Spring Development Field Day at Mt. Sentinel Ranch
- communications8404
- Sep 30, 2024
- 3 min read
September 17, 2024 | Mt. Sentinel Ranch
Organized by FFGA in collaboration with the Regenerative Alberta Living Lab (RA-LL)
Access to water continues to be one of the biggest challenges when it comes to rotational grazing and other best management practices (BMPs). That’s not just a hunch—it came through clearly in a recent national survey led by Food Water Wellness Foundation (FWWF). Across provinces, operations, and landscapes, producers identified accessible water infrastructure as the number one barrier to adopting new grazing strategies.
To start addressing that, FFGA and RA-LL teamed up to host a field demo focused on spring development, drawing 36 producers to Mt. Sentinel Ranch near Nanton for a practical, in-the-field look at how offsite water systems can work—and what it takes to put one in.
A Ranch with Deep Roots
Mt. Sentinel Ranch has been around since 1898, and its current stewards, Sarah Green and her husband Harley, are continuing a long tradition of combining cattle production with environmental stewardship. Sarah’s father, Francis Gardner, and mother Bonnie managed the ranch from the 1970s through to 2005, when Sarah and Harley took over the cow-calf operation.
Over the years, Sarah has added more water infrastructure to support grazing management, cattle health, and herd performance. She’s also worked to adapt tools and practices in ways that make sense for her landscape and operation. Hosting this event created an opportunity for Sarah to share her experience and to team up with Gerald Vandervalk, a fellow producer and core member of RA-LL, to demonstrate what’s possible—and what to watch out for.
Learning in the Field
The workshop walked participants through the basics of developing a spring for offsite watering, installing gravity-fed troughs, and thinking through how and where to move water to improve pasture access. Producers also learned about funding programs available to help offset costs.
Gerald shared details about how he’s approached water development on his own ranch, including gravity systems that run year-round without needing pumps or heaters. These kinds of systems aren’t necessarily plug-and-play—they rely on natural elevation and site-specific design—but they can provide reliable water access while avoiding extra energy or fuel costs.
“Water is key,” Gerald said. “We make sure cattle have access to clean water wherever they go, without mud. That helps both the cattle and the land.”
He also talked through the role water plays in their rotational grazing system, how they plant legumes using mineral salt, and how they manage riparian areas by rotating quickly and thoughtfully. The systems they’ve built up over time—using dams, electric fencing, solar pumps, and flood irrigation—reflect an ongoing process of adapting and refining what works.
What Producers Took Away
A key strength of the day was that it didn’t present spring development as a one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, it offered a chance to see how other producers are making things work, with lots of space to ask questions, swap stories, and weigh out ideas.
One attendee put it plainly:
“It was so great and interesting to see how to develop springs into troughs. I always see them finished, but learning how to do it was helpful.”
Another shared:
“I’m excited to apply for funding to set up some water systems on my ranch now that I know it is available.”
Not everyone will have the right topography or water source for a gravity-fed system. But for those who do, and for those curious about how water access can support better grazing decisions, the workshop offered a starting point—and a few ideas to take home.
A Practical Step Toward Better Grazing
The day at Mt. Sentinel wasn’t about pitching a perfect system. It was about looking at options, learning from peers, and thinking through how water fits into the bigger picture of soil health, cattle performance, and land management.
Events like this one remind us that field days are one of the most valuable tools we have—not just for learning something new, but for seeing ideas in action, asking real questions, and connecting with others who are figuring it out too. There’s no substitute for getting your boots on the ground, seeing a system firsthand, and hearing directly from the people using it.
That’s why we’ll keep hosting them. Because the knowledge shared, the conversations sparked, and the time spent on real working landscapes can help make the path to change a little clearer—and a little more practical—for all of us.
First Date of Publication: Sept 30, 2024
Updated April 10, 2025
For funding related to developing your own water system check out
SCAP Water Program
RDAR OFCAF
CFGA OFCAF
Comentarios