Volume 31, No.

8 ‘by graziers, for graziers’

October 2024

Bringing a new generation into dairy

MacKenzie Wallace finds a place on 156-year-old grazing farm
By Martha Hoffman Kerestes

Whitingham, Vermont —
MacKenzie Wallace knew he wanted
to make a career in the grazing dairy
world. He also knew it would be a
challenge since there was no family
farm to work into.
A few turns in the road later, this
young Dairy Grazing Apprentice-
ship (DGA) graduate is working with
seasoned dairy grazier Leon Corse in
southcentral Vermont (Graze April
2020) where he completed his appren-
ticeship in 2021.
When MacKenzie first came back
as hired labor earlier this year, he
started taking on more management
decisions. He is now being transi-
tioned into the operation more fully.
They’re both optimistic about the
future.

Getting into dairy

MacKenzie didn’t grow up on a
farm, but he gravitated toward agri-
culture nonetheless.
“I really enjoyed animals from a
young age, and my stepdad was a
farmer when he was a kid,” he ex-
plains. Corse family

His stepdad’s pictures and stories Left to right: Linda and Leon Corse, their daughter Abbie holding her son Niko, Abbie’s son Eli, and MacKenzie Wallace.
of farm life were just the beginning.
the job and his stepdad could tell he half an hour after leaving the farm, It took MacKenzie a little longer
MacKenzie took ag classes in high
wasn’t happy with life. MacKenzie received a call offering to fully realize this was the career for
school. During and just after high
“We were watching the news on TV him to come to the farm for his ap- him.
school, he spent time on a vegetable
and DGA came up,” he explains. “I’d prenticeship. “For the first year, I didn’t really
farm, a beef and hay operation, and a
dairy. heard about it before through my ag He was Leon’s second apprentice know I wanted to farm,” he explains.
teacher my senior year but I wasn’t — the first graduated and went into a
At the confinement dairy, most of
sure about it. This time it came up and different field of work. Finding a farm
his tasks were doing calf and heifer my stepdad said ‘you’re going to do
chores and milking in the afternoon. “The first apprentice’s experience But after that year of working
it’ and helped me fill out the applica- convinced him he didn’t want to be a alongside Leon on all aspects of the
“I really liked the milking part of tion to join the program.” dairy farmer and didn’t want the 24/7 farm — milking between 35 and 54
it,” MacKenzie says. “I had a light- That pivotal moment would lead commitment,” Leon explains. “It’s a certified organic cows depending on
bulb in my head — ‘I could probably MacKenzie to a career that fits his huge value to learn that. We weren’t the time of year, coordinating grazing,
do this as a career if I really worked.” skills and interests. disappointed that we gave him that making hay and baleage, and more
For a number of reasons, that job As soon as MacKenzie posted his opportunity. It was pretty appar- on 370 acres — MacKenzie knew he
wasn’t a long-term fit, though. So he profile on the DGA website, Leon ent after MacKenzie came here that wanted to keep doing this.
worked with a friend doing landscap- was one of the first farmers to reach this wasn’t going to be the case with First, Leon helped him do the math
ing for a few months, but it wasn’t a out, and that led to an interview at the him. It wasn’t longer than six months on starting his own farm from scratch,
sustainable job either. farm where both farmer and future ap- before we were convinced he was a
One evening he came home from prentice clicked with each other. Just dairy farmer.” continued on page 2

Promoting Preventing Grazing Parasitic Ideal Farming

legumes burnout thistles with nematodes grassfed without a
sheep on pasture cows formula

Page 4 Page 7 Page 10 Page 14 Page 16 Page 22

Page 2 October 2024

New generation “The older genera-

tion needs to under-
stand that it’s not
going to stay the same
continued from page 1 “He had a different mentality. It was
way for the next 20-30
hard to get used to his way,” MacKen-
years,” MacKenzie
but they soon realized that wasn’t zie says.
says. “You need the
going to work well financially. Then, While MacKenzie was glad to next generation to
they pivoted to looking for farmers learn from the farmer, he wanted to make the changes to
eyeing retirement and wanting to tran- be able to make some adjustments in benefit the farm.”
sition to the next generation. a few places. For example, milking He believes it’s key
At MacKenzie’s request, Leon used had been done at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. to let the younger
his network to find potential farms. That meant dinner at 5 p.m. followed generation make
Some he already knew, some he heard by milking and not getting back to decisions, fail, and
of through DGA, Organic Valley, and the house until 8 or 9 p.m., meaning learn, and the older
college friends. there was no evening time to spend generation shouldn’t
“We visited something like 20-25 unwinding after the day. criticize.
farms all over northern New Eng- “It never worked for me,” he said. Throughout this
land — northern Maine, some in New MacKenzie wanted to change milk- time, Leon kept in
Hampshire, some in northern Vermont ing to 4:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. since that contact with MacK-
— trying to find one that seemed like would mean dinner could be at 6 p.m. enzie. He was having
the right fit,” Leon explains. and they’d be done for the day. his own challenges, as
One of those dairy farms seemed “It was a red flag that he didn’t finding a new appren-
like a good option, and MacKenzie want to change to that time frame,” he tice this time was dif-
Abbie Corse
met with the farmer several times says. ficult, and the one that
and they came up with an agreement It was more than simply the idea of did eventually come MacKenzie has taken a larger management role including
with opt-outs for both parties at six on wasn’t proving a milking herd decisions and grazing and haying rotations.
changing when milking was done —
months, one year, and a year and a it was the fact that in MacKenzie’s good fit.
half. opinion, bringing the next generation As it began to look like things may aspiring farmer’s host farm. The
Initially things seemed fine when into the farming operation means not work out, the older farmer wanted young couple was now expecting a
MacKenzie and his wife, Rebecka, welcoming them into decision mak- to make sure MacKenzie knew he had baby, and they began to make plans to
moved onto the farm and he started ing and letting them try new things. a backup option. leave after the baby was born. Com-
working with the farmer. But after a That’s partly because it gives the “I told MacKenzie I was 100% ing home from the hospital with the
few months it started to become clear young generation a sense of respon- behind him in making the situa- new baby turned out to be the confir-
there were issues in the working rela- sibility and ownership, and partly be- tion where he was work out, but if it mation they needed.
tionship. The farmer had a particular cause the world is constantly chang- didn’t, I wanted to talk to him before “The last straw was when we got
way of doing things and wanted it ing and making adaptations is the best anybody else did,” Leon says. home from the baby being born,” he
done that exact way. way to keep the farm thriving. Things didn’t improve with the says. “There was no congratulations,

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 Page 3
just back to work. It was just another the farm contact now, not Leon. The though at the time I was pretty sure I cant ways around the farm, including
day.” new company’s fieldperson is a good hadn’t,” Leon says. manure hauling, most of the mowing,
MacKenzie let the farmer know he friend who would check in on MacK- filling in on calf chores when needed,
was going to leave, almost a year after enzie at his trial farm during the chal- Transitions and managing the grazing for the
starting. lenging times, and who has known the The Corse family is still figuring yearling heifers that spend the sum-
“We left on good terms. There Corse family for years, so there’s a out what the complete ownership mer around her house.
was no bad tension between both of full-circle feeling to that as well. transfer to the next generation will “She enjoys the animals, but doesn’t
us,” he says, “Just our mentalities MacKenzie sometimes feels hesi- look like. like milking, which was part of the
were way different about life. It just tant choosing what to do, as farming “We’re still collecting ideas and fit with her and MacKenzie since he
wouldn’t work.” rarely lends itself to clear-cut solu- thoughts from multiple people,” Leon does like milking,” Leon explains.
tions. says. As he looks to transition the farm to
Coming back “I do question myself if I made the There are two entities to the farm MacKenzie, he’s been grappling with
So MacKenzie came back to the right one or not,” he says. “You can and dairy operation. The Corse Farm the fact that he isn’t passing it down
Corse farm early in 2024 with the ex- only find out once you do it. I think he Dairy owns the cattle, machinery, and to a family member.
pectation that he would take on more tries to push me more to make more three of the farm buildings. “It’s been a difficult hurdle for me
responsibilities and be transitioned decisions so that one day when he’s “Our daughter Abbie already owns personally, but it’s one that I have
into the operational side over time. not here and I don’t have anyone to a significant part of it, so MacKenzie come to grips with — this farm
“I told Leon I didn’t just want to be look at I can be confident in myself.” is currently being transitioned into has been in my family now for 156
a worker,” he says. “I wanted more.” Leon assures him that you never that entity,” he explains. years,” Leon says. “And to think that
So he’s gotten more. stop questioning your decisions, no Leon and his wife Linda own it may not continue to be the case was
“I have more responsibilities with matter how long you’ve been farm- the Corse Farm Partnership which a hard hurdle for me to get over, but
the animals, especially with mov- ing. In fact, in a recent haymaking includes the real estate and the rest of it wasn’t totally mine to get over be-
ing the heifers and dry cows,” he window he was trying to get dry hay the farm buildings. It isn’t clear yet cause I have two sons and a daughter.
explains. “I’m doing more decision done and made the call to bale on the the best route to follow with this part The sons made it clear ‘thanks but no
making on the cows as to who goes third day when it was borderline dry of the farm ownership. thanks,’ and the daughter wants to be
in the tank, who we’re sending off to enough, even though the next day was “One of my concerns is that on involved but doesn’t want the whole
slaughter, all those little things.” forecasted to be a good sunny day. many farms of this size, the farm cash load on her shoulders.”
He gets to make calls on the graz- He decided to bale because at the flows until you add a mortgage and As he sees the statistics of how few
ing and haying rotations, changing up end of the growing season it can take that’s the stumbling block to transi- farms are successfully passed down
some longstanding routines to see if it most of the day to get the last night’s tioning the farm from one generation longer than a generation or two, he
works better. dew dried out, so he wasn’t sure the to another,” Leon says. “We’re tries to look at it positively that his
He’s also taken over working with fourth day would get it much drier. trying to figure out how we can do a family beat the odds for so long.
the grain company that supplies the As the next day dawned entirely generational transfer that isn’t going And seeing the dairy continue, al-
organic feed rations to the milking overcast instead of the forecasted to have that be a stumbling block that beit with someone not related to him,
herd. And he made the call to switch sunny day, he had his answer whether puts this farm out of business.” is the important part.
to another company after the old sup- he made the correct call. Abbie does not want to be a full-
plier wouldn’t understand that he was “I made the right decision even time farmer, but she helps in signifi- continued on page 6

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Page 4 October 2024
From my experience we make the most milk where the legume density is the
highest, and the least where it is the lowest. Without legumes, our farm could
not could not get the same performance out of the cows at the same production
cost. Another great thing about legumes is that they have hard seed and can sur-

advisors
vive the digestive tract of a cow to reseed other parts of my pasture. Crop fields
that were fall-grazed after the herd had grazed a mature clover stand can have a
good seeding of clover in the cowpies the following spring. The cows were still
This month’s question: passing clover seed up to 10 days after grazing the mature clover.

How do you promote legumes? Scott Wedemeier milks cows on a certified organic dairy near Maynard, Iowa.
If you have a question you’d like addressed, contact Graze.

