The Rural Voice, 1985-09, Page 46HIGHLAND"
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FARM NEWS
Grass comparison plots
at community pasture
Joan McDonald, soil and crop specialist, explains the characteristics of the
various grasses at the Grey-Dufferin ARDA Community Pasture.
A grass is a grass is a grass — not
so. Grass comparison plots at the
Grey-Dufferin ARDA Community
Pasture near Dundalk consist of
many varieties, each with its
distinguishing characteristics.
Timothy is a standard grass which,
while not as aggressive as some, of-
fers good production. Bromegrass
comes on a little earlier in the spring,
bringing more volume and better
regrowth. These two varieties are
already very popular in this area,
notes Joan McDonald, soil and crop
specialist for OMAF.
Meadow Foxtail is a good choice
for wet pasture areas where water lies
in early spring. It is planted in the
same areas as Reed Canary Grass.
Meadow Foxtail seeds are coated and
a high seeding rate is required,
McDonald told the tarmers who
visited the pasture open house recent-
ly.
Tall Fescue, an improved Kentucky
grass, is endophyte -free, and so is
quite palatable. Orchard Grass comes
on early in the spring. It's a good
variety, but you must stay ahead of it,
McDonald cautions. If this grass is
not pastured early or well enough, it
will go to seed. The dry seedheads
create palatability problems. Peren-
nial Rye Grass is a variety often
chosen by sheep farmers. However, it
didn't appear to winter well in this
area.
Several other pasture crops and
combinations of grasses are being
tested at the community pasture,
which is also a demonstration site for
a new piece of equipment. The Grey
County Soil and Crop Improvement
Association purchased a sod seeder
and is renting it out to local farmers.
The "Tye Pasture Pleaser" will be us-
ed most often to reseed pasture
without having to work the field up
first. Some farmers will also be using
it to stubble -seed winter wheat and
winter canola.
The rental rate of the sod seeder is
$25 per acre for jobs of five acres or
more. Jobs of less than five acres are
subject to a higher fee, determined by
negotiation. To help pay for the
$15,000 investment, the Grey Soil and
Crop Association charges a $200 ren-
tal reserve fee from potential users.
This advance payment is used as a
credit towards the rental. There is
also a surcharge to farmers outside
Grey County wanting to use the
seeder. ❑