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‘How Grazing Brought a Ranch Back to Life’ in MN Feb. 1-4

Events to Focus on Utilizing Soil Building Practices to Manage for Drought & High Input Costs

January 5, 2022

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LEWISTON, Minn. — Cattle producer Alejandro Carrillo will tell the story of how he has used regenerative grazing to build soil health and bring his ranch back to life during a series of Land Stewardship Project presentations in Minnesota the first week of February. The events will be held Feb. 1 in Willmar, Minn., Feb. 2 in St. Charles, Minn., Feb. 3, in Mazeppa, Minn., and via Zoom on Feb. 4. Presentations by local farmers, small group discussions and a time for questions will be part of the day’s programming at each event. The cost to attend is $10 per person and children are free. For more information or to RSVP, contact the Land Stewardship Project by Jan. 28 by calling 507-523-3366, e-mailing bsognfrank@landstewardshipproject.org, or visiting https://landstewardshipproject.org/grazing.

Carrillo’s Las Damas Ranch is located in the middle of the Chihuahuan Desert, about 250 miles south of El Paso, Texas. It consists of 30,000 acres, 25,000 of which are grazable. The entire ranch is operated as a dryland operation with no irrigated meadows, and the terrain consists of valleys with rugged canyons, mesas and mountains, all located within the Sierra Madre Range. No hay is produced on the ranch as cattle are expected to graze year-round.

Using regenerative grazing techniques, during the past several years Carrillo has increased the ranch’s water infiltration rate to between 18 and 20 inches per-hour; the neighboring ranch has an infiltration rate of only two inches per-hour.

“A crucial aspect of growing grass in the desert is the increased microbial stimulation resulting from the large grazing ruminants and the fertility they apply through their manure and urine,” said Carrillo. “This fertility helps stimulate the soil biology and, in return, stimulates the growth of new grasses from the latent seed bank.”

The story of how Las Damas used soil healthy systems to create resilient grazing lands has been lauded by soil experts such as Ray Archuleta.

“Years ago, I had no hope for the healing of agriculture and the land. But, now I do,” said Archuleta. “With my own eyes…I have seen desert, once again, becoming a grassland. Alejandro and a group of determined ranchers are beacons of ecological healing and hope.”

These grazing events are being c-sponsored by various local organizations. For a complete list, see landstewardshipproject.org/grazing. The Land Stewardship Project is committed to creating an environment that follows COVID-19 safety best practices and balances in-person interaction and learning. A mask mandate will be in place for these events and event attendees will be required to sign a waiver. LSP in-person events are subject to change based on guidelines set by state departments of health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For details, see https://landstewardshipproject.org/covid-lsp.

-30-

Las Damas Ranch
Category: News Releases
Tags: Alejandro Carrillo • beef • grazing • LSP Soil Builders' Network • soil health • water

Contact

• Shona Snater, LSP, e-mail, 507-523-3366
• Barb Sogn-Frank, e-mail, 507-523-3366

Photo Available

For a photo of Alejandro Carrillo, contact Snater or Sogn-Frank.

Upcoming Events

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September 2025

Wednesday September 17

9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Grazing for Invasive Species Management in Oak Savannas
Wednesday September 17
9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Grazing for Invasive Species Management in Oak Savannas
Myre-Big Island State Park, 19499 780th Ave, Albert Lea, MN 56007, USA

For details on this workshop, click here.

12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Extending the Grazing Season with Cover Crops & Native Grasses
Wednesday September 17
12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Extending the Grazing Season with Cover Crops & Native Grasses
Bluffton Resort & Bar, 2619 W Ravine Rd, Decorah, IA 52101, USA

This Ducks Unlimited workshop will feature a discussion of how livestock producers can utilize cover crops and native grasses to extend the grazing season. Featured speakers include Adam Janke, who will discuss Iowa State University’s research on CRP grazing, and Brian Dougherty of Understanding AG, who will discuss the economics of grazing cover crops. There will also be a presentation on Ducks Unlimited’s Advancing Markets for Producers Partnership. 
 
For details, see this flier. or call Ducks Unlimited’s Liam Bonk at 612-483-3577. To register, click here.

Thursday September 18

5:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Minnesota Women in Conservation: Conservation Land Walk in Dawson
Thursday September 18
5:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Minnesota Women in Conservation: Conservation Land Walk in Dawson
Dawson, MN

During this Minnesota Women in Conservation event, participants will walk around a “homestead” farm site — exploring areas and goals the landowner hopes to improve in the future, including pollinator habitat, perennial plantings, wind breaks, privacy/noise screens, water quality improvements, well sealing, and compost placements. Participants will hear feedback and recommendations from a conservation professional on potential programs that could assist the landowner in achieving those goals. 
 
This is a FREE event, but you must RSVP here to get the address. For more information and to RSVP, click here.

Saturday September 20

All Day
Farm Aid
Saturday September 20
Farm Aid
Huntington Bank Stadium, 420 23rd Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA

 Farm Aid is heading to Minnesota for the first time for its 40th anniversary festival on Saturday, Sept. 20, at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The event will launch a year-long celebration of four decades of impactful advocacy, historic cultural moments and unforgettable music.

Farm Aid 40 — a full day of music, family farmers, HOMEGROWN food and agricultural experiences — will feature performances by Farm Aid board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young (and the Chrome Hearts), John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews (with Tim Reynolds), and Margo Price, as well as Billy Strings, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Trampled by Turtles, Waxahatchee, Eric Burton of Black Pumas, Jesse Welles, Madeline Edwards and more artists to be announced.

For details, click here.

Monday September 22

9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Twin Cities Urban Farm Bus Tour
Monday September 22
9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Twin Cities Urban Farm Bus Tour
Leatherdale Equine Center, 1801 Dudley Ave, St Paul, MN 55108, USA

Join University of Minnesota Extension, Hennepin County, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service on Monday, Sept. 22, for a bus tour of urban farms. We’ll discuss the challenges of city growing, including compaction, contamination, soil health, water management, and more. And we’ll learn about how growers are using soil health practices to mitigate these challenges. Stops will include: 

  • The St. Thomas research gardens, where researchers have been studying different methods for maintaining fertility in urban garden beds for 8+ years, and learning about how these different approaches impact soil health and water quality
  • Our Roots Community Garden, where gardeners have implemented a variety of soil health practices to remediate a brownfield contaminated site into a lush garden with healthy soil and plants. Gardeners here are also working to establish a micro forest at the site
  • Urban Roots farm at Rivoli Bluff. The team at Urban Roots has worked for years to establish a thriving farm at a former street sweeping site. They’ve tried many different practices to address compaction, replace invasive species with native plants to mitigate erosion, and to grow vegetables for their community. 

This is the first tour in a three part soil health bus tour series. Participants can sign up for just one, two, or all three tours. Register at https://z.umn.edu/vegetablebustours. The cost is $15 (flat fee, covers 1, 2, or 3 tours). There are more details in the attached flyer.

View Full Calendar

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