Jim Feete
Scott Wedemeier For at least the past 15 years legumes have been a major part of our grazing
platform. They fill a lot of different gaps in our native pastures, are easy to seed,
I think the three greatest things we have done to promote legume growth are hardy and, in some forms, very cheap. They are probably the one seed we buy
to stop using nitrogen on the pastures, occasionally letting our clover go to seed every single year, and I never have felt like we have too much or that we have
(happens yearly on some part of the pasture when we alternate starting points) wasted money on seed. How much nitrogen they actually add is debatable, and
and, most beneficial, having the herd density high enough to mob down mature to be honest it is just sort of the icing on the cake for us. Nitrogen fixing is defi-
grass. nitely not the reason we plant them, and I doubt it ever will be.
Our initial pasture planting included kura, medium red, and Alice white clo-
We primarily use red and white clovers in different cultivars. Our climate and
ver, along with alfalfa. All of these are still persistent in the pasture except that
soils don’t play well with alfalfa. And while we have experimented with a few
alfalfa is found in just a very thin scatter. I think that alfalfa is a good pasture
other legumes, none have worked very well. I like to keep a variety of clovers
legume, but its crowns are just too easily damaged in wet weather and during
on hand, both for diversity and cost. While the latest and greatest seed produces
the change in and out of dormancy.
some great forage, it is hard to beat the cost/reward of common red clover.
We have had good luck keeping clovers in the swards, and I feel that is di-
For years a purely ladino type was our legume of choice, but while they are
rectly correlated to how a sward is grazed. I believe that over-grazing promotes
amazing in certain situations, it became clear that they were a little too high in
short-type legumes and eliminates medium and tall legumes. Optimum grazing
will give us a sward that is self-balancing in plant and legume diversity and production traits and not bred enough for persistence.
optimizes nitrogen production while maintaining both grasses and legumes as My current blend of choice is common red clover, a low-growing white clo-
the base plants for the pasture, all the while producing the most forage. Under- ver (whatever is cheap, even Dutch white), a semi-upright white, and a higher-
grazing (CRP type situations) and set stocking have done the most damage to producing red or sometimes a second white clover. I like having super-cheap
legume density in the sward. seed on hand to blend with turnips to spread on any damaged spots, developing
I don’t have a specific target ratio of legumes to grasses in our pastures. I just ground, or just to blend in with fertilizer for adding to the seed bank. While we
know that if I can see dark green circles in urine or manure spots, my pastures are more precise with our seed as it moves up the cost ladder, I am a big fan of
are out of balance, lack nitrogen, and need more legumes. If I cannot see these cheap seed you don’t have to save for a special occasion.
dark green spots, then things are going well on the farm. We strictly broadcast seed now, as we had very little success drilling in

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 Page 5
clover, even in specialty seed boxes. We mostly broadcast without anything alfalfa and found they don’t do well here. We have mostly heavy, wet land, a
else, and we find the clover germinates when the conditions are right. When short growing season and, in recent years, limited sunshine — all of which the
we work ground we harrow the seed in, but generally it is just broadcast on top clovers seem to tolerate much better than anything else we have ever tried.
of bare spots or light fields. The seed seems to be able to sit for a long time if Since I have a college degree in plant and soil science I would be remiss if I
necessary and is still able to germinate. These low-input seedings have paid off didn’t mention that we take soil samples on every parcel of land we utilize for
the best for us with small, hard seeds like clover. pasture or forage production at least once every three years. We then apply lime
As far as my goals are for legumes, I like to keep 25-40% of the sward as and a custom fertilizer blend as well as manure, taking into account the soil test
clover. I would say we maintain the lower end of that spectrum pretty well, but results. We also utilize the services of a nutrient management planner to help us
it would be the exceptional field or year to get into the 40% range. While I fear target the nutrients to the places they will be most beneficial. He has sometimes
bloat whenever we are pushing the top end, we rarely see it. I’m not sure if it suggested where we should be frost seeding some clover. So there is some sci-
is because of our high percentage of fescue, our grain, or something else, but it ence involved, too.
hasn’t been a problem. Bloat is the one interesting downside to all the clover we currently have in
The main reason I like to keep those percentages so high is to act as a high- our forages. I grew up on this farm and have lived here most of my 70 years.
protein forage to dilute the fescue. The higher the clover percentage, the less It was only in the last 20 that we ever had any instances of bloat in our herd.
heat stress and other problems we see from endophyte toxicity. Clover definitely There is no doubt in my mind that that this is directly tied to having more
supports milk production through the late summer and fall, and it seems to help clover in the pastures. It seems everything in life that has a positive effect has at
keep our solids more stable through the year. least a bit of negative that goes along with it!
The only thing that competes with legumes in terms of component stability is
Leon Corse milks cows on a certified organic dairy near Whitingham, Vermont.
plantain. To be honest, I could see a situation where grass is a minority com-
ponent of the sward, with legumes and plantain making up most the pasture. A
nice thing about clover is that it re-
For us, clovers are quires very little special management. Ted Miller
The clipping we do is usually enough
jack-of-all-trades to promote growth and keep the Legumes play a significant role in providing both energy and protein com-
competition down, rotating hayfields ponents for our cool season pastures. We knew when we started establishing
pasture plants. pastures here that our soil types, being a silt loam on the high ground and an al-
usually gives us plenty of seed setting,
and the cost of seed is low enough luvial clay in the bottom land, would support clover growth. With this being the
that we can justify adding some seed every year. case, we’ve always tried to promote clover proliferation with our management
For us, clovers are jack-of-all-trades pasture plants that do well in all but the as much as possible.
most extreme weather, handle overgrazing okay, increase the average palatabil- One of the main benefits we receive from legumes as a nutritional compo-
ity of the pasture, and make the milk we need. I really can’t imagine trying to nent is the improved digestibility and protein we get from our cool season grass
farm in our climate without heavy use of clovers. They just do such a good job stands, especially from mid-spring onward as these grasses begin to lignify and
making everything a little bit better. become subpar feed for milk cows. With a clover presence of at least 30-40% in
the stand, it seems as though we can continue to graze these pastures for a few
Jim Feete milks cows near Galax, Virginia. His family makes award-winning cheese. weeks longer into the spring and not lose milk production.
Having experimented with different varieties over the years, currently we
mostly utilize Durana white clover. Its persistence in this climate and an im-
Leon Corse pressive ability to proliferate have made it an attractive choice.
Red clover and crimson clover are other varieties we’ve had success with.
We quit spreading nitrogen fertilizer when we began our organic transition in For several years we mixed 5 lbs./acre of crimson, 3 lbs. of red, and a pound of
2005. Very soon, either later that year or the next growing season, we noticed white clover seed with the ryegrass seed when we spread it in the fall. This pro-
a significant increase in both red and white clovers in most of our pastures and vided a lot of diversity to the stands and extended the number of days a legume
fields. That increase has continued, and now we have many acres with up to 50 was present in the cool season pastures. We’ve gotten away from the multispe-
percent clover without us seeding it there. We have not tilled any ground here cies mixes the past couple years because our local co-op stopped blending grass
in over 40 years. The only seeding we have done recently is frost seeding, and and clover seeds in their fertilizer mixers due to Roundup-resistant ryegrass that
this only on a few selected acres. We do this in the late fall to allow the snow to has been showing up in cropland here. A local cover crop seed producer is
pack the seed down and establish soil contact, giving the seed at least a chance
continued on page 6
of sprouting and getting some roots established.
We also feel our liquid manure system helps to promote legumes. Some
clover goes to seed before we harvest it, and eventually some of those seeds LOOK TO AITCHISON!!
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the fields. On certain pieces of land where significant quantities of clover have • 7’-12’ width 5” - 6” row spacing
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We also feel that our fairly long grazing rotations on most of the land we pas- • Sponge-feeding system sows forage mixes
ture have helped the clovers thrive. For example, today the cows were grazing a evenly, accurately
• Reduce seeding rates 30%+ due to increased
paddock last grazed on July 14, 43 days ago.
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You may have noticed I have only mentioned clover. When we used to till • Mfg. 50+ Years
some ground we experimented with other legumes such as birdsfoot trefoil and
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Page 6 October 2024

Advisors New generation

things, and I believe be willing to help
continued from page 5 continued from page 3 them pick up the pieces when some-
planning to install a high-capacity seed mixer, so that should open some blend- “That’s the conclusion I came to — thing doesn’t go well.”
ing options back up for us. if I let this farm cease to exist on my Addressing a decision that didn’t
I would like to bring some red clover back into the mix because of its ability watch, I’m letting all my ancestors go well in a way that doesn’t put the
to provide decent-quality tonnage even later into the spring than white clover. down who did at least as much work young person on the defensive is a
At 3 lbs./acre there seems to be a positive return on investment. Despite no and probably more than I did,” Leon challenge, but Leon believes it’s vital
clover planting the past couple years, I’ve noticed the white clover continues to explains. “I’ve then failed more than not to just move on and try to forget
have an impressive presence. myself. I’d rather that my little piece it happened. It’s also important to put
For the past 10 years or so we’ve been keeping honeybee colonies across the of the world be one of the success sto- aside the inclination to say, “if you’d
farm to enhance clover pollination. I’m convinced that this, along with man- ries as opposed to one of the failures.” done it my way, this never would
aging rest period length to ensure seed set, has been extremely beneficial for have happened,” and help regroup
He acknowledges that generational
keeping clovers. Cattle grazing pastures with mature clover do an excellent job from where things are at.
transitions are a challenge no matter
of moving seed around the farm when they are aggressively rotated.
how you slice it. He knows he’s likely not 100% suc-
If there is a negative aspect to the white clover, it is that it competes with
bermudagrass for ground cover as we transition to that warm season grass later “It’s not an easy process, for any of cessful at that, but it’s the goal.
in the spring. White clover doesn’t produce adequate tonnage due to the hot- us,” he says. “But it’s an important As a whole, Leon is grateful that the
ter temperatures at that time of year, yet it continues to cover the ground to the one.” DGA program allowed him to meet
point of suppressing the bermudagrass. We’ve found that terminating the clover MacKenzie in the first place, and that
in June with a non-residual herbicide not only stops the clover, but also pro- Working together they’ve been able to work together
vides a well-timed nitrogen release for summer grasses that are growing rapidly Leon feels strongly in giving the again.
at that time. next generation the chance to make MacKenzie’s dream of becoming
Because of the long warm season here, we can potentially benefit from decisions while he’s there to help, a dairy farmer is being realized, and
utilizing warm season legumes in our grazing mix as well. Varieties such as even though it’s hard to do as a sea- Leon’s desire to keep the dairy farm
Alice clover, soybeans, and cowpeas all do well here in summer pasture mixes. soned farmer used to a certain routine. going another generation looks bright
While we’ve experimented with some of these, currently we don’t plant any “I think the hardest thing for most as well.
warm season legumes. The primary reason is that with a fall-seasonal calving anyone is going to be letting go,” “It feels great on many fronts to
schedule we don’t have nearly the need for high-quality forage that time of year Leon says. “You have to realize that have MacKenzie back,” Leon says.
compared to the cool season months, so justifying the expense of the annual your way is not the only way. And “Probably the one that feels the great-
input is difficult. just because you’ve made it work est is MacKenzie is a true friend, and
Since clover wants to grow in our local environment, I feel it’s critical that doing things the same way 40 or 50 to be able to spend hopefully the rest
we manage to enhance its presence in our pastures. Clover brings too much years doesn’t mean you can expect of my life working every day with a
nutritional value to a dairy ration to do otherwise. If we can do it, maximizing whoever is taking over is going to do friend is really nice. So our relation-
that enhancement through self-proliferation is where our financial margin is the it that way also. You’ve got to be open ship is not just an old farmer who is
widest. minded, and you’ve got to be willing transitioning his farm to someone dif-
to let them have the opportunity to try ferent. It goes a lot deeper than that.”
Ted Miller milks cows near Baskin, Louisiana.

