A typical Kansas pasture on a typical Kansas farm or ranch is a highly complex, species-rich ecosystem that can either be beneficial or detrimental to the producer. Differentiating between the two can be tricky, often involving experimentation as much as experience. Knowing what to look for in a pasture, healthy or otherwise, and being able to better manage that pasture is the focus of five upcoming pasture walks scattered strategically around the state.

 Look and Learn Pasture Walks, sponsored in part by Amazing Grazing III, a collaboration between the Kansas Farmers Union and the Kansas Graziers Association, will host the walks in June and July under the facilitation of Dr. Dale Kirkham, retired range management specialist, the USDA's Natural
Resources Conservation Service, and local NRCS range specialists.

 "Pasture walks can be very informative for producers to attend," said Keith Harmoney, range scientist for the K-State Agricultural Research Center in Hays. "They'll get to see something different than their own pastures, but also very similar. And because of the informal nature of the discussions taking place among experts as well as other producers, they can get different viewpoints on everything from soil health to managing livestock, and learn different management practices that might help them overcome
problems particular to their own area."

 The nature of a pasture walk is meant to be comparative rather than competitive, an assessment rather than an exhibition. Pastures are chosen for their environmental and ecological components that can have direct bearing on management practices and financial success, or failure, Harmoney said.

 "We select pastures by looking for a range of different ecological sites-different soils and species of plants that will grow on those soils-so producers can see what they are and how they might change as the season progresses," he said. "We offer plant identification to show which are the most desirable and which are the least desirable, and go through various management scenarios or grazing strategies that over time would improve the condition of the pasture."
 

Look and Learn Pasture Walks
Tuesday, June 23, 2 p.m.
Garnett area at Tim Benton's. Tour will begin on 1000 Rd. approximately two
miles east of U.S. 169 at Welda, or 1/2 mile west of U.S. 59 on 1000 Rd.

Thursday, June 25, 2 p.m.
HB Ranch, located four miles south of Cedar Bluff Reservoir (Trego County)
on Highway 147.

Tuesday, July 7, 9 a.m.
Marion, at David Rziha's. Participants will meet on the south side of the
Tampa Baseball Field, Tampa

Wednesday, July 8, 9 a.m.
Beloit at Calvin Adams'. From Barnard, drive 1.8 miles east on Highway 284,
turn left onto N. 270th (road name will change at county line to 360th),
drive 1.7 miles north to Calvin's place at 283 360th Rd., Beloit. Note:
Highway 18 west of I-35 is closed because of a bridge out.

There is no charge for these walks, but registration is encouraged.
Contact Mary Howell with questions: kfu.mary@gmail.com<mailto:kfu.mary@gmail.com> or
785.562.8726.