After attending a meeting of the Virginia Grass and Forage Council in January 2010 and listening to a talk given by Greg Judy on 'mob grazing', Glenn decided, right then and there, to change the pasture management on our farm.
The basics of the system are simple. In reality, it is like returning to the natural management of the old prairies - you know, the time when the buffalo roamed.
Glenn started a partial conversion during 2010, but made the complete transformation this year, 2011.
cattle moving into new unit |
electric fence separating grazing units |
This type of management produces a multitude of benefits: soil improves naturally due to an increase in soil microbes and earthworms; which in turn, improve the soil's structure resulting in an increase in rainfall capture (no runoff), and the addition of more organic matter (carbon, CO2); farming costs decrease due to reduced fuel consumption (remember, haying and the constant back and forth across the fields has been eliminated), the purging of commercial fertilizers, and the abolition of bovine additives such as hormones and other injected substances.
The results...healthier soil, healthier grass - better grass growth and better quality feed,healthier cattle and less impact on the ecosystem.
And, this management practice has already resulted in substantial improvements for Mountain Glen Farm.
We no longer have any hayfields (boohoo - I like to hay), the pastures are not mechanically groomed - the overall appearance is scruffy; but the environment,cattle, and beef consumer all benefit in the end.
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