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 Page 7
Simple practices to prevent burnout on the farm
Lessons learned on a busy, diversified direct-market grazing farm
By Kristina Snyder I can breathe, know that these things Take a daily pause make a plan. Our line of work is
have a way of working themselves Last year I attended a Bible study dependent on so many variables like
The alarm sounds just as the sun out, and tackle them head on. Any where they talked about the power of weather, cows’ attitudes, and equip-
rises; I rub my sleepy eyes and head way you look at it, farming is an ex- ment working properly.
taking a one-minute pause. They cited
downstairs. I grab a cup of cold water hausting lifestyle. I have found that it is better to keep
a ton of scientific evidence of how
from the tap and head out to the dewy I grew up in the city and moved to a schedule (with room for flexibility)
giving your brain that break allows
garden. The sleepy fog is just rolling the farm in my early twenties. Quick- as opposed to not making plans and
you to function more efficiently, pro-
out back into the woods. ly I discovered that farm life has a then getting easily distracted from the
cess things faster, and of course help
No time to waste, I frantically pull very different kind of bustle than the you deal more steadily with the hard important tasks of the day. It does not
weeds, racing the clock. The morning city. The days are long and hard, and things that come your way. have to be set in stone, but it allows
birds sing to me as my sleepy live- it is easy to lose myself at work. me to see a broader view of what
This has been a tremendous tool for
stock dogs wake and find their place When that happens, those hard needs to be accomplished that day,
me. I try to take a one-minute pause at
at my heels. moments get harder. It is easy to week, and month.
least once a day at a scheduled time.
I plant another succession of seeds forget why I started farming in the I am embarrassed to admit after
in the dry soil, throw the horse a pad I also do this spontaneously when
first place. After a long hard season farming for a long time this was the
of hay, fill my apron with a few sweet something challenging comes up.
of challenges, it feels like I am a ship When I get that feeling of overwhelm, first year that we implemented sched-
peppers and gather the early eggs without an anchor. uling, and I would say it has almost
warming the palms of my hands. I I take a moment to pause and change
A few years ago, I started to see my perspective. This gives me so doubled our efficiency. Family and
head inside to cook breakfast. employees are all on the same page
these warning signs of impending much more clarity in decision-making
My day continues at a rushed pace, and we all work together to check
burnout. It was a wakeup call, at only and also helps prevent instant reac-
“no time to waste” chants over and things off the list.
30 years old. tions that I might regret later.
over in my mind pressuring me to
I thought to myself if I, if we as a Set a timer and give it a try your- Not everyone is good at schedul-
work harder, walk faster and produce
family, do not make a change we will self — you could start with just 30 ing so if that’s not your strength, find
more.
be in serious trouble. Since then, I seconds. Let your mind be still. Over someone on the farm who has that
Then something goes wrong — the
have implemented a few techniques time you can work up to one-minute talent. I currently make the schedule
cows get out, the toddler will not let
that help me stay grounded, connected pauses. You will be amazed at the for everyone Sunday night and text it
me put her down, or my husband is
to my purpose and who I am as a part difference it makes. out Monday morning.
frustrated because the tractor will not
start which puts us all behind. of a greater mission to feed my com- Because we are a direct-sales farm,
I have a choice to make in that mo- munity. Make a schedule I include predictive numbers for our
ment. I can melt down, quit What follows are a few techniques If you have farmed for any period milk production (so we can limit
farming, and get a corporate job. Or I have used. of time, you know that it’s hard to continued on page 21

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Page 8 October 2024

Joel McNair
New research on plant intelligence and its implications
One thing that has long bothered Supposedly this has to do with Problem was, most of the “re- in situations of calm and stress, often
me about the modern biological sci- feeding the world. I tend to think search” cited in the book was poorly warning neighbors that danger is at
ences is their emphasis upon genet- that it has at least as much to do with done and could not be replicated. hand so they can produce defensive
ics and the manipulation of genetic creating opportunities for profit by Schlanger describes the book as “a chemicals.
material. entities other than farmers. beautiful collection of myths” that for One researcher found that some
This goes beyond philosophical, The situation is particularly obvi- the rest of the 20th Century soured the individual plants of the same species
moral and religious concerns, al- ous in the plant world. Which I guess scientific world and its funders on the will send out distress signals even
though at least for me these do come makes sense, given the assumption idea that plants are anything beyond if the danger is not very great. Sch-
into play. The wisdom of manipulat- that there is nothing more to a plant a string of genetic code to be manipu- langer reports that the neighbors tend
ing the genetic material of living crea- than the sum total lated. to ignore the “scaredy cats” while fo-
tures certainly needs to be addressed. of its genetic But a few cusing on the signals of more rational
Yet there is something more here. makeup. After researchers plants.
That “more” relates to today’s dom- all, a plant has no carried on Plants and animals appear to com-
inant theory that altering an organ- ability to make and, espe- municate for the benefit of both.
ism’s genetic code is all that’s needed decisions, right? cially since Bumblebees that normally have
to make it a different — and suppos- Zoe Schlanger the turn of the nothing to do with leaves will bite
edly better — life form. The theory challenges that century, they those of mustard plants that are not
is that organisms, particularly those view in her new have pub- blooming to convince those plants to
of “lower” life forms, are basically book, The Light lished some flower and produce nectar. If the bees
the product of their genetics, and that Eaters (Harper rather inter- don’t starve, they will remain alive to
altering their genetic codes is pretty Collins). Sch- esting and spread the mustard’s pollen.
much all we have to do to accomplish langer argues that startling find- Certain plants have been shown to
what we want. plants exhibit ings regarding change the shape and color of their
This oversimplifies, or course. At behaviors similar to those of animals, plant behavior. leaves to blend in with their non-kin
least within the animal kingdom, the even humans. Their findings suggest that plants neighbors and thus evade predators
field of epigenetics, which involves She admits this theory stands on have their own version of a nervous specific to those plants. Microorgan-
studying the effects of environment scientific thin ice. Indeed, the idea system that transmits signals from isms can jump from a host plant to the
on how genes express themselves, that plants are something more than one part of the plant to another, such vine climbing that plant, thus chang-
seems to be gaining some ground. their genetic material has been ridi- as when a predator is at hand. Some ing the vine in noticeable ways.
The behavioral psychology of animals culed ever since the debacle that was plants appear to sense gravity, as Research suggests that some
gets a little attention, too. The Secret Life of Plants. leaves and roots rapidly shift orienta- plants have “social lives”. They will
Still, the reality of the matter is that Published in 1973, Secret Life pro- tion if the entire plant is turned upside compete with perceived enemies by
particularly within agriculture and the claimed that research proved plants down. rapidly extending their roots, while at
greater food production system, the have consciousness, feelings and all Plants may produce defensive com- the same time cooperating with their
great majority of scientific inquiry sorts of humanlike attributes. The pounds upon “hearing” the vibrations kin by limiting root growth.
and monetary support for “improv- book was a bestseller and pop sensa- caused by chewing insects. Plant roots These and many other examples
ing” plants and animals involves tion that spawned a feature film with can grow toward the sound of water noted in The Light Eaters suggest that
slicing, dicing and generally manipu- an accompanying soundtrack pro- running in a buried tube. plants are indeed much more than
lating their genetic material. duced by Stevie Wonder. Plants can produce sounds that vary their genetic material.

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 Page 9
Is it intelligence? about interactions between plants and Consumers unfamiliar with regenerative
But how much more? Are plants grazing animals, perhaps most nota-
bly through the research of Dr. Fred Many members of the public are involved practicing regenerative
intelligent? Can we really ascribe hu-
Provenza at Utah State University. unfamiliar with regenerative agricul- agriculture on U.S. farms and the
man qualities to life forms that are so voluntary adoption of its methods by
And we see that perennial pastures ture, according to the August 2024
very different from ourselves? Consumer Food Insights Report farmers. The other two scenarios re-
develop, evolve and constantly
Schlanger acknowledges the dif- survey of 1,200 customers across the lated to industry or government plans
change, while struggling to under-
ficulties here, saying that intelligence U.S. done by Purdue University’s that provide financial incentives for
stand how and why.
is too often misinterpreted. She says Center for Food Demand Analysis and adopting the practices but that would
plant intelligence should not be stated I wonder how much of the intel-
Sustainability (CFDAS). result in higher prices or taxes to pay
in human terms. ligence and agency described in The
Around 43% of survey respondents for the incentives.
Light Eaters is actually epigenetic
“Putting too human a sheen on said they were “not at all familiar” “While consumers say they gener-
response to environmental changes.
plant intelligence is a failure of with the term “regenerative agri- ally support regenerative agriculture
I frankly do not understand where
imagination,” she argues. “Plants are culture,” and another 28% are only initiatives, the level of support goes
epigenetics leaves off and intelligence
exuberantly, bafflingly, intelligently “slightly familiar.” down when given additional informa-
and agency begin. Or are they all part
themselves.” If nothing else, the real- “This reveals an opportunity tion about the cost,” Balagtas said.
of the same?
ity that plant “intelligence” is spread for producers and industry leaders An education policy study pub-
throughout the organism rather than In any event, Schlanger has a valid
interested in expanding regenerative lished in 2018 revealed a similar
being concentrated in the brain as point to make about the problems
agriculture practices in their opera- result in the context of spending on
with most animals makes the com- involved with modern monoculture
tions to clearly communicate to con- education.
parison somewhat dicey. agriculture and its dependence upon
sumers what regenerative agriculture “Understandably, food policy is
However, some researchers argue genetic manipulation and crop chemi-
means to their operations,” said the likely to be less popular when it
that plants have “agency” in that they cals.
report’s lead author, Joseph Balagtas, comes at the expense of consumers,
can assess the conditions they are in, She says we have lost something professor of agricultural economics at who are already dealing with high
and change themselves accordingly. very important in the process by se- Purdue and CFDAS director. food prices,” Balagtas said.
Wesleyan University researcher Sonia verely damaging the ability of plants Brenna Ellison, professor of Affordability outweighs other at-
Sultan told Schlanger: “It’s not inten- to communicate and cooperate with agribusiness management at Purdue, tributes that consumers see as benefits
tional, and it’s not intelligent in the each other. recently wrote about this lack of un- of regenerative agriculture, such as
way most people use the word. But it “We are clearly losing the war on derstanding among consumers and the improving soil health or reducing
is agency.” pests,” Schlanger asserts. “It is clear importance of clear communication if water use.
that prioritizing plant communica- regenerative agriculture is going to be “The benefits of regenerative
Familiar turf tion across the species divide has the more than a buzz phrase. agricultural practices come at a cost,
At least some of this is not all that potential to benefit both plants and After presenting respondents with part of which may be borne by food
revolutionary to any farmer who has people.” the broad definition of regenerative consumers or taxpayers. Advocates of
seen how weeds resistant to specific Sounds like grazier talk to me! agriculture, researchers gauged sup- regenerative ag will need to con-
crop chemicals are able to pass those port for or opposition to the practice sider the willingness of consumers or
traits to their offspring. Joel McNair is consulting editor for in the context of four hypothetical taxpayers to pay for those practices,”
Graziers have read and heard much Graze. scenarios. The first two scenarios Balagtas said.
Page 10 October 2024

