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oid=896384 ThisarticlewasprintedfromtheGreenGuidesectionoftheChicoNews&Review,originallypublishedJanuary15,2009.Thisarticlemaybereadonlineat:/chico/Content?
oid=896384Copyright©2009ChicoCommunityPublishing,Inc.Printedon2009-01-15. Homeontherange ElkCreekcattlerancherChetVogtbalancesprofitabilityandenvironmentalsustainability ByChristineG.K.LaPado NewYear’sEvedaywascrisp,coldandsunnyonChetVogt’sThreeCreeksRanch,unliketheheavy,dampfogginessleftbehindinChico. Theyouthful-looking,64-year-oldcattleranchergaveatourupanddownthegrassyhillsofhis5,300-acreranchnearthetinyGlennCountytownofElkCreekandamajor-leaguestone’sthrowawayfromMendocinoNationalForesttothewest. Sittingonthedriver’ssideofahardy,two-seat,four-wheel-driveYamahaRhino,Vogtparkedoneoftheranch’srollinghills,displayingthestriking,vastbeautyoftheplace—itsthreecreeks(Briscoe,MadandClover);thefreshair;theyellows,greensandbrownsofthevariousnativegrasses;andthesoundsofdifferentbirdstwitteringinnearbytrees. Vogtpointedtowardthesouthendofhisexpansiveproperty,beyondthehorizon—tofencedpastureinwhichhisherdof500cowswascurrentlygrazing.Hereferredtothechirpingbirdsas“indicatorsoflandhealth,”alongwiththenativeperennialgrassesthatcarpetthehillsofThreeCreeks. CONSCIOUSCOWBOYChetVogt’smitmenttosustainableranchinghaspaidoffinmorewaysthanone.Inadditiontoreapingthebenefitsofkeepinghealthylandandwaterways,Vogtwasnamedawinnerofthe2008LeopoldConservationAward,anhonorthatcarriesa$10,000prize.PhotoByChristineG.K.LaPado “WhenIboughtthisplace,therewerenobirdsounds,”hesaid. AttheannualconventionoftheCaliforniaFarmBureauFederationlastmonthintheBayArea,Vogt(pronounced“vote”)wasnamedtheCaliforniawinnerofthe2008LeopoldConservationAward—presentedbyWisconsinnonprofitconservationgroupSandCountyFoundation,CaliforniaFarmBureauFederationandSustainableConservation—andnamedafterpioneering,world-renownedconservationistAldoLeopold. Oneprivateagriculturallandownerfromeachofsevenstates—California,Texas,Colorado,Nebraska,Wisconsin,WyomingandUtah—wasrecognizedfor“extraordinaryachievementinvoluntaryconservation,”basedonthreecriteria—ecologicalsensitivityandsustainability,economicsustainability,munityandcivicleadership. Vogtwashonoredforhis35yearsofenvironmentallyandeconomicallysustainableranchingpractices—17ofthemonThreeCreeksRanch—resultinginhealthysoil,water,nativevegetationandbirdlife,andhealthycattle. DavidAllen,vicepresidentofoperationsforSandCountyFederation,reachedbyphoneinWisconsinrecently,praisedVogt’smanagementoftheland,describinghimasarancherwho“listen[s]tohisland”andadaptshisranchingpracticesordingly. 1of2 1/15/20093:39PM /chico/PrintFriendly?
oid=896384 “WhatChetisdoingonthelandisleavingitbetterthanhefoundit,”Allensaid.“Hisenterpriseiseconomicallysustainable.…Thenextowneroftheland,whetherit’shissonorsomeoneelsetakesover,canpickupwhereheleftoffandbeabletomakealivingaswellas[hedoes].…Chetisalsoservingatremendousroleincreatingabridgebetweenthemunityandthemunity.Andthat’shuge.” Vogt—aformerLosBanos-arearancherwho managestwootherranches,inColusaandMerced WHATAVIEWThreeCreeksRanchinthewesternGlennCountytownofElkCreekissomethingtobehold.The5,300-acrepropertyishometocolorfulrollinghills,anabundanceofwildlife counties—boughthisElkCreekranchin1992whenitwas“badlyabusedaftersevenyearsofdrought,bankforeclosureandabsenteemanagement—averitabledesert.”Hesaw“theopportunity,thepotential”oftheproperty,and“cameoutandjustwenttowork.” and(obviously)threecreeks.PhotoByChristineG.K.LaPado Guidedbywhathehadlearnedfromaweek-longintensivecoursefromtheFairfield-based, environmentallyfriendlyRanchingforProfitSchool(plus“basiccollegetrainingandlifeexperience”), Vogtcreatedhisholisticapproachtocattlegrazing:Herotateshiscowsamong32fencedpaddocksfor sixmonthsoutoftheyear,sothateachpastureisusedforonlysixorsevendaysayear—giving grasses(andtheirsoil-nourishingroots)theopportunitytoregrowfromahealthystateofnotbeing cheweddowntotheground.