Farmer’s Co-Op brings education with ‘Feed & Seed’ series
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Unsure about what winter grasses to plant for forage? Need reassurance that you’ll be purchasing the correct seed? Want a refresher on grazing this fall? Look no further than the Northeast Texas Farmer’s Co-Op’s annual series, “Fall Feed & Winter Seed” beginning Sept. 2.
“Anyone with livestock ought to attend,” said NETFC retail manager Jim Ratzlaff. The course will offer advice and direction by Ratzlaff and store manager Donnie Peters on “when to plant, how to plant, what to use and what not to use.”
Due to a late harvest on a lower-quality hay crop, Ratzlaff said he believes most area farmers and ranchers will have to strategically target how they maximize winter forage.
“We’ll have some feeding suggestions about how to get along with the low-energy, low-protein hay,” he said. “We don’t want it to cost them an arm and a leg, but if they don’t supplement [with winter forage], they’re going to have some thin cows.”
If farmers and ranchers do not supplement by planting forage seed, Ratzlaff predicts “cows will be in bad shape by about mid-January.”
Although all corners of agriculture have experienced supply chain issues recently, Ratzlaff believes NETFC has locked down a good source for rye as well as wheat and clover varieties and other seeds.
“I think we’re going to have a good price because we contracted early and no one else did, and it was a short crop,” he said. “We should be able to help people out pretty good.”
Times and dates for the seed and feed series are as follows:
- Sept. 2- Hopkins County Civic Center (Sulphur Springs)
- Sept. 9- Fletcher Warren Civic Center (Greenville)
- Sept. 14- NETFC Canton Farm & Ranch Center (Canton)
- Sept. 16- NETFC Clarksville Farm & Ranch Center (Clarksville)
To register or find out more information, call 903-885-3143.
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By Taylor Nye
