Ima Mookow had just regurgitated a particularly tasty wad of cud. As she languidly chewed, she heard a muffled voice, “Would ya shove over?” Ima stood up. “Ahh…that’s better,” the voice said. Now, Ima recognized the voice of her old pal Hugh Muss. (You know - the stuff that remains after organic litter from plants and animals has decomposed.)
“Sorry for squishing you,” Ima apologized. “What’s new?”
“To tell the truth,” Hugh said, “I’ve been worried about our friend Loamy Soyal. He’s just not what he used to be; I’m afraid we’ll lose him altogether if we don’t do something. Did you know that worldwide, erosion has reduced him to half of what he was 150 years ago? I’d hoped to be just like him someday - part of a healthy topsoil community. But I don’t want to do that just to be washed away!”
“Maybe the STARs will save you,” Ima replied. Ima went on to tell about the STAR (Saving Tomorrow’s Agricultural Resources) project. STAR encourages farmers and landowners to use management practices that reduce nutrient and soil losses on their fields. The program assigns points for “best practices” in cropping, tillage, and nutrient application. Farm fields earn a STAR rating of one to five STARs. The most common 5 STAR practices include:
“Golly,” Hugh offered, “seems like your farm, Ima, should also be able to earn some STAR points for practicing rotational grazing. After all, that pasture management system also builds healthier soil, reduces run-off and promotes deep-rooted forage plants that suck carbon out of the air and bury it in the soil where it’ll do some good.”
“Gosh!” Ima cheered, “then I would become a STAR-Grazer! Just think; Loamy and me – helping build a better world right here on the only home we’ll ever know where we’re all forever… Earthbound.”
“Sorry for squishing you,” Ima apologized. “What’s new?”
“To tell the truth,” Hugh said, “I’ve been worried about our friend Loamy Soyal. He’s just not what he used to be; I’m afraid we’ll lose him altogether if we don’t do something. Did you know that worldwide, erosion has reduced him to half of what he was 150 years ago? I’d hoped to be just like him someday - part of a healthy topsoil community. But I don’t want to do that just to be washed away!”
“Maybe the STARs will save you,” Ima replied. Ima went on to tell about the STAR (Saving Tomorrow’s Agricultural Resources) project. STAR encourages farmers and landowners to use management practices that reduce nutrient and soil losses on their fields. The program assigns points for “best practices” in cropping, tillage, and nutrient application. Farm fields earn a STAR rating of one to five STARs. The most common 5 STAR practices include:
- Applying phosphorus at or below runoff rates
- Planting a winter hardy cover crop
- No-till or strip-till management
- No additional nitrogen added to corn fields in the fall
“Golly,” Hugh offered, “seems like your farm, Ima, should also be able to earn some STAR points for practicing rotational grazing. After all, that pasture management system also builds healthier soil, reduces run-off and promotes deep-rooted forage plants that suck carbon out of the air and bury it in the soil where it’ll do some good.”
“Gosh!” Ima cheered, “then I would become a STAR-Grazer! Just think; Loamy and me – helping build a better world right here on the only home we’ll ever know where we’re all forever… Earthbound.”
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