Spring Reminders

Here are a few tips to help maximize your forage production:

• Remember the 3" Golden Rule! If your animals have grazed the pasture down to about 3 inches, rotate them to the next field. The bottom 3" of the plant is the “energy bank”, which grass needs to recover from grazing.
• Mow! After you move your livestock to the next pasture, mow the current field to prevent weeds from taking over. (Prevent weeds from flowering).
• Think about harrowing/dragging pastures after mowing. This will distribute the nutrients in manure equally through your fields.

Don’t have a way to rotate your animals? Consider cross-fencing. Installing interior fencing (permanent or temporary) to segment a pasture is the key to developing a rotational grazing system.

For more detailed information about pasture management recommendations in western Washington, check out this resource from WSU, OSU and NRCS:
Western Oregon and Washington Pasture Calendar (Acrobat PDF)

Videos from Recent Workshops

KCD recently partnered with Pierce Conservation District to broadcast and record a Cover Crop Round Table and a Grazing Workshop. Please see the embedded videos below, or visit KCD's YouTube Channel to see these and other helpful videos from partners such as other conservation districts, NRCS, WSDA, etc.

First Annual Cover Crop Round Table

Prepare for a Successful Grazing Season

Coming this summer!

KCD Pasture Health Field Day

Join us at Wild Canary Farm (formerly K-T Cattle Company) in Duvall to learn how KCD Board Supervisor Jim Haack and his wife Katie raise Animal Welfare Approved and Certified Grass Fed beef and grow cut flowers. They will highlight pasture health best management practices and demonstrate KCD some of the equipment available to farmers and landowners, including manure spreader, drop spreader, no-till seed drill, hay probe, and weed wrench. Additional details to be announced soon

Do you listen to podcasts?

Now that spring is here, it means we are outside doing farm chores from planting to mowing. If you have your earbuds in and are consuming audio books or podcasts, consider adding Tractor Time podcast from ACRES USA to your playlist.
 

Drones in Agricultural Endeavors

This BBC articles highlights some of the many ways drones are being used in agriculture.

Crop-spraying drones that go where tractors can't - BBC

If you enjoy watching great farm drone footage, check out footage in Montana from 406 Agronomy on Facebook.

Equipment Share Program

Need help managing your pastures?

Manure Spreader season is here. You can reserve your dates now for use between April 1 and October 1.

If you are ready to apply lime and boost your soil pH, consider renting KCD’s Rhino Limer Drop Spreader. The calendar is wide open, so it's a good time to put in your request.

KCD’s Kasco EcoDrill is available now through October 1. If you have questions about using the drill, please attend the upcoming Pasture Health Field Day this July to learn how it works and see it in action.

If you raised turkeys or chickens, make sure you book early to use KCD’s Featherman Poultry Processing Equipment.

These tools are available for use for free, year-round:

• Hay Probe - for testing nutritional levels of animal forage
• Weed Wrenches - for removing invasive weeds such as Scotch Broom
• Soil Sampling Probes - for sampling your soil to submit to KCD’s Soil Nutrient Testing Program

Upcoming Events of Interest

Check out these upcoming events in early 2019.

KCD Pasture Health Field Day

July 13

Details to be announced soon
 

King County Fair

Thursday, July 18 through Sunday, July 21
10am to 10pm Thu-Sat and 10am-6pm Sun
Enumclaw Expo Center

Come see great exhibits and visit with KCD partners in the KCD Gazebo. This year's featured Agricultural Exhibit with focus on forestry and logging!
 

Visit http://kingcd.eventbrite.com to register for all KCD farm tours, workshops and volunteer opportunities.