Notes From Kathy

On Pasture probably would not exist if it weren’t for Troy Bishopp. He was one of the folks in a small group of folks that I approached with the idea of a unique publication that would serve graziers with both science and experience to improve their management and increase profit. He supported the idea and […]

I get all kinds of science emails every day as part of my job as your On Pasture editor. It helps me find information helpful to you in your grass-based job. But I’ve also learned a lot about the great science that’s going on all around us. And, unlike so much “news” today, it’s hopeful, […]

Nobody ever had to tell me life was short. Since the beginning, I’ve been living it like a house on fire getting everything I can out of it before ashes become ashes and dust is dust. I read book after book as a kid and did all the extra credit possible. I finished college in […]

Thanks to Jenn Colby for this week’s “Notes from Kathy.” Maybe everything on your farm is going perfectly. The animals are productive, grass growth is great, and you’re feeding minimal hay and making money. Terrific! But is that your whole life? How is your family—do you see them enough? Do you have time for things […]

My grazing posse is tired of writing about fences – where to put them, how to set them up. They don’t want to write about how grass grows, and even soil health is a tired topic. Why? Because it doesn’t seem to be leading to the success they’d like to see in their community of […]

With almost 3,000 articles in the On Pasture archives, choosing favorites is really impossible. But, since On Pasture will be on break next week celebrating the Holidays with family and friends, I want to leave you with something extra. (You know, just in case you miss me while I’m gone. 😊) So here are some […]

Lately there’s been talk about “The Great Resignation.” Employers who find it more difficult to fill vacancies blame government subsidies and employees’ unwillingness to work. Others do the math and point out that there are over 10 million vacancies and only 7 million people to fill them. So, as Derek Thompson writes for The Atlantic, […]

Calling a vet seems to be the last thing most graziers want to do. It could be the expense. It could be that we’re running from one thing to the next and feel like we don’t have time and we think some minor adjustment might solve the problem. Or maybe we’re worried that it’s nothing, […]

I am a fan of gifts that keep on giving. That auto repair toolbox and tools I got one year got me out of all kinds of difficulties. The Weeds of the West book from a colleague was part of the inspiration for a whole new career teaching cows to eat weeds. So, if you […]

In celebration of Thanksgiving, this week’s Notes from Kathy is actually from my good friend Troy Bishopp. I’m truly grateful for Troy’s advice, support and friendship. Little did I know the tradition of raising a “one-day” dairy barn is what I needed right now, as it speaks to that beautiful process of humans actually working […]

In this month’s Thinking Grazier, Darrell Emmick points out the importance of understanding what a cow needs to be most productive and how she chooses those foods. It’s something I’ve studied for many years used to add nutritious foods to livestock diets. If you’ve spent much time at all at On Pasture, you know I’m […]

In this week’s article on the power of compost to increase forage and carbon sequestration, I introduce you to my friends John Wick and Peggy Rathmann. Their work to improve agriculture and provide a climate change solution is worth knowing about. I met John and Peggy over a decade ago, when they invited me to their […]

A couple of weeks ago, I attended a “Lunch With Forages” session presented by the Oregon Forage and Grasslands Council. It featured Dr. Patricia Fifita, who talked about her work in the Pacific Islands studying and working with local indigenous farmers who are constantly modifying their farming techniques to adjust to an ever changing world. […]

It’s my favorite time of year here in Tucson – backyard weenie roast season! One of my friends is vegan for health reasons, so, for our most recent gathering of friends, I bought a package of plant-based hotdogs. It was a great conversation starter for folks who hadn’t met before. Naturally, the discussion turned to […]

What do you do when you encounter information that challenges long-held beliefs? Most of us get defensive to some degree. In fact, research shows that the more the information challenges our sense of self, the more threatened we feel and the more defensive we become, making us less likely to listen to or accept the […]