Target time and money to our area of expertise farming. We view our 450 woodland acres as the engine that powers the farm. The forest is our great solar collector and watershed protector. In addition, trees filter air and provide lumber, fuel and habitat for wildlife and birds one of our natural pest controls. Trees are even more efficient than forages in converting solar energy into biomass.
Trees are also the foundation of our fertility program.
After forest-improving cuts in winter, we chip any leftover branches, compost them with livestock manure and spread the compost to fertilize perennial forages in our pastures. Those perennial forages feed our cattle. We keep livestock off pastures in early spring when plants use stored energy reserves in roots to produce new shoots. If grazed or mowed before root reserves are restored, plants are weakened and regrowth is slowed. During fast growth periods, forages can grow more than a half-inch per day.