Loey Ringquist
“Pasture is a crop,” stated The Aspen Times on Sept. 26, 1946. “Good permanent pastures can play an important part in the conservation plans of Pitkin County farmers, says Arthur Trentaz, Chairman of the County Agricultural Conservation Association committee. These pastures conserve both soil and water and provide large amounts of food for livestock, he said. The pasture cover holds the soil and retards water runoff, allowing the ground more time to soak it up. Pastures, if good, will feed more livestock and less grain will be required. This will decrease the cost of livestock production. The Agricultural Conservation Program pays a part of farmers’ cost of reseeding worn-out land and planting new pastures. Farmers gain from the livestock fed off this land and the Government cooperates in saving more of the nation’s topsoil. This finally adds up to more and better food and improved health for everybody, the chairman added. In addition, the program includes practices that make more sure the establishment of good pastures. Among these are land contouring, weed control, lime and phosphate applications, development of water facilities, terracing and many others.” This image shows a herd of cattle in the Maroon Creek Valley in the 1940s.