Nebraska Extension in Knox County

Any farmer worth their salt knows the importance of fertilizing a crop for optimal production.  Often, this common knowledge stops at row crops or high value hay like alfalfa.  Could a look at your fertility improve pasture and grass hay production next year?

Soil sampling now, before the ground freezes can help with planning this winter and give time to develop a fertility plan if our soil tests show fertilizer is needed.  Hay ground should be the first location to consider testing, as plant material is constantly harvested and moved to another location, slowly depleting of the major nutrients needed for plant growth. 

Every year I field questions from landowners and renters about pasture leases.  It’s often an inquiry about the UNL land value survey and what this year’s going price is.  At this point, I always have to ask a clarifying question, do you want the per-acre or per-pair rate? Both accurately put a value on a pasture, but in my opinion, only one goes above and beyond this to provide additional benefit to the landowner and renter, a per-pair rate.