Quality Pasture

Whether you’re starting from scratch on previously uncultivated land, or taking on the restoration of conventionally cultivated fields, establishing a new pasture begins with soil preparation.

Begin with a soil test before planting a pasture. A traditional soil test measures pH, phosphate, and potassium availability in soil, and is a good place to start. Many other soil tests are available too, such as those for micronutrients. The more information you have about the soil, the better the decisions you can make. If you have cropland that’s been tilled and received only commercial fertilizer in the past, a transitional soil test may be all you need. If the land has been no-tilled or cover-cropped, received manure or compost applications, or been in pasture for many years previously, there may be organic forms of nutrients that won’t show up on conventional soil tests. In this