Agriculture

 The LaRue County 4-H and Magnolia Volunteer Fire Department will now be able to better support their causes as well as serve their communities, thanks to the support of local farmer, Caleb Ragland, and America’s Farmers Grow Communities.

Sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, the philanthropic arm of Monsanto Company, Grow Communities provides farmers in eligible counties the chance to win a $2,500 donation for a local nonprofit organization of their choice.

 Spring provides a good opportunity to assess pastures and create a working plan that is economical and increases the fertility of the land. Good pasture management enables livestock to graze on pasture for more days of the year. To increase days on pasture, farmers should first implement a rotational grazing system to allow pastures time to recover. Having two or more pastures and rotating stock back and forth increases the fertility of the soil by allowing the empty pasture to replenish itself.

 Members of the Kids Choice Club worked on posters for the 4-H Poster Contest during a recent meeting. Selena Vidal shows her creation. The deadline for submissions is March 15. For more information, call the Extension Office at 358-3401.

 Grazing is the most cost-effective way for producers to feed ruminant animals. Each year, the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture hosts two installments of the Kentucky Grazing School to help producers become better managers of their grazing systems.

The first installment is 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. April 17-18 at the UK Research and Education Center in Princeton.

Past participants have included everyone from new farmers to experienced grazers, and all have received new information and practical skills to implement in their operations.