Brome, orchardgrass, tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass are grasses from this region that are compatible with legumes in pastures. Legumes are valuable in pastures because they increase the protein content of the forage.
Legumes also fix nitrogen from the air, which adds nitrogen to the soil.
Grass-legume pastures that contain 30 percent legumes may not benefit from additional nitrogen fertilizer. It is cheaper to establish a grass-legume pasture than top dress your grass with nitrogen. With tall fescue, the addition of legumes in pastures will help dilute down the effect the endophyte has on livestock. Legumes that have been successfully overseeded into cool-season grasses in the area include red clover, annual lespedeza, and ladino clover. These three appear to be the easiest to establish and maintain stands with periodic reseeding every 2-3 years.