Author: Gregory Drake
Planning Unit: Butler County CES
Major Program: Forages
Plan of Work: Promoting Commodies
Outcome: Intermediate Outcome
As the Coronavirus pandemic continues county agriculture agents find new ways to deliver information to clientele, and service work has become more important. Families have more time at home and to work on their farms and their property. Call volumes have increased our opportunities to work one on one with producers. I have had the opportunity to spend more time with producers, research their production issues, and provide detailed solutions than I have in many years. During the lockdown in the spring of 2020 I began working with a small scale sheep farmer who had recently taken over the families farming operation and wanted to improve the pasture he was using for his sheep. He pulled the first soil samples his family had ever taken. In August I visited the farm and did a pasture walk with the grower. He told me he was able to see vast improvement in his forage due to the lime he applied. His ground had not ever been limed that he knew of. While I visited we discussed future improvements he wanted to make and his plans to control weeds in his pasture. He will purchase a small scale sprayer so he can safely control weeds. Another producer I have worked with extensively has pulled soil tests and is preparing to renovate pasture and hay fields in the spring of 2021 according to UK recommendations. He will apply the proper amount of fertilize and lime based on UK soil tests instead of “how its always been done”
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