Guide to Rural Living - Colorado State University Extension of

53 Pages·2013·8.72 MB·English

Gunnison County
Guide to Rural Living
photo courtesy of Sandra Guerrieri
T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S

An Introduction to Rural Living Page
Code of the West 5
Managing Small Pastures 6
Colorado Noxious Weed Law 7
Agricultural Property Tax 8
Water Quality 10
Agricultural Water Quality 12
Water Rights 13
Water Disposal Systems (Septic) 15
Water Conservation 17
Colorado Fence and Trespass Law 18
Right to Farm and Agricultural Safety 20
Agricultural Safety 21
Open Burning 22
Wildfire 23
Soils and Soil Testing 24
Hay Production (quality, purchasing, management, etc.) 26
Living with Wildlife 28
Livestock 31
Beef Cattle 31
Brand Inspection 33
Horses 34
Chickens 36
Pigs 37
Sheep 38
Goat 39
Waste Management 40
Plant Selection 42
Gardening at High Altitude 43
Home Storage of Foods 44
High Altitude Food Preparations 46
Food Safety and Storage 48
Alternative Agricultural Enterprises 49
Mapping Resources and Emergency Preparedness 51
Local Resources 52
A G u i d e t o R u r a l L i v i n g
Code of the West

Colorado State University Extension and our partners are here to help you improve your rural life-
style and maintain the values and views that appeal to you about country living. Western Colora-
do’s diverse landscape creates both challenges and opportunities for a lifestyle that suits your
needs. Understanding the limitations created by the amount of precipitation you receive, the ele-
vation, and the soils that occur on your property will help you set realistic goals for managing your
lifestyle. Having a plan will help you spend more time enjoying your wonderful surroundings and
improve the quality of life for your family.

The unwritten code of the west isn’t so unwritten anymore. It was first documented in 1934 when
Zane Grey wrote “The Code of the West.” To this day, the same values of integrity, honesty, stew-
ardship, and self-reliance guide our actions like those rugged individuals who first attempted to
settle this land with their families. Consider the fact that the
nearest emergency services may be more than 15 miles
away, or that the road you’re driving on today might be im-
passible when severe weather strikes tomorrow. Being pre-
pared for daily life takes on a whole new meaning when you
live in a rural area. Recognize that your route to work may
be a cow or sheep herding route during certain times of the
year where you might literally spend your day counting
sheep! These things may be challenges to some folks, but
the fact is, this is part of rural living and it’s what likely drew
you here in the first place. That and the friendly wave be-
tween you and your neighbors as you pass each other on
the road each morning. Being neighborly is a two-way
street; the fence you help mend today might be good pay-
ment for the snow that’s plowed during a fierce blizzard that
helps keep your driveway open next winter. Rural residents
who come together often have more success as a commu-
USDA photo by Jack Delano
nity than those who go it alone. Working collectively to com-
bat noxious weed infestations will help save money and improve the stewardship of our
resources.

This publication is provided as a brief introduction to considerations for living on your rural proper-
ty and offers a variety of available resources to help you achieve your property objectives. In the
upcoming pages you will be exposed to information compiled from experts throughout our com-
munity to help you reach the goals you have set for your rural lifestyle.
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A G u i d e t o R u r a l L i v i n g
Managing Small Pastures

Small pastures are particularly susceptible to overgrazing. Overgrazing often occurs when there
are too many grazing animals on the pasture for too long. It can also occur when animals are al-
lowed to re-graze the pasture before they are ready for grazing. Many people overlook the im-
portance of managing these pastures, but with a little planning you can save money by maximiz-
ing the amount of healthy forage you produce on your land.

Matching the vegetation of your pasture to your land management objectives and your site will
ensure successful grazing. Grazing practices can alter the composition of a pasture. Practicing
basic range or pasture management principles is important. A general rule of thumb for small pas-
tures is to adhere to the “take half and leave half” principle. The idea is that by only grazing one-
half of the available and desirable forage and leaving one-half for re-growth, the existing plant
community is sustainable. By not grazing too much of a plant, the plant is allowed to re-grow and
replenish its energy root reserve. A second management principle is grazing time. Grazing too
early in the spring does not allow the plant to replenish its energy reserves, and consequently, it
cannot re-grow as fast as other un-grazed grasses. Impacts on a plant from grazing vary through-
out the year and growing season. Plants are most severely affected from grazing during seed for-
mation when they need maximum energy to produce seeds. Grasses grazed while dormant are
not as adversely affected because the plant has already stored its energy for the following spring.