Controlling Canada thistle with grazing sheep

Grazing timing is key to keeping thistles in check
By Janet McNally tence of this plant are the horizontal that this ewe has
runners that can reach 20 feet, pro- learned how to bite the
One of the downfalls of bale graz- ducing nodes that develop into new top of a thistle plant in
ing purchased hay is that the hay is thistle plants. So even if you can stop a way that orients the
bringing a seed bank onto your farm. the plant from going to seed, it is still prickly parts so they go
In some cases, that can be a good going to spread via the roots. down backwards.
thing, but sometimes it means bring- These roots store carbohydrates This thistle was one
ing in thistle seed. that are key to regrowing the plant of the first things she
Alfalfa hay is probably the biggest and generating new thistles even after started eating in a new
culprit, as new seedings of alfalfa defoliation. Therefore, the key to con- paddock. Once sheep
often contain thistles. The result can trolling the Canada thistle is depleting learn they can eat
be thick patches of Canada thistles. this carbohydrate storage by timely thistles, they can defoli-
So the question is how does one defoliation. ate them fairly harshly
control thistles in a pasture, especially The question is, how can this be so long as the thistles
if it is preferred not to use an herbi- done by grazing sheep? are not too mature.
cide?
Getting sheep to eat them When to graze
The challenge with thistles The first step is getting sheep to eat So let’s look at what
Let’s look at this prickly problem the thistles. This is where mob stock stages of maturity
by first understanding the unique grazing (high-density grazing) really sheep are willing to eat
features of the Canada thistle that shines. When sheep are managed in a thistles. This changes a
make it so tenacious. The obvious high-density grazing situation and are bit with the season.
Janet McNally
problem is that Canada thistles can moved daily, they learn to be less se- I find the sheep do
produce thousands of seeds per plant, lective and tend to eat what is in front not graze the young This sheep has learned to bite the thistle at the top so the
and those seeds can germinate within of them before someone else comes thistle plants well at the prickly parts go down backwards.
ten days. along and eats it for them. three-leaf stage in May
But the real issue that helps the Thistles are actually fairly palatable and June in the first crop, allowing time within the growing season in
thistle persist is its root system. and nutritious, and sheep can learn them to bolt and send up a thick stem. order to weaken the root reserves.
Canada thistles have extensive root to preferentially eat them once they This is probably because the new There are a lot of variables in-
systems, including taproots that can master how to get around the prickly spring grass is much more palatable. volved in how thoroughly sheep eat
go up to 15 feet deep. parts. But the sheep will defoliate the thistles. This includes everything from
But more important to the persis- In the accompanying photo, note thistles when they reach early bud the maturity of the plant to what else
stage after the grasses are more is growing with the thistles and how
mature. Once the thistles are in full mature or palatable those other plants
TRUE Fleckvieh North America flower to seed, the plant becomes are.

BFG tougher and they are less interested in

grazing them again, so there seems to
All of this means that how thor-
oughly the sheep eat thistles will
Bavarian Fleckvieh Genetics be a window of opportunity to graze change from one paddock to the next.
thistles. Where the stems are stripped bare,
For second crop thistles in July and damaging the base of the leaves, that
August, the sheep are more willing to plant is not going to regrow. But too
eat the young vegetative plants all the often they leave enough of the base
way up to full bloom. of the leaf that within three days of
leaving the paddock new leaves will
Health • Fertility Knocking them back appear on the stems.
Productive Life But do they eat enough to dam- Once the plant has fully regrown
Lower Cell Count
age the plant, or more importantly, to the leaves and set up new flower buds,
Increased Lifetime Milk
VIDI Pp daughter Klari Pp use up the carbohydrate stores in the it needs to be regrazed or mowed
roots? There are two parts to this. before it begins to restore the carbo-
Proven Genetics in Cross- and Purebreeding
One is how thoroughly the thistle hydrates used in regrowth. Be aware
Contact: Dr. John Popp that this may occur before the sheep
is defoliated, and the other part is the
E: bigbeargenetics@inetlink.ca P: 204-848-0618 timing. It is important to defoliate the return to the paddock.
bigbeargenetics.com thistle a second and sometimes a third So the more thoroughly the plant

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 Page 11
is grazed and the more frequently it not get to a pad-
is grazed, the more effective grazing dock before the
will be in controlling Canada thistles. plants flower,
But unfortunately, leaving lactating you may need to
ewes with lambs in the paddock to mow ahead of
force them to eat more is counterpro- the sheep to pre-
ductive because too often the remain- vent them from
ing forage is of very low value. setting seed.
The sheep
Supplementary mowing may graze the
So the wise thing to do is take what second crop of
you can get. When too much leaf is thistles harder.
left on the thistle stems, mow the rest If they leave
after the sheep leave the paddock. just stems with-
Depending upon how quickly I get out leaf buds,
in behind the sheep, I may use a high grazing may be
mower setting to avoid mowing new enough for the
grass shoots. second and third
A very important part of killing defoliation.
off the thistles is regrazing or mow- But because
ing them before the plant reaches the all the thistles
flower stage. will reach a
If mowed in full flower, those similar stage of
flowers will continue to develop into maturity on the
seeds, so it is important to graze or farm at once Janet McNally
mow in the bud stage. At this point and you are Left: this patch of thistles was not grazed well enough to deplete root reserves. Leaves and buds are left, and there
the plant has used a lot of carbohy- only grazing was leaf regrowth indicating the plant was still viable. This patch will need to be mowed.
drates to produce the stem and flower, one paddock at
so grazing or mowing a second and a time, it may Right: this patch of thistles was grazed well enough to deplete root reserves. There has been no regrowth 10 days
third time helps to deplete the carbo- be necessary after grazing.
hydrates in the roots. once again to
So what does this look like? If mow ahead of sheep if you see flow- going to seed. It has been my experience that a
faced with a thick patch of thistles, ers in paddocks that you will not be Repeatedly grazing and mowing in concerted effort of grazing and mow-
odds are good most patches will grazing soon. the bud to early flower stage will use ing two to three times per year will
require mowing in June after graz- Controlling thistles without an up the carbohydrates. eliminate most Canada thistles after
ing with the sheep simply because herbicide requires perseverance. Your And again, know that mowing in three years.
the first crop will get too tough to be goal is use up the root carbohydrate full flower does not stop the plant Janet McNally grazes sheep near
grazed. In some instances, if you can- reserves and prevent the thistles from from going to seed. Hinckley, Minnesota.

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Page 12 October 2024

Martha Hoffman Kerestes

Balancing change and tradition by asking ‘why?’
Perhaps you’ve heard the saying Here’s where Chesterton’s Fence inherently good. It can be hard to look learning over the years that some
“The only constant in life is change.” can help. It’s the idea expressed by at other options, especially for older change is unavoidable, some is neces-
It’s something ancient Greek philoso- G. K. Chesterton, early 20th-century generations who have had decades to sary, and some can be good.
pher Heraclitus is credited for ob- author and philosopher, that you get into a routine and who have quite I value tradition and preserving the
serving, and we can see it all around shouldn’t tear down a fence until you understandable respect for history. farming heritage passed down from
us. Seasons change, pasture species know why it was put up and that it Progress should never be an end my ancestors, and I think I always
shift over time, livestock adapt to our isn’t needed anymore. in itself, and chasing the latest trends will. But honoring the legacies we’ve
farms, and children grow up. If we make changes only after we is no solid business plan. But the op- been entrusted with means stewarding
Some things we have no say in — understand why posite extreme, them into new and changing times.
industry market changes, the weather, things are set where we never Some things will stay the same, but
the passage of time. Other things we up the way they make adjust- other parts may have to shift to keep it
have some say in. What’s our pasture are now, we’re ments, is simi- viable into the next generation.
rotation? What species will we plant? far less likely larly detrimen- Our feature this month is just such
What breed do we want? How will to regret them tal in the long an example — Leon Corse is honor-
we transition the next generation onto in the long run. haul. ing his family’s century and a half of
the farm? What technology will we And changes Like many grass dairy farming by preparing to
use? Today we’ll concern ourselves can truly be things in life, pass the legacy to someone he isn’t
with the things we have some control needed as mar- the answer is related to. The family name may
over. kets shift, needs not one or the change, but what isn’t changing is the
change, and other, but both. care for the animals and the land.
The why time passes. And they need It’s up to each of us to figure out
Change is not inherently a bad Now what to be in careful what shouldn’t change and what
thing, but it’s also not inherently about the other side? The why behind balance in ways specific to each farm, should change on our farms at any
good. I think the why behind it is the choosing to keep things the same is family, region, situation. given time. It’s also up to us to keep
most important part. equally important. Are we choosing an open mind if that mix needs to
Are we making change for its own to avoid change because it’s more Finding our balance change down the line.
sake? Because this new idea, piece of comfortable to keep doing it this way, I think we all have a natural in- If we’re working with several peo-
equipment, technology looks shiny this is the way we’ve always done it, clination one way or the other, and ple on the farm, it may be additionally
and exciting? Younger folks can be or this is the way our parents have we can learn what it is and learn to challenging to come to a decision, but
particularly tempted to make changes always done it? embrace the other where appropriate. perhaps it can be easier if we ask the
for these reasons, sometimes because Those aren’t good answers by Mine is, contrary to my current age “why” questions together. I think it
we don’t understand why things are themselves either. Tradition is not demographic as a younger person, can only help us, our families, and the
the way they are in the first place. inherently bad, but it also isn’t toward avoiding change. I’ve been grazing community as a whole.

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 Page 13
Welcoming our new sales and business manager
By Martha Hoffman Kerestes ally grazed cattle knew the grazing
routine as well as he did.
We have a new face at Graze — “It was our joke — you could
meet Kate Smith, our new sales and always tell when it was time to move
business manager. She’ll be the main the fence without a calendar because
contact for advertising and subscrip- the cows knew,” she says. “Not that
tions. they were out of food. They just knew
You can reach her at the same main it was time.”
Graze phone you’ve been used to She got her degree in animal sci-
calling — 608-455-3311. Her email is ence from the University of Missouri.
kate@grazeonline.com. She’s a 3rd-generation dairy farmer,
Ruth McNair will be mentoring her so that helped spark her focus on that
as she learns the ropes. She’s looking side of the livestock world.
forward to meeting you as you call in “I always had a strong interest in
and in person at grazing conferences dairy cattle,” she says. “That kind of
and other events. centered on genetics from the scholas-
Kate is no stranger to the grazing tic side.”
world. She grew up walking pastures Kate was also interested in design,
with her father who worked as a dairy promotion, and marketing. She taught
specialist with the University of Mis- herself those skills and combined both
souri’s extension program. the animal and promotion sides in her
“Grazing has always been part of career.
what I do,” she says. She’s worked at several A.I.
Her father did a number of grazing companies and breed organizations
research projects in addition to man- in various customer-focused roles
aging his own beef herd and small working with both producers and
dairy herd on the farm in southwest- businesses.
ern Missouri. Today, home is in Elroy, Wisconsin, world with her new role at Graze feels She’s looking forward to working
“I remember watching him move in the west central part of the state. in many ways like coming full circle. in this community promoting man-
the fence,” she says. “It was neat to She and her husband have a small “I’m excited because this is some- aged grazing and serving graziers.
see the cows enjoy that. So those are dairy and enjoy exhibiting high-type thing I grew up watching and un-
fond memories of grazing.” show cows. derstanding,” she says. “To me it’s Martha Hoffman Kerestes is Graze
Kate remembers how the rotation- Being back fully in the grazing logical that I’ve come back to this.” managing editor based in Streator, IL.
Page 14 October 2024

