An On Pasture reader called this weekend. He’s moved to Mexico and is living on the beach. And he’s given up grazing.
Now, that’s one route to having more free time. But it’s not necessarily available to everyone. And you don’t really have to give up grazing just to have some time off. Showing you how you can balance grazing and time for the rest of your life is what I’ve been trying to do these past few months. It was my new year’s resolution:
Help YOU move into this grazing season in a way that ensures a happy, healthy life, and a grazing operation that gets you there.
My plan for that is to take you through the steps, one by one, that have worked for so many other graziers:
January
Develop a vision and goals so you know where you’re going so you can plan ways to get there.
February
Map pastures and soils so you know what your resources are.
March
Download a free grazing chart and start creating a plan that includes pasture moves for healthy forage, soil and animals, and some time off for a healthy you.
Each month you’ve had a little homework, and this month is no different. Last week we gave you the grazing charts and questions to ask yourself that will help you begin planning.
This week you’re getting more tools: resources you need to figure forage production and forage needs.
Next week, Troy Bishopp and John Suscovich will walk you through putting it all together on the grazing chart along with scheduling time away.
You’ve got a lot of homework in March. As your guide, I have some questions about your progress:
• How are you doing?
• Are you keeping up?
If you’ve missed any of the articles so far, here’s a link to help you catch up.
• Do you have questions? Is there something else I need to add to help you out?
Remember, I can’t succeed in my New Year’s Resolution without your help. So let me know how to help you.
• Do you like this kind of format?
On Pasture has a HUGE library of articles that most of you probably haven’t seen. Going forward, I’d like to make it easier for you to find them by collecting them in these kinds of guided activities so they can help you through the grazing season and help you make the most of your reading time.
I hope your homework is going well!
Hope to see you on the beach!
Kathy
