How do we get ready for grazing season?

The countdown to grazing season is ON! A few days of warm weather and we'll be ready to graze. Join me in the pastures to see the few things we need to get ready before grazing season starts....SOON!

Step 1: Check the perimeter fencing to make sure it's secure and working! Sometimes trees fall over winter or things short out the fence, so we need to double check and make sure it's clear.

Step 2: Check the water lines to make sure nothings leaking or broken. We flush them out in the fall at the end of grazing season, so come spring they shouldn't have any ice damage, but we still check to be sure.

Step 3: Set up the temporary interior fencing spines. These break down our larger pasture into smaller squares that we can then break down into daily paddocks for grazing. The spines run along the water lines to make water access easy, no matter where the cattle are in the pasture!

When do we know it's time to graze? The boot test. When the grasses are higher than our boots, then it's go time. This typically happens mid-late May.

To start, we'll run the cattle through all of the pastures, quickly in a method known as "flash grazing". This is just enough stimulation to get the plants to grow back fast, without forcing them to use too much effort. The second go around, though, we'll graze more slowly and thoroughly and use this pacing the rest of the grazing season.

Stay tuned! We'll try to record the first time the cattle go out on pasture to share with you....it's always an exciting event! The cattle are so excited! :)