HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1985-03-20, Page 53f
bat
Mag*
ofaopYe
says
his fedier',
cow -calf hei
white bean
on theircoi
The MOO'
beefcowsnth
,
as a ung b�YjJSt abouteveiyime else had
either beef or dahy �ws. =He als° remembers
that most of Ashfield Township, like the rest
of mid -western Ontario was hay; pasture and
small grains. Since that time, most of the cow
herds have gone and along with them, roost of
the pasture fields.
Like many others the Hogans and Howards
have converted mast of their pats to (roc
land. Unite many others they have kept the
cows.
The Hogans and Howanis didn't keep thew
cows beca.use they were smarter or stupider
than others, says Roy, but because all of their
land is not suitable for cash crops. A creek
crosses the back of the fann and the adjoining
creek flats and hillsides are suitable only for
pasture. "And I guess we kept the cows
because, despite the poor returns in some
years, we have always liked working with
cattle," Ray adds.
The Hogans and Howards were forced to
e d"
bflS and Winter wheat
• -
Ye alvir43 had
•
Cow-colfb.eird coil, hicorporaterl with erop
develop a differer* annreach to their
eow:Calf OW cash grop operation during the
years they Were converting pastures to corn
fields. They found two major problems
developing.
Since they had less pasture acres available ,4
than previously, and they were trying to
maintain orinnease their cow herd to match
their stable arid feeding facilities, which were
mostly in place before they began to convert
to cash crop, they found they often, ran short
of pasture late in the Seasen, despite
increased applications of fertilizer to the
pastures.
The :amend problem vas mole serious,
saysRay They wieldy fotmd as other
emppers were, an they einioexteft PaKkuti
fields to corn fields they began to-exixatellee,
fer the first time on their farm, very serious
Wind and water erosion, (coripaction, weed
control problems, rootworm infestation and
many other problems associated with amven-
tienal tillage monoculture. The Hogans and
Howards also found as fuel, machinery,
labour and other crop production costa
increased and as crop prices .became ;more
volatile, the returns from conventional tillage
cash cropping diminished.
(!.00 Soul* to some literati:,howece
th,Y.wine practising eonventionallillOge lan
moldboard plowing, they were often not able
to fully take /firm t ige of, these ettepici; feed
sources:
"it is pretty hall to graze cm fields for
very long following harvest if you are fall
p/oviing," Hay observes.
The !loons and Howards also realized
high cash crop production costs and the soil
erosion problems Were mostly the results of
fall Moldboard plowing and poet crop
rotation, They decided the way. to IMPreve
wefts- and reduce erosion on their farm was
to plow leas and implove the anp rotations,
Pftwiding t!* taukt-ma!ntain *14 Ike
years ego they itattol. expetosenting‘1*!*
Lreenervation filloge;4'os. -well -at', among
more beeps and whart and less �m in thOir-
ietatioa. Since the Hogans and Howards
were not fail plowing all the corn fields and
wheat stubble, they were able to use more for
late fall - early winter winter grazing or in the
ease of rem stalks they had more time to bale
them for Winter feed. They also found by fall
grazing or baling sono of thecrop residue, it,
was 111)11Cill easier to utehe reduced tillage work
• f'1' tum to Page 21
Attorytion Farmers 111
111111111111111
11011011111E
Planning To Build Or Renovate
This Spring ?
PEGG CONSTRUCTION
has the experience to ensure speedy constriction and
quality building k
Do It - Yourseifers
Let us supply you with your Steel and hardware needs
Call to -day fora free estimate, whatever your building needs
1984 PRICES in effect on Spring orders for a 10' x 80' a 14' Implement Shed
from $12,200. including Taxes and Labow
Tom Pegg
Pegg 'Co0101,utitir::
_ 52$4720