The Grass Whisperer's NEW Blog & random observations
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5/31/10 It's Memorial Day. Honor thy soldiers with your blessing.
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5/25/10 Received this nice note from Olin Sim's family about the tree planting and establishing Olin's Grove:
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5/24/10 Our first 2 calves of the season have arrived. Man, I love calving in the late spring. Green grass, healthy mothers, sunshine, just the way Mother Nature intended. Far cry from when I was doing things the book way(accepted) inspired by the input kings.
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5/23/10 Moved finishers to new paddock. Mother Nature has blessed us with an abundance of grass. Is this tall grazing? Kind of, but each seedhead packs an energy boost. This was one of our out-wintering fields and was stockpiled last year. I like the thought of strong roots and diverse mixtures going on today. Mimicing the prarie setting is one of our goals. Go ahead rain 2 inches, we'll soak it up./ Talked with Nathan Stoltzfus from Deansboro and he said their cheese curds are now available with bottled milk on the way soon. Their creamery is at 6300 Skinner Rd. Vernon Center, (315) 829-4089
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5/22/10 Working on one of our long range holistic farm goals. Learn to relax and spend time together. Went to Paddlefest in Old Forge and tested out Kayaks to see which ones fit and invested in 2 stress relievers plus gear. Even got the dog involved.
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5/16/10 My wife and I tending to the graves of our loved ones on my side of the family the way Jim and Pauline Steele would have wanted us to.
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5/14/10 Receiving more new cattle in. Lots of sunshine to harvest.
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5/12/10 It's Daughter Lindsay's Birthday
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5/11/10 Took these pictures after a big storm in early May that toppled one of our old trees. Got a picture of some wood hungry insects. I haven't been able to come up with a name for these, but they are not the invasives like the green menace or the asian long-horned beetle.
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5/9/10 Prom night at WCS turned into a winter wonderland by Mother's Day. I had a feeling we would pay for the early spring somehow. Made for some interesting pictures.
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5/8/10 Got this link from my grazing mentor, Kathy Soder on our friend Dan Barber, the best regenerative-minded chef in America. http://video.usanetwork.com/features/character_approved/webisodes_3/dan-barber-webisode/v1204548
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5/8/10 I have a bookmark made by my friend Jonas with this prose on it. Are we really free to chose?
Unchain My Farmer
by Jonas Stoltzfus
Unchain my farmer
and set him free
Needs no permission
to sell raw milk to me.
To buy my food
just go to his farm
I can be very sure
he will do me no harm.
The dairy stuff he makes
kefir, butter, and cheese
all so very tasty
and it’s sure to please.
He makes it for his children
they’re healthy as can be
If it’s good enough for them
then it’s good enough for me.
So unchain my farmer
and set him free
no permits needed
to sell raw milk to me.
From http://www.farmtoconsumerfoundation.org
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5/7/10 Imagine 57 people viewed my grazing management seminar on the web from when I was in Berkley Co. WV. 2 months ago. Thanks Craig Yohn and Steve Ritz http://www.viddler.com/explore/craigyohn/videos/255/
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5/6/10 Awoke to a grazier's dream of a gentle rain. The grass was whispering, "man that feels good" and the worms were doing the pasture mumbo. I checked the paddocks and the amount of green solar collection and water filtration going on is sick, almost gross, with how thick the grass is and how much plant diversity there is. Newman Turner would be proud.
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5/2/10 Checked out http://farminmike.wordpress.com/2010/04/ this morning and saw a bunch of pictures of the grass whisperer working with Morrisville College Students on a community service project around a cemetery. Thanks Mike Gurecki for the help and the pixels. 
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Got our first 2 loads of grass-finished cattle from our custom grazing partners on Friday. There is alot of sunshine and grass to be harvested. (I even saw my first seed head today). And our 3 chick-migos are feathered out and eating insects and scratching up some cow pies, mmm. These 3 were orphans from a school project where Lindsay gave technical assistance on raising chicks. This spring is way early and I fear there may be a cost later in the year. Mother Nature bat lasts. My advice this year is watch the rain gauge carefully and protect your soil by leaving some residual cover, whether it be farming or lawn mowing.
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4/29/10 Maple Hill Farm & Orchard, located north of Earlville, in the Chenango
Valley, has 20 acres of managed pasture for rent. Four strands of
electric fence surrounds the pasture. An abundance of fresh water is
available and the location is ideal for heifers. The duration of rental
can be May 1 thru October 1 and perhaps longer. Please call Gary Will,
315-691-3168 or gwill@twcny.rr.com to negotiate price.
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4/28/10 These pictures are the same orchardgrass plant taken 10 days apart. You'll notice the 1 inch of regrowth on the smaller plant after 2 days. If you bite the plant at this point you will weaken it or committ the atrocity of the "second bite syndrome". Let it regrow, I beg you. Take no grass before its time. This is the simplest way to add profit to your operation.
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4/24/10 Tree planting today took on an especially poignant tribute in memory of Olin Sims, A Wyoming rancher and an awesome conservation steward and leader who died in a farm accident on December 7th, 2007. His career was cut short, but he left me with the passion to carry on in his honor. Lindsay interned at the National Association of Conservation Districts in D.C. where Olin was president and her boss. He and I became friends almost over night and he totally inspired me with his grit, presence, humor and candor. Man do I miss him! He was one of a kind. I have named this place where the cedars will grow to provide a windbreak and habitat, Olin's Grove. Your spirit lives on my friend.
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4/21/10 The Orchard grass or "cocksfoot" (called in way earlier time) is reaching for the stars. Time to graze this off and promote the plant to tiller(thicken up). One or two bites will do in a day but don't let'em regraze until its up again. Lets go make some moola with this greenery.
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4/15/10 TAX Day Won for best evaluator last night at Mohawk Valley Toastmasters. Got a visit from my Oneida County Grazing specialist, Bill Paddock yesterday who dropped off some planning maps and took a look at our grass. This is what he saw. And our pup Riley(AKA the Life of Riley) was really enjoying rolling around on the green stuff or was he rolling around on a dead mouse?
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4/13/10 Last Sunday was winged home repair and clean out day for the Bluebirds. It's amazing to see the intrique weavings of nest material used by my fellow fly catchers. Improving bird habitat for the cattle saves me money and creates a symbiotic savannah with the cattle. Life is good when you have birds inhabiting the homemade dwelling 5 minutes after you put it up.
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4/10/10 Big week for the Bargabos Family. Madison County SWCD 2010 Conservation Farm of Year and announcing to be a candidate for NYS Assemblyman from the 111th district. You go Grass Farmer!!
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4/9/10 Grazing Already in upstate NY! Good things happen when you have a fully rested sward with high fertility. This was the scene on April 6th. A full 18 days ahead of last year. Global warming perhaps or just strong roots? Grazing planning to create the landscape you want comes to mind.
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What does the perfect cow pie look like? Well it's supposed to resemble a pumpkin pie! Soft but firm on the edges with a dimple in the middle. This represents well-balanced cow nutrition. Too stiff and it indicates a lack of protein or runny enough to put through a screen door means a waste of protein. I'm not sure what the earthworms prefer but they really ate up the pumpkin pie example. If we looked closer at our poop in the pastures, maybe we wouldn't need so many nutritionists. At least that's what my grandfather taught me.