Recharge

 ...I've been looking at the grass again... 

I can honestly say that this drought we're in here in the Midwest, just may have enlivened me back to the concern of 'all things grazing'. When I see the severe and even mild drought in Ohio I get concerned. 

It has rekindled I believe, my passion for soil, grass, cattle, and management!

Here I am 10 years later. Not where I hoped I would've been when I started this blog back in 2014. But non-the less... still passionate about learning, growing and maturing the land (along with myself as well). Also I'm very grateful for all of the years I've had with my sons, and seeing them grow. 10 years ago they were 6, 8, 11. Hard to believe my youngest is 6'1" now. Hah! 

I look at the land where I am, and I'm thinking about "water holding capacity" of the soil. Also about water management on a ranch as a whole. Making the most out of a rain event, and keeping/storing as much as you can, type of mindset. I'm thinking about how I might set things up to prepare for stockpiling forage (if that were possible) and how to make sure the cows have what they need. Thinking about paddock or pasture movements and all of that beautiful stuff! 

Just this weekend, I was on my neighbor's land where his and (now only one of) my cattle graze. I saw there the lack of management. He and I both have kind of lets other things get in the way of taking care of the pasture. We've been fixing and keeping our hands to the fence after a storm or such. But not really as closely as we should have. AND When we're looking at the fence, and tending it, THAT is when you see the grass, and the soil. And can make those observations that are SOOO paramount and vital to having even a chance at a successful pasture management program.

Back in 2014 I had thought I would have possibly had enough cattle, and managed enough land (notice I didn't say own) that I might be able to slow down my corporate job and do a part time contracting scenario, or just a low paying job to supplement the farm income, and for insurance. And that I might have had a large enough customer base now that would be consistently buying my grass-fed beef, and or lamb by now, that I might have been able to "retire" and "Just Ranch". 

Anyhoo, here I am... looking at the grass, and comparing pictures from May of 2021 to today Oct 2024 of the same pasture. The grass here in 2021 although it was May, and yes we were trying to manage it in coordination with the land owner, it was pretty severely overgrazed. The first picture shows how we were trying to keep the cattle off of one section to allow it to regenerate, and making a little progress. 

The second picture shows us the same day taking the cross fence down, on the overgrazed pasture. Opening up the fence for the cows to start grazing what we had allowed to rest..

Here I was this weekend (Oct 2024) glaring at the (my) lack of management, and the (again) overgrazed, and poor quality pasture. I mean I feel like I can't even call it a pasture. I could still see the soul of my boot when walking in that green stuff.

I'm glad the drought has (I think) killed off the weeds. But the poor condition, and the massive amount of weeds, the complete overgrazed condition was a little depressing to look at! 

As you can see I was able to at least cross fence the pasture in half, in hopes to allow the left side to re-grow! I'm going to talk with the land owner about possibly getting in there and cutting the field (while the grass and legumes are so low to the ground.

One positive take away, was the amount of green there was, given the drought that had just gotten a little reprieve from a few days of rain. Thank God in Heaven for that rain! 

Here is looking to the future!!

Cattle to Coding...

 It has been a very long time since I've posted here (not that it makes any difference to anyone), but I thought .. 'why not?'. 

Some of my passion for cattle and the grass, and the land has taken a detour for a while. It's still there don't get me wrong, God's creation, and our stewardship of it has not lost it's grasp on me. I still love being in the field, watching the cattle, and helping my youngest son with the fence at times. 

My latest passion is more day job related, and has involved learning and using PowerShell to automate little tasks. I started writing a few simple PowerShell scripts that helped me in my job. That was back in late 2021. I am continuing to write PowerShell scripts and modules for the team. And now starting a new journey at my work, and starting to get back into Linux Administration that I was doing about eleven years ago at a different job. In a way it feels like I'm picking up where I left off. 

I've been learning about RedHat's Ansible Automation. It's a challenge to say the least, but one I am trying to tackle. I'm hoping we might leverage that in my new role. I say that because I know that (at least in my experience a decade ago) Red Hat support is really top notch, and just amazing really. Looking forward to learning on my own, and someday back in league with RedHat support. 

"Variety is the Spice of Life" - Sam the Soil Microbe

Doing what we can, with what we have, in terms of time, and resources. We're seeing challenges, and benefits. Knowing the we are going to make more plans, and hopefully do better as time progresses. But with all that, I simply love seeing the plant variety sprouting up from the ground. From knowing the owner who used to own it from back in the late 70's or early 80's this ground has had crops of wheat, oats, hay crops, livestock grazing, and soy beans and all kinds of activity, and the variety of plants I see is evidence of that activity. I'm hoping to get out and dig some more little shovel size holes and look at the soil compared to almost four months previously. Stay tuned! 

Earth worms.. get read to be counted.

 

"Faithfulness springs forth..."

I wanted to clip down the "Meadow Foxtail", and the invasive "Butterweed" before the cattle were allowed to graze once again in this pasture, but the wise advise of the farmer was, "...I'd wait till the cows come through first, THEN clip it." Which I had not considered, then after thinking about it, it made perfect sense. He knew these cows, and that they would not touch those two plants. Once they were done eating what they wanted, then it would leave the weeds to stick way up above the rest, and then we clipped the pasture down a bit, to cut down the taller "Meadow Foxtail", and the invasive "Butterweed". 

Having done that, now I see a lot of wonderful grasses and legumes that have had a chance at good growth without being blocked by the taller weeds. I'm sure they'll come back (weeds) but now I'm seeing a tremendous variety in the plants.. Meadow Fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, Tall Fescue, Orchard grass, Rye grass, Red clover, White clover. Now I've also seen ragweed, and ironweed. But I think that is a thing that will take years of proper management to remedy.  All in time. I'm also learning that some of the forbs (weeds) that grow can often have medicinal properties that can benefit livestock's health.

"Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven."    -Psalm 85:11

"Be praised for all your tenderness..."

 "Be praised for all your tenderness, by these works of your hands.

Suns that rise, and rains that fall to bless, and bring to life your lands.

Look down upon this winter wheat, I'm so glad that you have made 

Blue for the sky, and the color green, that fill these fields with praise." - Rich Mullins

Praying... and walking.

 Praying that this,
is that new door I was talking about back in July of 2014, seven long years ago. 

seven years ago

Here is a little boots on the ground view... 

In this video, I'm in the 14 acres, and looking at the pasture that has been, and is being grazed by the cattle for the last several days. They were fenced out of it for about seven weeks to allow the forage to really grow, but then, since the gully fence that I rigged up, was not electrified, or "hot", they eventually slipped in right underneath it. Which was actually well timed, since the pasture was ready to graze. The clovers were Beautiful, and the Tall Fescue was just at that right stage before seed head. Also now, we can start planning the go in there with a cycle mower and raise it up several inches and clip down those remaining weeds like all of that Meadow Foxtail, and the Butterweed, that the cows were smart enough to leave alone.

Worth doing?

 "If a job is worth doing, it's worth doing poorly first." -Joel Salatin

I take this to mean... We should be learning from our mistakes, and the beneficial results of work, may take a lot of time to see, and enjoy, but the pay-off will always be worth it.  And sometimes the payoff has little to do with money.