There are some pretty scary statistics out there about farm income and the difficulties of being profitable. But looked at another way, those same statistics give us interesting indicators of things we might do to swing the tide in favor of farmers and ranchers. On Pasture wants to help make a difference, and here's how.
These safety tips come to us from Rob DeClue of the Chenango County Soil and Water Conservation District and the New York Grazing Coaltion's Grazette newsletter.
Good fences make good neighbors, but electric fences make hilarious stories.
Rachel:
Years ago, I heard this one, from a really neat guy named Bill Stout....
A season of managed grazing can be hard on your fences and changes in vegetation and soil moisture take their toll. Here are some suggestions for figuring out what's wrong and fixing it.
Managing livestock means more than just dealing with the animals in our herds. It also means taking into account the animals that we live amongst. In some cases, grizzlies, and the humans who are there to protect them.
If Dean Anderson of the USDA ARS Jornada Experimental Range has his way, cows will wear these little "hats" that tell them where to go and we won't have to build fences anymore!
A tomato and mayonnaise sandwich on store-bought white bread is the finest sandwich known to mankind. This is not up for debate, and the ingredients are not negotiable. Salt and pepper are permissible, but if you try to get schmancier than that, you'll screw it all up, and your sandwich should be taken away from you until you learn to properly appreciate the simple perfection of this combination.