top of page
Call Us Now : 720-730-4040
All Posts


September Pasture To-Do List for Colorado Landowners: Soil Tests, Overseeding, and the 6-Inch Rule
September is Colorado’s pivot month. Summer stress is beginning to ease, cool nights are returning, and the soil is still warm enough for cool-season grasses to catch a second growth window before winter dormancy. That window does not stay open for long. For landowners around Parker and across the Front Range, the work you do this month can determine how well your pasture handles winter, how much grass returns next spring, and whether weeds such as cheatgrass gain another foo

Rion Buswell
2 days ago7 min read


Cheatgrass in Colorado: Why Fall Is the Window to Stop It Before It Takes Over
Meta description: Learn why late August through September is the critical window for cheatgrass control in Colorado, fire mitigation, pasture maintenance, and long-term land reclamation. SEO keywords: weed control colorado, cheatgrass, fire mitigation, pasture maintenance, land reclamation services At Back 40 Acres, our land-management knowledge began on a family farm and grew through a lifetime of agricultural experience and decades of customer service. We know Colorado acre

Rion Buswell
Sep 27 min read


Fall Pasture Prep in Colorado: Aeration, Overseeding, and the 6-Inch Rule That Saves Your Soil
At Back 40 Acres, we have spent a lifetime around working land. Our agricultural knowledge began on our family farm and has grown through decades of customer service and hands-on acreage management. We understand what Colorado property owners are up against: heavy clay, dry wind, sudden storms, intense sun, limited moisture, and a growing season that can change quickly. For landowners in Parker, Elbert County, and across the Front Range, late August through September is an im

Rion Buswell
Aug 266 min read


Your Late-Summer Pasture Checkup: How to Assess, Restore, and Prep for Fall in Colorado
At Back 40 Acres, we have spent a lifetime working with land. Our agricultural knowledge comes from generations on a family farm, along with decades of customer service experience. We understand what Colorado acreage faces each year: intense sun, dry spells, sudden storms, heavy clay, livestock traffic, and a short growing season. By mid-August, the worst of summer heat is beginning to ease. That makes now an important time to check your pasture, correct problems, and prepare

Rion Buswell
Aug 196 min read


The Practical Guide to Land and Pasture Management: Thriving in Colorado’s Unique Climate
If you own acreage, horse property, or a residential lot here along the Front Range and around Parker, you already know that Colorado doesn't follow the gardening or landscaping rules of the Midwest or the East Coast. Between our intense altitude, blistering sun, unpredictable freeze-thaw cycles, and sudden drought spells, managing land can feel like an uphill battle. At Back 40 Acres, our roots run deep: grounded in a lifetime of agricultural experience on our family farm. O

Rion Buswell
Aug 124 min read


How to Aerate and Prepare Heavy Clay Soil for Fall Seeding in Colorado
If you own medium-to-large acreage in Parker or anywhere along the Colorado Front Range, you already know the frustration of working with heavy clay soil. By the time late summer rolls around, that ground can bake until it feels less like a pasture and more like a sun-baked dirt lot. If you've been eyeing patchy spots, thin turf, or bare ground and wondering how you're ever going to get grass to grow, you are not alone. At Back 40 Acres, our approach is rooted in a lifetime o

Rion Buswell
Aug 54 min read


Chemical vs. Biocontrol Weed Management: What Works Best for Colorado Pastures Right Now
It’s late July in Colorado, and if you’re looking out over your acreage right now, you’re likely seeing two things: sun-scorched golden grass and resilient, stubborn weeds. This is peak drought season. For landowners in Parker, Elizabeth, and across the Front Range, the urge to do something about those weeds is strong. You might be reaching for the heavy-duty sprayer or wondering if there's a better way to handle the thistles and knapweed without turning your pasture into a c

Rion Buswell
Jul 295 min read


Why Your Colorado Pasture Needs Fall Cover Crops (And Why August Is the Time to Plant)
If you’ve lived in Colorado long enough, you know that by late July, our pastures often start to look less like a "field" and more like a "dirt lot." The summer heat waves and the high-altitude sun can be brutal on our native grasses. Many landowners around Parker and the Front Range look at their brittle, yellowing acreage this time of year and think, "Well, I’ll just wait until next spring to fix it." As someone who has spent a lifetime on a family farm and decades helping

Rion Buswell
Jul 245 min read


Why Regenerative Seeding Will Change the Way You Manage Drought Stress
If you own a medium-to-large property around Parker or the surrounding Front Range, you know the "dirt lot" feeling all too well. One minute, you have a decent field of grass; the next, a dry spell hits, and you’re looking at cracked soil, patchy weeds, and a pasture that looks more like a construction site than a piece of Colorado heritage. In our lifetime of managing Colorado land: rooted in our own family farm: we’ve seen plenty of folks try to "chemical" their way out of

Rion Buswell
Jul 225 min read


15 Tips to Help Your Pasture Survive a Colorado Heatwave
If you’ve lived in Colorado for more than a single season, you know our weather doesn't just change: it attacks. We go from a late spring blizzard to a 95-degree afternoon in what feels like a blink. For those of us managing medium-to-large acreages in places like Parker, Elizabeth, or Castle Rock, these heatwaves are more than just uncomfortable; they are a direct threat to the health of our land. When the sun beats down and the humidity drops to nothing, your pasture can qu

