Holistic Management is based on a decision making framework which results in ecologically regenerative, economically viable and socially sound management of grasslands.
Grasses across the earth developed with large herds of prey (ibex, yaks, bison, camels, elk, moose, and, yes, the ancestors of cows, goats, sheep, etc.), and their predators – wolves, lions, hyenas, etc. Think of the buffalo - the prey lived in large bunches, eating all plants down to a healthy level, pooping and peeing and working it all into the earth with their feet. When the predators came around, or they had eaten all the plants down to the stalks, the herd moved on quickly, in a tight herd, to start the process over again elsewhere. The result was healthy plants, roots and soils.
Today we have eradicated the large herds of wild prey and most of the predators. We have divided vast grasslands into plots of a few acres (even many acres) surrounded by fences. Animals are put out for many months, eating only the plants they like most, returning to the shoots, and eventually killing the plants. The result is that the most desirable plants die off, and the less desirable plants survive, leading to a more and more limited plant array, and loss of biomass above and below the soil surface. This in turn leads to unanchored soils, which we see blowing in the valley all the time. This method of grazing has created enormous damage to the northern San Luis valley. But we can change this, and at OLT we are doing just that.
More than just for feeding livestock, grasses are important for the wellbeing of the globe. They are, on a global scale, huge carbon sequesterers (hmmm, a word?). So, it's a good thing to optimize their health to optimize our health.
And the way to do that on a large scale is to help to bring back the model of predator-prey dynamics to our grasslands. A few issues, certainly. We have the prey, in the shape of food animals. However, as we have fenced the entire world, we can't just let the proverbial wolf loose because the prey animals would not be able to flee naturally. So what to do?
Among others, the Savory Institute (savoryinstitute.com), has been working all over the world for decades to help food producers mimic the prey-predator model of grasses revival to great success and acclaim. His premise is that even though it is not realistic to bring in predators, we can use cattle, goats, sheep, even pigs and chickens, to revive grasslands by stepping in and using holistic grazing management to take their place. The method is to put a lot of animals on a small area of land and move them quickly when they've eaten the grass down to a desired level and only bring them back when the grass is ready. That is done with lots of determination, work, and electric fence. The result is healthy roots, healthy soils that readily absorb and hinder evaporation of the sparse water, and healthy grasses of multiple species. This will not create immediate results. It will require hard work and dedication for years.
To that end, OLT has entered into a collaborative partnership with a local ranch, Arrowpoint Cattle Company (you might have eaten their delicious beef that we sell at OLT), which has been using this grazing method for years. We have also joined hands with the Savory Institute, Natural Resource Conservation Service, Bureau of Land Management, and our neighbors, Richard and Linda, to bring this effective process to the Everson Ranch, Richard and Linda's lands, and OLT's BLM grazing allotments, in order to bring our grasslands back.
Arrowpoint's cattle are Scottish Highland, small, drought and harsh weather resistant beauties that are trained to a whistle and a kind word - okay, and maybe some cow cookies. We have a total of around 120 cattle on the Ranch.
OLT has always had cattle on the Everson Ranch. The difference now is that we are practicing natural resource enhancement as opposed to commodities resource extraction.
So come help us celebrate our commitment to the preservation of OLT's beautiful lands and helping to build a model of sustainable agriculture so ranchers in the Northern San Luis Valley can continue to ranch and preserve our beautiful open spaces!
Permaculture is a branch of ecological design, ecological engineering, and environmental design that develops sustainable architecture and self-maintained agricultural systems modeled from natural ecosystems.
The core tenets of permaculture are:
Care of the earth: Provision for all life systems to continue and multiply. This is the first principle, because without a healthy earth, humans cannot flourish.
Care of the people: Provision for people to access those resources necessary for their existence.
Return of Surplus: Reinvesting surpluses back into the system to provide for the first two ethics. This includes returning waste back into the system to recycle into usefulness.
Permaculture design emphasizes patterns of landscape, function, and species assemblies. It asks the question, "Where does this element go? How can it be placed for the maximum benefit of the system?" To answer this question, the central concept of permaculture is maximizing useful connections between components and synergy of the final design. The focus of permaculture, therefore, is not on each separate element, but rather on the relationships created among elements by the way they are placed together; the whole becoming greater than the sum of its parts. Permaculture design therefore seeks to minimize waste, human labor, and energy input by building systems with maximal benefits between design elements to achieve a high level of synergy. Permaculture designs evolve over time by taking into account these relationships and elements and can become extremely complex systems that produce a high density of food and materials with minimal input]
The design principles which are the conceptual foundation of permaculture were derived from the science of systems ecology and study of pre-industrial examples of sustainable land use. Permaculture draws from several disciplines including organic farming, agroforestry, integrated farming,sustainable development, and applied ecology. Permaculture has been applied most commonly to the design of housing and landscaping, integrating techniques such as agroforestry, natural building, and rainwater harvesting within the context of permaculture design principles and theory. (Wikipedia)
OLT is working with High Altitude Permaculture (www.hialtpc.org) and its students to help design optimal agriculture systems for the OLT lands. Sandy Cruz, Peter Bane and Becky Elder lead permaculture workshops to facilitate the spreading of this marvelous, natural way of working with nature to preserve our lands, provide responsible foods, and enhance our environments.
