In a recent Utah survey, producers were asked a single question:“If there was one thing you could do now that would guarantee you will be on your private, state, and government lands 20 years from now, what would it be?” Over 90% of the respondents said they would start a land monitoring program.
Folks, the word is spreading!! There is a growing realization of how important range and pasture monitoring is to the productivity, profit, and security of a ranch operation. And believe it or not, just as important as collecting the information,.. is keeping track of the photos, field readings, and management records.
Question 1: How many of you have been monitoring and recording pasture conditions?
Question 2: Now, how many of you can put your finger on that monitoring data and photos? How long would it take to compile it? Does it really exist?
These are very important questions to think about.
Land EKG has been thinking about these aspects of monitoring for over 15 years; it is our specialty. In our experience, many folks have tried some kind of land monitoring in the past, and some folks are completing it very well on a regular basis. However, keeping the records organized and easy to find has proved to be a huge WEAK LINK in this process. This is exactly why we created EKG DataStore.
If you haven’t heard of it, EKG DataStore is an online program where any user can easily enter their monitoring site information, records, data, and photos. This information stays safe and organized and readily accessible from any computer with internet. Users log in securely from our website with their own username and password. Data is organized and monitoring reports are automatically generated by using the “View Report” button located on every page. The reports can then be saved to a folder on your computer, printed for your own records, or most importantly: handed to your banker, FSA Office, Stock Association, or it can be used to fulfill land lease requirements for any private, state, or federal grazing lands. The information is always accessible to you.
EKG DataStore handles many types of monitoring information (not just EKG). Things like: site location, photos, weather/precip info, forage production, grazing records, bare ground cover, plant inventories, leaf height, grazing index, and more.
Not a computer whiz? You will be surprised how easy it is. We have been working diligently to make this the most user-friendly program possible. Just recently, we re-vamped the database with better graphics, more data storage capabilities, and more straightforward data entry. Anybody, no matter what their computer skills, will be able to easily enter and report their monitoring information. And if there is ever a question, just give a call to get some tips from the friendly Land EKG team.
Short on time? Got too much data? Still hate computers? We’re happy to enter your data for you.
Data is perishable, …Safeguard yours. We have seen years worth of monitoring records turn to ashes from fire, ruined in a flood, lost due to neglect, and even stolen. Data is simply more perishable that we ever thought. Be sure that this doesn’t happen to you.
Become the professional, elevate the industry standard. With the print-out reporting capabilities and web access, you can walk into your local FS, BLM, NRCS office and hand them a report or login to view your monitoring information in real-time. Have a private lease? Demonstrate your stewardship by providing the land owner with organized records and monitoring data. We’ve seen some cases where lessees actually receive a “good stewardship” rebate on the cost of the lease. We’ve even seen EKG DataStore users leverage this professionalism to receive CSP payments, eligibility for carbon off-set payments, and to verify their management to anti-livestock groups.
Make management decisions. This database houses your most up-to-date monitoring information. Use it to your advantage. Compare rainfall records to production info, side by side photos, surface cover, or grazing indexes to watch the trends (don’t rely on memory). Use this information to guide your management decisions!
Take DataStore for a Test Drive!
To help you see its capabilities we’ve created an “imaginary” user known as Aster Ranch. To login and see how data is entered and displayed, click here and use the following username/password.
Land EKG DataStore Login
Username: randyaster
Password: raas
Click around in there. Don?t be afraid to add/change data and see what the reports look like. We created this user profile for you to explore, try it out.
How much does EKG DataStore cost?
For up to 10 monitoring sites (unlimited years of data) an annual subscription is $240/yr ($20/month). If you have more than 10 sites, or are interested in how we can help with data entry services, call for details: 406-582-7480.
FREE 6 MONTH TRIAL FOR FIRST THREE PEOPLE TO RESPOND!
If you are someone with monitoring data, and you’d like to try EKG DataStore for FREE, be one of the first THREE people to contact us with the subject line: EKG DATASTORE! for a complimentary 6 month subscription (a $120 value!)
IN OUR NEXT LAND EKG E-NEWSLETTER ISSUE:
EKG Blink – 80% of the answer with 20% of the effort
If you have any suggestions for future issues, have feedback, or want more information please contact us at:
(307) 366-2445 or contact us by email.
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