During the winter of 2020 Marion, Nelson, and Washington counties offered a joint program called Master Haymakers.  This series is designed to increase the quality and efficiency of the haymaking process.  Specialists from the University of Kentucky presented information on Hayleage, Haymaking Equipment, Summer and Winter Forages, hay storage, quality, and handling.  Around 40 participants were engaged in the learning of new techniques, varieties, and management.  

At least two Nelson county farmers have added new varieties into their crop rotation. One individual has begun the move to rotational grazing as a response to seeing the inefficiencies of haymaking.  We are in the process of converting a field of Tilsit soil (fragipan soil) to a summer and winter forage crop rotation in an effort to increase productivity by reducing the effects of the fragipan.  This is the first experiment to use Dr. Murdock's work with ryegrass to show nelson county how the grass works to break up a fragipan over time and to bring unproductive soil back into production.