10/04/2026
Fall on the farm brings changing colors, muted light, crisp mornings, and cattle grazing through stockpiled pasture. 🍂🐄
One of the ways we stretch our grazing season as long as possible is by leaving some of our hay fields unharvested. Starting in August, we stop harvesting hay from fields that can be used for grazing and allow that forage to grow and stockpile for the cattle.
We use temporary fences and dividers to work the cattle across these fields, giving them access to fresh areas while making the most of what the pasture has to offer.
There is a little more to it than simply letting the cattle eat, though. We have to keep an eye on the weather and incoming freezing temperatures. Grazing a field too closely right before a freeze can damage the plants, so timing and pasture management become especially important this time of year.
Our hope is to keep the cattle grazing well into November, and possibly close to December, before moving them onto their more “permanent” winter locations.
Those winter fields are where we’ll use our silage bags to provide higher-energy feed and help keep the cattle healthy and thriving through those bitterly cold Wisconsin winter days. ❄️
There’s a lot of planning that goes into keeping cattle grazing as long as possible, and honestly, there’s something pretty special about watching them make the most of the last green pasture while the colors of fall surround them. 🍁🐄
