At the first sign of green grass growing in pastures, farmers will be tempted to turn in livestock for grazing.

Hold back, said Rob Kallenbach, University of Missouri Extension forage specialist. Wait for grass to reach a minimum 4 inches of new growth. More is better.

After a long hard winter, I am as sick of feeding hay as anyone, Kallenbach said. But Ill try to hold back.

A delayed start on grazing becomes more important than usual this spring. Pastures will be weak and thin, he said. Give grasses a chance to gain strength.

Pastures were hurt two ways. Dry weather last fall left grasses weak going into winter. The fall of 2013 was drier than the fall of the drought year of 2012, when hurricane rains revived fall pastures.

Secondly, extreme cold killed or set back grass this year.

You think grass doesnt grow in winter. But it is alive and growing. Any new growth was frozen repeatedly.

Extreme variations in temperatures made winterkill worse. There would be 60 degrees one day. Three days later it would fall below zero again.

The plant would react to the spring-like temperaturesand then get zapped, he said. The cure for weak stands is rest and regrowth to restore depleted sugar reserves.

Grazing too early could cause need for pasture reseeding later, or the weak stands could become crowded out with weeds.

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No Grass for Cows Just Yet

MASON CITY | There's still some seeding and landscaping to be done, but beyond that, Mother Nature will play a big part on when the new Mason City Dog Park officially opens.

"Hopefully in early June," said Tim Latham, a member of the citizens board that has been working for years to establish a dog park.

"We need to get some grass growing," he said.

Also, water hookups need to be put in, some utility poles need to be rerouted, and equipment for an agility area of the park needs to be installed, said Latham.

"Some of that can be done after the park is open, but we need to get the grass in there or it's just going to be a mudfest and people are going to be unhappy," he said.

Latham said the park will be divided into three areas: one for large dogs, one for small dogs, and one with the agility equipment -- an exercise area for the pets.

He said with the fence up and the gate unlocked, some residents have already been in the park with their dogs.

"But we're going to have to padlock it so we can get the seeding and landscaping done," said Latham. "We're probably looking at early June to open it to the public -- unless we have a monsoon spring."

The park is across from the city water plant on 13th Street Northeast, on land once occupied by homes that were demolished after the flood of June 2008.

The city donated the land and put up the fence at a cost of about $40,000. The citizens group has raised about $60,000 through various fundraisers, said Latham.

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June opening likely for new Mason City dog park

By BRAD WORRALMarch 22, 2014, 12:10 p.m.

BRAD Worrall's top goss behind the scenes of Border sports.

ABBEY Edwards and Tristan Williams will be cooling their heels this weekend rather than charging into battle in the ancient art of tent pegging.

The Border pair, Abbey originally from Corryong and now Wodonga, and Tristan from near Rutherglen, were to be part of a junior Australian team taking on Pakistan in Queensland.

But after just packing away the riding gear for the flight north on Wednesday, news came the contest was off.

It seems the visitors hadnt been able to get their visas.

Abbey, 18, says its a temporary setback.

Apparently when it all gets sorted out it will go ahead but at the moment we are not sure exactly when, she said.

Its not the first time the pair has carried the green and gold into an international game.

Both were part of an Australian team that played South Africa in 2012.

Originally posted here:
ONE WEEK AT A TIME: Visas, paddock games and a 'rousing' Happy Birthday

Steve Sauter.

By STEVE KAUFMANContributing Writer

If the rough, long winter is really, truly over and the calendar says it is homeowners attention will turn to their lawns.

But, says Steve Sauter of Lawnco, the Lyndon lawn care, landscaping and maintenance specialist, that attentiveness should already have happened, last fall and winter.

For most of our clients, weve already done heavy fertilizing to get that good root growth going, says the co-founder and co-owner of the 35-year-old Louisville company. So normally, on the first call of Spring, were out making preemergent lawn applications to proactively prevent the crabgrass and weeds that will show up in June and July.

