Maximizing Water Through Holistic Management: Maurice and Beth Robinette

This video features the Lazy R Ranch near Cheney, Washington, managed by Maurice Robinette and his daughter Beth, who have used holistic management since the late 1990s. Operating across highly variable landscapes that range from productive meadows to rocky, low-productivity areas, they rely on planned grazing and adaptive decision-making to manage risk. Their approach follows a cycle of planning, monitoring, and adjusting, allowing them to track available forage and make early stocking decisions. Rather than reserving specific pastures for drought, they plan for additional grazing days, enabling early destocking and reducing financial losses. The Robinettes also focus on improving the water cycle by maintaining full soil cover, increasing infiltration, and supporting deeper root growth to make better use of limited rainfall. These strategies help them sustain productivity, reduce drought impacts, and improve long-term ecological and economic resilience under variable climate conditions.