The Drought-Resilient Farm: Improve Your Soil's Ability to Hold and Supply Moisture for Plants; Maintain Feed and Drinking Water for Livestock when Rainfall Is Limited; Redesign Agricultural Systems to Fit Semi-arid Climates

by Dale Strickler

Overview

Rainfall levels are rarely optimal, but there are hundreds of things you can do to efficiently conserve and use the water you do have and to reduce the impact of drought on your soil, crops, livestock, and farm or ranch ecosystem. Author Dale Strickler introduces you to the same innovative systems he used to transform his own drought-stricken family farm in Kansas into a thriving, water-wise, and profitable enterprise, maximizing healthy cropland, pasture, and water supply. Ranging from simple, short-term projects such as installing rain-collection ollas to long-term land-management planning strategies, Strickler’s methods show how to get more water into the soil, keep it in the soil, and help plants and livestock access it.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781635860023
Publisher:	Storey Books
Publication date:	06/12/2018
Pages:	200
Sales rank:	540,696
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

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 leading cover crop-specific seed company. Strickler holds degrees in agronomy from Kansas State University and taught 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.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction: The Ugly History of Drought and the Potential for Drought Resilience
Part I: Creating a Moisture-Efficient Soil
Chapter 2: Getting More Water into the Soil
Chapter 3: Keeping Water in the Soil Longer
Chapter 4: Helping Plants Get More Water Out of the Soil
Part II: Providing for Livestock
Chapter 5: Ensuring Livestock Water Supply
Chapter 6: Creating Drought-Tolerant Pastures
Chapter 7: Providing Emergency Forage in a Drought
Chapter 8: Livestock Decisions during and after a Drought
Part III: Looking to the Future
Chapter 9: Moisture-Efficient Agriculture for Semi-arid Regions
Chapter 10: Conclusion: A Checklist of Actions to Take before and during the Next Drought
Acknowledgments
References and Further Reading
Resources
Recommended Reading and Films
Metric Conversion Chart
Glossary
Index

Editorial 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
 

From the Publisher

05/15/2018
Agronomist and farmer Strickler distills a wide range of agronomy literature and his own experience into a compelling set of principles and techniques to stay ahead of drought and use water more thoughtfully even in times of plenty. Aimed in particular at the semiarid region of his native Kansas, his book emphasizes improvement of soil, maintenance of livestock with proactive management and planning, and redesign of agriculture through flexible and creative approaches to cover crops and livestock plus more efficient irrigation. Using a mix of conventional and sustainable farming practices that are realistic if sometimes unusual, this volume is highly technical in nature, but amusing anecdotes and dry humor help make the charts and tables easier to follow. Even home gardeners without livestock will find this material provides helpful background for understanding their own soil improvement strategy. VERDICT This valuable and entertaining summary offers some creative approaches to water use.—Margaret Heller, Loyola Univ. Chicago Libs.

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