Grazing

Most producers know the usual amount of rainfall in their area, but doing a soil test in the fall can help identify deficiencies before spring. Preparing the soil for seeding should come next.

So just out of curiosity, can anyone remember a time when cheatgrass did not dominate the Western landscape?

Planting cover crops as a rotational crop to improve soil health has gained a great deal of momentum across the country. Farmers in the upper Midwest have been the leaders in adopting this practice.

Persistence is the key to a successful long-term pasture weed control program. Land managers are constantly seeking a magic bullet weed control strategy that will allow them to check weed control off the to-do list and never think about it again.

Cover crops are an old concept made popular again by recent state and federal funding, concerns for soil and water quality, and a continued interest in preserving cropland for future generations.

In the Nebraska Sandhills, Dave and Loretta Hamilton run cattle on 18,000 acres, which is covered in sand bluestem, indiangrass, switchgrass, prairie sand reed, sand lovegrass and little bluestem – all native grasses.