Managing parasitic nematodes in pastures

Improving forage production through management changes
By Eric Grim soil test for parasitic plant nematodes good nematodes that live in the soil.
We have been intensively grazing
in Midwest Labs’ Agronomy Guide. Nematodes in general are the most Most parasitic
Parasitic plant nematodes are micro- abundant form of soil organism in the
our herd of dairy cattle for over 30
scopic organisms that live in the soil world and are essential in the regula- nematode studies
years on our farm here in north cen-
tral Ohio. In those years, soil health
and feed in or on the roots of living tion of all the biochemical and vegeta- have been on row
plants. tive cycles.
and nutrient levels have increased
Typical plant symptoms of para- Now that we had determined we crops, not cool-
significantly.
Last year I wanted to take our graz-
sitic nematodes include yellowing of had parasitic plant nematodes in our season grasses.
leaves, reduced vigor, and yield loss. pastures, I wanted to know what to do
ing management to the next level, but
Crops with nematodes can also be about them.
I was not sure how I was going to ac-
complish that. I felt that we couldn’t misdiagnosed as environmental stress The first is tilling the soil to dis-
or a nutrient deficiency. A soil test is Managing the problem turb their environment, and this can
improve what we were already doing
the only way to determine if they are Talking with the specialist at the include establishing a different spe-
as far as grazing goes.
present, the level of infection, and lab, I learned there were few options cies for a time. The other option is
But I also know that over time we
what species are present. for managing nematodes in permanent to apply a fungicide and insecticide,
had started to rely on more purchased
I decided to send in a soil sample to pasture. something popular on golf courses.
forages. I was not sure why: maybe
complacency on my part? During determine if any were in our soil. Most studies of parasitic nematodes Since we are certified organic,
even a brief period of dry weather, The results were astounding. have been done on row crops, and op- certified grassfed, and not willing to
pastures would dry out way too fast The lab tests for 18 different spe- tions like nematode-resistant soybean till under a significant amount of our
and forage production would suffer. cies of parasitic nematodes. The two varieties have been developed. But well-established pastures, this limited
We’d been doing soil testing, fields that were sampled had 10 dif- little research has been done with the options.
soil health testing, and fertilization ferent organism levels well above the cool-season grasses.
based on nutrient levels on a routine reporting limit of 26 organisms per Soils infected with parasitic nema- Molasses?
basis for a long time. All the major 100 cc of soil. todes will always be infected. The That is when I started scouring the
and micronutrients were at optimum At least three of the organisms had parasites will adapt, evolve, and in- internet for solutions to our problem.
levels. Organic matter had increased levels exceeding 3000 per 100 cc of crease in numbers if left undisturbed. I stumbled across an article written
over the last 30 years to 4.5% in all soil, and one species in one field was They can, however, be reduced about studies done in Hawaii on para-
the pastures. 5620 organisms per 100 cc of soil. with certain management changes. I sitic nematodes in vegetable crops
For reference 100 cc is about half a found a few common ways to control starting in 1939.
Finding the nematodes cup. the population of nematodes in the The solution turned out to be
This is when I stumbled across a I should mention that there are also soil. simple. Molasses.

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The study showed that adding tode samples for testing in March of nematode population. Then we’ll fol-
low that planting with a newer variety
molasses to their fertility program,
especially in years of low crop prices,
2024. All samples were from fields
sampled that first time in June 2023. of cool-season perennial grass.
Maybe it is time
both increased crop production and One soil sample was from a section In addition, we’ll continue to use to devote some
reduced parasitic nematode popula- the molasses/salt mixture since that
tions.
where the soil was tilled and planted
early June 2023 with a mixture that practice appears to be having a posi- research to this.
I thought I’d give it a try myself. included cool season grasses, chicory, tive impact on forage production.
During the late summer of 2023 I and white clover. That section also This has been an interesting year
started applying a mixture of molas- had molasses/salt mixture applied so far, and I’ve seen some positive More questions
ses and trace mineralized (TM) salt. August 2023. changes from managing the nema- I still have so much to learn on this,
The mixture consisted of 280 gallons Another soil sample was from an todes. Our stored baleage harvest and I have more questions.
of water, 16 gallons of molasses, and area that only had the molasses/salt by June 1 was huge. That is a good How long has the parasitic nema-
25 pounds of TM salt. I would apply mixture applied once in August 2023, thing because since then our farm has tode been a problem on our farm?
that mixture as a foliar application at plus manure spread in November received less than three inches of rain, Were infected products (biological
a rate of 23 gallons per acre. and the herd is being supplemented fertility or forages) brought onto the
2023. The last sample was from the
with that baleage. farm? Or were they here when we
I did one or two applications of the second field that was sampled in June
mixture in late summer over all the 2023 and had molasses/salt mixture Interestingly though, the herd is purchased the farm? Are parasitic
pastures. I really was not sure this applied once in August 2023. still out grazing. The grass is still nematodes affecting cow health?
crackpot idea of mine would work. green. Although not to the ideal quan-
The results of these three samples In my three-plus decades grazing,
tity, it is still there.
But I was hoping that this mixture were quite promising. The section I’ve never heard the topic of parasitic
would reduce nematode populations That is vastly different from other nematodes addressed.
that was tilled and replanted had the
and sweeten the grass. summers when a drought would set
lowest population, which I expected. Maybe it is time to devote some
in, especially one this deep. The grass
After one application, I noticed the The other two sections showed sig- research to this.
would have dried up, turned brown,
cows grazed more aggressively. Late nificant reductions in numbers. The
and we would have to feed purchased Eric Grim milks cows near New
in the season that year, the weather one sample that previously was 5620
forage. London, Ohio.
was dry and there were a few weeks counts per 100 cc of soil dropped to a
with no rain. The herd grazed through count of 2480.
that period, which is quite different
Ongoing management Milk sales decrease; whole milk grows
than previous years where the cows
would have been supplemented with Understanding that we have a U.S. sales of fluid milk fell 1.4% in increased about 1.5% in 2023 com-
harvested forage. problem with parasitic nematodes has 2023, the 14th consecutive year that pared to the previous year. This was
The cost to apply the molasses/salt changed how we look at our pasture total sales have declined. the second consecutive yearly in-
mixture to the three sections was $147 management. Fluid sales totaled 42.8 billion lbs. crease and further evidence that bias
or less than $6/acre. Now every year we plan to till last year, down nearly 23% from the against dairy fats is declining.
about 10% of the permanent pastures peak of 55.4 billion lbs. reached in Meanwhile, sales of reduced fat
Promising improvement and plant a different species of forage, 2009. (2%) milk dropped nearly 4%, and
I submitted three parasitic nema- such as turnips, to reduce the parasitic However, whole milk sales lowfat (1%) sales also declined.

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over 10 years old continue to increase in the herd.
As we learn more about the value of epigenetics (how genetics interact
with your farm environment), we are seeing an obvious increase in health and
overall sturdiness in our calves/heifers after the switch to all bull breeding. It
is a big deal when both the bull and the cow are in your farm’s ecosystem and

Grassfed organic forum have the opportunity to pass the desirable traits on to their offspring. The bulls
we raise ourselves are started on nanny cows along with our heifer calves. They
have the healthy natural flight zone and have never been a threat to the humans
Issues for graziers shipping to the organic grassfed milk market. working around them.
We are very happy with the gradual progression of our genetics as they relate
What’s your ideal grassfed cow? to our management and environment and recommend these considerations to
anyone producing for or considering the all-grass milk market opportunities out
there.

Dwight Stoltzfoos Dwight Stoltzfoos milks cows near Kinzers, Pennsylvania.

Cows that are well adapted to a zero-grain, full-forage diet are important on
a dairy like ours. What breed or color they are is less important to us than the
Parker Beard
actual traits. My father crossed his Holsteins to Jersey and NZ Friesians in the
90s after moving to serious grazing and organic certified. By the late 2000s the The backbone of our herd has been Jerseys for my entire life. Back in the
NZ Friesians were averaging under 1000 lbs bodyweight, and we were slowly early 1990s before I was born, my parents were milking Holsteins but bought a
decreasing grain before quitting completely in 2012. herd of Jerseys from a neighbor in order to expand after they built the milking
We switched our A.I. genetics over to mostly Norwegian Red with some parlor. For one winter they had to milk the two herds on separate farms, which
good Australian Ayrshire from John O’Brian mixed in. Around 2018 after 8-10 meant they received a milk check for the Holstein herd and one for the Jerseys.
years of this push toward the mid-sized Ayrshire, we discontinued the three Although my dad has few fond memories of the unsustainable chore routine
weeks of A.I. at the beginning of the annual June breeding season as we finally that winter, I remember him repeatedly and fondly telling us that the Jerseys
had enough of our own home-raised bulls to go all natural. We did introduce gave much less volume than the Holsteins but the two milk checks were virtu-
two nearly pure Fleckvieh bulls to the herd about 3-4 years ago and this year ally the same. That unexpected discovery must have made quite an impression
are milking our first daughters out of those bulls. on all of us, because we have been selecting for components over volume ever
The combination of Ayrshire/Norwegian Red and Fleckvieh seems to really since.
fit our system well as we like the deep chested and thick-legged cows with wide Over the years, however, we have experimented with so many breeds that an
leg spacings (especially front legs) that we are seeing more and more of. We apt description of our herd is to say they are colorful brownish mutts. Some of
also observe that the red cows average a bit less sensitive than black cows to the the breeds we have used in addition to Jersey include Dutch Belted, Norwegian
heat extremes we experience here in southeast Pennsylvania. Red, Kiwi, New Zealand Friesian, Red Devon, and Normande. We have found
The average cow we have now does not have difficulty maintaining good that many of our best cows are 75-90% Jersey crossed with something else.
body condition and an approximately 10,000-lb. rolling herd average. The What makes up the remaining 10-25% doesn’t seem to be too critical as long as
narrower chested cows that still come through occasionally do not last nearly it is there.
as long as the wider cows we have. We are seeing our average number of cows After a number of years of keeping pure Jerseys as replacements we

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realized that selecting for increasingly smaller statured animals had reached all depends! However, this is what we are finding out works best for is. At first
a limit. Milk production and cull values were closer to the expected range for we thought we wanted a cow that is a little beefier looking. But we are finding
goats than cows. For the past few years we have crossbred over half of our out that too often those cows that stay fat like a beef cow are just that, a beef
herd, aiming for slightly larger framed animals that will (hopefully) achieve cow, and don’t milk a whole lot. We as grassfed milk producers should remem-
better production and body condition, be more winter hardy, be more valuable ber we are still in the business of producing milk.
as culls and still maintain high components from the Jersey base. We certainly As our forage and management gets better, we are finding out that it is not as
still favor a smaller cow that can walk long distances and handle rough terrain, hard to keep condition on cows while still producing modest amounts of milk
as it is not uncommon for the milking herd to travel three miles per day includ- and getting cows bred. We want a cow that is able to milk the fat off her back
ing some sizeable hills. that she gets late lactation and during the dry period. We treat our dry cows
Thinking about answering this question has motivated me to scrutinize our like a hog we are fattening for butchering. They get heifer feed for the first two
cows and I have noticed they generally fit into one of three groups: cows that weeks after dry-off until her udder is down, and then she goes back in with the
milk well but sometimes struggle to maintain body condition, cows with low lactating cows.
production but great condition, and cows that have consistent production and How should a cow look? Here is what I look for in a dairy cow. First of all,
good body condition. This third group represents our best cows, but it is not im- big or little, I want her to have plenty of spring of rib. That means she can fill
mediately clear why they are different. up with forage easily to the point where she almost looks like she’s bloated, but
I suspect that it is a combination of the breeding choices we make alongside continued on page 20
the adaptations to our system that individual cows pass on to their daughters.
Each successive generation of heifers since we stopped feeding grain seems to
be better adapted to our farm than the last. While our cows and our manage-
ment of them have lots of room for improvement, it has been encouraging to Like begets like
look back and recognize we have come a long way since we stopped feeding You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.
Laddie-P is a stylish bull
grain seven years ago. carrying a very balanced frame.
His dam is a full sister to our
Parker Beard milks cows near Decorah, Iowa. Lander-P with 9204 milk, 5.7 bf
and 4.1 p as a 7 year old and still
going strong as a 12 year old. Six

Alvin Lambright of Laddie-P’s seven closest dams

produced for over ten years. We
see Laddie-P as having a great
impact on our breeding program
I think every breed has cows that excel in grassfed production, so maybe for years to come.
focusing within a breed is more important than focusing on a breed. However, Pasture genetics that are earned,
my experiences have only been with the Holstein and Jersey breeds. not contrived from a computer
program.
We started with all Holstein heifers when we started milking cows, but when
Semen and bulls available.
we finally found an organic market (local cheese company), we had to sell our Call or email for our new
Holsteins and buy Jerseys to get on the truck, which we did reluctantly because 2024 catalog
we had no experience with Jerseys. It did not take us long to find out that less
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» Letting Go - Panel » Feeding Wild Birds and enduring.
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Page 18 October 2024