He said theyll also do a small balance of fertilizer, especially if it wasnt done in the fall. If the lawn didnt get fertilized and is weak, a small amount will give it a boosting jump start, Sauter says. But its only a small application. Too much heavy fertilizing in the Spring promotes top growth, but not a lot of root structure, he says. Its the strong root structure that you need for a healthy, robust lawn, especially in the heat of mid-summer.

However, if there hasnt been a history of good lawn management, its important to get things going as quickly as possible.

A lot happens in your lawn the beginning of the season, Sauter says. And if you miss the opportunity, youre behind the eight ball the whole summer.

In the summer, Lawnco follows up with a weed control and insecticide application and then does the heavy fertilizing in Fall and Winter.

But, he says, theyre watching your lawn all the time. We have about 2,800 customers within a three-mile radius of our home base, he says, so we see those properties all the time, even if were just driving by. And we can see problems developing even before the homeowner notices them. We can also see if the cable company has dug something up, or if some tree limbs have fallen after a storm and damaged the grass.

Originally posted here:
Lawn Care, With an Emphasis on Care

April is just around the corner and with it comes the start of lawn care. Practices that can be done in late March or early April, when weather allows, is removal of debris that has collected over winter, raking leaves that were not removed last fall, mowing, and seeding as needed.

Ideally, delay fertilization until after mid-April. This allows soil to warm for active root growth and herbicides for crabgrass, applied along with fertilizer, to be applied at the correct time. April 20 to May 5 is the ideal window to begin fertilization and apply preemergent herbicides for crabgrass.

At this time of year, there is no need to mow the lawn low to try and stimulate growth. This is not good for turfgrass roots, and it will scalp the turf. It is best to leave the lawn at one height all season, even in early spring.

For Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue, maintain a height of about 3.5 inches year round. If you prefer to mow lower in spring, do not mow any lower than 2.5 inches. Now is a good time to have lawn mower blades sharpened and lawn mowers tuned if still needed.

Two lawn care practices to complete in April, if soils are not too wet, are core aeration and power raking. A common question is which of these practices is better. Both can be beneficial; however, core aeration needs to be done more often than power raking.

Aeration removes plugs of soil to relieve compaction which occurs from irrigation and foot and mower traffic. If possible, aerate lawns growing on silty loam or clay soils and which have a lot of foot traffic once a year. Lawns growing on sandier soils and those having little foot traffic can be aerated less often.

By relieving soil compaction, infiltration of water, fertilizer, and soil applied pesticides is increased. Water and air drainage is improved for increased soil oxygen levels and a more vigorous root system. Aeration also slows the build-up of thatch.

Power raking is beneficial, although stressful for lawns, when a deep raking is done to remove true thatch. Thatch is a tight mat of dead roots, rhizomes and stems that occurs naturally over time. Some thatch is beneficial so power raking is only needed when true thatch exceeds one-half inch.

True thatch cannot be seen from the surface. To check for thatch, cut a small plug from the lawn. Look for the reddish brown, dense, mat-like thatch between the soil and the base of grass plant. Only if it is beginning to exceed one-half inch is deep power raking needed.

Some thatch is beneficial. It insulates growing points from extreme heat, cold and foot traffic. But once thatch exceeds one-half inch, it becomes detrimental as roots tend to grow in thatch rather than soil and fertilizer can be tied up in thatch.

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Aerating, power raking benefit lawns

Designer Danielle Trofe's latest project, called the Mush-lume, is a lamp inspired by and manufactured with mushrooms. Photos by Danielle Trofe

The lampshades started out as agricultural waste products, mostly corn stalks and seed husks that were packed into a plastic mold which was injected with liquified mycelium, a fungus that grows on the materials and binds them together like glue. Photos by Ecovative

Ecovative's current products are largely disposable and look like the hick cousins of more conventional styrofoam blocks. Photos by Ecovative

Ecovative's current products are largely disposable and look like the hick cousins of more conventional styrofoam blocks.

