White Thunder Organics recives grazeing award

WEDNESDAY, October 3rd, 2007

Written by: Lealand Schoon

White Thunder Organics, owned and operated by Dominic Harmon and Trista Olsen of rural northeast, Mellette County, was awarded the Area III, South Dakota Section of Society for Range Management, Excellence in Range Management Award. The Mellette Country Conservation District sponsored their nomination in late Jul, 2007.

Their ranch management strategies, which have enabled them to survive the ongoing drought, while increasing grass production, has been credited to their intensive rotational grazing system. Conservation practices implemented since year 2004 have been drilling an artesian well, which has piped water throughout the ranch, providing water to stock water tanks in nine pasture paddocks.  Twenty-eight acres of a native grass planting was completed with an additional eighty acres planned in the future.

The cropland has been established to productive alfalfa which is rebuilding organic matter and soil quality. Manure is composted within the corrals from the two month time period that their organic beef calves are weaned, prior to being direct marketed off the ranch. Wildlife, pest control and diversified ranch animal enterprises are part of their holistic approach.

However, it is the implementation of excellent grazing management practices, which has allowed them to maintain stocking rates, increase native rangeland production and restore native warm season grasses to what was once bare over utilized areas.

White Thunder Organics will be hosting a tour of their ranch sometime during the 2008 growing season. The white River Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) is proud to be working partners with White Thunder Organics.