Converting Grass to Food

The top right side of this pic would normally be cut by a lawn mower and the clippings placed in the trash or at best in a composter.  What amazes me is that a cow is a machine that converts this resource into milk, butter, cheese or meat.  The input costs are nothing other than the time required to implement sound pasture management practices.  In this pic we just apportioned a new section of yard/pasture for the cows by repositioning fence posts, running more electric wire and moving the water troughs (don’t forget to turn the fence energizer off or you’ll know what an AED feels like).  Size and time spent in an area depends upon the time of year, number of cows and condition of pasture.  Your lawn will not look as pretty as when cut by a lawn mower but… there is a special satisfaction from function staking - by having animals mow AND produce food.  (You apportion and rotate cows thru sections of your yard/pasture in order to maximize the productivity of grass.  If not managed cows will damage the pasture by only eating what is most appealing to them - it happens as the grass is re-bitten after trying to regrow after the initial bite. This is repeated and the grass' root stock then shrinks in proportion to its stalk height.  As the roots shrink more soil is available for less desirable or unpalatable species of grass and weeds so the best grasses in your pasture die off and the less desirable grasses or weeds take over).

Once the grass is converted to milk it is extracted by little kids.  It doesn’t matter if it’s raining.  The trampoline moves with the cows during very hot days to offer shade in paddocks where no trees are present.

If you’re really good at managing cows you’ll have a winter reserve pasture(s).  We had to supplement with hay.  This was a night time drop over the wire of a ~1000lb bale.

You can keep your bales exposed but we try to keep them covered if possible.  They also allow for kids to push each other off of them.  Looks cute but they are ruthless.  The fun stopped after Liberty got the air knocked out of her.  In this pic Keena is about to use Liberty as a step on her way to challenge Trinity.  (This is where I start to digress and this post eventually goes off the rails.)

Caleb used a different approach to feeding his hives this year.  He built these trays for Warré hives and filled them with heated liquid sugar.

The girls did very well at speech and debate this year, they cleaned up with a few of their friends.

It was cause enough for Trins to celebrate with a bottle of soy sauce even though she won fourth place.  Good thing she didn't win first place.

 

This pic was taken at the church where Caleb attends college.  Churches sure aren't made like this anymore.

This pic was taken at our church fellowship meal where we are members (in Caleb's church the stall partitions are made out of limestone).  It appears that Sammy and friends discovered that these lever activated fountains were useful for rinsing spoons.  A good reminder to pray for the Lord’s blessing upon your meal before eating.