Farm & Ranch
Grass seed harvest – ‘WW-B Dahl’ Old World Bluestem
By Jessica Crabtree
On an unusually warm day in October, I visited the Fortenberry brothers on some of their farm country in Slidell, Texas. Brothers Ethan and Bain have been farming together along with their family for years. Both attended college at Texas A & M University obtaining degrees in agronomy. Since they were small, tractors and equipment have been the major interest of the two. It is no surprise that the two came back after college to farm with the family.
Understanding the ends and outs of farming, the brothers are some-what entrepreneurs, always looking to find success in different avenues.
Raising crops and cattle, the two look for opportunities that make them money, a better return for their investment. “Here the soil is black and full of rock. We can’t grow Bermuda with that,” Ethan explained. Growing, cutting and baling hay is a huge portion of the farmer’s production plan. “Hay is hard to grow and after you strip it from the land, you take it away, never putting anything back into the soil,” he added.
While at Texas A&M, the brothers worked for the USDA forage breeding program.
There, Ethan was introduced to the method of harvesting grass seed. Intrigued, Ethan saw it as an opportunity to implement it into his farming program. Four years ago he purchased an old ’80s model John Deere 484 cotton stripper. He had seen how other grass strippers were built and knew the general principle. That’s when the two worked together with their uncle, Les Fortenberry, to develop their own. “Since it was a cotton stripper originally, we had to consider the seed and its size and adapt to it. The interior is lined with grain bags, thick plastic so we can contain as much of the seed as possible,” the farmer said.
To read more pick up a copy of the December 2016 NTFR issue. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.
The Foretenberry brothers, Bain on the left and Ethan on the right. (Photo by Jessica Crabtree)
Showing just how fine the seeds of WW-B Dahl really are. (Photo by Jessica Crabtree)
This photo shows a full stock of the WW-B Dahl. (Photo by Jessica Crabtree)
The base of a healthy stock of WW-B Dahl. (Photo by Jessica Crabtree)
By Barry Whitworth, DVM, MPH
With the prolonged drought, most pastures in Oklahoma end up in poor condition. With the lack of available forage, animals may go in search of alternative foods.
If oak trees are in the pastures, acorns may be a favorite meal for some livestock in the fall. This may result in oak poisoning.
Oak leaves, twigs, buds, and acorns may be toxic to some animals when consumed.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By: Tony Dean
There are a handful of grasses on North Texas grazing lands ranchers need to know, not because they are highly desirable, but rather because they are not of much value. I call them “decom” plants, which is am acronym for “Don’t Ever Count On Me.” Silver bluestem is a “decom” grass.
Silver bluestem is a perennial which grows in all areas of Texas. It can survive in almost all soil types, and in full sun conditions or in semi shade. It grows up to three feet tall and is easily recognized with the presence of the white fuzzy seed head. Also, one of the identifying characteristics of Silver bluestem is a bend in the stems at each node, causing the plants to take on a rounded shape as they mature.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By: Rayford Pullen
Fall is here which means winter is closing in on us and before we officially get into winter, we need to make sure our factories are either producing or will be producing in a few months.
We have been pregnancy testing our cows this fall and if they are not bred or nursing a calf, we are bidding them adios. With annual costs somewhere between $900.00 and $1,000.00 per cow, those cows not producing a live weaned calf are costing us quite a bit.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
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