Knowing where your food comes from not only ensures a quality product for you, it can also go a long way in helping out environmentally. Our watersheds could see some of the greatest benefits of sustainable grass finished beef production.


Our watersheds are dependent upon multiple factors for their health. The most obvious is precipitation. This precipitation must subsequently find its way into our watershed. This either occurs via runoff, which I had thought was the most important factor for our watersheds, and infiltration.


Infiltration is the movement of water into the soil. A portion of this water becomes interflow and base flow in streams. Infiltration occurs much more readilly into a sponge than a rock. The more spongy the surface the water infitrates into the longer it takes the water discharge into our streams and river. A pastoral based agriculture system builds our topsoils and its ability to hold water.


If properly managed, grazing cattle will be extreemly beneficial to our soil structure. That's because they return 80 to 90 percent of what they eat to the soil in the form of readily available nutrients, and the nutrient and microbial activity help sequester carbon and nitrogen. This sequestered carbon, acts as a sponge absorbing the water and releasing it slowly.


This is in stark contrast to what occurs in modern agriculture. Conventional agriculture remove high levels of carbon and return little to the soil. In addition, tillage increases the rate of microbes consuming this material. The carbon within the soil as well as the lack of covering on the soil cause the soil to not hold as much water and then accelerate evapotranspiration loses. After a spring snowfall on the front range I was able to capture the stark difference in water retention ability of a grass pasture versus a corn field (left). When the water soaks in it not only provides for the plants, but also percolates through the soil structure, into our rivers and aquifers.


Evapotranspiration is the combination of evaporation from soils, and transpiration from vegetation. Actual evapotranspiration varies with soil properties, soil moisture and vegetation. It is a well know fact that the addition of a mulch helps to retain moisture, and a healthy grassland will act as a mulch, preventing evaporation during the dormant and early growing stages.


This infiltration of water into the soil slowly travels its way back into our watersheds. By the incorporation of holistic management major improvements have been made in the landscapes of local areas. Some in Africa have seen some of the most dramatic results (right), when compared to their neighbors(below).



By utilizing techniques which work in harmony with nature, we will achieve results which will reduce both the impacts of droughts and flooding. Unfortunately a managed grazing system, requires much more thought and may result in product inconsistencies versus the current agricultural paradigm. Returning to a pastoral based agricultural system will help to increase the drought tolerance of our farmers, and increase the infiltration of water into our watersheds. both filtering our water, and allowing a slower release into our watersheds.


This philospohy needs to be carried forward to our cities and find a way to reduce the amount of paved surfaces we have exposed to our precious rainfall. By incorporating green roofs on new buildings, we can reduce the "storm surge" after a rain, reducing the need for costly storm drainage systems. At the same time, increasing the energy efficency of the building and the roofs lifespan. Incorporating a holistic approach to planning, we will begin by to addressing the root problem and not its symptom.


While this is ideological to hope for these changes, you and your families decision on the food you buy can be a small step in helping the environment. By requesting grass finished beef you can help to improve the water cycle, reduce the effects of droughts, and help to sequester more carbon. By making small changes within your life, you can help to make the world a better place for our children.