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If you plan to plant tall fescue this fall decide which variety you want to grow and get your seed ordered as soon as you decide what you want to plant. For information on the commercial varieties available and a list of certified dealers visit http://www.grasslandrenewal.com If you plan to plant tall fescue this fallContinue reading “Timely Renovation Tips: June”

As we get into the grazing season another advantage of our new Novel Endophyte Tall Fescue plantings has become obvious. In past years we have depended on annuals in a 40 acre area called the “front field” for our yearling heifers and finishers. This field is our best land and it sits adjacent to ourContinue reading “Triple Creek Journal: Smoothing the transition from Spring to Summer”

During May farmers planning on renovating tall fescue pastures this year should control seed production.  If pastures are grazed, clipping is recommended as soon as pollen is present. Clipping early will also help the grass tiller more effectively, improving the stand and forage quality.  Clip at about 6 inches to get the best results.  ItContinue reading “Monthly tips for Toxic Tall Fescue Pasture Renovation”

Many farmers in the tall fescue belt take a first cutting of hay off some of their KY31 tall fescue pastures. This removes the more toxic seedheads and the toxins are partially degraded by the hay curing process. This helps cope with the early flush of growth, but across the region we see more andContinue reading “Consider Summer Stockpiling as an Alternative to Cutting Hay in Tall Fescue Systems”

NRCS programs such as EQIP and CSP do more than just throw money at land issues. NRCS conservationists work with producers every step of the way to make improvements that benefit your land now and for years to come. The NRCS, the USDA’s primary private lands conservation agency, supports producers by providing one-on-one, personalized assistanceContinue reading “How NRCS programs help producers improve grazing lands through conservation practices”

The usual start of the grazing season for us has been March 15 for ryegrass and April 15 for tall fescue-based pastures.  This year we turned out March 2 on the ryegrass and April 1 on the rest of the pastures, and we have good growth ahead of each of our groups. We start theContinue reading “Triple Creek Journal, April 15, 2024”

New stands of Novel Endophyte Tall Fescue should be growing well.  Despite challenging establishment conditions last fall, most reports are of successful establishment.  Prepare to remove spring growth by grazing several times or cutting for hay.  If grazing, graze for a short time and not closer than 4 inches.  Provide at least 3 weeks ofContinue reading “Timely Tips: April”

Last year we began a multi-phase novel endophyte tall fescue conversion process for a number of pastures in our grazing systems area at Virginia Tech’s Shenandoah Valley Agricultural Research and Extension Center. We planted three 2-acre paddocks that had been in annual forages for a few years into Kentucky-31 tall fescue. Three similar paddocks wereContinue reading “Tall fescue establishment in a drought”

Sweet Vernal Grass is widely distributed across the tall fescue belt, but it is poorly understood by most farmers. It helps make up a green sod, but when present at a significant level it suggests that pastures are in low state of productivity and may be in need of renovation. Sweet Vernal Grass, Anthoxanthum odoratum,Continue reading “Be aware of Sweet Vernal Grass in your tall fescue pastures”

My title last month was “Break Out” and if you read that edition you understand what a challenging situation we were in! Now, this month “An Explosion!” But wait, it is not what you might think; this time it’s a really good thing! Like everyone else in the Southeast US, we had a very challengingContinue reading “Triple Creek Journal: An Explosion!”