Ecovative is a 60 person company based in New York that primarily produces structural packaging materials for clients like Dell and Steelcase. Photos by Ecovative

Ecovative is a 60 person company based in New York that primarily produces structural packaging materials for clients like Dell and Steelcase.

Trofe is currently working on an indoor planter made fom mushrooms. "The challenge here of course, is how to restrict the materials biodegradable property until desired," she says. "Its a challenge, but luckily Im a fun-gal!" Photos by Ecovative

Trofe is currently working on an indoor planter made fom mushrooms. "The challenge here of course, is how to restrict the materials biodegradable property until desired," she says. "Its a challenge, but luckily Im a fun-gal!"

"Im not the first designer or artist to work with mushrooms as a product medium," says Trofe. "But I might be the first lighting designer to tap into a material science thats already been well developed and is ready to expand and be adopted into new industries and applications." Photos by Danielle Trofe

"Im not the first designer or artist to work with mushrooms as a product medium," says Trofe. "But I might be the first lighting designer to tap into a material science thats already been well developed and is ready to expand and be adopted into new industries and applications."

Excerpt from:
This Lamp Is Grown From Mushrooms

The topic of cover crops has been getting lots of discussion. Cover crops are not new but we are certainly looking more at their benefits in recent years. Green manure crops were an early method to add nitrogen to the soil. Ten to 15 years ago, planting a cover crop such as winter rye following a corn silage harvest was used to reduce erosion on mostly bare ground. We now realize the benefits of rooting depth to break up soil's hard pan and how roots bring microbial activity to the soil. Cover crops can also fix nitrogen or scavenge nitrogen in the soil while adding organic matter and ground cover, improving water holding capacity and providing forage for livestock.

Cover crops work best when included in a whole farm cropping system. Cover crops can provide additional forage supply to a livestock farm when used as hay, silage, baleage or grazed in rotation while still providing the other benefits as well. But the questions that need to be considered are what and when. What cover crops provide the best forage? When will I plant? When and how to harvest? And, will this be profitable for me?

A variety of cover crops can work for forage. Which one you use may depend on when you want to plant it. Probably the most common scenario is to plant a cover crop following small grain harvest or corn silage harvest. This would be planted sometime from the middle of August to the middle of September. A cool season crop such as a small grain would be a likely choice. Do you plan to graze it in the fall or let it grow until spring and harvest it for silage, baleage or hay?

Here are some possible mixes and planting strategies to consider:

Mixes of different size seeds require certain considerations at planting. The best method is to use a drill with two different seed boxes and the ability to sow the small grain at an inch and a half deep while sowing the smaller seeds at a quarter to one half inch deep and pressed firmly. Research has been done to evaluate sowing both sizes of seeds together at one inch deep. Depending on soil type, this may or may not be successful.

A heavier soil type makes this a risky method because the smaller seed will not emerge from that depth. Broadcasting seed of different sizes is affected by seed weight and density. Larger, heavier seeds tend to be distributed further from a cyclone seeder. Smaller and lighter seed do not carry as far and can be carried by the wind as well. The result can be streaking of seed with this type of seeding. Broadcasting seed, with or without light tillage, requires a higher seeding rate to obtain similar stand density. For these reasons, it is usually more successful to use a drill.

As always, working with your team of farm, nutrition and agronomy members will help to formulate a plan for your operation. These are guidelines to get started that hopefully will lead to a greater forage supply for your farm.

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Are cover crops in your forage supply?

WAITING FOR STAFF PIC Green spaces attracts wide variety of wild species

1:38pm Monday 17th March 2014 in News

RESIDENTS are enjoying watching a boom in wild species after a change in the care of a large area of urban grassland in Middlesbrough.

Tortoiseshell butterflies and flowering plants are among the variety of species appearing in areas of longer grass in the space on Roworth Road after simple changes in cultivation and its mowing regime.