Grasses across the earth developed with large herds of prey (ibex, yaks, bison, camels, elk, moose, and, yes, the ancestors of cows, goats, sheep, etc.), and their predators – wolves, lions, hyenas, etc. Think of the Serengeti in the movies - the prey lived in large bunches, eating all plants down to a healthy level, pooping and peeing and working it all into the earth with their feet. When the predators came around, the herd moved on quickly, in a tight herd, to start the process over again elsewhere. The result was healthy plants, roots and soils.
Today we have eradicated the large herds of wild prey and most of the predators. We have divided vast grasslands into plots of a few acres (even many acres) surrounded by fences. As a result, not surprisingly, the grasses are suffering. Grasses are important. They are, on a global scale, huge carbon sequesterers (hmmm, a word?). So, it's a good thing to optimize their health to optimize our health.
And the way to do that on a large scale is to help to bring back the model of predator-prey dynamics to our grasslands. A few issues, certainly. We have the prey, in the shape of food animals. However, as we have fenced the entire world, we can't just let the proverbial wolf loose because the prey animals would not be able to flee naturally. So what to do?
Alan Savory, of The Savory Institute (savoryinstitute.com), has been working all over the world for decades to help food producers mimic the prey-predator model of grasses revival to great success and acclaim. His premise is that even though it is not realistic to bring in predators, we can use our cattle, goats, sheep to revive grasslands by stepping in and using holistic grazing management to take their place. The method is to put a lot of animals on a small area of land and move them quickly when they've eaten the grass down to a desired level and only bring them back when the grass is ready. That is done with lots of determination, work, and electric fence. The result is healthy roots, healthy soils that readily absorb and hinder evaporation of the sparse water, and healthy grasses of multiple species. This will not create immediate results. It will require hard work and dedication for years.
To that end, OLT has entered into a collaborative partnership with a local ranch, Arrowpoint Cattle Company (you might have eaten their delicious beef that we sell at OLT!), which has been using this grazing method for years. We have also joined hands with the Savory Institute, Natural Resource Conservation Service, Bureau of Land Management, and our neighbors, Richard and Linda, to bring this effective process to the Everson Ranch, Richard and Linda's lands, and OLT's BLM grazing allotments, in order to bring our grasslands back.
Arrowpoint's cattle are Scottish Highland, small, drought and harsh weather resistant beauties that are trained to a whistle and a kind word. In the last few days we've brought in nearly 40 cows and calves. And they are beauties. We'll have a total of around 120 furry beings in the project.
OLT has always had cattle on the Everson Ranch. The difference now is that we are practicing natural resource enhancement as opposed to commodities resource extraction.
So come help us celebrate our commitment to the preservation of OLT's beautiful lands and helping to build a model of sustainable agriculture so ranchers in the Northern San Luis Valley can continue to ranch and preserve our beautiful open spaces!
In 2004, with generous donations from its members and other local stakeholders, OLT purchased 760 acres of the historic Everson Ranch from developers to protect the open space and agricultural heritage forever. OLT has since purchased several other parcels to secure the view scape from small scale development and securing it for agriculture, a historic and cultural mainstay of the San Luis Valley.
.jpg "Historic Everson Ranch")
.jpg "Everson Ranch, cattle")
.jpg "Farming Equipment")
.jpg "Everson Ranch, sunlit exposure")
.jpg "Fields of Everson Ranch under the Moon")
.jpg "Bobcat in the Everson Barn, 2011")
.jpg "Old building at Everson Ranch")
.jpg "Looking Out to the Historic Everson Ranch")
.jpg "Loafing Sheds at the Everson Ranch")
.jpg "Moon Grass Sky")
.jpg "Ranch - driveway looking E")
.jpg "Everson Ranch")
.jpg "Old Corral at the Everson Ranch")
.jpg "Old Farm Equipment at the Everson Ranch")
.jpg "Old Farm Equipment")
.jpg "Everson Ranch House")
.jpg "Fort")
.jpg "Sunlit Feilds at the Everson Ranch in Fall")
.jpg "Fences and Fields")
.jpg "A Curious Little Portal")
.jpg "Rustic Textures of the Everson Ranch")
.jpg "Rustic Textures of the Everson Ranch")
.jpg "Old Table at the Everson Ranch")
.jpg "Reservoir at sunset")
.jpg "Reservoir at the Everson Ranch")
.jpg "Reservoir")
.jpg "Reservoir to the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range")
.jpg "Restoring Trees at the Reservoir")
.jpg "Restoring Trees at the Reservoir")
.jpg "Restored Riparian Habitats")
.jpg "Historic Everson Ranch")
.jpg "Irrigation Beyond the Hydroelectric Plant")
.jpg "Irrigation and Riparian Habitat")
.jpg "Hot Springs Creek Keeps Flowing All Year-round")
.jpg "Ice Feathers atop the Reservoir")
The Rio Grande Chub (Gila pandora), a listed species of concern by the Colorado
Threatened Fish Species
On the eastern portion of the Everson Ranch, an award-winning restored riparian section of Hot Springs Creek provides critical habitat to two imperiled species of fish, the Rio Grande chub and the Rio Grande Sucker.
