Organic matter is a key indicator of soil health and soil function, affecting the natural supply of nutrients, buffering against pH changes, softening soil to resist compaction, holding more water for
Carbon is fundamental to all life. It forms the backbone structure of carbohydrates (composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen), which are the initial products from the miraculous process of photosynthesis
Cornstalks become a major source of forage on some farms during the fall — especially if the previous growing season conditions limited pasture growth or hay production
Graziers from across the country recently gathered in Hershey, Pa., for the Grassfed Exchange. From grass-fed beef and organic dairy to pasture-raised poultry, sheep, and goats, the types of farms rep
More than 70 cattle were recently reported dead after grazing johnsongrass in southwest Missouri. While prussic acid was deemed the most likely cause of death, diagnosticians did consider nitrate toxi
I talk with a lot of farmers and ranchers all across the country who are trying to transition away from hay dependence toward more dormant-season grazing
As we wrap up the 2023 growing season, it’s easy to focus on other areas of farm and ranch enterprises, but there are still opportunities to make improvements to pastures
Its complexities are many. It is both a blessing and a curse . . . loved and hated. Many have trouble living with it, but they would never engage the thought of living without it. This is the world of
Miller Adams created 50-foot corridors between every 50 feet of trees in his silvopasture system. He then seeded the open areas to switchgrass to promote better forage production during the summer
Making a drought management plan months before the grazing season begins is like having a head start in a race; however, it’s not too late to step up to the starting line
To have healthy, functioning grasslands that are nutritious as livestock forage, productive over time, resilient in the face of periodic droughts, that resist the erosive action of intense thunderstorms,
Who would have thought not too many years ago that crabgrass would reach the rock-star status it now enjoys? Even its name isn’t particularly enticing.Okay, maybe there are some of you who sti
Brock and Heidi Terrell are third-generation beef producers in northwest Nebraska. They don’t need convincing that strip grazing is the way to go when utilizing fall-grown cover crops for lactating
It might not appeal or even occur to cattle producers to bring sheep or goats into their grazing operation, but multispecies grazing can benefit the forage, the ecosystem, the cattle, and the bottom line.
The Year of the Great Inflation is how many people will remember 2022. Among the numerous things that inflated in 2022 was the price of nitrogen fertilizer. It seems every time the nitrogen price goes
Can soil really be considered healthy or unhealthy? Wouldn’t that require soil to be a living entity? How could this be if soil is made up of sand, silt, and clay particles and simply holds water
Dragging pastures is a spring ritual on many farms and ranches. Also known as harrowing or brushing in different localities, the process is meant to break up manure piles from the previous grazing sea
When I was about 5 years old, I desperately wanted to become a farmer like my grandfather and uncle. At that time, my family was living in the suburbs outside a large metropolitan area
