Did you know that wild pigs are found on 6 of the 7 continents? Over the past four decades, wild pigs have expanded into 35 states in the United States, with an estimated population of 6.9 million. They are highly adaptable with high reproductive rates.
What Is In My Soil?!
Did you know that your soil is a living, breathing ecosystem and is easily one of the most complex ecosystems on earth?! There are billions (perhaps trillions) of organisms in a small handful of healthy soil, with millions of different species.
Central Texas Fuels Reduction Grant
The Central Texas Fuels Reduction Grant has officially opened! This an opportunity for Central Texas Landowners to apply for the SFAM Mechanical Fuels Reduction Grant to help reduce risks posed to their property by wildfire.
Springtime is Here!
Depending on where you are in the United States, you might have noticed the warmer temperatures this year. The first day of Spring was March 20, 2023. But, according to Harry Stevens from The Washington Post, nature does not know what month of the calendar we are in but instead responds to the gradual accumulation of heat at the beginning of each year. When the daily average temperatures rise above freezing, this sends a signal to the plants and animals that life is again preparing to grow. On average this year, phenology stages of bud break were the earliest it has been in 40 years!
Women in Ranching – Texas CattleWomen – April 15, 2023
Written by Casey Matzke
Texas CattleWomen is a State Organization made of 21 chapters across the state of Texas. Our mission is the promotion of Beef in a healthy diet. Our local chapters are the boots on the ground of this organization. From Ag in the Classroom, to the promotion of Beef, to scholarships, to hands-on demonstrations and Ranch Tour, our CattleWomen do it all.
Our local chapters are spread out through different counties in the State. For more information on CattleWomen and what local chapter you may belong to, be sure to check out our website. It is our goal to have every county in Texas covered in the future. If your county currently does not have a local chapter, we are always looking to start new local chapters. We have two new chapters currently being started in the Bastrop County and Scurry County areas.
Our annual Women In Ranching event is coming up on April 15th. This program was started several years ago and participants across the State have really enjoyed it. We wanted a place where women could come for hands-on learning and not be afraid to ask questions. This year our event is taking place in Stephenville, Texas at Tarleton State University.
The morning will kick off with Cattle Handling Demonstrations with Dr. Ron Gill and a BQA certification. Already BQA certified? No worries, this certification needs to be renewed every three years and this would be a great time to refresh that certificate.
We will break for lunch and then start the afternoon session. This will be three sessions of hands-on activity. We will have chute-side manners and a fencing demonstration. The third session will be from our very own Dr. Morgan Treadwell with Plant and Forage Identification.
In the evening, a Grilling 101 demonstration will be given, where all participants will get to grill their own steaks! We will wrap up the event with our producer panel. Not only is this event very informational but you will meet fellow women who are passionate about the industry. Interested in this event, be sure to register here.
For any additional questions about CattleWomen, be sure to reach out to Casey Matzke at caslmatzke@gmail.com or 713-578-0863.
Exploring Texas 4-H Range Judging
Did you know that Texas 4-H has a Range Judging component? The AgriLife Extension Explore Handbook has everything you need to know and more on how to get involved in Texas 4-H Range Judging.
2023 TSSRM Youth Range Workshop
Click here to view the official flyer or apply to attend!
Youth Range Workshop is an annual youth camp held in June to prepare students to be knowledgeable leaders in their communities regarding the value of rangelands, the services and products they provide, and the importance of stewardship of our natural resources. Our emphasis is on stewardship, leadership, and management of natural resources. These lessons will serve participants well in the future regardless of what career path they choose or where they live. The students spend six days of intense activity in the field and classroom immersed in activities, including:
- plant identification and plant collection
- studying species composition and plant community dynamics
- conducting forage inventories
- learning the grazing and browsing habits of livestock and wildlife
- learning habitat management principles and techniques for various species of wildlife
- conducting field tests to determine the benefits of vegetation on infiltration and runoff rates as well as soil erosion
- learning about soil health
- assisting with a prescribed burn on a local ranch
- and how all of these things are tied together
Hands-on learning is the focus, whether collecting, assisting with an actual prescribed burn, clipping and weighing vegetation, measuring soil temperature, participating in the operation of a rainfall simulator or learning to use the latest phone app for range management.
For more information and to apply to attend, go to www.tssrm-youthrangeworkshop.com or click here!
Prescribed Burn School April 19 – 21, 2023 – San Angelo, Texas
Prescribed Burn School April 19 – 21, 2023 – San Angelo, Texas
Dr. Morgan Treadwell is back with her first Prescribed Burn School for 2023 in San Angelo, Texas on April 19 – 21! If you are curious about prescribed fire or would like to get more hands-on experience, this 3-day school is for you! View the agenda here.
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Wood Plant Encroachment in Grasslands: Teaching by RAP’ping
Are you headed to Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Conference this weekend? If so, be sure to stop by and see our very own Erika Sullivan during the Graduate Poster Presentation.
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The Society for Range Management Recognizes Texas Stewards
Congratulations are in order for Dr. John Walker for receiving the Sustained Lifetime Achievement Award. He has been recognized for more than four decades of substantial contributions to Rangeland Science and Management.
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