From the Fields: Sarah Pfaff-Cavadini

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Corn emerges in a field near Mindoro, Wisconsin. Most farmers in western Wisconsin are almost finished with planting corn and soybeans.

Sarah Pfaff-Cavadini/For Agri-View

Seedheads start to form in a pasture. Wisconsin has primarily cool-season perennial grasses, which head-out only once. Making hay in spring will regenerate growth, says Jason Cavadini with the University of Wisconsin-Division of Extension.

Sarah Pfaff-Cavadini/For Agri-View

Farmers should walk their pastures in the spring to determine what can be done in May to give the best shot at grazing until October, says Jason Cavadini with the University of Wisconsin-Division of Extension.

Sarah Pfaff-Cavadini/For Agri-View

Angus cattle graze in a pasture. Pastures are growing, says Jacob Scriver, agronomy location manager for Allied Cooperative in West Salem, Wisconsin. 鈥楾hey鈥檙e starting to green up now that we鈥檝e got this rain.鈥�

Sarah Pfaff-Cavadini/For Agri-View

According to the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education organization, horsenettle is common in overgrazed pastures. If the infestation is severe, renovate the pasture through deep tillage and reseeding to develop a dense stand of palatable species. Horsenettle sprouts back vigorously following mowing early in the season. Recovery from mowing later in the season is slower. Unfortunately, horsenettle responds to repeated mowing by producing a rosette of leaves close to the ground that largely escapes further damage. Mowing is effective at preventing flowering and fruit production, thereby reducing the likelihood of livestock poisoning. Because horsenettle is relatively slow to resprout from roots after elimination of the shoots, intensive rotational grazing is effective for controlling this species. If possible, grazing episodes should be timed to catch the weed while stems are still soft and easily damaged by trampling. Visit for more information.

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Sarah Pfaff-Cavadini For Agri-View

鈥淔armers are ahead of schedule this year,鈥� said Jacob Scriver, agronomy location manager for Allied Cooperative in West Salem, Wisconsin. 鈥淎lmost all the planting in the area is wrapping up. We鈥檝e finished with the pre-emerge soybean spraying and we鈥檙e just getting started on the corn post-emerge spraying.

Jason Cavadini is the grazing-outreach specialist for the University of Wisconsin-Division of Extension.
Contributed

Sarah Pfaff-Cavadini and her husband, Tim Cavadini, have six children and 13 grandchildren. They enjoy their 175-acre farm near Mindoro, Wisconsin, where they raise registered-Angus and Simmental beef cattle as well as horses and other small animals.