Both drought and intense rain storms are here to stay. What can you do to reduce risks in the years to come? A series of free Soil Talks presented by the National Center for Appropriate Technology this fall will help landowners cope with these conditions through grazing management.

On November 13, Sechrist and Walt Davis, a rancher and Dixon Water Foundation board member, will discuss how agricultural enterprises can manage for improved soil function and greater profit at the same time. Learn about financial sustainability at this talk from 9 am–5 pm at the Hill Country University Center, 2818 E. U.S. Hwy 290, in Fredericksburg.

All Soil Talks are free and open to the public, but please RSVP to soilforwater@ncat.org.

Landowners will find information from previous Soil Talks about grazing planning and ecosystem function and monitoring are online, along with presenter biographies.

Soil for Water is a project of NCAT in collaboration with the Hill Country Alliance with support from the Dixon Water Foundation.

Check out the walking trail at Dixon Ranches Mimms Unit and learn to identify native grasses during the Overlook Trail Grand Opening on September 26 in Marfa.

The opening kicks off at 9:30 am at the ranch headquarters at the north end of Austin Street in Marfa. There will be an introduction to the Dixon Water Foundation’s mission and the grazing methods being used to improve the land and watershed at Dixon Ranches Mimms Unit.

Then at 10 am, Dr. Michael Powell will lead a free grass-identification workshop. Powell is Director of the Herbarium at Sul Ross State University, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Biology, and author of numerous books and journal articles on plants native to the Chihuahuan Desert Region.

Following the grass workshop, practice your new plant-recognition skills during a group hike to the Overlook viewing area, designed by Marfa’s Joey Benton. Local flora and fauna experts from the Texas Master Naturalists Tierra Grande Chapter will be in the group to answer questions along the way.

There is no cost for the workshop or trail access. Reservations for the grass workshop are requested by September 18. Please submit this online registration form or email media@dixonwater.org.

The 2.5-mile walking trail at Mimms is open during daylight hours and features exhibits about grazing management and the high-desert environment. The trail ends at the Overlook viewing area, where visitors can sit and appreciate spectacular views of the Marfa grasslands and surrounding mountains.

The foundation’s West Texas office and the trailhead are at the north end of Austin Street in Marfa. Please read and respect the guidelines for trail visitors posted at the entrance to the ranch. Dogs must remain leashed. Bicycles, motorized vehicles, camping, and firearms are not permitted.

The Dixon Water Foundation promotes healthy watersheds through sustainable land management to ensure that future generations have the water resources they need. The foundation demonstrates environmentally and economically sound ways to manage rangeland, while producing grass-finished beef, at the four Dixon Ranches in Texas.