By Denise Schwab
Managing timbered pastures is a challenge as landowners and tenants must balance forage production and lumber production. One northeast Iowa operation is using Environmental Quality Incentives Program and Conservation Stewardship Program contracts to develop and refine both types of production.
Paul Mohlis and his tenant Craig Allen of Allen’s Hilltop Angus near Fayette have subdivided a 100-acre pasture into paddocks of about 10 acres each, improved the stand by frost-seeding legumes, and installed a spring water development with gravity flow distribution to the paddocks. They also have fenced off a timber area to be flash-grazed and managed for both forage and timber.
They’re hosting a pasture walk on Tuesday, July 12, to show results of their cooperative efforts. Pasture walks are informal educational programs that demonstrate key areas of pasture management, and provide resources and experts to answer questions from attendees. At this event, Mohlis and Allen will share what they’ve done for improvements and how they, as landlord and tenant, work together on these projects.
Also, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach forester Jesse Randall will speak on the compatibility of cattle and timber management, and Aaron Anderson with Fayette County Natural Resources Conservation Service will provide information on EQIP and CSP funding. ISU Extension and Outreach beef specialist Denise Schwab will talk about pasture improvement.
Following the pasture walk, the Fayette County Cattlemen will grill dinner. There’s no cost to attend and no preregistration is needed. The event is cosponsored by the Fayette County Soil & Water Conservation District, NRCS, ISU Extension and Outreach, the Iowa Beef Center and the Northeast Iowa Angus Association.
Source:iastate.edu