Barnyards & Backyards
University of Wyoming Extension
1000 E. University Ave, Department #3354
Laramie, WY 82071
Email: barnyardsbackyards@uwyo.edu
Barnyards & Backyards teams rehabilitating two properties; learn about techniques
to apply to your own property!
This property improvement project provides Wyoming resource experts the chance to
practice what they preach when they turn their expertise to rehabilitating two selected
small-acreage properties near Wheatland and Casper, Wyoming. You can watch the successes
and failures of the property makeover process through articles in the Barnyards &
Backyards magazine, the https://www.uwyo.edu/barnbackyard Web site, and Facebook.
The project will start with a tour of each of the properties by a team of resource
experts and the landowners. They will then discuss the landowner's goals for the property.
The resource professionals will then offer guidance and discuss the different management
alternatives that are available to reach those goals. Choosing from these options
landowners will determine the course they want to pursue and the rest of the project
will consist of the practical details of how each issue is tackled and the results
of their efforts.
The property near Wheatland is owned by Dallas and Dixie Mount. Dallas, who is a UW
CES educator, had nominated the 78-acre parcel, which, at the time was under different
ownership. Two weeks later, the property owners put it up for sale. Since the property
was contingent to the Mount's 2-acre home site, they decided to purchase it.
Mount's property is positioned in the middle of the Wheatland Irrigation District
and is in the drainage between two lakes. The stumps of Russian olive trees, which
are designated a noxious weed in Wyoming and are an invasive species, scar one area
of the land in a slough. The trees were snipped off two years ago and every one re-sprouted.
The sprouts were treated last year. The previous owners grazed the land each year
from March to October with approximately 40 cow-calf pairs. Season long grazing is
especially harmful to plants in the early growth period. Some areas are bare, others
are overgrazed and some are under grazed.
Mount says the goal for this property, first and foremost, is to get the bare spots
filled in. In addition, the Mounts would like to have a bit of recreation, such as
family horseback riding. It's the goal of the Mounts to have a nice property and for
it to earn approximately 50 percent of the land's payment by leasing portions of it
out in a manner that will help them meet the other goals for their property.
The other property is northeast of Casper and owned by Tim and Krista Brown. The 20-acre
property sits on an ancient sand dune in a high wind area. The Brown's have two horses
and no fences on their piece of the prairie. The area has been overgrazed, native
grasses were grubbed out, and cheatgrass has moved in! An objective would be to get
rid of the cheatgrass and promote the natural grasses already there. The Brown's would
like to make the property sustainable!
Two teams of Wyoming Resource experts have been formed one for each property. Teams
are working with landowners to reach the landowners' goals. Members of the teams come
from a variety of backgrounds including, local, county state and federal land resource
organizations. Meet the team and see what's happening by searching for Barnyards &
Backyards on Facebook and becoming a "fan". You can also follow the project by subscribing to Barnyards & Backyards magazine. This quarterly magazine provides practical information on rural living in our challenging
and beautiful state.
Extracted from a Barnyards & Backyards magazine article by Jessica Leetch who was
the Small Acreage Outreach Project intern this summer in Wheatland.
Barnyards & Backyards
University of Wyoming Extension
1000 E. University Ave, Department #3354
Laramie, WY 82071
Email: barnyardsbackyards@uwyo.edu