The West was settled under a boom and bust mentality, and despite best efforts to stabilize water supplies, farmers and ranchers throughout the state must still contend with boom years where water is plentiful and bust years when it is not. Add to this a very complicated system of water rights and water delivery systems, and it is amazing that any sane person would choose to make growing food in a semi-arid desert a lifetime career. However, those who do decide to stick with the task of growing food and raising animals in this extreme climate also learn how to make savvy decisions that allow them and their families to remain on the land for many decades and even for a number of generations.
A Juggling Act
When Bolder County farmers and ranchers describe their vocations, they will often use phrases such as “juggling act” or “figuring out a puzzle” or “it’s complicated.” For Keith Bateman, it is a matter of trying to make decisions that put him in a better position. Bateman, a fifth generation farmer, grows wheat, barley, alfalfa, corn, grass hay and oats on over 2000 acres of Boulder County Open Space properties. When asked how last year’s drought and this year’s storms have impacted his operations, Bateman explained that rather than plant corn, a crop which is receiving exceptionally high prices these days, he choose to plant more wheat and small grains last fall. Along with being less water consumptive, these crops are harvested by mid-July and therefore are not reliant on the availability of late water. The storms this spring have prompted Bateman to consider planting corn for silage that can be harvested in September, but knowing that he would likely not have critical late season water, he is making decisions that keep him in a better position.
Drought conditions last year led to very poor pasture and low hay yields for most livestock producers throughout Colorado. Steve Penner, another Open Space tenant, raises a herd of Black Angus cows which he feeds in Boulder County during the winter and pastures in the Yampa Valley on the West Slope during the summer. In a normal year, Penner sells his calves in February. Last year, however, Penner had to sell his calves early due to high feed prices and very low alfalfa yields, while the rest of his herd was fed more poor quality feed such as corn stalks. In an average water year, Penner sells his hay to buyers in the county, but this past year he had to save most of his hay for his own herd. Over half of the land that Penner leases has very junior water rights, and as such, he planted Sudan grass and oats for forage last year. Spring storms this year have him considering whether to plant corn for silage instead of the more drought tolerant grasses.
Vegetable growers also find themselves in a planning quandary this spring. Unlike row crop producers who may irrigate two to eight times over the course of a growing season depending on the crop, vegetable growers need a steady, sometimes daily, supply of water throughout the season. In a year like this, where the water supply is still questionable, knowing what to plant can be a guessing game. As Jason Condon of Isabelle Farm explains, “you have to plant as if you will have enough water, and then make decisions as the season progresses.” During the drought last year, Condon found they had just enough water for their crops and not a drop more. He often slept in his truck so that he could make sure his fields got the amount of water needed before switching to another area to irrigate. Isabelle Farm diversifies its sales amongst three market segments; Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) members, wholesale markets and restaurants. If there is not enough water to get a full harvest of a certain crop, Condon and his staff must decide which segment of their market will take precedence over the others. Condon said that they are also using more drip tape and row plastics to conserve water, and are planning to plant more of the mainstay crops and less of the “exotic varieties.” In a nutshell, Condon explains with a laugh that they “do all of that and I worry a lot.”
Preparing for Drought
“You plan for the worst and hope for the best.” -Steve Penner
Mark Guttridge of Ollin Farms began implementing drought preparedness techniques into his farming system when he started the farm seven years ago. Focusing primarily on the quality of the soil, Guttridge has greatly increased the amount of humus, organic matter that acts like a sponge, into the soils on his farm. Recent soils tests indicate that humus levels are in the excellent range. To increase water use efficiency, Guttridge has placed drip tape on all of his crops, and is growing more fast growing vegetables such as greens, tomatoes, early season peppers and root crops, and less of the water consumptive crops like winter squash, corn and pumpkins. While Guttridge expects to see an increase in production on his farm this year despite the predicted dry conditions, he did hold off on expanding the amount of acreage under cultivation due to concerns over water availability.
It is hard for a non-farmer to comprehend the many complicated and stressful decisions a producer must make over the course of a growing season, and it can be equally difficult to understand why someone would sign up to do this job year after year when the next drought may be around the next corner. But those producers who do learn how to weather the weather develop a sense of pragmatic optimism that allows them to keep doing this important work. As Steve Penner explained, “You plan for the worst and hope for the best. History tells us that we are going to get moisture at some point.” This spring, that proved to be true.