CARPET OF GREEN
posted on
November 9, 2017
As four inches of rain fell Monday night, a carpet of green kept livestock dry.
The cows made some mud as you can see below, but frequently moving them forward in small increments onto thick fescue grass reduced impact. The creek rose by 8 feet that night and jumped the banks, delivering standing water to low areas of fields. But within two days, the creek had receded and buried drainage tile had wicked most water away. We were grateful for stockpiled fescue, on which calves could find freedom and cows nurture, during an adverse moment.
We are beginning to anticipate a new phenomenon, due to our temperate summer and fall. That is to be able to graze the cow herd through the winter without feeding any hay. There is a theory among graziers that the more animals you have the more grass you grow. The logic is counter-intuitive, but as our herd grow, it appears, we are witnessing that very truth. High density of livestock stimulates microbes in soil to create organic matter, which grows grass.
The temperate summer and late fall certainly contributed to the carpet of green we now experience. The mild and wet season this year suggested we were in New Zealand. Such weather is not typical. We are grateful for fall rains and warm temperatures, but consider them an anomaly to the past. But perhaps not for the future. The climate is indeed changing before our eyes.
Pork chops, broccoli, baked apples, and baked sweet potatoes made for a fabulous dinner. The pork chops were brined in salt & sugar water for 2 - 3 hours, before being seared on each side for 3 - 4 minutes on a grill (or frying pan), and then put into a 400 degree oven for five minutes. They were great!
We still have turkeys available, so let us know if you would like one and have not yet notified us. This is the last weekend to place orders for them. Whole birds will range in size between 20 - 30 lbs., but they can be cut in half, if you would like.
With gratitude for carpets of green.