Grazing

I am a firm believer in lifelong learning. It seems as though that takes a lot of time these days, as I sometimes struggle with the technology advances and everything being “apps.”

We finally got a frost that finished off our corn after wheat. I have been busy pumping manure and did not get involved with chopping that last field of corn, but Brett reported it had made 12 tons.

Picking up where I left off last month, the Lord has indeed blessed us with another great month. For the most part, things have been going very well. The weather has been good.

It’s been a beautiful dry fall, almost too dry. With all the talk about an El Niño weather system, I sure hope we get a lot of moisture this winter because we need to recharge the soil moisture. But you make your prediction. What do you think?

This morning suddenly feels like late fall. If they are going to get the beans cut, it needs to stop the misting and sprinkles — although we are already at the point where the beans are getting too dry.

Healthy soils produce healthy plants that feed healthy livestock. “If we’re going to rely on forages for our animals, we must have a healthy, nutrient-dense soil,” said Travis Meteer, commercial agriculture educator.

Soil is a dynamic system that contains physical, biological and chemical aspects. “A standard soil test doesn’t tell us how active the microbes are,” said David Kleinschmidt, owner of Progressive Agronomy Consulting Services.

Cattlemen are in control to obtain a perfect graze of pastures by their animals through stocking density and timing.

I imagine some of you have started harvest by now. Not me, though, but that’s normal. Our double-crop beans are getting really thirsty since we’ve only had a third of an inch of rain in over six weeks.

Well, I’ve just returned from the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival and it was entertaining and very informative. On Friday was the Sheep 101 classes and Saturday was the Profit Workshop classes.

Here at River Oak we are nearly finished with the last rotation through our fescue and clover paddocks. We started the process the first week in August and will complete it by the time you read this.

Scott Halpin, state executive director of the Farm Service Agency in Illinois, announced that four additional counties are authorized for emergency haying and grazing of Conservation Reserve Program acres.

Our 2023 growing season continues to be a challenge, but perhaps everyone is successfully adapting, because I don’t hear as many pity parties as during some growing seasons.

Scott Halpin, state executive director of the Farm Service Agency in Illinois, announced that 89 counties are authorized for emergency haying and grazing of Conservation Reserve Program acres for fiscal year 2023.

Adams, Hancock, Pike, Randolph and Schuyler counties have been authorized for emergency grazing use on all eligible Conservation Reserve Program acres during the primary nesting season due to extreme drought conditions.