think alike, we have mass redundancy.  To solve problems, we need diversity of thought.

Too often that diversity of thinking styles gets in the way.  That is why inspired leadership is a necessary ingredient.  Leadership should encourage, challenge and inspire each of the diverse individuals in a group to exercise their gifts to the fullest.  Then magic happens.

We have a plant which grows on our place called Common Hedge Parsley (Tonilis arvensis).  Don't eat it, it looks like many other plants in the wild carrot family such as Poison Hemlock.  The Common Hedge Parsley is sometimes called "sock-destroyer" because its hairy seeds stick to the socks like Velcro.  The plant is usually considered an invasive weed and is commonly found in Europe and North America.  It is part of the natural diversity within our local ecosystem.

Variation, Behavior and Blame

They say that variety is the spice of life and I agree; doing the same thing day after day gets old quickly and my productivity diminishes when that is the case.  I thought the image of this "tiger stripe" steer was fairly representative of variety.  He was part of a group we bought a couple of years ago.  These were on grass for a brief pre-conditioning period before going into the feedyard.  They grew well, performed well and made a little money in spite of the huge variation in the pen.

Variety is good for some things, but not for others.  Because of the genetic variation in this group of cattle, the tendency for them to "grow apart" as they aged was even worse than normal.  They were ready to harvest at different times.  Fortunately, they were finished at a facility that was willing to "top the pen" which means they shipped them to harvest in groups as they were ready.

These days, this kind of discussion causes a very negative reaction among many people.  Talking about "harvesting" these animals creates a feeling of revulsion.  I personally think it is because we anthropomorphize them through making pets part of "family" and watching television shows that focus on the "cuteness" of animals as opposed to their true nature or, purpose in the ecosystems they occupy. 

Cattle, quite simply, are born to be food.  It is their primary purpose for being on this planet.  They are a mobile, reproducing, energy harvesting machine that stores the energy from the sun which is first captured in plants and then concentrated in the tissue of the animal for later consumption.  They are uniquely and amazingly suited for that sole purpose.

The natural world is designed to function in ways we are only now beginning to understand.  All of life on this planet is dependent on energy from the sun for survival.  Each animal, including humans, is designed to fit specific niches in the environment.  Within those niches, animals tend to attempt modification of the environment to suit their own specific needs.  A great example of this is the beaver which builds dams in streams which change the water flow and thus the surrounding local ecosystem.  Sometimes those beaver dams get taken out by the raging torrent of a flooding river.

Humans are by far the worst at modifying the environment.  We lay acre after acre of concrete and asphalt that alters the planet.  Sadly, in our ignorance of the impact we have, we change the earth to the point that in some places it is to our own detriment.  Flooding and altered weather patterns can be a result.  Because of our egocentricity, we tend to place the blame on other things.  Right now, one of the primary objects of "blame" is animal agriculture -- the production of food from animals.  It seems strange to me that we would blame a natural process for issues resulting from our unnatural behavior.  That's not exactly accurate -- our alteration of the environment to suit our purposes is part of our natural behavior, it's just that we have the ability to understand and reason through the facts that point to the ultimate consequences of that behavior; the planet will fight back. 

Just a Tree

Sometimes in this part of the world, off in the distance, you hear a crashing sound.  When that happens, you know a tree, or at least a large branch, has fallen.

I didn't attempt to step off the length of this tree, but I would guess it was in the 80 to 100 foot category.  It appears to be a Water Oak (Quercus nigra) that was growing in the flat bottom land near one of the creeks that cross our place.  For perspective, I stuck a shovel in the ground near the roots in order to give some idea of the size (middle image).

There is a lot of good lumber in this fallen giant that will never be harvested simply because of location.  There really isn't a way to get to it without a major road-building project.  I'm sure that is the reason it is there in the first place; it and many others like it are isolated and difficult to reach so they have been undisturbed for many years.

Near this "small" tree are a number of native pecan trees which dwarf this one.  They are massive, with long, straight trunks that reach many feet before branching.  The canopy of the many trees in this area is such that the young trees grow straight up in their quest for light.  That condition is ideal for producing quality lumber.

