Volga Area Pasture Walk Will Highlight One Farm’s Approach to Rotational Grazing

Jul 24, 2025

By Sherry Hoyer and Denise Schwab

Pastures in northeast Iowa can be a challenge for producers, especially those who want to establish a beneficial grazing program. However, one farm in Clayton County is making it work, according to Iowa State University extension beef specialist Denise Schwab. Matt and Cassie Winters will host a pasture walk to share their progress with rotational grazing.

“This pasture is very typical of a lot of northeast Iowa pastures with creeks cutting up the grazing area, some trees, especially in the valleys, and the challenge of getting water where we need it in the pastures,” Schwab said. “These pastures are really challenging to subdivide in order to optimize grazing potential, and we’ll talk about various options to help do that.”

The pasture walk is set for Wednesday, Aug. 13, beginning at 6 p.m. at the Winters farm west of Volga. It will feature their rotational grazing program with cow-calf pairs and horses, and their watering system that includes a heavy-use creek crossing, a spring development and buried water lines to tanks.

Source : iastate.edu

Video: Winter Canola Trial in Mississippi | Can It Work for Double Cropping? | Pioneer Agronomy

Can winter canola open new opportunities for growers in the Mid-South? In this agronomy update from Noxubee County, Mississippi, Pioneer agronomist Gus Eifling shares an early look at a first-year winter canola trial and what farmers are learning from the field.

Planted in late October on 30-inch rows, the crop is now entering the bloom stage and progressing quickly. In this video, we walk through current field conditions, fertility management, and how timing could make this crop a valuable option for double-cropping soybeans or cotton.

If harvest timing lines up with early May, growers may be able to transition directly into another crop during ideal planting windows. Ongoing field trials will help determine whether canola could become a viable rotational option for the region.

Watch for:

How winter canola is performing in its first season in this Mississippi field

Why growers chose 30-inch rows for this trial

What the crop looks like as it moves from bolting into bloom

Fertility strategy, including nitrogen and sulfur applications

How canola harvest timing could enable double-cropping with soybeans or cotton

Upcoming trials comparing soybeans after canola vs. traditional planting

As more growers look for ways to maximize acres and diversify rotations, experiments like this help determine what new crops might fit into existing systems.