Drought-Resilient Farm

(Paperback)

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Description

This in-depth practical guide teaches farmers, ranchers, and gardeners special techniques for managing rainfall and water most efficiently and reducing the impact of drought and increasingly unpredictable weather conditions on crops and livestock. Minimising the negative effects of drought depends on maximising the way that soil captures water and makes it available to plants and animals. Farmers, ranchers, and gardeners will learn how to get more water into the soil when it rains, keep water in the soil longer, and help plants - including pasture staples - to better extract water from the soil. Those who raise livestock can then delve deeper into ensuring an adequate water supply for their animals and providing emergency forage in a drought. AUTHOR: Dale Strickler is a leader in the soil health movement and an agronomist for Green Cover Seed, the nation's leading cover crop specific seed company. Strickler holds degrees in agronomy from Kansas State University and taught agronomy at Cloud County Community College for 15 years. He worked as an agronomist for Land O'Lakes, Star Seed, and Valent USA prior to working with Green Cover Seed. He successfully farms and ranches cattle in Kansas, where he uses fewer than 4 acre inches of water per year. SELLING POINTS: . Unpredictable weather is the new normal. But that doesn't mean farmers, ranchers, and gardeners have to fall victim to climate change. Careful planning can mitigate the negative effect of lower-than-expected precipitation levels. . Drought affects everyone who eats. In wealthier countries, drought is reflected in higher food prices, while in poorer countries drought means there may be less food or no food at all. Figuring out how to continue raising successful crops during periods of drought, therefore, is imperative for the future of the global food supply. . Practical record-keeping tools help farmers stay prepared. In addition to a detailed drought-management plan and post-drought assessment, a preparedness checklist ensures that growers will know what to do when - not if - the unexpected occurs. Full-colour; photographs and illustrations throughout

Reviews

"Every farmer and rancher knows how valuable water is to their operation, but most don't know how to get more value. This book spells out the tools and knowledge to capture that value more efficiently and store the resource on the farm instead in the Gulf of Mexico." Steve Swaffar, Executive Director, No-till on the Plains

"For a producer to turn a profit, they must have a healthy, fully functioning soil ecosystem. The Drought-Resilient Farm is the blueprint for achieving successful results. I highly recommend this book." Gabe Brown, Rancher, Regenerative Pioneer, Bismarck, ND

"When farmers ask me for direction on cover crops or soil health, I point them to Dale Strickler." Donn Teske, Vice President of the National Farmers Union

Author Bio

Dale Strickler is the author of Managing Pasture and The Drought-Resilient Farm. He is a leader in the soil health movement and an agronomist for Green Cover Seed, the nation's top cover crop-specific seed company. Strickler holds degrees in agronomy from Kansas State University and has taught at the college level for 15 years. He farms and ranches cattle in Kansas.