(Bywayofapermit,hiscattlespendtheothersixmonthsoftheyearon publiclandsinAlturas.) Hehasalsofencedoffsensitiveriparianareas,inwhichhiscowsareallowedtograzeonlyin“veryshort,high-intensitytimeperiods.” Overgrazedgroundresultsinalotofsurfacerunoffofwater,butunderVogt’smanagement,theperennialplantsonthepropertyhaveregeneratedsignificantly,helpingaidwaterrationandincreasingsubsurfacemoisture.Hispracticeshavecausedarestorationofspringsthatusedtobedry. VogtoftenhostsworkshopsandleadsfieldtripsatThreeCreeks—forfellowranchers,studentsandenvironmentalscientists—andheseemsperfectlysuitedforthejob—presentingapalatablecrashcourseingrazingmanagement(alsoknownasrotationalgrazing),aswellaslessonsontheranch’ssoil,geology,plants,animalandbirdlife—theblack-taileddeerandwildpigs,andthehawks,thrushes,yellowthroatsandwarblers. Onthewaybacktotherustic,solar-poweredranchhouseheshareswithhisfiancée,Angela,whohelpstraintheranch’scattle-herdinghorses,Vogt—whosefatherwasafarmer/rancherinwesternMercedCounty—sharedthestoryofhowhecametohisunconventionalwayofranching. “Asakid,[mydadandI]wentaroundtodifferentranches,”hesaid.“Somewerenice,andsomewerebarren.Ididn’tknowwhatthedifferencewasatthetime,butIknewthatmyranchsomedaywasgoingtobeoneofthebountifulplaces. “Grazingmanagementisanart,”offeredVogt.“Wearedealingoutherewithfragilerenewableresources,resourcesthatneedtobemanaged.…Everythingtiestogether.Eachthingisonepieceofthepuzzle.” Vogt’mitmenttothehealthofhislandisevident;neverthelessthecattlemanpointedoutthatmakingalivingplaysasignificantroleinhisefforts. “I’moutheretomakethelandabetterplace,numberone.Numbertwo,I’moutheretomakemoney,”hesaid.“Actually,themoneymaybemoreimportant.Withoutaprofitmotive,mostranchersdon’thavetheabilitytomanagethelands.So—theecologyandtheeconomyarecloselytiedtogether.” Vogtacknowledgedthathissustainableranchingmethodsare“awayofthefuture.Itjustdependsonwhenthatfutureis.” 2of2 1/15/20093:39PM
oid=896384 ThisarticlewasprintedfromtheGreenGuidesectionoftheChicoNews&Review,originallypublishedJanuary15,2009.Thisarticlemaybereadonlineat:/chico/Content?
oid=896384Copyright©2009ChicoCommunityPublishing,Inc.Printedon2009-01-15. Homeontherange ElkCreekcattlerancherChetVogtbalancesprofitabilityandenvironmentalsustainability ByChristineG.K.LaPado NewYear’sEvedaywascrisp,coldandsunnyonChetVogt’sThreeCreeksRanch,unliketheheavy,dampfogginessleftbehindinChico. Theyouthful-looking,64-year-oldcattleranchergaveatourupanddownthegrassyhillsofhis5,300-acreranchnearthetinyGlennCountytownofElkCreekandamajor-leaguestone’sthrowawayfromMendocinoNationalForesttothewest. Sittingonthedriver’ssideofahardy,two-seat,four-wheel-driveYamahaRhino,Vogtparkedoneoftheranch’srollinghills,displayingthestriking,vastbeautyoftheplace—itsthreecreeks(Briscoe,MadandClover);thefreshair;theyellows,greensandbrownsofthevariousnativegrasses;andthesoundsofdifferentbirdstwitteringinnearbytrees. Vogtpointedtowardthesouthendofhisexpansiveproperty,beyondthehorizon—tofencedpastureinwhichhisherdof500cowswascurrentlygrazing.Hereferredtothechirpingbirdsas“indicatorsoflandhealth,”alongwiththenativeperennialgrassesthatcarpetthehillsofThreeCreeks. CONSCIOUSCOWBOYChetVogt’smitmenttosustainableranchinghaspaidoffinmorewaysthanone.Inadditiontoreapingthebenefitsofkeepinghealthylandandwaterways,Vogtwasnamedawinnerofthe2008LeopoldConservationAward,anhonorthatcarriesa$10,000prize.PhotoByChristineG.K.LaPado “WhenIboughtthisplace,therewerenobirdsounds,”hesaid. AttheannualconventionoftheCaliforniaFarmBureauFederationlastmonthintheBayArea,Vogt(pronounced“vote”)wasnamedtheCaliforniawinnerofthe2008LeopoldConservationAward—presentedbyWisconsinnonprofitconservationgroupSandCountyFoundation,CaliforniaFarmBureauFederationandSustainableConservation—andnamedafterpioneering,world-renownedconservationistAldoLeopold. Oneprivateagriculturallandownerfromeachofsevenstates—California,Texas,Colorado,Nebraska,Wisconsin,WyomingandUtah—wasrecognizedfor“extraordinaryachievementinvoluntaryconservation,”basedonthreecriteria—ecologicalsensitivityandsustainability,economicsustainability,munityandcivicleadership. Vogtwashonoredforhis35yearsofenvironmentallyandeconomicallysustainableranchingpractices—17ofthemonThreeCreeksRanch—resultinginhealthysoil,water,nativevegetationandbirdlife,andhealthycattle. DavidAllen,vicepresidentofoperationsforSandCountyFederation,reachedbyphoneinWisconsinrecently,praisedVogt’smanagementoftheland,describinghimasarancherwho“listen[s]tohisland”andadaptshisranchingpracticesordingly. 1of2 1/15/20093:39PM /chico/PrintFriendly?
