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Producer| Blog > Horizons in Winter | |
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| Horizons in Winter | January 14, 2007 (updated May 10, 2007) |
| January 30, 2007: Just when we were wondering what happened to winter...it's feeling very January-like, with sub-zero temperatures...but we still lack snow! Snow is more than just fun for cross country skiing and sledding (although we really miss the skiing). Snow protects the new grass seedings, adds moisture, and prevents soil erosion on tilled fields. Grasslands hold soil, snow, and increase water infiltration. We have converted 150 acres from row crops to grassland. That makes a total of 310 acres (of 480 total) under permanent grassland cover. It's good peace of mind during a very cold, dry, bare winter...except for new grass seedings. Winterkill is a big concern. We will find out how tough the new seedling mix really is, and I'll let you know next spring.
We feed and check on the cattle daily, to make sure they have ample water and hay. They have free choice to graze year round, and the cattle prefer it. They do very well with cold temperatures, with coats are thick and black (solar collectors on sunny days!), and shelter from the wind. We just completed our winter marketing cycle, and we were pleased to offer many new customers a half or a quarter of Prairie Horizons Beef. Some of our customers share a half with family members or friends, and they have a great time doing it. We are encouraged that our customers want to know everything about their food. We have 5 steers that will be ready to market in June or July, so if you are looking for some very tasty, very healthy beef, raised exclusively on certified organic pastures, please send us an email or give us a call. We will respond with the specifics of price, amount, or anything else you want to know. Sunsets are astoundingly beautiful in winter. Prairie Horizons Farm was named in honor of winter sunsets. I'll post one for you now, if I can only choose which one! | |
| posted by forbord1 | |
