Search Results for: grazing planning

It’s that time of year again! Grass Whisperer Troy Bishopp has updated the grazing charts and they’re ready for you to download. Troy developed these grazing charts together while working with a group of farmers and graziers. They looked at examples from noted, successful graziers like Jim Gerrish and Greg Judy. They talked about their […]

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 […]

Thanks for spending a little time with me to talk about business planning. As I pointed out, though I’m no expert at it, I’ve learned many times that it’s a good thing to do. And I’m always interested in finding resources that will make things a bit easier. Here are some resources that have worked […]

In November I shared thoughts on the economic importance of stockpiling grass. In that article, I made the case for building internal fence on a new property because of the economic value of the grass. Well, we did build the fences even though we were sick of fencing by November! This article covers what happened […]

Editors Note: It takes a brave person to share his successes, challenges and stresses online with all of us. That’s what Troy has been doing this fall and winter as he writes about custom grazing dairy heifers on his stockpiled pastures. We’re grateful for Troy sharing his progress with all of us so that when we want to try […]

Stockpiling forage and grazing through the winter – great idea, right? But sometimes you don’t want to be the first one to try a great, new idea. That’s where The Grass Whisperer, Troy Bishopp, comes in. He’s starting to graze his stockpile now and he’s going to take you through the season with him. You’ll get to see first hand how it works, the challenges he faces, and how he makes it work.

Three weeks ago, I got a lesson in context when I helped my dad into an ambulance because a sudden stomach bug left him so weak, he could barely function. I reluctantly left my mom at the hospital, like so many others these past 2 years who were not allowed to enter, and drove away […]

If you’re not facing drought, you’re likely facing higher prices for hay and maybe even reduced hay availability thanks to the rising cost of fertilizer. Either way, you’re looking at ways to make sure you have enough feed for your stock while maintaining soil health and good cover. That’s what a drought plan is all […]

On Pasture reader Richard Moyer wrote me in March about the interesting times we live in and what they might mean for the 2022 grazing season. He said he’d been talking with friends in southern Appalachia about rising fuel and fertilizer prices for the upcoming season. Here’s a sample of what the conversations look like: […]

Oh dear! If you clicked on this hoping that you’d find the answer to all your problems, I’m sorry. The perfect recipe doesn’t exist. Unlike baking a cake, there is not a recipe that will get you smoothly from point A to point B. On the other hand, like baking a cake, you can start […]

Have you downloaded your grazing chart? Have you started looking at the list of questions that will help you get your planning underway? Do you have estimates for forage production and for how much forage your livestock need? With all that, are you still a little unsure of what the next steps are? Well, never […]

On Pasture’s New Year’s Resolution is to help you develop a grazing business based on a vision and goals that ensure a happy, healthy life, and a grazing operation that gets you there. We started the year with examples from fellow graziers and some resources to help you figure out where you are and where […]

On Pasture’s New Year’s Resolution is to help you move into this grazing season in a way that ensures a happy, healthy life, and a grazing operation that gets you there. Step 1 is all about developing a vision and goals so you know where you are and what’s important to you. This is the […]

I have been reading Troy Bishopp’s articles on how to fit grazing around your life rather than building your life around your grazing operation (What’s a Grazing Decision Worth and Where Are You, Where Do You Want to Be and How Do You Get There?). Troy writes about planning camping trips, vacations, and time with […]

Since we’re beginning the year by focusing on goals, here’s another avenue: business planning. Yes, business plans are tedious. Yes, they can make you feel like you got stuck on an elevator with the most boring person in the universe while on the way to really great party. But if you work through the pain, […]