Articles - Pitchstone Waters (Page 49)

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All our thoughts, opinions and discussions.

Circle Ranch - Giant Sacaton

If Monsanto Loses Its Name, What Will Opponents Oppose?

The Wall Street Journal remains in the hip pocket of the agrochemical giants. In the story below, the supposedly conservative news organization makes fun of those who worry about the poisons being poured on our farmland, because thanks to genetic modification, many of our crops are immune to the poisons

turkey_circle_ranch_texas

Curbs Are Sought for Livestock Antibiotics

More on the damage being done to public health by the confinement livestock industry. NOTE: This post initially appeared on WSJ.com on October 4, 2016 U.S. food regulators need to take further steps to curb antibiotics use in livestock to maintain the drugs’ ability to defend human health,

Mule Deer Hunting in the Sierra Diablos

Mule Deer Hunting in the Sierra Diablos

alberta_peter_bucyk

"Invasion Biology"

Building Soil Fertility by Peter Byck

Physiologically there is no difference between public land and private land. What hurts or benefits one has the same effect on the other. Wildlife managers, whether we work on public or private land, must adopt restoration ecology if we hope to reverse the desertification of American Southwest’s grasslands. This

bayer_cattlemen_pdf

"Invasion Biology"

A Poison for Every Plant

Texas and Southwest Cattle Raisers Association is an outstanding organization. Annually, TSCRA circulates to its members a calendar like this one, compliments of Bayer-Monsanto Chemical. The fact that this leading, respected cattle organization is promoting the ubiquitous use of rangeland pesticides demonstrates the extent to which ranchers, farmers and wildlife

circle_ranch_high_country_sunrise

Circle Ranch High Country

Pronghorn, Desert Bighorn Sheep and Golden Eagles in the high-desert mountains of far-West Texas. Circle Ranch High Country from Christopher Gill on Vimeo. This video was shot, edited and scored by Jared and Tawny Zachary. They maintain our game cameras and guide. Jerad’s day job finds him in the

Large_Black_pigs

Raising Better Pork, Humanely

It is completely feasible to produce superior pork in a way that is profitable, clean and kind.

circle_ranch_screwworm

Screwworm Returns To The United States

The screwworm eradication program—a triumph of animal health science—came with unintended consequences. When the flesh-eating pest was eradicated and big predators were removed, deer numbers exploded. Now more than ever we need to protect deer predators for the health of the deer herds and their habitat, which cattle

Circle Ranch Game Cameras - Mid Fall 2016

Circle Ranch Game Cameras - Mid Fall 2016

Do most of the species pictured below—and all of the predators—“compete” with each other and harm bighorn, mule deer, pronghorn and ecosystem health as the wildlife agencies say? Or do they complement each other? Is biodiversity good or bad for our deserts? Recent studies of the Serengeti shed

circle_ranch_bayer_monsanto

Doubts About the Promised Bounty of Genetically Modified Crops

The New York Times says it has has “discovered” that the poisons routinely used to produce GMO crops are a danger to human health and soil fertility. The extent to which the mainstream press has averted its eyes from the obvious facts is a direct reflection of the degree to

The_Golden_Arches_fresh_beef

McDonald’s Expands Fresh Beef Test

Consumer demand for fresh, wholesome meat, vegetables and grains is causing a return to sustainable ranching and agriculture. The move away from antibiotics, hormones and factory meat production forces practices that restore farmland and rangelands. It is coincidental, as well as an enormous bonus, that these are more profitable and

circle_ranch_west_texas_cattle_feature

"Invasion Biology"

Public Wildlife on Private Land

The unification of wildlife management and private land management is essential for the wellbeing of both.

Pigs and Soil

When raised under traditional methods, pigs are good – not bad – for land.

spring_ranch_guadalupe_delta

"Invasion Biology"

Book Review: ‘Fishing: How the Sea Fed Civilization’

There are many parallels between the mistreatment of fisheries and mistreatment of wildlife. NOTE: this post initially appeared on WSJ.com on September 22, 2017 Cooperation among fishermen fostered complex communities while boat building seeded exploration. Richard Adams Carey reviews ‘Fishing: How the Sea Fed Civilization’ by Brian Fagan. Many

insects_west_texas

Insect Armageddon: "The Fate of the World’s Insects Is Inseparable from Our Own"

Unless we adopt rangeland and agricultural practices that respect biodiversity and reduce or eliminate the use of pesticides and herbicides, we face catastrophic insect “declines (which) will cascade onto ecosystem functioning and human well-being.” NOTE: This article was initially published to NYTimes.com on October 29, 2017 There is alarming

texas_state_photographer

Happy New Year from Texas State Photographer Wyman Meinzer

Last year’s greeting from Texas State Photographer Wyman Meinzer Warmest Wishes in 2016 from Wyman Meinzer on Vimeo.

Merry Christmas from Circle Ranch

circle-ranch-about

Merry Christmas from Circle Ranch

“God bless us, every one!” Out Here in The Middle from Christopher Gill on Vimeo.

"Invasion Biology"

Bears And Big Bend

Desert ranges cannot be healthy without a full compliment of predators, prey, and big grazers (bison or cattle). Black Bears are necessary for the health of all animals and habitat. As with wolves at Yellowstone, bear will speed restorative ecology in the parks of far-West Texas. Note: This piece originally

circle_ranch_feral_pigs

"Invasion Biology"

Feral Pig Toxicants in Texas

Free-range pigs, according to our wildlife and food quality experts, are unfit to eat because they carry diseases. But do they? Over the last 30 years, the two largest processors of wild pigs in Texas have slaughtered and tested tens of thousands of animals. They have never found a diseased

circle_ranch_game_camera_september

Circle Ranch Game Cameras - Late Summer 2016

You are looking at the cheapest, fastest and most sustainable way to restore degraded desert grasslands: animal biodiversity. Why is this so? Because to be healthy, desert ranges need three things: (1) large, concentrated migratory bison herds or cattle grazed in a manner that mimics bison’s migratory patterns; (2)

bison_killing_skulls

The Non-Tragedy of the Bison Commons

Here’s an interesting economic analysis on the eradication of bison in the late 1800s. The authors say that bison’s near-extermination was a rational economic process which did not constitute a “tragedy of the commons.” The tragedy of the commons is an economic theory of a situation within a

the_new_west_texas

The New West

To be healthy, desert ranges need three things: (1) large, concentrated migratory bison herds or cattle grazed to mimic bison’s migratory patterns; (2) a lot of predators of all sizes; and, (3) a high, diverse population of prey species. Remove any of these and the system collapses. The mutual

National Bison Day 2016

"Invasion Biology"

National Bison Day 2016

To be healthy, desert ranges need three things: (1) Large, concentrated migratory bison herds, or cattle grazed in a manner that mimics bison’s migratory patterns; (2) a lot of predators of all sizes; and, (3) a high, diverse population of prey species. Remove any of these and the system

Prosthetic Found in Beaver Dam

"Invasion Biology"

Prosthetic Found in Beaver Dam

Following on the earlier post (12/6/16) about how to best control cane on the Rio Grande, here is a piece that shows beavers will use almost anything to build dams. This includes cane and saltcedar. Recently I toured a beautiful ranch on the Purgatoire River in southeastern Colorado,

Plan to Spray Herbicides along the Rio Grande Alarming, Risky

"Invasion Biology"

Plan to Spray Herbicides along the Rio Grande Alarming, Risky

Down river from Big Bend, here is what they think of the plan to spray cane: Following the December 6, 2016 post on this topic, I came across this article from March 2016 dealing with the reaction of communities on the lower Rio Grande to the proposed use of glyphosate,