Field Note No. 002
Ground Level
A slow walk, small yellow flowers at concrete edges, and changes in how the ground felt underfoot.
Read the noteField Notes / Ranch Journal
Pay attention.
Keep a record.
Pass it on.
Notes from the work: weather and water, livestock and pasture, wildlife, management decisions, photographs, experiments, and lessons.
Selected field notes
Start with what is visible.
Small details, changing conditions, and days worth remembering. Open a note and follow what caught our attention.
Field Note No. 010
Field Note No. 022
The Land After Rain
Standing water after rain, bubbles at the surface, and livestock returning to a familiar pen.
Read the noteField Note No. 025
The Quail Calendar
Four to five quail in the afternoon, alongside memories of their seasonal visits over several years.
Read the noteField Note No. 034
Monarch observation
A monarch observation across June 16–18. A few June days held in the continuing record.
Read the noteField Note No. 035
White sandhill crane observation
A July 10 observation of a bird recorded as a white sandhill crane. A dated encounter to keep and return to.
Read the noteField Note No. 036
Blue Indigo
A large dark-colored snake, recorded as a probable Texas indigo snake, was observed moving through the front pasture at approximately 8:30 AM. Four photographs accompany the observation in the ranch record.
Read the noteField Note No. 037
When the Heat Changes the Rhythm
Birds near Dude at approximately 1:00 PM draw attention outside their usual early-morning or evening visits. The same record connects intense seasonal heat and thinning forage with the need to purchase feed and rising livestock care costs.
Read the noteField Note No. 040
After the Rain
An evening return after rain to observe ground cover, exposed soil, small unidentified openings, and a mature tree. Differences across the ground raise questions about where the water went.
Read the noteFollow a line of observation.
Weather & water
Rainfall, weather, hydrology, standing water, and seasonal conditions.
Soil, forage & plant growth
Soil observations, forage, plant growth, flowering, and seasonal change.
Livestock & management
Livestock observations, management decisions, and the context behind the work.
Wildlife & pollinators
Native plants, birds, wildlife, pollinators, and their seasonal presence.
Experiments & lessons
Producer-led questions, experiments, outcomes, failures, and lessons learned.
Photographs & seasonal records
Photographs, changing seasons, and moments worth returning to.
For whoever reads it next
Keep the record useful.
- Keep the date. Note when it happened and what the day was like.
- Write what happened. Put down what you noticed, what you did, and how you took a measurement.
- Leave room for questions. Say what you think might explain it, and what you still need to find out.
- Return to the work. Add what happened next. Keep the mistakes and changed decisions, too.