From the Pastures: Sly as a fox

Hello from Graze-N-Grow. As usual, weather takes front page. Our forecasted rain events continue to be non-events. The early planted corn and beans in our area seem to be looking good so far, less so for my late May and early June plantings. Growth is slow since none have seen any rain since planting. I know that we will eventually get our rain — we always do — but patience is a difficult attribute.

I have an experimental research plot of corn no-till planted into clover stubble. Originally, I planned to plow under the clover before planting for my nitrogen so I wanted it to grow tall, but dry conditions caused me to heed the advice of an organic farming mentor from Iowa and refrain from losing what moisture was left by baling it off and no-tilling. At least there would still be a good ground cover even if corn doesn’t make it. And the ewes have 190 wet round bales of great clover for next winter and the hope of fall grazing after harvest. I don’t mind trying new things, but if I had planned this last year I wouldn’t have tried this experiment on a field right along I-80 for all the world to see. One good rain can make us all look like experts, so please pray with me that that would be the case.

I have had the flock grazing the clover stubble to suppress growth to give corn less competition, but the dry condition is not helping corn emergence so far. Both cattle and sheep have plenty to graze, but in early June that should always be the case. The challenge now will be to ration throughout the summer if dry conditions continue. Worst-case scenario as far as cattle is concerned is that prices for all classes will make any herd reduction less unpleasant. As far as the lamb crop, we will be marketing a few for the ethnic holiday on June 28, but only a few since we lambed the majority in the spring.

Even as the corn and beans are crying for rain, the wheat crop is looking good so far. I’m not an expert on guessing wheat yield, but the heads seem long, full and plentiful. I will know more next month. Also next month Ruth will be winding down the greenhouse busy time just in time for her cow, Ella, to freshen come July 4 — another event to celebrate along with Independence Day. Since June has always been National Dairy Month we will celebrate that a little late. I can’t think of anything else worthy of national celebration in June.

On a different front, our overpass progress was going pretty well and they were going to shut down traffic for three nights to set beams across the towers. The beams are in two half lengths bolted together, but someone screwed up and the holes don’t line up so another week’s delay. My hope for completion before harvest is weakening, but these workers can make things happen in a hurry when things go right. We will see.

Our poultry enterprises have been a dismal failure. First, in a weak moment while in Tractor Supply I bought some cheap ducks that were past their expiration date and a few days after I put them in a solid pen in the sheep barn I came out one morning and no ducks. Seeing no evidence of fowl play, I thought a hawk or owl had flown in and ordered carryout, but not long after, while taking care of seven turkey poults for a friend who was going back to Croatia for a while, something clawed through the chicken wire of one of our portable chicken houses and escaped with four turkeys.

After setting a baited live trap and catching a skunk, I doubted his guilt, but he paid the price anyway. Then a day later, we saw the real culprit, a fox. So, I put the three survivors back in the barn, fully enclosed, but after three days the stinker — fox, not skunk — must have opened the spring-loaded walk-in door and ordered three more to-go and so much for my friend’s high hopes for turkey dinners. He doesn’t know it yet. I didn’t want to disrupt his vacation. Life on the farm is not without drama at times, but it’s still the best life. I hope you are enjoying yours. Happy trails.