Year: 2019

07 Sep 2019

Counts and Cows

Counts and Cows

As the weather started to cool down, we had to finish our native warm season grass counts. Our third and fourth counts were very similar in the how they were conducted. We counted the grasses again, but also recorded their heights. We still took note of any weeds or cover crops in the plots. The grasses were much larger than any other counts and easier to identify.

Wading through the sea of cover crops during the colder mornings made it look as if we just fell into a pool with our clothes on. It is safe to say we were very wet and very cold. As the cover crops grew, some areas were taller than us and very hard to walk through. Other areas were so dense it affected the growth of our grasses and our ability to find them.

The idea behind the study was to have the cattle grazing the cover crops while the grasses grew below.  We enjoyed watching the cattle being released into the research area (thanks Megan for the video clip below). One lesson learned this year was that the plots need to be grazed earlier to prevent the cover crops from growing too large. With shorter cover crops, the grasses will receive more sunlight and not be covered by the trampled plants.  One of the first days the cattle were grazing a big storm came through the area, so the cattle were pulled to limit damage to the native grasses. With the weather and amount of cover crop available, the cattle grazed at a slower rate than expected. More cattle were brought out to speed the grazing process up. Adjustments will be made for next year.

–Chad G.

28 Aug 2019

Healthy Soil, Healthy Plants Part II

Healthy Soil, Healthy Plants Part II

Another soil test we use is the Comprehensive Assessment of Soil Health, performed by the Cornell Soil Health Laboratory.  This test includes measurements of the physical, biological and chemical components of the soil allowing a complete evaluation.  Results are color-coded for quick interpretation and longer explanations are also provided.  The example below shows test results from our newest property in Lewis Township, OH.  This field had been used to grow soybeans for decades.  The chemical components such as phosphorus, potassium and minor elements are very good or excellent due to the fertilizers added each year.  The soil is not healthy when viewed through the physical property of aggregate stability and the biological components.  As we change the management practices on this field we expect the values to improve.

–Jennifer

15 Jul 2019

One little seedling, two little seedlings….

One little seedling, two little seedlings….

The native warm season grasses were finally planted in July! Two weeks post planting, we were in the field counting the native warm season grasses.  At this point they were about 1-3 inches tall and could be distinguished from weeds by their long thin blades. We also counted the cover crops and weeds growing in the plots. The cover crops were brown top millet and a mix (Ray’s crazy) of plants including sorghum sudangrass, sunflowers, legumes, and radishes.  These crops provide cover for the grasses and grazing material for the cattle, but only made it more challenging to find the native grasses growing underneath.

Our second count occurred three weeks after the germination count.  The weather was hot and humid. Luckily the native grasses had doubled in size and had more features to aid with identification. The big bluestem started to become fuzzy, the little bluestem was beginning to fan out, and the Indian grass had a round stem with a reddish – purple color (see photos below). The cover crops however, were much taller so we still had to sift through the cover to find our grasses.

–Chad G.

08 Jul 2019

Moving through an Invasive Jungle

Moving through an Invasive Jungle

Honeysuckle removal (see The “honeysuckle woods” ) is slated to begin this summer.  In order to prepare, Chad G. and I marked perimeters of the 3 treatment areas where removal will occur.  This involved traipsing through honeysuckle, brambles and grapevines and using loppers to cut our way through.  The end result are clearly defined areas for the workers to see.

–Jennifer