? for old timers
In decades long past, 30-40 years ago, exactly how much time did the herd actually spend in the upper Pear Orchard or even the Pear Orchard itself? How was the herd contained there? Did EBMUD check on all areas of the pasture every year back then to be sure all the areas were sufficiently grazed? When the LP and PO were one pasture did the herd actually choose to go down and hang out in the PO at the times when it needed to be grazed?
Thanks for the past history!
Cheryl
Wed, 02/29/2012 – 00:43 — paintedrider
old fire road
Years ago there was a wonderfully maintained fire road from the Lower pasture all the way to Wildcat Canyon. I am surprised that EBMUD never fixed it after the washout, because it was so convenient for us and for fire trucks. The horses did go down as far as the gate but it was always closed until we opened it up to them to graze the PO and we were at the PO, if I remember, for quite a while. I wish we could somehow have that fire road re-opened and I know that I questioned this before when EMBUD was willing to fill in the wash out with gravel I think. I would be great to have this access road for so many things.
pear orchard grazing
I look forward to havng the extra grazing available, especially this year, and to the opportunity for more work hours doing the fencing, and also to saving $3,500.
I consider the forest and adjacent saddle grazing area one of he more beatiful and tranquil areas of our lease and appreciate the proximity to the Briones and San Pablo Dam trail systems.
I am willing to volunteer to open up the old access trail across the stream directly into the Pear Orchard.
Fred
Statistically speaking for
Statistically speaking for myself, I have had about 10 horses of varied breeds and ages graze the entire pear orchard for 30 years without more than a stone bruise, which has been acquired in anothother pasture as well. Maybe OHA just isn’t the place for everyone. I hope that new prospective members are told that they must graze this area amongst other things when being interviewed
Fencing not too bad, and paths up
Fencing the saddle will be easier than I thought — though of course not trivial. The fence sections required to connect the open saddle to the boundary fences are both shorter and more open than I had expected.
Also, there are three ways up from the Pear Orchard to the Saddle Area. First, there is the old fire road (if you take that, TURN LEFT just past the big gate to the old fire road off on the right). Second, there is a pretty open woods to walk though from roughly 100 yards south of the fire road. Finally, there is a path up from near the south end (just before the ravine). Someone has cut our electric fence; repairs of course needed if we use the lower Pear Orchard only. Not needed if we don’t use that fence.
Rode the Pear Orchard and found Saddle area – NICE
Today, Fri, Feb. 17 Georgia, Sally, Neil and Harvey rode the Pear Orchard to take a look. We had a good time checking it out. We went the long way around, haaa!, by the time we found the saddle we discovered it was not far from the Pear Orchard and is very beautiful. (We went all the way to the top first, then all the way back down. 😉 Oops. There is a lovely area under some oak trees where I (Georgia) recall the horses hung out and the grazing area is wide and beautiful. I’m sure everyone can find the correct path now as our horses hooves marked the left turn up the hill. I am in favor of reclaiming this area and saving the goat money. $3500 is a lot that we could use elsewhere. The fencing effort (building) is a one-time thing and the upkeep does not seem difficult.
Climbing to the Saddle is no worse than going up to the Plateau and is shaded. Concerns about injuries may be unsubstantiated. Statistically, the area is no more dangerous than the rest of the pasture. Oft times I found my horse near the water rather than up the hill. Access to the nearby park trails is wonderful. I suggest everyone at least authorize the exploration of this option. Some extra work and two weeks time there is a small price to pay to save $3500. I like Liz’s mention that we may need the grass this year because of the drought. Hay costs will be going up forever, let’s reclaim this area now!
needed forage
I think we will need the additional 2 weeks of forage supplied by the Pear Orchard saddle area in this drought year. We are already facing the prospect of needing to limit the number of horses on pasture this year. Hay also will be very expensive and scarce – I think farmers out toward the delta may have lost their first hay crop during the dry spell, and cattle people are concerned. EBMUD will be asking all their grazing leases to make adjustments. (I also agree that the Pear Orchard saddle area is less steep.
