Drought's Silver Lined Cloud

It's difficult to see any positve opportunity from drought when you look at our tinderbox pastures and damaged or dead crops but there is a silver lining to the rainless drought cloud! Drought creates the perfect condition for cleaning out ponds that have filled up with silt or dirt that has drained into the ponds over several years. Drought dried ponds in Northwest Arkansas are calling all bulldozers and wheel loaders into action!

This Deere loader was delivered to the farm by a local equipment rental business this morning. It's true--boys never outgrow their love of toys or playing in the dirt! During this week,unless it rains, Ryan and our  sons,Cody and Casey,  will take turns playing in the dirt to clean ponds on our farm and a few of our neighbor's ponds.

Dirt is being removed from the dry pond and moved to either side of the pond. Eventually the  piles of dirt will be smoothed out and packed down to  make a slight slope that cattle can walk on without difficulty when coming for a drink of water.

Cleaning out the ponds is a conservation practice that will allow more storage space for water collected from rain events and runoff from the fields and pastures and increase water availability for our cattle.  

                                    Drought or no drought--
             we're committed to caring for our land and animals
                        as we work to provide high-quality milk!