Pasture Pyrotechnics

Equipment needed:

1 gas grill propane bottle (full) with hose and torch head attached 
1 plastic water tank (also full) with hose and nozzle attached, and battery to power the tank pump
1 Suzuki mini-truck
1 Pyrotech

Optional: 

1 very amateur photojournalist—Only photo available of this person is a pedi-selfie of her muddy feet. More on that later.

Also required:

Blessing from the county emergency dispatcher that wind conditions are calm and there is minimal risk of the fire rampaging out of control and torching the whole neighborhood. Unfortunately, early spring strong winds in northeast Kansas have caused flare-ups a day later that almost did just that!

Pasture Pyrotechnics 101

In my book chapter, “Pasture Pyrotechnics,” I stated the reason for burning pastures in spring: “Burning off a pasture in early spring is an effective means of grassland management for several reasons. Burning gets rid of dead grass and weeds left from the previous grazing season, releases nutrients into the ground that revitalize the pasture, helps break the crowns on native grass so they will spread out and kills ticks and parasitic worms. The result in a few weeks is a lush green pasture of nutritious, tender grass the cattle can’t wait to sink their teeth into.” 

Setting the Back Burn

Bill waited three weeks for perfect conditions to burn our native grass pasture: wind out of the southeast at about 10 to 15 mph and green grass in our pastures on the north and west of the burn area to keep the fire from spreading. Finally, on Friday it happened. He received the required blessing and assembled his equipment. I assembled my equipment: digital camera. Off we went to start and document the back burn along the north perimeter of the pasture.

Setting a back burn creates a burned out strip that stops the advancing fire for lack of fuel when it reaches this area. Otherwise, the fire could spread into our timber, which is very dry right now.

Even though the wind was mostly out of the southeast, at times it swirled from the north, widening the back burn area. This was an unexpected and welcome assist.

All Fired Up!

Once the back burn was set, Bill ignited the main event along the east and south fence lines. I positioned myself on the dam of a dried up pond—or so I thought. I saw the fire advancing from east to west and wanted to get a shot of the frontline flames. The quickest way to get in position was to cut across the pondbed. The surface appeared to be dried, cracked dirt, so I trotted down the dam, out onto the “cracked dirt” and sunk in up to my ankles! I struggled to lift one foot, then the other to get back to the bank and really dry ground.

Meanwhile, Bill drove along the south fence line, continuing the burn. The southeast breeze propelled the flames across the pasture.

During the burn, Bill patrolled the pasture perimeter, dousing remaining flames to contain the burn. Our pastures to the north and west have green grass, but with dry conditions and low humidity even that will burn. The north pasture also has a stand of very dry timber mentioned earlier. To the east and south are more areas of timber owned by neighbors. Bill was particularly vigilant in making sure our fire didn't spread beyond those fence lines.

Get back, girls! We’re not having barbecued beef for supper! They really weren’t in any danger, just curious and always ready for any photo op.

Almost finished! Bill checks for hot spots.

Smoldering cow pie—Back in the early days when settlers crossed and settled the Great Plains, “buffalo chips” were used as fuel for cooking and heating. Wood was not plentiful on the open prairie.

There are some areas of dried grass left, but considering new grass had already started to grow, Bill is pleased with the burn. Depending on the weather and precipitation, we should be able to put cattle on this pasture in about three or four weeks.

Epilogue

The smoky (and muddy) clothes spent the night outside. The mud was hosed off the next morning—too tired to do it the night before—then everything was thrown into the washer in one load and hung on the clothesline to dry. Yes, the pink t-shirt got washed with the muddy shoes! We don’t get too picky about laundering farm clothes.