Right now, our summer temperatures are above normal, and we are way behind on rainfall. All extended forecasts indicate more of the same. We all want nice yards and pretty lawns surrounding our homes. It is becoming real tricky to get that accomplished.

Texas Extension Turfgrass specialists have developed the water-wise checklist for home turfgrass listed below:

TASK	REASON	ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Mow at the upper end of the appropriate mowing height range for your species of grass	Taller grass = Deeper Roots. Deeper roots can improve overall infiltration and access to water deeper in the soil.	For more information on appropriate mowing heights for your species, visit the AggieTurf Website. https://aggieturf.tamu.edu/
Follow the 1/3 Rule. Mow frequently enough to never remove more than 1/3 of the total grass mowing height at one time.	Scalped grass is stressed grass. Stressed grass will be less tolerant to heat and drought, and more vulnerable to other pests or fungal pathogens.
Water deeply and infrequently. Try to water to a depth of approximately 6″ each time you water.	Watering this way encourages deeper, denser root growth. Again, this can improve infiltration and access to water deeper in the soil.
Wait to water until visual wilt is occurring and do so late at night or early in the morning.	Watering late at night or early in the morning will reduce evaporative losses, improve water-use efficiency, and reduce length of overall leaf wetness, which reduces disease potential.
Use the Cycle Soak Method.	Because sprinkler precipitation rates usually exceed soil infiltration rates, cycle soaking improves soil water infiltration and reduces runoff by “pulsing” water onto the lawn in small amounts over several hours.	Check out this video from Dr. Richard White on the Cycle Soak Method. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vmr9YbHTjL0&t=27s
Monitor your irrigation equipment judiciously.	Broken or malfunctioning irrigation equipment can both waste water and create localized dry spots across the lawn. Replace broken heads and consider a professional irrigation audit by a licensed irrigator.	Want to check your irrigation efficiency on your own? Check out AgriLife Water University’s video on the Catch Can Method. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nIwZ_imn9w&t=2s
Take advantage of rainwater.	Rainwater catchment can help you take advantage of natural precipitation and supplement irrigation water.	A number of AgriLife programs offer courses on rainwater catchment. Check out these programs, or contact your County Extension Agent for local resources: Healthy Lawns, Healthy Waters https://hlhw.tamu.edu/ Water University https://wateruniversity.tamu.edu/
Till new areas before replacing or installing new sod.	Prepare areas for new sod by tilling the area to a depth of 6” to 12″, when possible. Good site preparation is critical to improving water infiltration and laying the literal groundwork for a healthy stand of turfgrass.
Look ahead.	In the spring and fall, consider core aeration and thatch removal to improve overall water infiltration for active growing months.	Not sure what to do here? Contact your local County Extension Agent for additional input.

Beef is “greener” than you’ve been led to believe.

In fact, livestock production is sustainable, and the beef industry has long implemented sustainability practices to get the product from gate to plate.

1. Cattle convert plants into protein

Upcycling and recycling are trendy, and cows have been doing it for hundreds of years.

Cattle convert plants than are inedible for humans into high-quality protein.

In the U.S., there are about 800 million acres of land that are not suitable for growing crops due to factors like soil conditions, environment and lack of rain. But that land has native grasses that cattle are able to upcycle into tasty protein for humans. Now that’s what I call a win-win!

2. Low greenhouse gas emissions compared to other sources

Some say beef is the largest culprit of greenhouse gas emissions. But we call bull on that.

In fact, beef cattle accounts for a tiny amount of greenhouse gas emissions—only about 2 percent, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. And beef cattle production as a whole, including production of animal feed, is responsible for only 3.7 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.

The staggering majority of greenhouse gases are due to transportation at 28 percent and electricity generation at nearly 27 percent.

3. Beef has many health benefits

The internet is full of trendy diets with conflicting advice. But one fact you can always count on—beef is part of a healthy diet.

Beef contains many essential nutrients, including iron, zinc, vitamin B12 and more. It’s packed with health-promoting amino acids, full of vitamins and it comes in a delicious package with relatively few calories.

4. Cattle are more than beef

Although the first thing we often think about is beef when it comes to cattle, they’re responsible for so much more. Medicine. Shampoo. Textiles. Jobs. And many other items we use daily.

Cattle help provide us these numerous products and also return value to the ecosystem through grazing.

5. Cattle help with land management

Grazing cattle can reduce the land’s natural emissions of nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas that environmentalists agree is more damaging than carbon dioxide.

Cattle also can help manage the forage that fuels wildfires. By grazing down forage, cattle eliminate some of the fuel. Combine that with other management techniques, and research shows the number of wildfires and the severity of the fires could be reduced.

You’ve placed an emphasis on sustainability. So have farmers and ranchers for generations. They’ll continue to do so, too.

They have embraced technologies that reduce emissions and increase efficiency. Farmers and ranchers do more with less, because they are committed to producing the world’s food, feed and fiber in a sustainable way. (Click here to see how.)

As for cattle, they upcycle land that is unsuitable for human food consumption and sequester carbon while doing so. Plus, they improve the soil and provide us with protein we love to enjoy.

And we can. Guilt free.

So, grill that steak or bite into your hamburger. Eat your veggies. And enjoy a cold glass of milk with your dessert. And tip your hat to the Texas farmers and ranchers who helped bring that to your table in a sustainable way.