Pear Orchard
Hi OHA,
Does that area seem to hilly to keep horses, or, is it just me? There don’t appear to be any flat spots at all for the herd. I’m curious how horses have fared there in the past….And, the goat grazing thing sounds efficient and cost-effective. It would create a lot of extra work for us to keep it up without them – don’t we have enough already to concentrate on?
Becky
Fri, 02/17/2012 – 07:16 — morris
Flat area
Becky, I’m aftraid I gave you a bad impression of the saddle area when we hiked up from the lower pear orchard and somehow missed it entirely. The area they are talking about adding is one of the flattest spaces in any of the pastures, as is clear when you look down on it from the lower pasture. Th only hill added is between that and the current section grazed, and is less steep than coming up the fire road from Mrs. Long’s side in the Upper Sullivan…
When we grazed the whole thing, as we did for close to 30 years, the area we would be adding is where the horses used to hang out the most…
Morris
Tue, 02/21/2012 – 03:28 — paintedrider
as I have stated to the
as I have stated to the board. This discussion is not applicable to recent assoc. members or probationary members as mentioned by Linda F. Most of these people have never experienced the Pear Orchard, therefore, should not have an opinion of it. And heresay is just as it says
Parking for Pear (from David Lehrer)
Speaking for myself only, and as an associate member, nobody cares what I
think, these are my observations of the pear orchard. You have to park across
the street or risk a ticket. You have to carry saddle and tack across Camino
Pablo to get ready. And from my last experience leading horses to and from the
orchard, the herd was swarmed by yellow jackets, I was repeatedly stung (and I
was one of the lucky ones) and nearly trampled by horses behind me in the pack.
Nobody can control a horse that is being stung by yellowjackets. I value my
health and wellbeing too much to attempt an organized herd move either to or
from the pear orchard again.
Fri, 02/17/2012 – 23:22 — lizstrauss
the PO move, and parking
The Yellow Jacket Attack was awful for everyone (including the yellow jackets), but in all our years of moving horses back and forth to that pasture it’s the only time it has ever happened.
The PO parking situation is a real pain. If you don’t have high clearance, it is pretty miserable to park near the PO gate. And my car was hit-and-runned there once.
I’ve solved it pretty well by parking across the road and slightly down into JFK University’s parking lot. My horses have been trained to stand while I brush and saddle them. It’s actually pretty nice over there in the parking lot, and after about the first time I’ve tried it the horse settles down and is comfortable there.
It is heavenly to be able to ride into Briones from the PO in 2 minutes, and often the herd is very close by, so it saves a lot of time.
The poison oak can be bad in that pasture, but if we can only get the saddle area back I don’t think the PO is any worse for the horses than some of our other pastures when the grass is dry and slippery.
Tue, 02/21/2012 – 01:19 — ereiter
Parking
Yes, you can park along the road down to Wagner Ranch (though likely not on school days when school is in session).
Sassy and I have usually left for Point Arena near the end of the Pear Orchard rotation. It is surprisingly convenient– lots of room for truck and trailer. Just park, go get your horse — which has taken generally less than 10 minutes. It might take longer if the horses are allowed up on the Saddle, but it still isn’t too far.
not an old timer
but from the more recent past, I found the planning grids from 2000-2002, and some board meeting
minutes from 2002-2003; they show that we grazed the lower Pear for two
weeks, then opened the e-fence to let the horses into the entire Pear
Orchard for another month – total of 6 weeks in 2002 (5/25/02 –
7/12/02), maybe 5 weeks in 2000.
I think in 2004-2005 we started with the goats and cross-fenced the
Upper Pasture, qualifying for Tier II for the first time under Ranger
Penny’s direction.
Yes, Penny did monitor the pastures and direct when to move.