Laserfiche WebLink
a Pastureland: Land usually dominated by grasses that is primarily grazed by livestock is <br />considered pastureland. Occasional mechanical harvest may occur at times during the growing <br />season to utilize excess growth. Fields are sustained in permanent grass, or grus/legume mix <br />indefinitely. The level of management is less 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 hayland are usually established on the <br />better soils; those soils that are deep (at a minimum, three to four feet to bedrock), well drained, <br />reasonably level and on moderate slopes, and containing few rocks. In the San Miguel Soil <br />Survey area, the United States Department of Agriculture has identified soils 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 may be found in the vicinity of the New Horizon <br />Mine #2: <br />Mav S mbol Soil Name <br />1 <br />Abra loam, 1 to 3 percent slo <br />2 <br />Abra loam, 3 to 6 percent slo <br />14 <br />Barx fine sandy loam, 1 to 3 percent slo <br />15 <br />Barx fine sand loam, 3 to 6 cent slo es <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 crop 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, rock <br />picking, weed control, 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 years, after which production usually declines due <br />to the natural increase of grass and weed competition. It is a conmwn husbandry practice for <br />producers to then plow under the alfalfa and plant small grains (and possibly corn) for a year or <br />two before replanting alfalfa (Alfalfa produces an autotoxicity that prevents interseeding 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 />W .' <br />l J <br />needs to be made between true <br />"Cropland/Hayland" and "Pastur Yes, itis c�nwottfiitfSeNu area many fields <br />dormna e ' 9 ass tom early summer, followed by livestock grazing of regrowth <br />laterin the year, so time lines sic - blur. But those fields that are actively managed for hay <br />atn}/or crop production need to be recognized their unique value as "Cropland,' and <br />presery , or reclaimed; as such. - — <br />Page 7: <br />A recommended time to seed 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 />