Services

GOAL

Pallet Farms offers land restoration services in Northern New Mexico. For each parcel of land, we identify the strengths and needs before developing a unique roadmap. 

Seeding, managed intensive rotational grazing and irrigation are employed to improve the health of the soil. We adjust these tools every time, thriving to see each parcel of land come back to life, and that looks like darker soil, deep, deep roots within, and healthy plants. 

HOLISTIC APPROACH 

We provide an all-encompassing approach to land restoration. We take the lead on seeding, managing the intensive grazing (also called mob grazing) and irrigating the land. We are connected with landowners to make the experience easy and enjoyable for them, while holding the responsibility of properly managing the land in our care. 

A LA CARTE SERVICES

While we recommend implementing all of the steps described here in a coherent plan, we recognize that some landowners are involved and already caring for the land. As such, the 3 services described below are also available individually. 

SEEDING

Diverse cover crops and no-till planting are key principles of soil restoration. Learn more here. In cooperation with other farmers, we coordinate the seeding of the land. Cover crop mixes are curated based on existing vegetation and time of year, to maximize the germination rate and impact on the land. We use the no-till seeder from Taos Land Trust to seed fields with minimum disturbance to existing ecosystems. 

MANAGED INTENSIVE ROTATIONAL GRAZING - AKA MOB GRAZING

Managed intensive rotational grazing is the most time consuming and yet the most efficient part of our operations. Managed intentionally, our herd of sheep is a powerful tool to protect, fertilize and stimulate vegetation on the land. Learn more here. Some call this practice "farming grass". 

Managed intensive rotational grazing is a fast paced practice that encourages the animals to graze evenly across the space they are given. We use a 1,000 sq ft paddock (or smaller) and move the herd daily. Mob grazing occurs after seeding and before irrigation: the hooves of the animals will finish mixing the seeds in the ground, the mulch generated by their grazing will provide cover for the seedlings, and their manure will provide fertilizer.

On land with little to no forage, we practice bale grazing - a method of feeding hay in the field. It has the fertilizing benefits of mob grazing while directly adding a composting and protecting layer for the soil with the hay the animals do not eat. Bale grazing is the most effective technique to address desert land with vegetation such as sage and chamisa. 

IRRIGATION

In New Mexico, most field irrigation relies on acequias, and we have years of experience irrigating land for best returns. After landowners connect us with their Mayordomo, we coordinate directly and actively irrigate. Land where animals are grazing get priority within acequias, which is a great asset to see the restoration work come to fruition.

While irrigation is an incredible tool for land regeneration, living in an arid desert means that much of the land in New Mexico was once prairie land without relying on active flood irrigation. Choosing the right seed and grazing practice can restore land even without flood irrigation. 

Do you want to get in touch? Please do! We're always happy to connect and talk about this work. We can reach us at 915-222-0733, or on our Instagram @palletfarms.