Blog - Page 19 of 22 - Getting More on the Ground

Planting and Growing a Successful Riparian Forest Buffer

I have been involved with over 500 miles of riparian buffer plantings and have witnessed plenty of failures and successes. I would like to share with you what I believe is the recipe for success, that being TREE CANOPY CLOSURE IN TEN YEARS. I’ll get right to the point then […]

July 13, 2013 Chesapeake Bay, Nutrient Management, Riparian Buffers, Soil and Water Conservation, Stream Fencing, Trees, Uncategorized, Water Pollution, Wildlife 105 Comments

Harpers Ferry – a History Steeped in Irony

I’m standing in the middle of the footbridge across the Potomac River at Harper’s Ferry looking downstream. Beneath me flows the nation’s river that at this point in its journey, drained six million acres of land. Just downstream to my right the waters from another two million acres join the […]

July 4, 2013 Chesapeake Bay, Nutrient Management, Riparian Buffers, Soil and Water Conservation, Soil Erosion, Stream Fencing, Trees, Uncategorized, Water Pollution, Wildlife 14 Comments

Enthusiasm Gas Tank for Riparian Forest Buffers Refilled at Stroud

I recently attended a “Stream and Buffer Ecology Workshop” at the Stroud Water Research Center in Avondale, Pennsylvania. Stroud is a world-class research facility for fresh water science. This year their “Moorhead Environmental Complex” was awarded a “Platinum LEED” rating, which is the nation’s highest certification for green construction. The Stroud […]

June 10, 2013 Chesapeake Bay, Nutrient Management, Riparian Buffers, Stream Fencing, Trees, Uncategorized, Water Pollution, Wildlife 16 Comments

Quackgrass: Far Better Than Tall Fescue or Orchardgrass

Several days ago we had “just one more” chore: letting the cows into the hay lot behind Wesley’s house so they could eat the grass down. There is no fence between the hay lot and hay field so we put up some fake electric fence and parked the truck […]

May 30, 2013 Cattle Farming, Invasive Species, Soil and Water Conservation 30 Comments

Bobby’s Rant on the Monsanto v. Bowman Case

This past Monday, I read the news that the United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of Monsanto against soybean farmer Vernon Bowman of Indiana (7-0). Much to the chagrin of organic farming enthusiasts and the anti-GMO movement, the Supreme Court was right. I’ve read both sides and from what […]

May 16, 2013 Nature 82 Comments

Monsoon Hits Middle River Watershed – Flood Plains and Soil Regulate the Water Cycle

Here in Swoope, it’s been raining for three days – we’ve had 10.5 inches of rain. Our Middle River has been out in its floodplain for the third day in a row. Flood waters have completely covered much of our pasture and our single strand of electric fence that […]

May 9, 2013 Chesapeake Bay, Soil and Water Conservation, Soil Erosion, Stream Fencing, Uncategorized 27 Comments

“Oh Shenandoah!”

A watershed moment for the Shenandoah River and the Chesapeake Bay occurred on Tuesday the 23rd of April. Ownership of the former Virginia National Golf Course located on the banks of the Shenandoah River in Clark County was handed over to Shenandoah University . Dr. Tracy Fitzsimmons, President of the University said […]

April 25, 2013 Chesapeake Bay, Riparian Buffers, Soil and Water Conservation, Stream Fencing, Uncategorized, Water Pollution, Wildlife 15 Comments

In The Chesapeake Bay Watershed, Agriculture is Half Way in Doing Their Part to Restore the Bay.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation asked me to write several articles about farmers doing their part to improve the soil and water resources on their farms. These articles are designed to showcase how and why, these farmers installed Best Management Practices such as “stream-side fencing” to exclude livestock from streams.

April 9, 2013 Chesapeake Bay, Riparian Buffers, Soil and Water Conservation, Soil Erosion, Stream Fencing, Trees, Water Pollution 10 Comments

Swoope Almanac March 2013: Snowquester, Special Spots and Short Eared Owls

This past week Swoope bore the brunt of the Snowquester, a.k.a. winter storm Saturn. It gave us almost two feet of snow – unwelcome weather for cattle farmers during calving season. A calf born in this weather can perish quickly. We were lucky. The storm left no casualties among our […]

March 12, 2013 Birding, Chesapeake Bay, Swoope Almanac, Wildlife 2 Comments

A tree was planted for each hardback copy of Swoope Almanac sold.

Tree Shelters, Are They Worth It And If So When Should They Be Removed?

When converting grasslands to forest it has been a common practice to plant bare-root, hardwood tree seedlings directly into the sod. Most recently tree shelters have been used to increase the growth rate and survival of hardwood (not pine) tree seedlings. Shelters are recommended in Virginia’s Hardwood Tree Planting Guide. Many […]

February 21, 2013 Chesapeake Bay, Riparian Buffers, Soil and Water Conservation, Soil Erosion, Stream Fencing, Trees, Water Pollution, Wildlife 46 Comments

“There’s often a story about cattle, a little talk of environmental concerns, and a mention of his ‘Princess’ and her collaborative work with him. That’s how conversations go when I get a chance to visit with Bobby. He’s easygoing and always has a great story, but there’s a wealth of shared experience, knowledge, and love of farming and our environment in everything Bobby does. This latest book is just like sitting down and visiting with Bobby. You’ll enjoy every bit of it.”
Emmett W. Hanger Jr.
Virginia Senator