CONSERVATION CORNER
A weekly blog for all things conservation
By: Kevin Brown, Agricultural Resource Specialist, Bradford County Conservation District Most animal owners that I know of have animals for one reason. “They enjoy them”. Plain and simple. No matter the species, people love their animals and caring for them brings great comfort. Had a bad day at work, go visit your animals. Been cooped in for 6 months because of COVID (Yep, I just did that. Can’t have a conversation without anymore), go visit your animals. They just make you feel better. It is relaxing and uncomplicated. We hear about “comfort pets” all the time on TV. They just have that effect. Now, because they make us feel so much better, and we love them so much, doesn’t it make sense to do what is right for them? Shouldn’t we show them a little gratitude? How do I propose you do that? I am sure there are the common ways that you are thinking (petting, treats/grain, riding them, etc.). Let me bring up an area that one probably never thinks of - their surroundings. Their day-to-day life. Bear with me and let me explain.
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By: Guest Columnist, Troy Bishopp, Grazing Specialist, Upper Susquehanna Coalition It’s amazing how ignorant I have been in following the tradition of feeding hay to my animals. Once you’re in this agricultural paradigm for so long it’s hard to break the cycle of thinking. It wasn’t until I actually looked at my farm’s displaced fertility levels from a nutrient management plan that I started to question my hay feeding practices and the labor it took. By: Nathan Dewing, Agricultural Team Leader The abundant grass crop in Bradford County leaves growers considering their options for managing it. Harvest for storage as livestock feed is the most common decision, but it’s not the only one. Many acres are used for wildlife food and cover. And many acres are harvested another way – by grazing livestock. Grazing is often considered an efficient means of harvesting grass because it can be done with little or no power equipment. Many grazers say that livestock have four legs for a reason – so they can go harvest their own food! At a minimum, the infrastructure needed to make this happen is a fence and some water. The last article explored decisions involved with supplying water. Now let’s consider the fence. A producer first ought to ask the question “Could this be done without a fence?” There might be a way and innovators should keep exploring possibilities. For now however, the answer overwhelmingly is “You will need a fence.” By: Nathan Dewing, Agricultural Team Leader Bradford County farm fields are made for grass. Our grass covered hill fields can develop highly productive soil while contributing virtually no sediment to waterways; two reasons it is the primary crop for our food producers. Bradford county grass has been used to produce milk and meats for generations, and grazing can be one of the most efficient means of harvest. Water supply in grazing systems can make or break production efficiency, so let’s examine some of the key factors involved. By: Nathan Dewing, Agricultural Team Leader, Bradford County Conservation District Grazing season has arrived which means farmers and animals alike kick their heels in glee! Supplemental feeding in the pasture, barn, or barnyard is expensive, labor intensive and stressful, so all are relieved to see the animals get out onto green pastures again. Grazers, what is one step you can take this year to make your operation more efficient or productive? This is a good way to think about it. When you think about all the things you want to do, you may get overwhelmed and stuck. Selecting ONE allows progress. Let me suggest one to get you thinking. By: Miranda Neville, Agricultural Resource Specialist, BCCD As temperatures are getting warmer and summer is rapidly approaching, farmers are gearing up for hay season and farm kids are preparing for cow shows. Like a kid going off to summer camp with butterflies of excitement to meet up with friends, have new experiences and make hundreds of memories, so many farm kids (and adults) are getting those butterflies thinking about packing up the cattle trailers and heading out to the county fairs. In the farming world, the cow show circuit is not only a place for cattle breeders to show off their top genetic cows- it’s also a place where they can connect with each other and have an opportunity to educate the public, but most importantly to have fun! By: Nathan Dewing, Agricultural Team Leader, Bradford County Conservation District Sustainable food production and distribution is getting people’s attention today. Thankfully, we have had leaders among us who haven’t taken this for granted. Let’s remember some. By: Guest Columnist, Troy Bishopp, Upper Susquehanna Coalition, Grazing Specialist Effective communication is a powerful tool that many outside of agriculture use on a daily basis. Some use this tool to tell our story for us, when they haven’t experienced the trials and tribulations of farm life. This concerns me greatly as consumers and elected leaders get further removed from the farm. It’s time agriculturists learn these tools and take personal responsibility for the message that is portrayed to the public. Public speaking and media outreach are some of the scariest activities to do for anyone, least of all, folks that work the land. Good, bad or indifferent, forces have reduced our farming population so low that we now have a great opportunity. Opportunity? What opportunity? By: Guest Columnist Cheyenne Bastian-Brown, Bradford County FFA President What do you think of when you hear FFA? When confronted with the concept of what FFA (formally known as the National Future Farmers of America Organization) is, many people focus primarily on the word farmer and look no further for any other explanation. Since the title includes the phrase “Future Farmer,” it is then believed that each member of the organization is in pursuance of one day becoming a farmer, a landowner, and someone to feed the world population… nothing else. Typically, this is the idea that most parent/guardians have in mind when their student pursues an interest in agricultural education. By: Nathan Dewing, Agricultural Team Leader, BCCD
Early each year the Bradford County Conservation District’s agriculture committee holds a strategy session. We consider how we are accomplishing our mission and reconnect with WHY we do what we do. Our mission (from an agricultural perspective) is to engage farmers and consumers to manage resources wisely. When we ask ourselves why, the answers sum up something like this – “because the small decisions we can impact today, turn into foundations for generations.” We use words like this and others like - planning ahead, lasting, sparking curiosity, and coming alive, to describe the process we go through in understanding the natural system. Learning to make wise use of natural resources like soil, water, air, sunlight, plants and wildlife can again shift a farmer’s perspective from work to worthy enterprise, and a consumer’s perspective from food to health. |
AuthorsVarious staff at the Bradford County Conservation District Archives
May 2024
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Bradford County Conservation District
Stoll Natural Resource Center 200 Lake Road, Suite E | Towanda PA 18848 Phone: (570)-485-3144 |