Study: more room for trees If you would like to list your event, contact Graze at

A study from Conservation Interna- that this figure is based on planting

Calendar.... P.O. Box 1373, Green Bay, WI 54305, or e-mail:
martha@grazeonline.com
tional revealed the enormous carbon- climate-suited tree species in field
storage potential that’s achievable margins, tailored to individual farms’ Oct. 25-27
by adding trees to agricultural land needs. Wise Traditions Conference, Orlando, FL. More Info: wisetraditions.org. See ad, page
worldwide. 10.
The study cites examples of agri-
The study found that 54% of global cultural systems that successfully in- Nov. 7-8
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with more trees without sacrificing in different locations and situations. or 234-286-1436. organicfarmingconf.com. See ad, page 17.
crop yields. This includes silvopasture systems
These trees could capture 3.3 bil- across the world as well as fencerow
lion tons of carbon per year and pro- trees.
vide benefits like attracting beneficial The study proposed ways new trees
insects and birds and improving soil
health and water quality.
could provide additional income, like
carbon credits and production of fruit Digital back issues now available!
The study’s lead author explains and nuts.
go to www.grazeonline.com

December 2022: Quality beef, quality soils. Advisors on how annuals fit into their opera-
Also available at tions. Satellite pasture monitoring. Busting silvopasture myths. Dr. Allen Williams: agricul-
www.grazeonline.com ture is paying the piper for past and current practices. The importance of grass farming.

back issues
January 2023: Iowa grassfed effort fueled by venture capital. Advisors manage manure.
The dollars and cents of tree shade on pasture. Why soils need fungi. Grassfed dairy
forum: keeping ‘em full. Be careful in chasing A2A2. Grazing helped us start a new farm.

February 2023: Grassfed aids quality of life for Indiana dairyman. The ins and outs of
bale grazing. Advisors on avoiding mud. Grazing tips for 2023. The right environment for
January 2021: A young dairy couple learns the value of career patience. Advisors plan low-risk raw milk. Building a barn. Promoting good meat. Hedging climate bets.
their finances. Why I built a baleage dryer. Big taste variability found in 100% grassfed
March 2023: Growing a diversified farming business. Advisors on getting cows bred. A
milk samples. Custom grazing is a balancing act. Grassfed organic forum: winter feeding.
Minnesota dairyman employs ultra-long paddock rest periods. Udder prep for raw milk.
Grassfed organic forum: supplements. How to achieve consistent grassfed lactations.
March 2021: Solar baleage dryer showed promise. Why a dairy grazier didn’t build a
creamery. Advisors: introductions and challenges. Pricing your lamb. Meat processing April 2023: Raw milk sales drive a diversified farm. Advisors on tracking pasture availabil-
options. Grassfed organic forum: spring grazing transition. We are only stewards. ity. Planning a new dairy. How to implement adaptive dairy grazing. Chilling raw milk for
sale. Why didn’t I try grassfed before? Corn and beans feeding the world is ridiculous.
April 2021: Graziers pool community resources to launch dairy processing/marketing
venture. Advisors transition to spring grazing. Solar bale dryer plans for 2021. Nurse cow June-July 2023: Catching up with grass-based processing efforts. Ragged pasture strat-
power. Raw milk’s tremendous possibilities. Get your succession house in order. egies. Fake meat is failing. How to supplement grazing sheep. Managing employees in a
growing business. Be careful with calf-sharing in raw milk dairy. Online farmers markets.
May 2021: “Stock cropping” combines grazing and cash crops. Allen Williams: knock out
the props in genetic selection. Advisors on raising calves. Solar bale drying economics. August-September 2023: Alexandres build business on “doing the right thing”. Advisors
Nurse cow profits. No-grain organic forum: soil fertility. Making safe raw milk. on boosting milk quality. Cellular meat hype. Explaining grazing results. Grazing sheep
and dairy cows in dry weather. Building a successful raw milk market.
June-July 2021: Grazing more than 300 days/year in NE PA. Ins and outs of alt-milking
options. Advisors deal with dry weather. Fake proteins offer opportunities for graziers. A October 2023: Grazing, organics and high milk production. Advisors on getting new pas-
profitable start with sheep. Science backs grazing advantages. Producing safe raw milk. ture going. Allen Williams: taking a deep dive into grassfed’s nutritional advantages. The
tapeworm debate for sheep. “Bird friendly” beef premiums. Turning trees into fenceposts.
August-September 2021: Grassfed beef marketing co-op serving a need. Advisors
stretch the grazing season. Why you should avoid grazing coarse stems. A major silvo- November 2023: Making milk without the grain scoop. Advisors on climate-proofing their
pasture project. Raw milk testing. Grassfed forum: feeding minerals. farms. Allen Williams: we can build soils faster than we think. Goats without fencing. Rais-
ing 100% grassfed dairy heifers. Adapt, adopt, thrive. Dealing with drought.
October 2021: From apprenticeship to farm ownership. A new way to measure pasture.
Advisors talk soil fertility. Janet McNally: a severe drought reveals grazing truths. Can December 2023: Cutting back on cow numbers, but making more money. Advisors: ex-
farming practices affect local weather? Silvopasture viewed as long-term investment. pansion thoughts. The value of grassfed butter. $800/ton dry matter. The carbon equation
of sheep. The soil nutrient situation on grassfed dairies. One farm’s legacy.
November 2021: Grazing in the middle of nine million people. Advisors on saving labor.
Twenty dairy grazing predictions. Educating consumers about safe raw milk handling. January 2024: A wholesale option for direct marketers. Bale grazing through the toughest
Pandemic grassfed marketing report. No-grain organic forum: winter milk opinions. winter weather. What beef graziers can and can’t teach dairy graziers. Dairy and beef sail
different ships. Where grassfed forum contributors see themselves heading.
December 2021: Relaxed intensity works for this beef grazier. How to have a climate-re-
silient farm. Dealing with dry cows. Grazing in an organic rotation. Labor for the grazing
farm. Nuts and bolts of winter sheep grazing. The two raw milks. Encouraging change. February 2024: A grass dairy dream come true in Ohio. Advisors on feeding minerals.
New ways of grazing dairy thinking What to do when predators threaten your flock. Diver-
January 2022: Company connects Northeast grass farmers with consumers. The value sity matters. Beating stray voltage. Our cows have changed. When the beef cows leave.
of an on-farm store. Advisors describe their perfect cow. Patience pays off in boosting
soil health. Grasses that work for no-grain dairy. Sheep mineral needs. Raw milk’s boom. March 2024: Building an on-farm meat-processing facility. Advisors on providing water on
paddock. New value-added dairy markets needed. Benchmarks for grassfed dairy suc-
March 2022: Maximizing sheep dairy value. Why we feed what we feed. Dealing with cess. Lamb business success. The power of epigenetics. A raw milk journey.
foot rot. Tree feed economics. Solar bale drying update. Making money in 100% grass-
fed dairy. Allen Williams: disrupt your pastures! People are also important to soil health. April 2024: Lessons learned from starting an on-farm creamery. A Kernza grazing re-
search update. The advisors on balancing work and life. Grass dairy investment needs.
April 2022: Freezing milk and other lifestyle choices. Cold weather lambing. Putting Sheep dairy. The new grassfed organic forum. Government by and for the people.
numbers to soil compaction. Grassfed skincare product popular. Pros and cons of metro
grazing. Allen Williams takes a deep dive into grassfed health benefits. May 2024: Starting a grass dairy in corn and hog country. Advisors on pasture weeds.
Dealing with grazing milk off-flavors. Making butter is exciting and hard. Allen Williams:
May 2022: Catching up with some grass dairy innovators. Dealing with spring seed- the real story behind food nutrient declines. Product of USA labeling change.
heads. Virtual fencing comes to the U.S. Lessons learned from a bad custom grazing
deal. Grassfed organic forum: raising calves to weaning. The 6th principle of soil health. June-July 2024: Custom-raising dairy heifers. Advisors on pasture compaction. Thoughts
on “do good and taste great” markets. Troubleshooting milk off-flavors. Custom grazing
June-July 2022: Dr. Allen Williams: Four simple tools for measuring soil health. Advi- with goats. Grassfed organic forum on stored forages. Finding peace in the pasture.
sors on raising dairy heifers. Grazing under solar panels. Controlling thistles with sheep.
Publicizing your farm store. How to protect young silvopasture trees.
August-September 2024: New opportunities through raw milk CSAs. Advisors share
August-September 2022: West Virginia family switched from dairy to sheep. Putting their vaccine programs. Omega-3 study details and marketing ideas. Favorite silvopasture
numbers to grazing’s eco benefits. Dealing with flies. Avoiding livestock guardian dog trees. Thinking through efficient farm energy use. Being a sticker in a drifter world.
mistakes. Grassfed forum: the fall transition. Farmers know how to make choices.

October 2022: Pennsylvania dairy taps big raw milk demand. Advisors on growing more Send $5 U.S. for each issue to:
pasture. Grazing through tough times. More LGD mistakes to avoid. Dr. Allen Williams:
using stock to clear brush. Direct sellers respond to inflation. A complex soils problem.
Please specify issues being
requested
November 2022: Making a go of 100% grassfed dairy. Advisors on winter feeding. Hard P.O. Box 1373
times for fake meat. More on clearing brush regeneratively. Grassfed organic forum: how Green Bay, WI 54305
See www.grazeonline.com for sample articles.
to get grassfed cows in to be milked. Fenceless grazing update.
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Grassfed organic forum to know what your cows are doing compared to how much forage they con-
sume.
If you have big cows that consume lots of forage with low components, you
continued from page 17 should be getting lots of milk. If they eat a lot and have low components and
her ribs can expand so she doesn’t bloat easily. I want her front legs wide apart you don’t get a lot of milk, that’s when the struggle for profitability starts. It’s
and straight, a nose with big nostrils, a wide escutcheon, and of course an udder the same thing if you have smaller cows that eat less and give less milk: you
that is even with all four teats spaced evenly apart and pointing straight down. should have high components to get a higher milk price to make up for less
I don’t think the size of a cow matters as much as how she’s built. Our biggest cwts. When you have less milk and low components, that’s when it gets harder
Jersey is just that, and she’s ready for her ninth lactation. to make a profit.
So, how important is it for a cow to be built right and be efficient at convert- Alvin Lambright milks cows near Wolcottville, Indiana.
ing forage to milk? We do monthly DHIA to track our cows individually. This

Ervin Barkman
has really helped us know which cows are truly profitable or not. I will try to
explain in my humble farmer-without-a-college-degree figuring. I am going to
take the Holstein and Jersey breed to compare because they seem to be at the
opposite ends of milk production and components. There are of course lots of
variables, but I will take a couple of scenarios and just compare components, Our herd used to be purebred Holsteins. In 2006 we started to breed to
milk production, and feed cost, not accounting for milk volume pricing and Jerseys — some New Zealand and some American. We asked ourselves, “what
hauling cost. do we do next after these crosses?” So we started with Norwegian Reds, some
Swedish Reds, Shorthorn, and a few Dutch Belted.
Using the higher end of grassfed production I’ve seen, let’s say you have a
Holstein herd where the cows weight 1,300 lbs. on average, milking 50 lbs./day They say the three-way cross is a good cow, and that is what we decided to
at 4% butterfat and 3% protein and you’re getting paid $4/lb. for butterfat and try. Our mix was Holstein, Jersey, and Norwegian Red, and they did very well
$3/lb. for protein. That means you have 2 lbs. butterfat per cow for $8, and 1.5 for us. We had 14-year-old cows. In fact, we just sold a family cow that was 14
lbs. protein per cow for $4.50. That’s a total of $12.50 per cow per day without years old and still going strong. In the last five years we did some aAa mating,
quality premiums and all that. but now we’re leaning more toward bull breeding.
Then you have a Jersey herd weighing 1,000 lbs. on average, milking 35 lbs./ The type of cow I like to see is a little short-legged, overall wide, and 1,000-
day at 6% butterfat and 4% protein with the same prices as above. That means 1,200 lbs. I want to see them over all round and robust. Instead of keeping the
you have 2.1 lbs. butterfat per cow for $8.40, and 1.4 lbs. protein per cow for three-way cross, six years ago we started breeding Fleckvieh and we really like
$4.20, for a total of $12.60 per cow per day without quality premiums. these cows. They keep body condition well, breed back well, and the weight
gain on calves is phenomenal. Fleckvieh would also be a good choice if you are
Now here is what I think is the single biggest factor of profitability in grass-
feeding grain.
fed dairy. If cows eat 3% of their bodyweight in dry matter, a 1,300-lb. Holstein
will eat 39 lbs. DM a day and the Jersey will eat 30 lbs. Let’s say you’re buying We can breed the best grass genetics, but if we don’t raise the calf right, those
dry hay for $300/ton as fed, or roughly $0.18/lb. DM. The Holstein costs you genetics won’t mean much. I was told one piece of the pie is genetics and the
$7.02 per day to feed and the Jersey costs you $5.40 per day, for a difference of rest is management. We are hearing more and more about building your herd
$1.62 per head per day. with what you have and selecting bulls from your best cows, which is called
epigenetics.
So, am I trying to say one breed is necessarily more profitable than another?
No. What I’m trying to say is no matter what breed of cows you have, you have Ervin Barkman milks cows near Fresno, Ohio.