Rion Buswell
Jul 154 min read


5 Steps to Restore an Overgrazed Pasture and Boost Horse Health (Easy Guide for Parker Landowners)
If you’ve spent any time looking out over your horse property in Parker or along the Front Range lately, you might notice something frustrating. That lush, green field you imagined when you bought the place looks more like a "dirt lot" with a few patches of weeds. It happens to the best of us. Colorado’s extreme climate, paired with our heavy clay soils and the natural grazing habits of horses, makes maintaining a healthy pasture a constant battle. But here’s the truth: an ov

Rion Buswell
Jul 84 min read


Why Your Weed Control Colorado Isn't Working (And How to Fix It During a Drought)
If you’ve lived in Colorado for more than a single season, you know our weather isn't just "dry": it’s unpredictable, intense, and often downright harsh on the land. One week we’re celebrating a late spring snowmelt, and the next, we’re staring at a parched "dirt lot" that was supposed to be a lush pasture. But here’s the kicker: even when the grass stops growing, the weeds don’t. In fact, it seems like the drier it gets, the more those thistles, kochia, and cheatgrass thrive

Rion Buswell
Jun 245 min read


Looking For Weed Control in Colorado? Here Are 10 Things You Should Know About Noxious Weeds
If you’ve lived in Douglas County for a while, you know that managing a few acres isn't just about owning land: it’s about a constant, seasonal dance with the elements. Between the extreme Colorado heat, the sudden spring snows, and the relentless wind, our local landscape is tough. But there is one challenge that frustrates Parker landowners more than almost any other: noxious weeds. I grew up on a family farm, and I’ve spent my life watching how weeds can take over a beauti

Rion Buswell
Jun 195 min read


How to Choose the Best Drought-Resistant Mix for Pasture Seeding (Compared)
If you live in Colorado, you know the drill. One week it’s a blizzard, the next week it’s 90 degrees with a wind that feels like a blow-dryer on high. For landowners around Parker, Elizabeth, and Castle Rock, keeping a pasture looking like a pasture: and not a dusty dirt lot: can feel like a full-time job you didn't apply for. When people call us for land reclamation services, the first question is usually: "What grass can actually survive here without a million-dollar water

Rion Buswell
Jun 175 min read


How to Integrate Fertilizer With Weed Control for a Cleaner Colorado Pasture
If you’ve lived in Colorado for more than a single season, you know that keeping a pasture healthy is a constant battle against the elements. Between the bone-dry summers, the unpredictable spring freezes, and weeds that seem to grow three inches overnight, your land can quickly go from a "lush field" to a "dirt lot" if you aren’t careful. One of the most common questions we get at Back 40 Acres is how to handle the "one-two punch" of fertilization and weed control. Many folk

Rion Buswell
Jun 154 min read


How to Choose the Best Pasture Seeding Mix for Colorado’s Extreme Weather
If you’ve lived in Colorado for more than a single season, you know exactly what we’re up against. One day it’s 70 degrees and sunny in Parker, and by the next morning, you’re shoveling six inches of heavy spring snow. Our climate is extreme, to say the least. For those of us managing medium-to-large acreages, these wild swings in temperature and moisture levels make pasture seeding more than just a weekend chore: it’s a bit of a science. I’ve spent my lifetime on a family fa

Rion Buswell
May 274 min read
7 Reasons Your Grass Isn't Growing (And How Soil Aeration Can Fix It)
If you look out at your pasture and see more dirt than green, you aren’t alone. Out here in Colorado, managing land can feel like a full-time job: and a frustrating one at that. You might be watering, you might have even thrown down some seed, but the grass just isn’t “catching.” It sits there, or worse, it disappears entirely, leaving you with what looks like a vacant lot instead of a lush field. At Back 40 Acres, we’ve spent a lifetime on the family farm and decades helping

Rion Buswell
May 204 min read
High-Density Grazing: Why Your Colorado Pasture Needs a 'Mob' Mentality
If you’ve spent any time driving around Parker or Elizabeth, you’ve probably seen two types of pastures. On one side of the fence, you’ve got a field that looks like a golf course: short, brown, and struggling to survive the July heat. On the other side, you might see a neighbor with grass so thick and green it looks like it belongs in a different climate entirely. More often than not, the difference isn't how much water they’re using or how much they spent on fancy fertilize

Rion Buswell
May 194 min read
How to Use Regenerative Pasture Seeding to Restore Your Land After a Colorado Wildfire
If you live in or around Parker, you know that wildfire isn’t just a headline: it’s a reality we live with. Seeing a fire rip through your property is devastating. Once the smoke clears and the trucks are gone, you’re often left looking at a "dirt lot" that used to be a thriving pasture. It’s a gut-punch, but I want you to know that your land is resilient. With the right approach, we can bring that soil back to life. At Back 40 Acres, we’ve spent a lifetime working the land h

Rion Buswell
May 134 min read
Meet the Man Behind Back 40 Acres: Rion Buswell’s Journey from Family Farm to Pasture Pro
If you’ve spent any time in Parker or the surrounding Colorado plains, you know the drill. You buy a few acres, dreaming of golden sunsets and horses grazing in knee-high grass. Then reality hits: the wind picks up, the rain disappears for months, and your "dream pasture" starts looking more like a dusty, weed-choked vacant lot. Enter Rion Buswell. Rion isn’t just a guy with a tractor. He’s the man behind Back 40 Acres, and he’s spent his entire life learning how to make the

Rion Buswell
May 125 min read
bottom of page