Except for a ridge of rugged hills that separates the two valleys, the terrain is level to slightly rolling. Don says there are roughly 800 acres in crop production, with most under gated pipe irrigation. The rest is in corn. We usually cut 100 acres as silage each year and put up 10,000 bushels of wet corn. The remainder is picked and put in the bin.
Crop diversity contributes to the home-raised feed supply as well as cash sales.
The hay is of higher quality than their own cows require, says Don, and it brings a premium price when shipped to dairies as far away as Wisconsin and Arkansas. Not that quality hay isn't needed at home, but the first and second cuttings of alfalfa hay, fed primarily as a protein supplement, usually meet the needs of cows grazing cornstalks in late fall and winter. We get them bunched up like we want them and ready to go by the time there are stalk fields available, usually in early to mid October. Then we rotate through our fields and the ones we rent. The costs of wintering on cornstalks can vary tremendously, according to local University of Nebraska Extension ag agent John Lambert who works Keith and Arthur counties.