Using GOOGLE EARTH to map out your pastures!

Why bother?

Well… I am going to a seminar on HOLISTIC PLANNED GRAZING and they gave all of us this homework last minute. “Please bring a map of your ranch with fencing and cross-fencing drawn in.”

Yikes.

I was in a bit of a tizzy because my drawing skills are rivaled only by everyone who has ever graduated kindergarten.

I read the homework instructions again – perspiring a bit – and I saw that the teachers suggested we could go to Google Maps or Google Earth to also draw the diagrams of our land and pastures.

Phew.

Except, I didn’t know how to use Google Earth other than to search an address… I didn’t even know it had the capability to DRAW!

DRAWING THE MAP!

So, I opened Google Earth and then… called for backup.

1) Call someone in to help you… I called Hubby.

2) Open Google Earth and search your address. Easy.

3) In the little boxes above, find “add polygon” and draw the outline of your property. You can add a color and I chose red.

4) Hubby said that if I had GOOGLE EARTH PRO, it could also measure inside this polygon. But, I didn’t so …

5) Then, to add the cross fencing, I used the “add path” feature to go from point to point. Just make sure you are able to draw in pathways… if you have to pick up your pencil, so to speak, END the path you are on and start another.

6) Save and print!

This was so easy, I wanted to share. By using Google Earth, I didn’t have to draw (mine would have looked like blobs inside of crooked lines) of any of the buildings on the property and the map is fairly accurate.

My Google Earth drawing of the property with cross fencing… way easier (and way better) than anything I could draw remedially with my two artistic clubs.

WHY HOLISTIC PLANNED GRAZING?

The idea is to bring back the pastures to their best possible condition through managed grazing.

By outlining my pastures and taking this course, I hope to learn what I can do – using my animals and the grasses available – to manage the water, soil, energy and community dynamics on my ranch so that the pastures will last as long as possible and be as healthy as possible.

That is my hope, anyway! Going back to school is way more fun (and easier) than the first time around. Amazing what age will do to one’s perspective. ;)