2010-02-18_REVISION - C1981008 (3)

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Pastureland: Land usually dominated by grasses that is primarily grazed by livestk is • considered pastureland. Occasional mechanical harvest may occur at times during the growing Season to utilize excess growth. Fields are sustained in permanent grass, or grass/legume mix indefinitely. The level of management is less than hayland, and pasturelands are rarely disturbed with tillage due to poor soil conditions such as shallowness, excessive numbers of rocks, steepness, high water tables, etc. The important thing to remember is that cropland and hayland are usually established on the better soils; those soils that are deep (at a minimum, three to four feet to bedrock), well drained, reasonably level and on moderate slopes, and containing few rocks::: In the San: Miguel Soil Survey area, the United States Department of Agriculture has identified soils that ==meet certain., criteria as "Prime Farmland"' The following soil map units from the San: Miguel: Soil Survey are considered Prime Farmland (if irrigated) and may be found in the vicinity of the New Horizon Mine #2: Map Svmbol Cnil Noma 1 Abra loam, 1 to 3 _ percent slopes 2 - Abra loam, 3 to 6 percent slopes 14 ` Barx fine'sand loam, 4 to 3 percent slopes 15 Barx fine sand loam, 3 to 6 percent slopes • Some producers in the area grow straight alfalfa hay as a cash crop or to feed to their livestock in the winter. The advantage of straight alfalfa hay is= that it is very high protein forage for - livestock. This "is e i intensively managedtrop and is usually grown on one-the above mentioned "Prime Farmland soils. Prior to planting alfalfa the soil is well prepared. This will involve tillage, land. leveling, rock picking, weed control, fertilizing, etc. In the spring the alfalfa crop is planted, normally with a companion crop of oats, and -irrigated well:: In the Nucla area, with good management, alfalfa will persist and produce well for seven to ten years, after whi& roduction usually declines due to the natural increase of'grass and weed. competition.. It is -a common husbandry practice for producers to then plow under the alfalfa and plant small grains (and possibly corn) for a year or two before replanting alfalfa. (Alfalfa produces' an autotoxicity that prevents interseeding alfalfa into alfalfa, or following an alfalfa crop immediately with another alfalfa crop, which is why small grains are included in the crop rotation). The bottom line here is that a clear distinction needs to hP 'mxc3e l?etwPen true . Cro land/Ha land" and "Pastureland:". Yes, it is_ common in the Nucla area-for many fields donnnate y grass to be hayed in early summer, followed livestock by grazing of regrowth later in the year,-so the lines :seem to blur. But those fields that are actively managed for hay and/or .crap production need to be recognized for their unique value as "Cropland," and preserved, orreclaimed, as such. Page 7; A recommended time to seed both dryland and irrigated land in our area is July 15 ?- Sept. 15, due to the benefit of the monsoonal rains that commonly occur.