It’s time to start the cycle of turning sunshine into money. First we have a test for you so you can be sure your grasses are ready to graze, and then we have a series of three articles from Ed Rayburn on the ins and outs of turning sunshine into money.
Enjoy!
When should I turn my livestock into pasture?
Things are getting green, and if you’re been feeding for the winter, you’re as excited as your livestock to get back on pasture. Here’s a test you can take to make sure your grasses are ready to graze.
What should I look for in my plants to know when it’s time to move the herd to a new pasture?
Here’s some background from Ed Rayburn to will help you create a few good “Rules of Thumb” for good grazing decisions.
First Ed looks at how to turn sunshine into money by understanding how plants grow. Â It sounds complicated, but when he breaks it down for us like this, you’ll see why something as simple as moving animals mid-day or early afternoon makes a difference.
Next he talks about how we work with our animals to make sure we’re catching all the sunlight we can so we get as much forage as possible.
Finally he puts it all together in this piece about managing plant growth and rotational grazing.
A quick guide for those in the Northeast and Midwest: chances are that if the snow is up to your knees or deeper, it’s probably too early to start grazing.