The 16th Annual Clover Forage Field Day was held April 29th at the Iola Community Center. The event was hosted by the Bedias Creek Soil and Water Conservation District with the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Madison County AgriLIFE Extension working together to help us present an exceptional educational outreach program. In attendance were about 115 landowners seeking to learn methods and techniques for managing clovers. This year’s theme was "Grazing Success with Grass & Legumes". Information on establishing clovers on small acres with short duration grazing grass and clovers, soil-testing resources for enriching your soil, installing and utilizing electric fence in small operations, using multi-species grasses to a landowner's benefit, and rest-rotation for developing and maintaining a nutritious variety of grasses were some of the topics presented in the field. The group had an afternoon tour of Sollock Farms owned and operated by Gene & Ruth Sollock (Genes is a past Director with Bedias Creek SWCD) to see a successful clover management project up-close. Morning speakers consisted of: George Delfeld, Chairman of Bedias Creek SWCD; Floyd Nauls, District Conservationist; Director Karen Hadaway- “Rotational Grazing-Where to Start”; Cam & Deb Manaham – “What is a Grass Fed Cow?”; Dr. David Bade –“There’s More To Lime Than Just PH”; Betsy Ross – “Feeding the Biology of The Soil”; Teresa Reese, TSSWCB – “Chicken Litter Application & Management”; and State FAPD Program Manager NRCS Doug Sharer “What is EQIP and is it Right For You?”

All photos complements of NRCS Resource Team Leader, Jon Muncrief

This year’s Clover Field Day was sponsored by: Producers COOP, Standley’s Feed & Seed, First State Bank of Bedias, Fairlie Seed Company, Sustainable Growth Texas, Bob Hughes Display, Sunergie, Tractor Supply Navasota, and Kentucky Graziers Supply. And special thanks go to The Bank of Madisonville for the use of their Bar-B-Q Pit.

Mark your calendar for April 28, 2010 !!!!

If your company would be interested in being a 'Sponsor' for this Educational Outreach Program, please check out the 'Sponsor Information' link.