It's too bad the lumber from this fallen tree will never be harvested for building material.  It would make a large quantity of long, straight boards that could be used for furniture or cabinetry.

Although not recommended as an ornamental, we transplanted a small seedling of Water Oak yesterday in honor of this one.  It came from near where its giant cousin had fallen.

Food In Balance

There is an area behind our Vet Shed that is not accessible to the cattle and the grass tends to get very lush.  A water hydrant is located there for the occasions when we need to hook up a hose and fill a tank, or whatever.  Late yesterday as I was waiting for my spouse to turn the water on so I could fill a tub, I could hear her talking.  I couldn't make out the words and thought she might have received a call on her cell phone.  Nope, she was talking to this little guy who was hidden in the deep grass.

We have a number of cottontail rabbits that hang out around our place.  I believe this to be an Eastern Cottontail Rabbit (Sylvilagus floridanus).  It is estimated they have an 85% mortality rate prior to reaching maturity -- most of that before ever leaving the nest.  They also are very fertile and have 4 to 5 litters which average about 4 babies each year.  I think their primary role in the environment must be to provide food to predators!

I enjoy seeing the rabbits.  To me, they are an indicator of the health of the land and our local ecosystem.  It is also a joy when the grandchildren spot one.  Their excited voices and happy chatter thrill my heart.

Taking care of the land for future generations is important.  It is something the ranching community does very well.  Usually, there is a multi-generational outlook with a strong desire to see the land passed down to children, grandchildren and more.  Because of that view, ranchers tend to be good stewards and have been practicing sustainable techniques for generations.  Certainly mistakes are made, but subsequent generations apply new knowledge and seek to leave the land in even better shape than that in which it was received.  That is why we see wildlife thrive in areas where ranching is strong.

Just like the rabbits which provide food for carnivores, the cattle are destined to be food.  It is the way the natural system is designed and it is something that many fail to recognize today.  They see the rabbit and think, "what a cute bunny!"  They don't think about the high mortality rates due to it being a food species.  They see a newborn calf and think, "what a cute calf!"  Also, not accepting intellectually that it is destined to be food.  The movement toward an anti-meat society is as destructive of the environment as is the paving of our cities and suburbs.  It doesn't account for the required balance that must occur between plant eaters, meat eaters and carrion eaters.  Our children need to be educated in the realities of a natural system that is one of balance.

Sometimes You Have to Dig for the Reason

It being Friday the 13th with a Full Moon, I thought it only appropriate that I use the photo of a 4-leaf clover in my post, however, I have committed to only use original photos and not something "borrowed" from the Internet and I didn't have one of a 4-leaf clover.  Instead, I will use this Brazos Rain-lily (Zephyranthes chlorosolen) as a substitute.  We had a number of them make their appearance in our pasture after the rain we had a couple of weeks ago.  They aren't large -- about 12" tall consisting of a single stem shooting up out of the ground with a flower approximately 2" in diameter.

To the extent possible, we try to identify the plants we find growing in our pastures.  Some plants are toxic to cattle and we especially watch out for them.  Such plants typically only appear sporadically such as after a drought or, in a particularly rainy stretch at a time of year when it doesn't normally rain as much.  Knowing the flora and fauna on the land within your care is important for that reason, but also for others.

There are numerous rare or, endangered species of plants and animals.  When you speak of such things, most ranchers cringe because of the bad experiences of some where their land was restricted in its use due to the presence of such items.  Various government agencies have a good deal of power to do such and so, most occurrences of threatened plants and animals go unreported due to fear, or to willful ignorance.  I fully sympathize with that.  No one wants how they utilize their land to be restricted due to the presence of some rare salamander, or minnow, or weed.

It is difficult, even for someone who is very much a conservationist at heart, to reconcile the preservation of every single species against the rights and needs of individuals.  I am a firm believer that "less government" is the best government.  Personal property rights are one of the most important foundations of our liberty; without them, there is no free enterprise and very little incentive to grow and create.

A willingness by many to restrict such rights is typically due to a jealousy of the "have nots" toward those who have been able to acquire substantial property.  Is the system rigged?  You bet it is.  Those who have accumulated property have considerably more power than those who haven't.  That is why there is a need for appropriate regulation of the rights of ownership that weigh the needs of the many against the "rights" of the individual.  It is why we have labor laws and regulations against certain monopolistic practices.

