Harrowsmith – June 2019

38 | harrowsmithmag.com

ENVIRONMENT: WATER WAYS

havetonsofgravelinhigh-traffic
areastopreventmudandhugeruts
fromformingintheground.We
areoftenheardmuttering,aswe
spendmoremoneyonaggregates,
thatwehaveputmoregraveldown
onourfarmthana shoppingmall
parkinglot!
Heavilypregnantsheephavea
propensityforrollingintorutsand
gettingstuck—wecallit“gettingcast.”
Nothingismorefrustrating(and
humiliating)forsheepandshepherd
thanfindinganeweweakenedby
beingstuckonitsback,feetinthe
air,gaspingforair,allbecauseofruts
formedbybadwaterdrainage.
Itwastheserutsthatcaused
yetanotherDrover’sWaywater
dramalastspring.Oneofmysons,
withhonestandgoodintentions,

decidedtorolloutsomerutswith

a tractorandrollerinthelambing

field.Pullingthispieceofheavy

equipment,hedrovethrougha

swalethathisdutifulparentshad

createda numberofyearsago,long

beforehewasoldenoughtobe

awareofsuchthings.

Hehadnoideaitwasa swale,and

inmomentshehadsunkournewly

purchasedandprecioustractor

infourfeetofmudandwater!To

makemattersworse,withthe

enthusiasticenergyofyouth,he

workedhardtorunthetractorout

ofthemuck,onlytorunitdeeper

intotheground.Hewasinsodeep,

hecouldhardlygetthedoorofthe

tractoropentogetout.Acertain

familymemberbrightlyquipped,

“Atleastweknowthatwehave

gooddepthofsoilonsomeparts

ofthisfarm.”I glaredathimwith

thatglarethatonlyanexasperated

farmercanmuster,andshotback,

“Youmustbedesperatelylookingfor

thatelusivesilverlining,mydear!”

Aftergettinga largebackhoe

fromthelocalquarrytopullthe

tractorout,thousandsofdollarsof

tractorrepairsofdrownedparts

later,thelessonwaswelllearned.

Certainfamilymemberswere

remindedofthevalueandstrength

ofrespectingwatermanagement.

Nothinglikedrowninga tractor

ina pondofwatertoruinyourday...

andpocketbook.

Asthesummermonthsturninto

pasturingandcroppingseason,

waterconservationbecomesa

criticalpieceonthisfarm.Itis

W hat a difference pasture management makes. On the left, a field is overgrazed midsummer, during drought conditions, when sheep aren’t moved
regularly. The photo on the right shows the exact same field when it was better managed.

SARAH LOTEN