Most think of Arizona as the desert. Richard Collins takes you into the grasslands southeast of Tucson where it is higher and cooler. Streams thread the rock-filled pastures. Native grass grows waist-high. But this can easily be destroyed when cattle are left to graze in one area too long. The grass, and the wildflowers and many shrubs are eaten and the streams become fowled by manure and urine. The answer to this travesty is sustainable ranching. With supervision of the government, the number of cows allotted to graze is determined each year, and the herd is moved from pasture to pasture, allowing time for the area to regenerate.
If you are interested in how sustainable ranching really works both with and in spite of state and federal monitoring, this book is for you. Richard's writing style is easy with lots of stories that will make you feel like your are talking to a long-time friend.
Cowboy is a Verb is testament to the power of collaboration among the ranchers in the watershed. They educated their novice government supervisors, accepted rational intervention and built a strong community of cooperation.. This book should be a case study in the power of community involvement.
Full disclosure: Richard C. Collins in a client. Loved the book in spite of that!
Available on Amazon.