How we extend the grazing season...

This year, so far, we've been blessed with adequate rainfall to keep the pasture grasses growing well.  (Last year that wasn't the case - you can read about that in this blog post.)  Often toward the end of summer and into the fall there is a dry season, and the grass pretty much quits growing.

One of the ways we deal with that is that we have one large pasture that we re-seed in midsummer with Sudan grass.  While most of our pastures have permanent grasses, Sudan grass is a warm season annual grass that grows quickly and is highly resistant to drought and heat, so it continues to grow well when other grasses stop growing.  We plant it in late June/early July so that by the time the dry season rolls around, it's ready for grazing. Sudan grass only grows until the first frost and then it's done.  So in the fall we plant that pasture back to ryegrass, which is a cool season annual grass that will then be ready to graze in the spring.

It's a matter of pride among farmers to have straight rows in the field (whether it's corn, beans, grass, etc.)  I think our grandson Jon did a great job for his first time seeding a pasture!  (And first time driving the big tractor as well!!)