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Padar+ebmd: Land usually dominated by grasses that is prmsarily grazod by livestock is <br />eanida'cd pastmdand. Occasional mechanical banvest may occur at times during the growing <br />aeasoa to utilize C== growth. Fields are sustained in permanent grace, or gr udlegume mix <br />indefinitely. The level of management is leas than hayland, and pasturelands are rarely disturbed <br />with tillage due to poor soil conditions such as shallowness, excessive numbers of rocks, <br />steepness, high water tables, etc. <br />The important thing to remember is that cropland and haytand are usually establishod on the <br />better soils, those soils that are deep (at a minimum, three to four feet to bcdrock� well drained, <br />reasonably level and on moderate slopes, and containing few rucks. In the San Miguel Soil <br />Survey area, the United States Department of Agricult re has identified sods that meet certain <br />criteria as "Prime Farmland." The following soil map units from the San Miguel Soil Survey are <br />considered Prime Farmland (if irrigated) and nay be found in the vicinity ofthe Now Horizon <br />Mine #2: <br />Man Svmbal .q'nrl NAMA. <br />1 <br />Abm loam 1 to 3 ==M s lopes <br />2 <br />Abra loam, 3 to 6 percent s lopes <br />14 <br />Bwx fine sandy loam, l to 3 percent s lopes <br />15 <br />Barn fine 3 to 6 RggSw s lopeg <br />Some producers in the area grow straight alfalfa hay as a cash crop or to feed to their livestock in <br />the winter. The advantage of straight alfalfa hay is that it is very high protein forage for <br />livestock. This is an intensively managed troop and is usually grown on one the above mentioned <br />"Prime Farmland" soils. <br />Prior to planting alfalfa the soil is well prepared. This will involve tillage, land leveling, ruck <br />picking, weed oontrol, fertilizing, etc. In the spring the alfalfa crop is planted, normally with a <br />companion crop of oats, and - irrigated well. In the Nucla area, with good management, alfalfa <br />will persist and produce well for seven to ten year's, after which production usually declines due <br />to the natural increase of grass and wad competition. B is a common husbandry practice for <br />producers to then pkow cruder the alfalfa and plant small grains (and possibly corn) for a year or <br />two before replanting alfalfa. (Alfalfa produces an autotomcky that pctvesrts intatseeding alfalfa <br />into alfalfa, or following an alfalfa crop immediately with another alfalfa crop, which is why <br />small grains are included in the crop rotation). <br />The bottom line here is that a clear distinction needs to be made between true <br />"C roplandityland" and "Pasta relard." Yes, it is common in the Nucla area for many fields <br />dominated by grass to be hayed in early summer, followed by livestock grazing of regrowth <br />later in the year, so the Imes seem to blur. But those fields that are actively managed for hay <br />and/or crop production need to be recognized for their unique value as "Cropland," and <br />preserved, or rredairned, as such. <br />Page 7: <br />A recommended time to aced both dryland and irrigated land in our area is July 15 — Sept 15, <br />due to the benefit of the monsoonal rains that commonly occur. <br />Attachment 2.05.4(2)(e) -11 -7 <br />