Making Grass Angels
Making Grass Angels
By Troy Bishopp
Canastota, NY—As the lake effect band of snow hovered twenty miles north, thirty hearty graziers braved a frigid west wind while giving up the morning’s deer hunt and Christmas shopping on a quest to see and discuss winter grazing strategies at Dave and Suzie Taylor’s, Thistle Dew Beef Farm.
The cold, surprisingly sunny day devoid of snow cover in an area the locals call “The banana belt of Madison County” was no deterrent for man or beast in being out on the stockpiled pasture. The day was also made a little warmer with New York Beef Farmer Cooperative Inc., Project Manager, Bee Tolman and Chairman Paul O’Mara announcing the group had secured $250,239.00 as part of Governor Cuomo’s Regional Economic Development Council initiative funding to the Central New York Regional Council to assist in start-up operations of the cooperative in Madison County and launch a meat CSA. “We’re going to be looking for more producers to fill the customer’s local need”, said Paul.
Dave welcomed the farmers and gave a brief history of their grazing experience: “Four years ago we would have scoffed at the idea of grazing this late into the season because we used to start feeding hay in early October due to overgrazing. That was until we caught the rotational grazing bug, got a grazing plan and were introduced to the benefits of portable fencing via the conservation district’s beginning grazier fence kit. These tools plus monthly mentoring have revolutionized our land and cattle management”, he concluded.
The 90 acre grass farm with its 46 head of cows and calves has averaged 50 more days of grazing for the last three years since adopting planned grazing and learning to stockpile fields around August 10th which has saved them over $2500 per year in hay savings.
The grazing group discussed the animal number to acres needed ratio, for making this work. “People say you can graze around one animal unit (1000 lbs.) to one acre for the season, but to make this extended grazing system work for us and make hay for winter we shoot for around 2 acres per animal on our soils,” commented Dave.
As the graziers staged around the pasture, Dave and Suzie made feeding cows look like child’s play by reeling up the polywire between the old grazed off paddock and the luscious 3rd cutting standing grass in less than 30 seconds. “Now that’s what I call a labor savings”, said Suzie. 
Questions from the audience of snowbirds ranged from determining the right size paddock, how to plan for stockpiling, what were the contingences for bad weather, pugging the soil concerns, quality of the forage meeting the animal’s needs and health concerns with relation to Johne’s disease from feeding on the ground. Credit their management style of moving daily with not having as many issues as discussed. “Since we move them every day we notice the little things and make quick adjustments according to what we see with the animal’s condition and how we want our land left for spring. It takes some practice and patience, when the neighbors look at you a little funny sometimes”, said Dave.
So what knowledge did farmers gain from the un-orthodox winter grazing? Jonathon Ling, Farm Manager from J&D Farm commented, “I needed to see this practice in action. I went home with a formula (250lbs. dry matter/inch/acre) for calculating the feed in my fields, even in the winter!”
“I got some validation that there are no steadfast recipes when farmers bring different scenarios to the table and that you gain wisdom by doing. I also saw how important water placement and back-fencing is in reducing pasture damage”, said Matt Campbell of Ridgeville Farm.
Karl Palmer from Sugar Daddy Ranch added his own synopsis, “I can appreciate Dave and Suzie’s enthusiasm to share money saving ideas with us. It motivates me to do a better job on my own farm. And having coffee and Christmas cookies on hand didn’t hurt either.”
Dave and Suzie summed up their winter grazing hosting role: “We wanted to show others what’s possible in saving money, growing healthy cattle and pastures, feeding local markets and reducing erosion”. 
This gathering of winter grazing knowledge and Christmas cookies from Troyer’s Country Store was supported by the Madison County Soil and Water Conservation District, The Finger Lakes-Lake Ontario Watershed Protection Alliance, The Upper Susquehanna Coalition and the NYS Agricultural Environmental Management Program.
To learn more about planned grazing initiatives and approaches, call Madison County SWCD @ (315) 824-9849 or visit madcoswcd.com and U-S-C.org
Published in Country Folks, a weekly agricultural paper by Lee Publications