Good Monday morning to all you critter and land loving folks. This is the week to let you know I open and close the blog with the same phrases each week purely as an easy out. It helps me to get rolling and wraps me up without any stress, but I do truly wish blessings to all of you. It is in that intro though that I always get a chuckle. The good ol’ auto correct on the computer is sure I should hyphenate “land loving.” It is at this point every week I picture us all as a bunch of pirates. Land pirates, that is, maybe the computer knows what’s up.

Thinking ahead a bit to spring and being said land pirate, I am excited to do some land transect work. Simply taking some pictures here at home, and a few where Conry Cows graze. Keeping a visual record from year to year to track progress hopefully. A snapshot of what was gained by grazing, and as with any tool learning what can be done better the next go around. A simple way to track new species of grass and your coverage (or litter) on the ground. Improving overall soil health as the end goal.

This was a new tool presented to us at the High Plains Ranch Practicum, and below is an example of how to use this tool. You can throw your sign in there too, with your location, and date to help with your filing process. Location can be kept consistent with GPS, a landmark in the background or tools like GrassSnap an app developed by the University of Nebraska that works with GPS. These are exciting tools, and makes this girl ready for green up. I will have to start scouting out my transect points. Until next week fellow land-lovers! Blessing to you, yours, and your operation.

ARRGH!

A transect in the wild.