Five days after turning the cattle into half the winter rye field. They ate it down to nothing. And I have a round bale of hay available at all times. But they want the green stuff.
When I turned them into the field five days ago, they did some running around, feeling their oats. This time they were all business. They knew what rye was, and they wanted it.
I love turning cattle into a new field of luscious forage. Imagine tucking into a really good meal, and you won’t run out of food, and you won’t lose your appetite for about four hours. I imagine this is how the cattle feel. Nice.
Happy Easter!
Curiousfarmer 
Perhaps the rich green is like ambrosia!
The re-invigoration of this season is everywhere!
Will you plant another crop such as soybeans into this later on this spring, or leave it for the cattle to graze? I’ve thought about having some rye flown into standing corn in the fall, then graze it and/or cut and bale it then no-till beans into it. Very good way to keep feed costs lower.
Chris, what is ambrosia?
Payden, After the cattle graze it all off, I’m going to fertilize with nitrogen, calcium, and sulfur, haul the manure from a hoop building on it, chisel plow the manure into the soil,disc, then plant corn.
Will rye regrow in the spring after being grazed off? I know it regrew after grazing last fall.
I’ve heard about flying the seed on to standing corn. Let me know if you try it.
I would have said: nectar of the gods . . . the REAL dictionary says:
ambrosia |amˈbrō zh (ē)ə|
noun Greek & Roman Mythology
the food of the gods.
• something very pleasing to taste or smell : the tea was ambrosia after the slop I’d been drinking.
• a fungal product used as food by ambrosia beetles.
• another term for beebread .
• a dessert made with oranges and shredded coconut.
DERIVATIVES
ambrosial adjective
ORIGIN mid 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek, ‘elixir of life,’ from ambrotos ‘immortal.’
Ambrosia as I know it is mandarine orange slices, shredded coconut, cool whip, pecans or walnuts, and halved green grapes. Seems like the older Women make it, mainly. When it is chilled before serving, well, it’s a desert for the Gods.
About the cattle preferring fresh-growing rye rather than dried, I would think that the water inside the growing plant might be a good thing. Sort of like humans drinking small amounts of water while eating a meal. Helps the digestion to keep working right?
Makes sense. The cattle didn’t go back to the barnyard for water until about 24 hours later.
happy farm, happy cows…bravo!!!