Our latest Rancher-to-Rancher gathering focused on the theme “Grazing Through the Dormant Season.” We toured the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo’s Santa Rita Ranch property to learn how they use cattle grazing as a tool for conserving and improving wildlife habitat. On our pasture walk we discussed balancing the needs of forage production with conservation goals, and did a hands-on demonstration of several methods of estimating a pasture’s carrying capacity. We finished up with group discussions, as local ranchers shared their unique challenges and strategies for maintaining healthy cows and healthy landscapes as we head into the dry season.

In partnership with the Community Environmental Council we hosted a workshop for fresh produce growers, focused on co-managing farmland for both food safety and environmental sustainability goals. This workshop brought together RCD and nonprofit staff, professors from Allan Hancock College, inspectors from the CDFA Produce Safety Program, industry sustainability experts, and a wide range of farmers. We discussed strategies for co-managing for these two priorities, collected feedback from growers, and published a roadmap for developing resources and guidelines to improve the sustainability of Central Coast agriculture.

Continuing our series of Rancher-to-Rancher gatherings, this event brought together ranchers from throughout Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties (with a few guests joining from much farther away). The theme of the day was “Healthy Land, Healthy Livestock,” and we got to see how utilizing a holistic planned grazing approach has regenerated the ecosystem at the ranch - including providing opportunities for a new generation of oak trees to grow and thrive! 

The RCDs in the Central Coast Soil Hub, in partnership with the Soil Carbon Coalition, hosted a “Rancher-to-Rancher” gathering at Carrizo Ranch. The gathering brought together ranchers, land managers, and technical assistance providers from San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties (with a few guests joining us from Oklahoma and Texas) to share successes and challenges in their efforts to run sustainable, profitable cattle operations. Participants engaged in soil health demonstrations and toured the ranch to see firsthand how a holistic approach to rotational grazing can improve soil health and water holding capacity, leading to enhanced forage production and happy, healthy cattle.

The Hub and the Carbon Cycle Institute hosted a field day at Cal Poly to discuss the Carbon Farm Plan that was developed for the university. Participants had the opportunity to tour several of the university’s innovative agricultural operations to see how they have incorporated the principles of Carbon Farming. The Sheep Unit implements rotational grazing and silvopasture (planting trees on rangeland) to improve the health of both the soil and the animals. The Organic Farm operates with reduced pesticide and synthetic fertilizer inputs, utilizes cover crops, and applies compost. The compost is generated on university grounds at the Compost Facility, ensuring that nutrients and organic matter generated through the university’s other agricultural activities can be recycled and reused. Together these Carbon Farming practices help Cal Poly’s agricultural operations be resilient, sustainable, and contribute to sequestering atmospheric carbon and putting it to work on the farm.

The Central Coast Soil Hub partnered with the Sacramento Valley Soil Hub to present “What is Carbon Farming” at the California Small Farms Conference. This presentation focused on simplifying the science behind Carbon Farming, connecting it to real-world benefits for farms and farmers. The presentation highlights how interested farmers can work with a Resource Conservation District to write and develop a Carbon Farm Plan, and walks through a case study with a rancher who is already implementing the conservation practices recommended in his Carbon Farm Plan.
 

Our first Rancher-to-Rancher event on the Central Coast brought together 50 ranchers, graziers, land managers, and technical service providers to learn from one another and discuss the role of livestock grazing to improve ecosystem health. Participants engaged in soil health demonstrations and field tests, worked through real-world problems in breakout groups, and shared tools and resources with one another. Thank you to the Soil Carbon Coalition for facilitating the event and the Cal Poly Beef Center for hosting us!