A Grazing Kaleidoscope

Troy Bishopp, Madison Co. SWCD/USC Grazing Specialist

What would be the chances of a rainbow cascading over the start of a pasture walk? Seeing this rainbow immediately reminded me of Merle Haggard’s not so futuristic lyrics: “When they find out how to burn water, And the gasoline car is gone.
When an airplane flies without any fuel,
And the satellite heats our home.
One of these days when the air clears up,
And the sun comes shinin' through.
We'll all be drinkin' free bubble-ubb,
An' eatin' that rainbow stew.”

For those of us traveling to the event, it was like a beacon drawing us in to the pot of “green” that was situated squarely at Rocky Top Acres in Hubbardsville, New York.

When you hear about the Quaker Hill area most locals think of rocks, thin soils and open fields becoming reforested in just a few short years. Nestled in this environment of hills and valleys at the top of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, Charles and Mary Blood have carved out a pasture paradise with sweat equity, observation and a spirited attitude indicative of most successful farmers working with challenging local conditions. This “diamond in the rough” certified organic dairy farm has important components for success—a naturally diverse pasture mix, clean water, a cool climate and passionate stewards.

The journey by farmers to witness and talk with Charles (Chuck) and Mary about their operation was like returning to one’s grazing roots. These Madison County pioneer graziers helped bring the concept of rotational grazing to prominence in the early nineties with a strong local grazing group consisting of notable graziers; Dick Lee, Mike Gorrell, Rudy Braun, Oscar Robinson, Ted Aber, Julian Drelich and Darrell Emmick. They even helped the CNY RC&D Council produce a VHS documentary on the benefits of grazing for farmers. Chuck has also been a strong advocate for organic livestock production leading many farmer seminars and listening sessions for legislators as well as being a certified NOFA file reviewer in addition to 27 years of farming.

Mike Gurecki, A Student Conservation Association Agricultural Intern funded by the EPA to work in the Susquehanna River Watershed introduced the 50 eager graziers to the Blood’s operation and the colorful, sharp witted Chuck. The object of the tour was to see where the cows grazed the day before, were they were heading next and where they are now to compare forage quality, estimate pasture dry matter, look at plant species, biological activity and see the cow’s grazing behavior. Chuck expressed his pleasure in having lead cows to keep the herd moving and teaching the heifers how to function in a grazing system. Many in the crowd agreed, except one grazier commented he had a problem with a lead cow with a bad sense of direction. These leaders were equipped with cow bells including an original swiss bell of various sounds that resonated like a symphony as the cows grazed.

As the group co-mingled with the cows, the variety of hair color on the cows was like the rainbow over head. “That one is part Shorthorn, Holstein and Jersey, uttered Chuck. What I care about most is longevity in our cows and not the color,” as he pointed to several cows that ranged in age from 9 to 14 years old. “These cows have adapted well to the farm and have produced offspring that keep the colorful tradition alive,” said Chuck. The impressive, dense organic pasture saved them from feeding any grain except for ½ pound of molasses per cow/day. “At 750 dollars per ton for organic grain, good grass pays,” added Chuck. He attributed their success in grazing to maintaining a 6% to 7% organic matter level in the soil by keeping it covered and adding compost mixed with ashes from a nearby college that utilizes wood chips for steam production. The other ingredient for healthy cows was the consistent use of free choice kelp and salt followed at calving by an organic booster pack of minerals. The simple formula is working as Chuck commented, “Other than routine herd health checks, I haven’t seen a vet for an emergency 2 times in the last 10 years.”

Special guest, crop consultant and Country Folks writer, Paris Reidhead concurred with the magic of proper mineralization for soils that keep a whole pasture system healthy. His knowledge of the “little” things to make a grazing system sing was impeccable. He also rolled out a conceptual drawing of a grass-based label as a way for consumers to recognize real pasture raised products. Look for it in the future. Mr. Gurecki explained the advantages of using the farm’s keylines and contours in planning a grazing system that helps retain moisture all season long. This system of farming was developed by P.A. Yeomans and documented in his book, Water for every farm: Yeomans Keyline Plan (www.keyline.com.au).

The colorful evening ended with a smorgasbord of ice-cream, homemade cookies made by Mary and family and Chuck’s Famous Chocolate Milk for farmers to enjoy. Farmers appreciated the hospitality and were inspired to take the knowledge from a veteran grazier home to make their own grazing kaleidoscope. These conversations in grazing are supported by the Madison Co. Graziers Group, Madison Co. SWCD, The Upper Susquehanna Coalition, NYSGLCI, The Graze-NY Program, CNY RC&D Council, FL-LOWPA, NYS AEM Program, USDA-NRCS, and The Student Conservation Association Published in Lancaster farming 8/27/09