Grassfarmer
Well-known member
Here are a few pictures of the "green drought" we are experiencing this year. Sorry no cow or horse pictures - we are in the grass and solar conversion business and grass growth and management effects fascinate me.
It looks pretty good on my place and in our area in general compared to much of western Canada however it is still a record dry, record late season in this area. We have had around 6/10 inch in June(4/10 over the last 3 days) and had under an inch in May which is usually our wettest time of year. This is on top of a very low rainfall period beginning last July.
Typical regrowth on pasture that was grazed off as banked grass in late April.
A poor area on my place showing the amount of growth most folks with permanent grazing have in this area. Same land, same rainfall - different litter, different plant health.
Spot the difference - walking towards an area of abundance.
Close up - It makes me ponder what drought really is. It would appear that drought affects land that has poor fertility, poor organic matter, poor moisture retention and unhealthy plants(all inter-connected). It does not appear to affect land that is wealthy in the above assets. This area got the same rainfall yet yields maybe 5 or 10 times as much grass. I believe this was a winter bedding pack maybe 20 years ago that has been overgrown with quack grass.
A different pasture - we rented this quarter a few weeks back as a part of our emergency drought strategy. It was ungrazed last year and is a stand of pure orchard grass with volunteer quack grass filling in. Old orchard grass stalks are 5-6 feet tall. The green area behind is on a neighbors place that we aren't renting.
This closer up shot tries to show this years growth. I pulled one orchard grass plant out that measured 26 inches tall, 5 leaves and no sign of heading out yet. We are real happy to have picked up this extra pasture given that we buy our winter feed which by all accounts looks like it will be expensive. Hopefully grain/canola crops are so late that we will be able to get some salvaged ones for silage come fall.
It looks pretty good on my place and in our area in general compared to much of western Canada however it is still a record dry, record late season in this area. We have had around 6/10 inch in June(4/10 over the last 3 days) and had under an inch in May which is usually our wettest time of year. This is on top of a very low rainfall period beginning last July.
Typical regrowth on pasture that was grazed off as banked grass in late April.
A poor area on my place showing the amount of growth most folks with permanent grazing have in this area. Same land, same rainfall - different litter, different plant health.
Spot the difference - walking towards an area of abundance.
Close up - It makes me ponder what drought really is. It would appear that drought affects land that has poor fertility, poor organic matter, poor moisture retention and unhealthy plants(all inter-connected). It does not appear to affect land that is wealthy in the above assets. This area got the same rainfall yet yields maybe 5 or 10 times as much grass. I believe this was a winter bedding pack maybe 20 years ago that has been overgrown with quack grass.
A different pasture - we rented this quarter a few weeks back as a part of our emergency drought strategy. It was ungrazed last year and is a stand of pure orchard grass with volunteer quack grass filling in. Old orchard grass stalks are 5-6 feet tall. The green area behind is on a neighbors place that we aren't renting.
This closer up shot tries to show this years growth. I pulled one orchard grass plant out that measured 26 inches tall, 5 leaves and no sign of heading out yet. We are real happy to have picked up this extra pasture given that we buy our winter feed which by all accounts looks like it will be expensive. Hopefully grain/canola crops are so late that we will be able to get some salvaged ones for silage come fall.
We'll have to put the cattle in the hayfields soon.