There is no standard reference on the amount of available forages for different pastures in the in-
termountain west. In order to know exactly how much production is occurring on your plot, clip a
small area that is representative of the pasture and weigh it after allowing it to air dry. Typically,
grazing animals need 2-3% of their body weight of air-dried forage daily.

Tips for Improving Small Pastures and Encouraging More Grasses
 Do not impact grasses, reduce the severity of grazing or allow for longer rest periods.
 Keep animals off pasture in the spring until there is eight inches of grass growth.
 Use a rotating grazing scheme. Rotation grazing refines the “take half and leave half” princi-
ple and lets you manage your pasture more intensively, increasing forage production.
 Control your weeds. Many pastures that have historically been abused or allowed long-term
rest will have more broadleaf plants and brush species than grasses. Applying a broadleaf
herbicide suppresses the broadleaves and aids the grasses re-establishment of dominance.
 In worst case scenarios where a pasture is severely overgrazed or weedy, renovation or re-
seeding may be needed. Reseed with a mixture of grass plants.

Resources:
Colorado Forage Guide www.ext.colostate.edu/sam/forage-guide.pdf
Livestock Management www.ext.colostate.edu/sam/livestock.pdf
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A G u i d e t o R u r a l L i v i n g
Colorado Noxious Weed Law

In Colorado, agricultural and natural resources are protected by the Colorado Noxious Weed Act
(35-5.5 CRS, 2003). This law requires landowners to manage undesirable plants, establishes a
state-wide noxious weed list, and prioritizes management goals for the weeds on the A
(eradication), B (containment), and C (control) lists, respectively.

To manage undesirable plants, the planning and implementa-
tion of a coordinated program that utilizes a variety of man-
agement methods will be imposed. These integrated man-
agement methods include biological control, chemical control,
cultural control, mechanical control, educational opportunities,
and preventive measures. The purpose of integrated unde-
sirable plant management is to achieve healthy and produc-
tive plant communities by the least environmentally damaging
means. The noxious plants that occur in Colorado are any
plants that have the potential to aggressively invade or threat-
en economic crops or native plant communities; are poison-
ous to livestock; harbor detrimental insects, diseases or para-
Oxeye daisies at Steamboat Lake
sites; and are detrimental to the environmentally sound manage-
ment of natural or agricultural ecosystems. Basically, these plants are non-native, aggressive, and
will out-compete desirable plants for resources such as moisture, sunlight, nutrients, and space.

In addition, each county has its own specific noxious weed list and recommended management
prescriptions. To obtain a list of the noxious weed species in your area, contact your local noxious
weed coordinator, conservation district office, or CSU Extension agent.

Effective weed management and reduction in weed populations can only be met when all persons
involved are working together to achieve this common goal. Implementing sustainable land use
practices, understanding the resources you have on your property and the weeds that occur, and
implementing an integrated approach to noxious weed control will lead to successful weed man-
agement on your land. This will help you reach your land management objectives, increase the
vegetative diversity of your property, and help to reduce the cost of control over the long term.

Resources:
Colorado Department of Agriculture Noxious Weed Management Program
www.colorado.gov/ag/weeds
CSU Extension - Small Acreage Management - Noxious Weed Resources
www.ext.colostate.edu/sam/weeds.html
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A G u i d e t o R u r a l L i v i n g
Agricultural Property Tax

For property tax purposes, land must meet one of the following five requirements to qualify for ag-
ricultural classification:
 A parcel of land that was used the previous two years and is presently being used as a farm or
a ranch, or is being restored through conservation practices. Such land must have been classi-
fied or eligible for classification as agricultural land during the 10 years preceding the year of
assessment.
 A “farm” is parcel of land that is used to
produce agricultural products that origi-
nate from the land’s productivity, for the
primary use of obtaining a monetary profit;
i.e., crops that have been raised, harvest-
AGWEB Photograph
ed, sold or fed.
 A “ranch” is a parcel of land used for grazing livestock for the primary purpose of obtaining a
monetary profit. Livestock means domestic animals that are used for food for humans or ani-
mal consumption, breeding, draft or profit. Pleasure horses are not considered as livestock.
Thus, the keeping of pleasure horses does not qualify a parcel for agricultural classification un-
less it is a breeding operation that is specifically intended as a profit-making enterprise.
 A parcel of land is considered to be in the process of being restored through conservation prac-
tices if the land has been placed in a conservation reserve program established by the Natural
Resource Conservation Service pursuant to 7 U.S.C. secs. 1 to 5506, or a conservation plan
approved by an appropriate conservation district implemented for the land for up to a period of
10 crop years.
 A parcel of land that has at least 40 acres of forestland and that is subject to a forest manage-
ment plan. The land must produce tangible wood products that originate from the productivity of
the land for the primary purpose of obtaining a monetary profit. Land underlying any residence
or other improvements used as an ancillary part of the operation is classified as agricultural
land.