Erimus Housing brought in Groundwork North East to advise on making better use of its land, which needed a light touch.

Following consultation with local residents, Groundworks landscape architects devised a plan to increase its value both for local people and wildlife.

Michele MacCallam, senior landscape architect from Groundwork North East, said We will be monitoring the site closely to see how well the new flower meadow establishes.

Wide mown paths, marked out with timber posts, now provide dog-walking routes and informal playspaces, while wildflower areas are being created by cultivation and re-seeding. Simply cutting less frequently also provides habitat and food source for insects and small mammals.

Groundwork coordinated activities with Thorntree Primary School pupils who were asked to get involved in thinking about the wildlife that may be found at the site.

Some of the artwork then created by the youngsters was selected to feature on two interpretation boards highlighting what to look out for.

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WAITING FOR STAFF PIC Green spaces attracts wide variety of wild species

A neighbor was fertilizing his grass this week. I thought: Is it time for me to start getting my lawn in shape?

Of course. This is what Ive done every spring. Its what you do if you have a home with a yard, in America.

But: More people are opting out of lawn care. For now, that shift is largely in places with freshwater shortages, and its mostly because arid towns and cities are placing restrictions on watering. But in 100 years, our great-great grandchildren will look at our lush lawns as quaint and distasteful, much the way we remember previous generations that blithely threw trash out the car window.

But: It is not 2114. It is 2014, and the social expectation now is that when you buy a home in a neighborhood full of green lawns, you keep your lawn green. It is, in fact, not only a cultural norm, but an economic pact. My fescue contributes to a collective curb appeal that benefits the property values of all. Its neighborly.

But: That lawn makes you a poor citizen of Earth. The fertilizer we use leaches into the ground and causes algae in lakes and rivers. The weed killer is dangerous to animals and aquatic life. In trying to approximate nature with our patch of green, we are harming it.

But: This is true of many choices we make. We could always do more for the environment, no? We could bike to work instead of driving. We could live in a home with less square footage to heat. We could drink from nothing but glass. Easing our ecological guilt is a Sisyphean exercise. Well never get that boulder to the top of the hill.

But: The same is true in reverse. The more you care how your lawn looks, the more time you put into seeding and watering and mowing and raking it.

But: Thats what 12-year-old sons are for.

But: Theres an emotional commitment, too. The better your grass looks, the more obsessive you get about it. Being great at lawns is like being great at golf. You never truly appreciate the successes, because the joy is ruined by that one miss, that one patch of crabgrass. Plus, both cost a ton.

But: That money is an economic driver. The lawn care industry contributes about $25 billion and 900,000 jobs to the economy each year. And it helps provide income opportunities for sons looking for spending money.

Original post:
Each spring, its not easy staying green

The road to Boulia at a spot where rain has brought relief.

A BLACKENED landscape splashed with green and devoid of livestock, or animals of any kind except flies this is the impression one gets travelling around the states north and far west at present.

Rain around Winton has given the countryside a brilliant emerald green tinge and brought on a frenzy of grasses madly seeding and reproducing, and its a heartening sight to see a triple road train loaded with cattle crossing a grid into a property for a change, rather than hauling another load off to whatever market the landholder can find.

Then you travel north from Kynuna towards Julia Creek and come to the sobering reality of bare ground again, with a few green weeds giving evidence of the only shower of rain that country has received, or north west to McKinlay where all the symptoms of a green drought are standing out very green shoots carpeting the ground but very short.

In other places good grass growth is yellowing and drying out for lack of a follow-up drink.

None of these scenarios will suffice to give landholders reason to restock or feel confident about the approaching winter.

Click on the image to see a gallery of photos from the state's north and far west.

McKinlay mayor Belinda Murphy says all thats been received is storm rain, not a general break to the season.

Rainfalls range from 150mm to 15mm and most people I talk to say that by June or July theyll be back to where they were last October. It wouldnt get us un-drought declared, thats for sure.

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Landscape a mosaic of black and green