Lobato Farms & Mesa Conservation District: Innovations and Inventions to Improve Farmland

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Join us as we talk with Michael Lobato, Lobato Farms, and Holly Stanley, Mesa Conservation District on Colorado’s Western slope about their innovations with applying biochar in a no-till system. 

Michael has worked to transform what was once part of a large sheep ranch into a thriving 5-acre farm. The 5 acres were split off from the sheep ranch with no infrastructure or irrigation and soil high in salts from manure.  

“It was a lot of dirt and kochia…. but it looks much different today,” says Michael. 

Michael started working with biochar after his father told him about a local group looking for a small plot to research biochar and compost. The trial was done at Lobato Farms, and Michael was struck with water capacity improvements. He then put it in his market garden and says, “it was night and day.” 

Holly began working with Michael as an intern after learning about biochar from people interested in water conservation. 

She says, “I was super excited and immediately inclined to be Michael’s assistant.” Now with the Mesa Conservation District she’s working with Michael on new ways to apply biochar. 

The question before them was how to apply it in a native grass stand to make it more drought resilient. They tried one machine and have a patent on one that will work better for farmers. 

Holly and Michael have learned a lot and seen great improvements in water usage, soil health, forage quality, and more, and are working hard to overcome technological challenges.

Holly and Michael would like to extend a special thank you to: Citizens for Clean Air, Colorado Ag Water Alliance, and the LOR Foundation for funding the trial. Also Professor Emeritus Gerald Nelson (University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne) and Dr. Perry Cabot (CSU Grand Valley Research Center) for providing their guidance and expertise.

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