How We Wrap Up the Grazing Season Each Fall

As the days get shorter and colder, we are winding down our grazing season. The grass we have left is in areas where we've either had chickens on pasture over the past few years, or bale-grazed last winter.

This is a good news story for our farm. The regenerative practices we've been using have helped turn one of the weaker parts of our farm into one of the best parts. Because of that, we now have more and better grass. It also means a longer grazing season for our cows, and we will have to buy less hay this winter.

Preparing for This Year's Bale Grazing

These are some of the bales we've laid out for this year's bale grazing. We will progressively give our cows new sections of hay week after week this winter. This will feed our cows through the colder months and will also feed our soil for many years.

By placing the bales strategically and feeding the cows in stages, we make sure that all the waste hay they don't eat, along with their manure, is spread out evenly across this section of the field. As a result, the whole area benefits.

Turning "Waste" Into Soil Health

All of that "waste" will provide organic matter, nutrients, and food for the life in the soil for years to come. Because of this, when the cows come back to this section of the field next summer, and for several years after that, the soil will be healthier, and the grasses they graze will be more plentiful.

Thank you for following along on our journey. We are grateful for your support and continued interest in our work.