The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1941-01-02
inc these types Of crops.

VIC 44A1O Vic SSbeOAA ebAAS |
tobacco growers, farmers in the !
grain growing sections and else
where turning to dairy type of
farming, so we can look for large
production of milk, especially in
the summer or grass months. This
may mean that cheap butter, pro-
duced under low cost conditions,
may again set the price received
for milk produced in territory
where it would not be possible to
produce it at that low cost.
In the past our colleges and ex-
tension leaders advocated the in
creased production of milk by
means of rations balanced with
highly concentrated feed, that
was of necessity high priced but
today we find they are recon-
mending cheaper and less arti-
fetal methods of production,
They are finding that even
though not quite as large produc-
ton of butterfat per cow can be
obtained, the profit from the herd
is equal or even greater, due to
the lower cost of production.
Producing More Feeds
We here in Western North
Carolina are most fortunately sit
uated in that it is a natural grass
country. We are improving our
pastures and growing very limi-
ted amount Of legumes in the
form of clovers. We have a few
farmers that have some fine
stands of alfalfa. Large numbers
of our farmers think that they
cannot grow alfalfa here success
fully but if we will take the time
to prepare a good seed bed, make
the proper application of the lime
and phosphate that we are OBJ
tanning from the government in
their conservation program, Sc
cure the best seed possible from
states having climatic conditions
that are more severe than our
own, with attitudes that 1000 to
1000 feet higher, then there need
be no fear of producing a crop.
When we can get a few farmers
interested enough in this pro-
gram that they will try to save
a small field for the purpose OF
raising their own alfalfa seed,
then it will not be long until we
can grow it in all sections OF the
county because it will have grown
under natural conditions and we
will have less failures.
We have another type OF le-
gume that has proven profitable
to a few Ashe county farmers,
and that is soy beans. 1t is ex-
ceedingly valuable in that it can
be used as an emergency hay
crop. If your hay fields have been
damaged by severe winter and
do not show prospect of good
hay crop by late spring YOU still
have time around corn planting
time and late June to pillow up a
field for soy bean hay. They Will
weld three or more tons of high
protein hay per acre.
All legume hay crops are high
carriers of protein. Protein is
needed for the production OF
milk. Therefore, grow it on your
own farm at low cost instead
of buying it in a sack and have to
pay exorbitant prices for it.
Roughness Is Necessary
In order for: cows to produce
large quantities of milk they must !
have all the roughness that they
can eat. This is proven by the IN
creased flow of milk from cows
IN pastures that are good enough
50 that the COWS need to Craze
only short time to fill up and
then 20 and lay down. Grass IS
nigh in protein and carries high
water content. Milk is composed
IF large percentage of water,
therefore the consumption OF
feeds that contain a high moisture
content increases milk production.
In order to do the same in the
winter time we should balance
our legume hays with a large
bulk of feed, high in moisture
the same as grass. This can be
accomplished by the use OF sill
age. There is a type Of silo to tit
every farm from the low cost
;rench type, to the more expen-
,ive but permanent upright sllo.
Ashe county farmers are now pro-
1ucing from 10 to 20 tons of sill
age on one acre. There tons will
'eed an average sized cow six or
more months.
By developing these farm meth
DDS now, during the season OF
1ioher prices. Ashe county farm