Farm406

"Sugar levels in a plant are measured as Brix," he says, squeezing the juice out of some sweet clover into a refractometer, which is the tool he uses to measure sugar levels. "It's a quick way to determine the health of the plant." Roger quickly jots the data down in a small notebook he carries in his pack to keep track of what he's measuring over time. e Indrelunds have been working to improve soil health on their ranch for years, but this year they took it a step further and became one of four Montana ranches to join a pilot program called the Montana Improved Grazing Project, the first of its kind in the United States. e program pays ranchers to adopt soil health and conservation practices that pull carbon (CO2) out of the air and store it in the soil. e benefits go far beyond just capturing carbon and providing another source of income for ranchers in tough market conditions. Ranchers benefit from the increased productivity of the land. More forage means ranchers don't have to buy as much hay. Healthier, more resilient grasslands that retain more moisture mean they can increase stock density. "We've increased our stocking rate by 30 percent since we've started improving our soil," Indreland said. "at's not nothin'." Betsy Indreland talks about the importance of plant diversity to soil health in their seed shed where they keep over 50 varieties of seeds. Roger Indreland tests soil temperatures in a pasture. By keeping a record of soil conditions he can track the progress they are making. farm406 48 Continued on page 51

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