From the Pastures: It’ll rain eventually

Wow, what 30 days can change! Last month, I wrote that I couldn’t keep up with the grass growth and now I have brown grass in my yard. We went from moist to popcorn-fart dry. However, my warm-season annuals loved it. They just kept on growing. Their tall forage shades the ground, so in the early morning there is moisture on the ground to help water all the plants in the pasture.

I just weighed my lamb crop and 71% of the lambs are gaining over 1 pound per day. This is after they were weaned on Aug. 26 up to Sept. 6 and after the rains quit. Those warm-season annuals are putting those pounds on the lambs, plus the red clover and forbs that are in the undercover that are benefiting from the shade and moisture. I don’t feed grain or supplements.

The Illinois Grazing Lands Coalition hosted its Northern Grazing School on Sept. 12-13 at Bottens Family Farm in Cambridge. Monte Bottens and his family were great hosts for nearly 30 students, who heard an array of topics over the two-day school. Of highlight this year was the sponsorship of Nofence, a leader in virtual fencing, and attendees at the school got to witness Monte’s use of the Nofence collars.

Other topics included the “Basics of Getting Started,” “Paddock Design,” “Fencing and Water Systems” and “Direct Marketing.” We would like to also thank the Illinois Natural Resources Conservation Service for their support of the ILGLC Grazing Schools. This was a great school with many good questions asked and cool tools to play with.

Upcoming events for the coalition include the Southern Grazing School Friday and Saturday, Sept. 26-27, in Waltonville, at Perry Hottes’ Angus Farm. Detailed information on all upcoming events can be found online at www.ilgrazinglands.org/events.

If it’s too hot and dry to do anything else, you might as well come and learn how to avoid the current conditions for next year’s crop. Sneak peak: Leave a taller residual.

Smile — it will rain eventually.