Hot Springs Creek runs down Hot Springs Canyon (in a wet spring) and joins in with the spring water from Valley View Hot Springs. The water is carried from Valley View Hot Springs in a twelve inch diameter pipe 9000 feet to the hydroelectric plant. From there it comes out onto the valley floor. From there, the creek has been turned from a hundred year old irrigation ditch into a natural meandering creek through a partnership with the Colorado Division of Wildlife, US Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Shower before swimming and save our threatened species...
Before soaking in Valley View's beautiful pools, take a moment to consider how clean and natural our spring waters are. Think not only of the other visitor's you share it with, but also the hundreds of animals and plants that rely on the very same water you're about to step into. Be mindful of the sunblock, lotion, and oils on your skin and stop by one of the showers before you end up sharing more than you meant. By the time it reaches the reservoir, it tends to float to the surface where birds, fish, and wildlife drink. Whereas, all shower water is carefully treated through our waste water system. Those who need protection from the sun may do well at the Apple Tree Pools and the middle Top Pond. Hats and sarongs are a great option too.]
Steps are taken to keep the water downstream as clean as when it emerges from the ground. Not only is this respectful to the environment and downstream neighbors, but its important to the Rio Grande Chub living just downstream of the powerhouse. This species, federally listed as threatened, contributes to a healthy ecosystem. Their home, the stream and reservoir, were re-built to near-natural conditions in late 2010. Chemical use is minimized. Research is currently underway regarding the feasibility of a natural wastewater treatment facility. Steps are being taken to reduce the use of sunscreen, which can affect water quality.
delicate bentonite clay
Community Meeting and Dance Hall
Educational Models
Outdoor Learning Spaces
OLT welcomes visitors to see the livestock, fish, birds, historic farm equipment, fields, and reservoir at the Everson Ranch. Always check-in at the OLT Welcome Center before touring the Ranch unattended. Visitors may be invited to help water the new trees around the reservoir or even feed the animals.
Be especially careful to re-close all cattle gates behind you.
Do not enter any structures without a host with you.
No driving past the farm house toward the reservoir requires a high-clearance vehicle. We recommend the leisurely walk instead.
As always, leave no trace.
OLT's historic Everson Ranch, located at the western edge of OLT's holdings, is a 150-year old ranch that is currently being renovated within its historical facades to create an educational and living agricultural facility showcasing sustainable agricultural processes.
OLT's Everson Ranch connects the past to the present; a symbol and example of a historic way of life in the San Luis Valley. It has been a working ranch since it was homesteaded in 1872, passed down from generation to generation. The vast ranch extended for miles and included the hot springs and its year-round water supply.
Everson Ranch was added to the Orient Land Trust in 2004. After being subdivided into residential lots in 2001, OLT took on the Ranch as its first capital campaign. Given its considerable development potential and the fact that the ranch bordered protected and public lands, the 760 acres was now valued at $850,000. Nonetheless by 2010, OLT members had raised the necessary donations to secure the land, reservoir, and several additional parcels. Their generous contributions saved the unspoiled views, wildlife corridor, dark skies, waters, and wetlands. Since that time hundreds more acres have been added, and more are planned. The Ranch is bordered on the north and south by Federal and State lands, parts of which are also stewarded by OLT.
Today, OLT is transforming the Everson Ranch into an Agriculture and Education Center in order to model sustainable agricultural and innovative energy production methods. If the Northern San Luis Valley is to be saved from further development, and thus open space preserved, the historic ranches of the valley need to be saved.
OLT is presently developing a natural resource management plan to guide land stewardship activities on the historic ranch, providing direction for the natural, cultural, agricultural and recreational resources there. Projects include holistic grazing, permaculture principles, riparian corridor and pasture restoration, innovative funding models for agricultural property owners, conservation educational programs for adults and youth, science research and camps, and wildlife habitat enhancement. Educational facilities will soon allow us to share the remarkable experience and bounty these lands offer us.
The northern San Luis Valley is in the throes of a historic drought. Water table levels are 40 feet below where they were ten years ago. While this is largely due to historic level drought, center pivot agriculture driven by subsurface pumping, as well as a governmental program to remove water from the San Luis Creek basin to pay for the Rio Grande Compact water debts, the reality is that this situation is likely to be permanent and future models of successful agriculture need to encompass that reality.
The Everson Ranch management plan includes holistic grazing methods (https://savory.global) and permaculture methods (www.hialtpc.org). We are developing and modeling economic viability models such as work vacations, low-water food production methods (greenhouses, drought resistant plants and animals, etc.), alternative energy production.
For the education, enjoyment, and well-being of current and future generations, Orient Land Trust:
promotes a positive clothing-optional experience at all properties including Valley View Hot Springs, Orient Mine and Everson Ranch;
preserves the viewshed, including land acquisition;
protects natural, wild, agricultural, and historic resources, in the northern San Luis Valley.
