Arizona’s Oatman Flats Ranch Adapting to Drier Conditions

A feature in the Arizona Republic describes how Dax Hansen is adapting his family’s Oatman Flats Ranch in Dateland, Arizona, to successful production with less water. The Gila River that splits the property is now a dry riverbed, so Hansen sought out crops for arid conditions, added native plants that would contribute biomass and organic matter to the soil, and integrated livestock into the operation. He is using regenerative organic agriculture methods to restore soil biodiversity and improve the water cycle. The story relates Hansen’s family history with the property, and how conditions there have changed over time, both on Oatman Flats Ranch and throughout the Gila watershed.