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 Page 21
Preventing burnout It’s easy to get wrapped up in the
commercialized fantasy of tropical
something inspiring from the food I
work so hard to grow.
water. It’s a great way to unwind and destinations, but the solution to our It’s all about maintenance, one little
continued from page 7 reset my mind before a busy week. longing for something more could be step each day over time. I remember
tucked in something as simple as a a time where I felt so overwhelmed.
pre-sales and not over sell), milk Meditate daily seed packet on our work bench. Every time I checked something off
jugging calendar, meat deliveries and the list, two more things were added.
Every morning, I wake up and take
pick-ups. I also break it down to goals Get help when you need it I wanted to quit farming every single
some time to look out our backyard
to accomplish like: paint the barn, fix The last thing I did for myself when day. I realized that I needed to make a
window.
the mower, etc. I really got to the end of my rope was change and change always starts from
I pray and I read my Bible. I the inside out. I started examining
I do not include daily chores on the to ask for help. I broke down and
remind myself of who I am and what what habits were affecting my work
schedule because those are a routine prayed for God to send workers to our
my purpose is. This is so very impor- and my mental health positively and
for us so we already know the amount farm, I advertised, and I trusted that
of time needed. If you are newer to tant. negatively. I worked on eliminating
we would be able to pay these folks
scheduling or just building a rou- Regardless of your personal beliefs, somehow. the negative habits and giving more
tine, it would be a good idea to also taking that time for yourself especial- time and energy to the positive ones.
You know what happened? They
include those. ly in the morning is so grounding. It is After a few years I look back and
came! Some even volunteered! It’s
If it feels too overwhelming at first a great way to start the day! I’m amazed at the difference it has
a miracle, it’s humbling but it is so
that’s totally normal! Start with a list necessary. No man or woman is an made. Farming is still hard, but now
and order them based on priority.
Something that brings joy I have the tools, the mental capac-
island, and we cannot farm alone.
Then guess how much time each task Do something that brings you joy ity, and the vigor to endure whatever
will take you and schedule them into daily. This is a hard one. One thing at a time challenges it brings. I also feel like I
your allotted work time for that day. Most of us farmers are quite self- I know it’s so hard to take a step am getting more done in a workday.
less folk who find joy in helping, back and think about self-care when By putting myself and my family
Days off serving, and working. I am not negat- the third cutting is ready for harvest, first, I have more capacity to work
Days off mean getting OFF the ing the importance of these character the mower is clogged, and the tractor during my scheduled work times. It
farm. It might not be this way for traits. has a flat tire. is still so hard for me to unplug and
everyone but I need to completely But it is also important to take the It also can seem overwhelming let my mind fully rest, but I am still
remove myself from the farm, the time to plant sunflowers outside the when you’ve spent the last forty years evaluating and making changes.
animals, the to-do list, and if possible, kitchen window, read a good book, or serving everyone but yourself. I hope this inspired you to take that
my laptop and cell phone in order to pick up those old paint brushes stuffed Every week I just choose one thing time, invest in yourself, and take steps
fully unwind and relax. in the back of the closet for “some- to focus on and implement. I write to avoid burnout on the farm. You are
Most of us cannot go to the beach day.” it on the top of my calendar, and it worth it!
for a week, but two years ago Kelby These little things do so much more reminds me every time I look at my Kristina Snyder and her family raise
and I bought a boat with some friends than a trip to the Bahamas for our schedule that I should take a pause, and direct-market grassfed products in
and every free Sunday we are on the soul. pull out my guitar, or actually cook Alfred Station, New York.
Page 22 October 2024

Conversations with the land

The wild ride of farming without a formula
ought to know better by this time, to be a compaction issue as much as
By Jim Van Der Pol
I overgrazed during the dry years. anything.
The ryegrass pretty
This can happen by holding the cattle Consequently, we tilled the win-
When you give up farming by much restrained
in one paddock for too many days or ter feeding paddock this spring and
formula, which our farm did several
decades ago, the ride gets bumpy and
by returning to the paddocks too soon. seeded Italian ryegrass in an attempt the thistle.
unpredictable. When what you know We are far more likely guilty of the to provide feed. It succeeded, with
is corn and soybeans, how and when second problem. three extended two-
to plant, how to control weeds and I see this now in the day grazings so far. The four other paddocks I had slated
what to expect at harvest, grass is widespread flush of Now we will need to for reseeding this spring quickly got
puzzling. Baffling, almost. Canada thistle in the pas- till to seed the perma- out of reach of tillage. I was able to
Just working with a perennial like tures. Forage was short in nent pasture. control much of the thistle there by
grass can be a challenge to an annual the dry times, and early This amounts to too timely mowing.
mindset. in the dry years we were much tillage in my I had planned on meadow fescue
And then, of course, we never somewhat overstocked view, but if it can be and Garrison creeping foxtail on
committed the whole farm to the new until we sold the cows. restricted to a single these low paddocks but will probably
approach. We still grow the row crops We did speed up rotations paddock out of our wait to see what things look like next
on part of the acreage, which means without really meaning total of thirty that year, as it may not be a good idea to
we have part of the operation that to, which is pretty much we have used for the seed the Garrison in August. Meadow
responds somewhat to the old rules how it always happens. entire winter feeding foxtail planted in August may well
and part that does not. time it could be looked at as an op- succeed.
Clay, thistles, and tillage portunity to introduce new seeds and And honestly, it may be the steady
Fruits of overgrazing It is also apparent that there is more plants into the sward. rains we are getting every four days,
Of course the abrupt changes than simple overgrazing at play here. The ryegrass is dominant and with but I have to say the paddocks I
regularly thrown at us by the weather, We have been struggling to figure out the help of an early season mowing it wanted to reseed look better than they
such as our three years of semi- how to winter feed. pretty much restrained the thistle. We have in some time just as is.
drought followed by this year of The grass on our highly clay and wait to see if the pasture seeding this I mowed all of these four paddocks,
nearly continuous rainfall, add to the poorly drained soils does not survive fall can help the return to permanent along with several others, after the
mental confusion. It can be a wild winter bale feeding in pasture and pasture from here on. second grazing. Thistle is not very
ride. tends to retreat in favor of thistle evident there now, though I well
But we learn. And one thing be- and several weedy species such as To reseed, or not? know it’s there and will be a problem
coming apparent is that even though I pigweed and lambsquarters. It seems There are other things to notice. going forward.

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It should be noted here that these ahead of the dominant plants closing And that is itself another thought.
paddocks are the site of my attempts in again. What works on well-drained, sloping, Patience, that mostly
last year to restrain the sward with the So I gave up in the dry conditions fertile soil may not on difficult soil
disc and start new seeds. The tillage and waited for the rainy times to re- and under adverse conditions. This is out-of-fashion virtue,
seems to have caused the thistle popu- turn. Now they have, but to the extent important. is required here.
lation to explode. that tillage is impossible. Due to the fact that government
The rapidly increasing presence Some graziers will graze a seed- policy has always favored corn over
of psuedomonas syringae (PST) due ing three or four years, followed by any kind of alternative use and has good results could be achieved by
to the constant rain will undoubt- several years in crops and then back always supported production of it by improved management, including but
edly provide a good bit of control for to grazing. I have no experience here, keeping the price pretty much high not limited to reseeding.
now. This bacterium is evident in the but I know some make it work pretty and stable, our pasture tends to be on
The very first thing I noticed when
yellowing and whitening of thistle, well. our most difficult land.
we seeded down the pastures 25 years
causing failure to produce seed. It may be that it hinges on being This is true on our farm, and I think ago was the improvement in acces-
But if, or when, the weather returns able to destroy the grazing sward also on others. The soil and condi- sibility.
to something closer to what we think pretty completely using glyphosate. tions on what we pasture are difficult
I could walk out there after a rain
of as normal and we get drier sum- That would put it beyond the reach for one reason or another. For us, it’s
and even drive a pickup there. What I
mers, we can expect an enthusiastic of anyone serious about his organic mostly excessive wetness.
was seeing was how soil is with a root
revival of the thistle population. certification. Often enough, the mostly younger system in place.
But there may be another thing go- people who favor a practice like

OLLED + A2A2 = Total= Package!

Reseeding less I am thinking that the root system
ing on here. grazing are blocked out of using the

POLLED + A2A2 Total Package!

continues to develop under good and
The entire experience of the last Root systems take time to develop. best and most fertile acres by this
careful management.
several years has demonstrated how

DOMINANT PP-RED
Good grasses will colonize the soil corn production system supported by
Thus we have improved the drain-

DOMINANT PP-RED
durable a good population of perenni- farther out and deeper over time. So it government programs and heavily
als can be. subsidized crop insurance. age in the pasture by a limited instal-
may be that grass and legumes estab- lation of underground tile. The idea
Despite my best efforts last sea- lished three years ago are simpler to
The value of deep roots was to provide more non-waterlogged
son and the one before, I could not destroy than if it were a longer term days per season for the roots to de-
destroy or even restrain the perennials sod. It may very well be that a practice
velop.
enough to let new seeds sprout. This of destroying a pasture sward every
is a problem with organic production. Managing difficult acres As in every attempt to improve
four years or so in favor of annual
farms by spending money, we will
True, I am reluctant to use heavy I do know that the pasture areas cropping is only possible on the very
see. And because pastures are such a
primary tillage, and perhaps the I am trying to improve with better best soils.
long-term factor, seeing results is apt
results might have been different had I grasses have been in grass for 25 Andre Voisin, the father of much
to take some years.
done so rather than just being satisfied years or more, ever since I quit insist- modern grazing practice, certainly
with the disc. Patience, that mostly out-of-fashion
ing on getting the combine stuck more took a dim view of habitual tilling
virtue, is required here.
And it is certain that the dry condi- years than not and decided to think and reseeding, thinking instead that it
tions in those years added to the like- of another approach to using these dif- was important to let the root systems Jim Van Der Pol grazes and markets
lihood that the seed would not start ficult acres. grow and develop over time, and that from his farm near Kerkhoven, MN.