A parcel of land that a) consists of at least 80 acres, or less than 80 acres if the parcel does not
contain any residential improvements, b) is subject to a perpetual conservation easement, c) was
classified as agricultural at the time the easement was granted, d) the easement was granted to a
qualified organization, e) the easement is exclusively for conservation purposes, and f) all current
and future uses of the land are described in the easement. This provision does not include any
portion of land that is used for nonagricultural, commercial, or non-agricultural residential purpos-
es.

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A G u i d e t o R u r a l L i v i n g
Agricultural Property Tax

A parcel of land used as a farm or ranch if the owner has a decreed water right or a final permit to
appropriated ground water for purposes other than residential use, and water appropriated under
such right or permit is used for the production of agricultural or livestock products on the land.
This provision does not include the two-year use requirement detailed in item 1.

A parcel of land that was reclassified from agricultural to
another classification and met one of the foregoing re-
quirements during the three years before the year of as-
sessment. The land need not have been classified or eligi-
ble for classification as agricultural during the 10 years
preceding the year of assessment. Zoning classification of
the land parcel has no bearing on how a parcel is classi-
fied for tax purposes. Colorado law requires that all par-
cels be classified for tax purposes according to the prima-
ry current surface use.

To ensure that land is accurately classified and valued, the
assessor may request an on-site inspection and/or addi-
tional information such as the IRS 1040-F form filed in the
previous year, grazing lease(s), or an agricultural land
classification questionnaire. Any documentation provided
to the assessor by the property owner is subject to confi-
dentiality requirements as provided by law.
CSU Photograph
For additional information regarding property taxation procedures in Colorado, contact the Colora-
do Division of Property Taxation at [phone] or contact your local county assessor.

Resources:
Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA); Division of Property Taxation
www.dola.state.co.us/propertytax
Useful publications from DOLA online:
- How Agricultural Land is Valued in Colorado
- Classification and Valuation of Agricultural Property in Colorado
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A G u i d e t o R u r a l L i v i n g
Water Quality

Water Quality Standards
Today, the EPA is working harder to quantify
and reduce sources of non-point pollution.
This is primarily accomplished by encourag-
ing or requiring people to engage in pre-
determined best management practice
(BMP). A variety of water BMPs are availa-
ble through your local Colorado State Uni-
versity (CSU) Extension Office.

Drinking Water Quality
For many people in Western Colorado, resi-
dential drinking water is supplied by a munic-
ipal water treatment plant. More information
on this type of water treatment can be obtained from the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline, (800)
426-4791. However, there is no regulation for the quality of water from a private water system. In
addition, if your drinking water comes from a private well, you are responsible for monitoring the
safety of your own drinking water. Protecting your drinking water supply from contamination is
important for health, to protect property values, and to minimize potential liability.

The natural quality of well water varies from location to location because of the influence of local
geology and soils through which the water is filtered and stored. Groundwater contamination can
result from point sources, such as leaking underground fuel storage tanks, animal feedlots and
septic systems. Landfills, abandoned mines and industrial discharges can also impact rural
groundwater quality. Older, shallower wells are generally more easily contaminated than deeper
wells dug with properly-installed casing and well cap.

The appearance, taste or odor of water from a well or other source offers some information on ob-
vious contamination, but chemical analysis is needed to detect most contamination in water. Ob-
vious contaminants include silt and hydrogen sulfide, which can be detected by smell, but other
contaminants such as bacteria and nitrate are colorless and do not have an odor. Two types of
tests, bacteriological and chemical, can be used to assess water quality.

Resources:
Domestic Water Quality Criteria, CSU Extension Fact Sheet No. 0.513
www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/crops/00513.html

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