From the Pastures: Hot commodity

Hello from Graze-N-Grow. March has been teasing us with 70-degree temps followed by snow and single digits. Winter has a hard time letting go, but the forecast looks favorable for spring’s arrival. The recent snow cover did allow for finishing my frost seeding. I’m used to riding the four-wheeler every day once temps get comfortable to move fencing and livestock, as well as checking pastures and crops, but going 6 mph in 20-degree weather while spreading clover is less then enjoyable. I hope it will be worth it. At least it is easier to see tracks in the snow.

Our lamb crop is looking great. We have had very little mortality so we should have plenty to sell, although only a few will be old enough for the holiday sale. We continue to sell from our remaining old crop lambs for slaughter here and we have had several calls wanting to pre-pay for the July holiday market, but I don’t like taking money that far ahead when I need to ration the limited supply to my longtime customers. It’s nice to be on the receiving end of a hot commodity.

I remember as many of you can when getting $100 for a market lamb was a cause for celebration and I guess the same could be said for $40 hogs and fat cattle, as well as $3 corn and $7 beans. How times have changed. All of us farming now should be grateful for these good times now, market-wise. And on top of that we aren’t getting bombed out of our houses, either. Let us remember these folks in our prayers. I’ve been told the $100 bill is the new $20, but for me it’s like the new $10 since I recall driving all the way to Alaska back in 1973 on 40-cent gasoline.

Ruth and her sister, Martha, have been busy in the greenhouses now for a month with our niece, Nicole, helping on occasion. It’s nice to see a little green this early, even if it is inside. I did see some green up in the rye we had Ken drill in late last fall, but it quickly got covered in a blanket of white.

My friend, David, beat me in the race to plant oats since my 60-acres worth are still in the bag, but I hope by the time you are reading this I will get them in. I haven’t grown oats as a cash crop for over 40 years, but prices are good, plus they work well as a nurse crop for rotating to forages for grazing or baling. I plan on seeding 40 acres of organic peas, as well, to break the cycle of giant ragweed in that field.

We need to get our order in soon for the broiler enterprise so we can brood them in the barn in May and move them to pasture later that month so they can be finished before the worst of the summer heat. By May, Ruth will be in her milking groove again and none too soon as I will be out of yogurt and ice cream way before then, I’m afraid. Life on the farm is good and our city friends envy our lifestyle. All of us living in the country are blessed. Let us always be thankful of that privilege. Happy trails.