Introducing “GAMEDAY”
! A2
l led A2
! Gameday semen is available
Po from Burket Falls at $16/dose.
Quantity discounts available.

POLLED DominantPOLLED
PP Daughters at Burket-Falls
Dominant PP Daughters at Burket-Falls
L-R: VG-85 2-02 365d L-R: 2x 27,614m
VG-85 2-02 3.8%365d
1055f
2x 3.1%
27,614m 837p3.8% 1055f 3.1% 837p
GP-84 2-04 312d 2x 22,442m
GP-84 2-04 4.2%312d936f
2x 3.2%
22,442m 700p4.2% 936f 3.2% 700p
GP-82 2-04 365d 2x 24,923m
GP-82 2-04 4.0%365d
1006f
2x 3.2%
24,923m 794p4.0% 1006f 3.2% 794p
GP-83 2-04 365d 2x 23,991m 4.0% 938f 2.9% 697p
GP-83 2-04 365d 2x 23,991m 4.0% 938f 2.9% 697p Dam
Burket Falls Gameday-Red-P 93%
GP-80 2-11 344d 2x 29,228m RHA
GP-80 2-11 3.8%344d
1114f
2x 3.1%
29,228m 889p3.8% Burket
(2nd 1114fFalls
lact) 3.1%Hartline Athena EX-92
889p (2nd lact)
"The Dominant PP daughters
"The are calving
Gameday represents 15 years of breeding Linebacks at Burket Falls.
Dominant PP and they
daughtersare 'cookie
are cutter'
calving and they are 'cookie cutter'
1-11 365 2x 28814 3.8 1058 3.2
consistent. They are average stature,
consistent. Theytremendous
are averagewidth & strength,
stature, tremendous width & strength,
Sired by the world renowned excellent
Ja-BobfeetRex-PP, Gameday
& legs and is &a legs
terriffic feet
excellent udders. handsome,
Theand
best group udders.
terriffic 3-3
of daughters
The best 365 2x of
group 28710 3.7 1075 3.1
daughters
balanced 315 aAa. Hefrom
is moderate stature,
a disposition frombut
standpoint awe'vewideeverand
disposition milked!"
standpoint- John ever 4-5
we'veBurket milked!" 365- 2x
John33990
Burket 3.8 1284 3.2
Burket-Falls
structurally correct DOMINANT
with black hooves. PP-Red
Burket-Falls DOMINANT
VG-87 aAaPP-Red
5136 VG-87 aAa 5136
Sire: Burket-Falls Polled Pledge-P-RC
Sire: EX-90
Burket-Falls Polled Pledge-P-RC EX-90
Dam: Burket-Falls DureneDam: P-Red EX-91-2E
Burket-Falls EX-MS
Durene P-Red EX-91-2E EX-MS
For polled genetics 4-01 365dat everyday
34,828m 4.1% 1434f
4-01 farmer
3.1%
365d 1088pprices,
34,828m give
4.1% 1434f 3.1% us a call.
1088p
2nd Dam: Burket Falls 2nd
Dee Dam:
Dee-Red EX-90
Burket EX-MS
Falls Dee Dee-Red EX-90 EX-MS
Balanced genetics: polled, high components
Life: 201,989m Life:&
3.7% 7490f longevity
201,989m
3.4% • Semen,
6519p3.7%
Next 7490f bulls
3.4%
5 Dams: & embryos
6519p
VG-EX always
Next 5 Dams: available
VG-EX
100% Polled Offspring! 100% Polled
Available Offspring!
from Available from Burket-Falls!
Burket-Falls!
BURKET
BURKET FALLS FARM FALLS
Polled Holsteins: FARMto yourPOLLED
The solution POLLED
FOUNDATION
“horny” problems COWFOUNDATION COWPOLLED FOUNDATION COW
Dave Burket & Sons Dave Burket Falls
Burket Farm • Dave and
& Sons ElevationBurket-Falls
John Burket
Burket-Falls Sophia Elevation SophiaBurket-Falls Elevation Sophia (EX-93-4E)
1321 Polecat
1321 Polecat
1321 Polecat Rd., East Freedom, Rd.,
PA 16637 East Freedom, PA 16637
Road • East Freedom, PA 16637EX-93-4E GMD DOM EX-93-4E GMD DOMLifetime: 241,534 4.1% 10,022 (GM-DOM)
814-239-2260 | burketfallsfarm@aol.com
Phone: 814-239-2260
814-239-2260 | burketfallsfarm@aol.com Life: 241,534 4.1% 10022Life: 241,534 4.1% 10022Sire: Elevation
www.burketfallsfarm.com www.burketfallsfarm.com
burketfallsfarm@aol.comThe solid foundation of The solid foundation
our Polled program of#PolledPlace 5 “The #PolledPlace
our Polled program 5 program”
solid foundation of our polled

“Polled Holsteins:“Polled Holsteins:

The Solution The “Horny”
to your Solution Problems”
to your “Horny” Problems”
 Select the best
high-performing
grazing genetics
GrazingPRO sires are selected to improve
the profitability of grass-based production
systems by transmitting outstanding
daughter fertility, greater longevity,
mobility, moderate stature and improved
component yields.

-0.23 +165
STAT +0.7 CFP
DPR

Holstein GrazingPRO lineup averages

GrazingPRO Proven Sires

Grazing Y Z Z Calf Z Cow
Code Name Pedigree CFP Fat % Pro % DPR CCR HCR SCE DCE PL SCS Mast
PRO$ Rel. Mast Liv RD
7HO15366 AGASSI F Wimbledon x Matters x Stoic $928 148 0.23 0.10 92% 2.3 3.8 4.0 1.9 2.3 4.4 2.78 1.0 87 101 107
14HO15369 TRUMPET-RED F Ronald x Helix x Entitle *RC $604 94 0.13 0.02 92% 0.7 1.3 2.0 1.5 2.3 5.4 2.49 2.9 104 102 97
250HO15513 ELON F Spartacus x Moola x Lopez $576 137 0.15 0.05 98% 0.0 1.6 3.9 1.6 1.8 4.0 2.79 -0.4 91 94 95

GrazingPRO Young Sires

Z
Grazing Y Z Z Calf
Code Name Pedigree CFP Fat % Pro % DPR CCR HCR SCE DCE PL SCS Mast Cow
PRO$ Rel. Mast Liv
RD
14HO16871 PETE F Overdo x Conway x Big Al $1,257 177 0.49 0.19 80% 0.9 2.0 1.3 1.8 1.8 5.5 2.49 4.4 103 100 98
7HO16680 DO LAY F Overdo x Top Dog x Big Al $1,206 160 0.39 0.16 80% 0.5 1.1 2.2 1.6 2.3 6.9 2.52 4.7 105 108 102
14HO17014 MERRILEE F Overdo x Conway x Big Al $1,193 175 0.49 0.19 80% 0.1 1.2 0.9 1.7 1.8 4.5 2.69 4.0 103 100 99
14HO16393 ORGANIC F Massey x Pursuit x Achiever $1,142 131 0.21 0.12 82% 2.8 4.9 3.8 1.9 1.1 9.5 2.54 4.6 103 105 103
585HO17180 SIMPLY F Hayk x Moonrise x Legacy $1,033 165 0.25 0.10 80% 1.8 3.3 0.0 1.7 1.5 7.7 2.43 5.2 106 101 103
14HO16961 O-DEAR F Hayk x Gameday x Granite $992 182 0.26 0.12 80% 1.0 2.5 0.7 2.0 2.5 6.7 2.53 3.1 98 101 100
14HO17150 RIPSTART F Frost Bite x Gameday x Legacy $950 193 0.32 0.09 80% 0.6 2.5 4.2 2.0 2.7 6.5 2.72 3.6 102 94 99
14HO16804 BENJY F Frost Bite x Legacy x Spectre $930 178 0.23 0.08 81% 0.3 2.8 3.4 1.5 2.2 7.4 2.66 2.5 102 97 99
7HO16396 FELIX F Drive x Eisaku x Hal $927 164 0.28 0.08 82% 1.5 3.5 3.3 2.2 2.3 7.6 2.67 3.3 104 99 101
14HO15903 CLOUD^ F Extra-P x Rome x Pizazz $903 155 0.19 0.13 82% 0.1 1.4 1.1 1.6 1.5 6.0 2.74 1.7 102 101 101
14HO17216 DAY TRIP F Sheepster x Upside x Big Dollars $901 208 0.23 0.06 80% 0.2 2.4 1.4 1.9 2.2 8.3 2.69 3.1 102 94 107
7HO16603 CUSTAR F Overdo x Moonshiner x Legacy $895 160 0.25 0.09 80% 1.2 2.7 3.2 1.5 1.7 6.8 2.63 2.8 99 107 98
7HO16916 STEPHAN George Miller x Gameday x Zarek $872 173 0.20 0.09 79% 0.4 3.1 1.8 2.3 2.2 7.6 2.52 3.8 102 98 98
7HO16965 LOYAL-P F Cirrus-P x High Demand x Legacy $869 132 0.23 0.11 79% 0.4 2.5 3.5 2.0 2.1 6.3 2.80 2.9 100 94 102
7HO16894 POROTO F Overdo x Parfect x Riveting $859 162 0.27 0.11 80% 0.1 1.6 1.4 1.7 1.8 5.4 2.61 4.7 105 99 94
7HO16820 FIONN F Frost Bite x Einstein x Nugent $849 181 0.18 0.08 81% 0.6 2.8 4.7 1.7 2.0 6.4 2.71 2.7 102 94 98
7HO16932 PROVEN FULL F Hayk x Gameday x Zarek $835 183 0.23 0.11 79% 0.4 2.5 1.6 2.1 2.5 6.7 2.60 3.4 100 102 102
14HO17263 KINGDOM* F Kahn x Payload x Tahiti $829 198 0.26 0.11 79% 0.2 1.9 2.7 2.2 2.0 7.2 2.70 3.1 99 102 103
7HO17220 ROSEMARY F Felix x Gameday x Lionel $815 195 0.19 0.07 79% 0.6 2.7 3.5 2.0 2.9 7.8 2.69 2.1 101 103 106
14HO16519 DECREE F Wheelhouse x Fastball x Challenger $779 157 0.23 0.05 82% 0.4 0.8 2.0 2.0 1.9 6.2 2.67 2.3 101 102 102
7HO16835 LOGIC F Frost Bite x Taos x Riveting $773 190 0.19 0.09 81% 0.4 2.2 2.5 1.6 2.0 6.4 2.73 2.2 98 97 93
F denotes sires available gender SELECTED™ ^= Denotes GForce+ *= NxGEN® 08/24 CDCB/HA Genomic Evaluation. 08/24 Zoetis data. ™GForce and gender SELECTED are trademarks of Select Sires Inc. All gender SELECTED semen is processed using Ultraplus™ technology. Ultraplus is a trademark of
STGen LLC. Limitations and Conditions of Sale: gender SELECTED semen shall be used only for the single insemination of one female bovine during natural ovulation with the intent to produce a single offspring unless specifically approved on an individual customer basis by Sexing Technologies in writing.
As a condition of purchasing gender SELECTED semen, the purchaser agrees that gender SELECTED semen will not be reverse sorted or re-sorted unless specifically permitted, in advance, on a case-by-case basis by Select Sires in writing. Select Sires intends to monitor the use of the gender SELECTED
semen and vigorously enforce these restrictions on use. Please see http://www.selectsires.com/designations/genderselected.html for additional details. ®GrazingPRO, the Select Sires logo and Your Success Our Passion. are registered trademarks of Select Sires Inc., Plain City, Ohio. All bulls on this page
qualify for semen export to Canada. 7 = Select Sires 585 = Very High Purity, 14 = Accelerated Genetics, 250 = GenerVations.

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GrazingPRO sires!
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