When it comes to things of a more esoteric nature -- such as rare plants and animals -- it is sometimes difficult to determine where the needs/rights of the individual end and public needs/rights begin.  I don't pretend to have deep specialized knowledge regarding such issues, but in general, I understand the concept that we need to maintain biodiversity.  Even the most well-trained scientists only understand the "surface" of the intricate workings of various ecosystems.  Each time a species goes extinct, there is the danger of a cascading effect that can cause widespread disruption.  There also is the potential commercial/social value that many plants and animals offer as food or, as sources of medicines and other potentially important compounds.  In summation, we don't know enough to know what we don't know, therefore the wise course is to preserve.

Fortunately for me, the Lily in the photo is not an endangered or, threatened species.  It does however, produce an alkaloid called lycorine, a fungicide, which protects the plant against Phymatotrichum root rot.  That characteristic alone could make it valuable given gene splicing technology such as CRISPR.  The genes from the Brazos rain-lily that cause it to produce the lycorine might could be spliced into the DNA of a cotton plant for instance, giving it the ability to resist root rot in times of too much rain.

Maybe there is a reason to protect those plants and animals after all....

Do You Hear the Grasshopper?

I wonder how many miles I ran as a kid chasing grasshoppers, trying to catch them?  It was like a sport to me.  Maybe that's a little crazy, but I was fascinated with them and enjoyed the challenge.

I've baited quite a few fish hooks with grasshoppers.  There are different theories as to the best way to hook them; do you slide it under the pronotum, that shield-looking thing on their neck or, do you stab them through the thorax just in front of the back legs?  Then, do you let them float on the surface, or do you use a weight that causes them to sink?  I've caught fish with every one of those techniques.

My grandchildren like to chase them too.  Usually, it is for the purpose of baiting a hook, but one granddaughter in particular just likes to catch them and might come up with a handful.  I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't end up in some biological field some day.  If it isn't bugs in her hands it is flowers.

I remember a television show from many years ago called Kung Fu*, starring David Carradine.  In the series, Caine has flashbacks to his childhood training where Master Po calls him "Grasshopper."  That is what I remember most about the series.  I searched the Internet and found why -- it comes from a scene in the pilot series of a conversation between Master and student:

Master Po: Close your eyes. What do you hear?
Young Caine: I hear the water, I hear the birds.
Po: Do you hear your own heartbeat?
Caine: No.
Po: Do you hear the grasshopper which is at your feet?
Caine: Old man, how is it that you hear these things?
Po: Young man, how is it that you do not?

Now, as a rancher, grasshoppers are a nuisance.  They eat the grass that I want available for the cows.  I wonder how many grasshoppers it takes to eat as much as a cow?  Grandpa always told me 5 jackrabbits ate as much as a cow.  Oh, well.  I just know they can swarm across a pasture and strip the leaves from the grass, leaving hard stems which are not particularly palatable or, nutritious.

There is much to be learned about the role of grasshoppers in the environment.  Historically, we have looked at them simply as a pest because our primary concern is with massive outbreaks that devastate large swaths of plant life.  Now, we are learning they play a critical part in nutrient cycling and the control of certain plant species that might take over an area otherwise.  They also are an important food source for wildlife.  Some folks even think they could be a food source for people.  I have eaten chocolate-covered grasshopper before; I wasn't impressed.  It was a little crunchy and reminded me too much of it being a, well, grasshopper.  In spite of their nuisance value, they fit into an ecological system in ways that we don't fully understand.  

Chemical control has been the primary way we combat major outbreaks of the flying hoppers.  It apparently isn't very effective or, we wouldn't have to repeat the process every few years.  Monoculture agriculture may be one factor that contributes to those outbreaks.  Strip-cropping might help to break the continuity of plant species and mitigate some of the impact.  Deny the food source and break the outbreak.  Most things have management solutions rather than the more drastic reactive measures normally taken.  Prevention is always preferred over dealing with crisis.

It reminds me of Franklin-Covey Time Management -- spend time on the "important" and much of the "critical" goes away....

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kung_Fu_(TV_series)