Author: Peter Wheeler

We see many potential benefits with planting native warm season grasses in our area. Aside from the added benefit on increased forage productivity during the summer months – when our perennial cool season pastures are suffering and the fescue endophyte causes a real challenge for our cattle – these native plant ecosystems also provide an added benefit for our area wildlife. Some of you may have heard of Bobwhite quail…but how many of you have seen them in recent years? Bobwhites were once prevalent in the area of Indian Hill, where our farm is located (northeast of the city of Cincinnati). However, since the 1970s Bobwhite populations have declined by 80% in southern Ohio. There are many reasons for their struggles but one of the top issues is lack of habitat. Bobwhites are an “edge” species, meaning they seek brushy habitat where woodlands connect with row crops, pastures and fields. But according to the USDA, this type of habitat is becoming harder and harder to find. Bobwhites are also ground nesting birds and depending on specific stages of their life cycle require a variety of types of cover. NWSGs, which are clump grasses (non-sod forming) provide a near perfect habitat for Bobwhites. The small birds (which are roughly the size of a softball) are able to maneuver in between the grasses in search of food while being protected from their numerous predators. The diverse mix of grasses and forbs found in a native prairie also bring in sources of food, in the form of seeds and insects. But we can’t just plant these native grasses and let them go. They need to be properly managed to keep the grasses from becoming so dense that the Bobwhites cannot move through the canopy. Research has shown that one of the best tools to manage these NWSGs is high intensity, low frequency grazing. When grazed properly, there will be different stages of plant growth which will fulfill the varying seasonal needs for Bobwhite habitat.
As part of our NWSG research with University of Tennessee, Greenacres hopes to fulfill our obligation to provide habitat for this wonderful bird species which is on the decline. In addition to the Northern Bobwhite, many other ground nesting birds, pollinators, insects, and animals thrive in a diverse prairie habitat. Of course, we’re not just going to say that we are accomplishing goal of providing Bobwhite habitat just because we have a successful stand of NWSG. We plan on monitoring the changes in this ecosystem over time, including the presence or absence of Bobwhites. Hopefully the data we collect can be shared for the benefits of others who have aspirations of adding more diversity to their land or production systems.

To gear up for our research with University of Tennessee we are going to be trying our hand at establishing some NWSGs at our Indian Hill farm. We will be focusing on a 3 acre pasture that is predominately fescue, which you may know provides some initial challenges for us. NWSGs can be easily outcompeted by the aggressive nature of fescue and thus needs to be under control prior to seeding our chosen NWSG species of big bluestem, little bluestem, and Indian grass. This leaves us with two options: the moldboard plow or an herbicide treatment. Neither are preferred but we view them as short-term tools to reach our long-term goals of a native prairie ecosystem on our farm.

Although Greenacres follows organic practices (and then some), we are not certified organic. That said, we know that many producers who may be interested in transitioning to NWSGs might be looking for organic options…so we decided to do it without herbicides. After the ground is prepared with a tillage pass we will be seeding a diverse mix of warm terms of NWSG establishment – providing valuable information to cattle producers, wildlife professionals, extension agents, academics, and others.

4/18/18
To gear up for our research with University of Tennessee we are going to be trying our hand at establishing some NWSGs at our Indian Hill farm. We will be focusing on a 3 acre pasture that is predominately fescue, which you may know provides some initial challenges for us. NWSGs can be easily outcompeted by the aggressive nature of fescue and thus needs to be under control prior to seeding our chosen NWSG species of big bluestem, little bluestem, and Indian grass. This leaves us with two options: the moldboard plow or an herbicide treatment. Neither are preferred but we view them as short-term tools to reach our long-term goals of a native prairie ecosystem on our farm.
Although Greenacres follows organic practices (and then some), we are not certified organic. That said, we know that many producers who may be interested in transitioning to NWSGs might be looking for organic options…so we decided to do it without herbicides. After the ground is prepared with a tillage pass we will be seeding a diverse mix of warm season annuals. These annuals will allow us to start the transition from cool season pasture to warm season.

Exciting news! Greenacres is officially entering into a research partnership with Dr. Pat Keyser and University of Tennessee’s Center for Native Grasslands Management.

The research collaboration will attempt to address the major challenges associated with native warm season grass (NWSG) establishment by limiting weed pressure while providing livestock forage during the seedling year. If the hypothesis is proven, this research will pave the path for increased acceptance of NWSG by cattle producers, in turn leading to an increase in acreage planted in NWSG. This increase could provide many benefits for livestock producers (through increased production value), wildlife (such as habitat for ground nesting bird species), ecosystems (increased biodiversity) and the health of our soils and watersheds (increased length of green season).

This research could play a large role in filling gaps in the literature in terms of NWSG establishment – providing valuable information to cattle producers, wildlife professionals, extension agents, academics, and others.