oid=896384 “WhatChetisdoingonthelandisleavingitbetterthanhefoundit,”Allensaid.“Hisenterpriseiseconomicallysustainable.…Thenextowneroftheland,whetherit’shissonorsomeoneelsetakesover,canpickupwhereheleftoffandbeabletomakealivingaswellas[hedoes].…Chetisalsoservingatremendousroleincreatingabridgebetweenthemunityandthemunity.Andthat’shuge.” Vogt—aformerLosBanos-arearancherwho managestwootherranches,inColusaandMerced WHATAVIEWThreeCreeksRanchinthewesternGlennCountytownofElkCreekissomethingtobehold.The5,300-acrepropertyishometocolorfulrollinghills,anabundanceofwildlife counties—boughthisElkCreekranchin1992whenitwas“badlyabusedaftersevenyearsofdrought,bankforeclosureandabsenteemanagement—averitabledesert.”Hesaw“theopportunity,thepotential”oftheproperty,and“cameoutandjustwenttowork.” and(obviously)threecreeks.PhotoByChristineG.K.LaPado Guidedbywhathehadlearnedfromaweek-longintensivecoursefromtheFairfield-based, environmentallyfriendlyRanchingforProfitSchool(plus“basiccollegetrainingandlifeexperience”), Vogtcreatedhisholisticapproachtocattlegrazing:Herotateshiscowsamong32fencedpaddocksfor sixmonthsoutoftheyear,sothateachpastureisusedforonlysixorsevendaysayear—giving grasses(andtheirsoil-nourishingroots)theopportunitytoregrowfromahealthystateofnotbeing cheweddowntotheground.(Bywayofapermit,hiscattlespendtheothersixmonthsoftheyearon publiclandsinAlturas.) Hehasalsofencedoffsensitiveriparianareas,inwhichhiscowsareallowedtograzeonlyin“veryshort,high-intensitytimeperiods.” Overgrazedgroundresultsinalotofsurfacerunoffofwater,butunderVogt’smanagement,theperennialplantsonthepropertyhaveregeneratedsignificantly,helpingaidwaterrationandincreasingsubsurfacemoisture.Hispracticeshavecausedarestorationofspringsthatusedtobedry. VogtoftenhostsworkshopsandleadsfieldtripsatThreeCreeks—forfellowranchers,studentsandenvironmentalscientists—andheseemsperfectlysuitedforthejob—presentingapalatablecrashcourseingrazingmanagement(alsoknownasrotationalgrazing),aswellaslessonsontheranch’ssoil,geology,plants,animalandbirdlife—theblack-taileddeerandwildpigs,andthehawks,thrushes,yellowthroatsandwarblers. Onthewaybacktotherustic,solar-poweredranchhouseheshareswithhisfiancée,Angela,whohelpstraintheranch’scattle-herdinghorses,Vogt—whosefatherwasafarmer/rancherinwesternMercedCounty—sharedthestoryofhowhecametohisunconventionalwayofranching. “Asakid,[mydadandI]wentaroundtodifferentranches,”hesaid.“Somewerenice,andsomewerebarren.Ididn’tknowwhatthedifferencewasatthetime,butIknewthatmyranchsomedaywasgoingtobeoneofthebountifulplaces. “Grazingmanagementisanart,”offeredVogt.“Wearedealingoutherewithfragilerenewableresources,resourcesthatneedtobemanaged.…Everythingtiestogether.Eachthingisonepieceofthepuzzle.” Vogt’mitmenttothehealthofhislandisevident;neverthelessthecattlemanpointedoutthatmakingalivingplaysasignificantroleinhisefforts. “I’moutheretomakethelandabetterplace,numberone.Numbertwo,I’moutheretomakemoney,”hesaid.“Actually,themoneymaybemoreimportant.Withoutaprofitmotive,mostranchersdon’thavetheabilitytomanagethelands.So—theecologyandtheeconomyarecloselytiedtogether.” Vogtacknowledgedthathissustainableranchingmethodsare“awayofthefuture.Itjustdependsonwhenthatfutureis.” 2of2 1/15/20093:39PM
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