BELLEVILLE, Pa. — Matt Byler is OK with being totally different. In truth he likes it.
Byler grew up on Peachee Farms, and was used to dairying in a standard method.
But about 27 years in the past, he determined to attempt one thing totally different — grazing.
His grazing strategies have modified over the previous 20 years, however total, Byler is aware of that grazing is the best selection for him.
About 5 years in the past, Byler’s son, Garrett, hung out engaged on a massive dairy farm in New Zealand, and after returning residence with that information and expertise, father and son determined to implement New Zealand-style grazing on their farm.
Garrett Byler strikes the cows from one pasture to the subsequent.
In the New Zealand technique, cows are rotated primarily based on the well being of the pasture and never on a set schedule.
Byler stated he is aware of what he’s doing is totally different, however he likes that.
“I like being that guy that everybody looks at and thinks is nuts,” he stated.
But not everybody thinks he’s nuts. Pasa Sustainable Agriculture hosted a pasture stroll at his Belleville farm on June 6, and about a dozen farmers attended.
Matt Byler talks with pasture stroll attendees about his pastures at Peachee Farms.
Though Byler stated he doesn’t get the identical milk manufacturing as a standard dairy, grazing offers him a decrease value of manufacturing.
He doesn’t want to take a position cash or time in feeding techniques or manure gear, since all of that’s completed within the pastures.
“I like the idea of my cows doing more of the work,” Byler stated.
Byler milks over 200 cows and sends his milk to Land O’Lakes.
Byler milks seasonally, sometimes milking cows from March via early January. Cows are then dried off for the rest of the winter.
He’s additionally modified up his breeding to have cows which might be small in stature. They are inclined to do higher on pasture than tall cows.
Byler’s herd is all crossbred at this level, and he likes to make use of a lot of New Zealand and European genetics as a result of these cows are “made for this system.”
“Our herd looks so much different than it did 20 years ago,” Byler stated. “It’s been a long time getting here.”
Peachee Farms is about 200 acres and is break up into 56 paddocks, every roughly 2 acres.
The cows are moved to recent pasture twice a day.
The majority of Byler’s fencing is single wire and may be moved as wanted to regulate the pastures.
The pastures are seeded with a massive number of vegetation together with fescue, ryegrass, clover, chicory and sunflowers. Byler clips weeds when wanted.
Grazing can have its challenges, considered one of which is warmth stress.
Byler’s acreage is pretty broad open with little or no shade, however he’s engaged on altering that.
He is working with Trees for Graziers to plant 2,500 bushes alongside his fencerows.
“The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago,” Byler stated. “That’s very true.”
Peachee Farm shouldn’t be licensed natural, although most of Byler’s practices are natural.
“I don’t like chemicals any more than I have to,” Byler stated.
Attendees on the Pasa Sustainable Agriculture pasture stroll take a look at the cows at Peachee Farms in Belleville, Pa.
For Pennsylvania farmers who like Byler’s technique of dairying, Pasa affords a few choices for entering into grazing.
The Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship is a two-year program that pairs starting farmers with mentors — considered one of whom is Byler. These apprenticeships mixed paid on-farm work with technical coursework.
Pasa additionally affords a Dairy Grazing Project during which dairy farmers can obtain free or reduced-cost help in transitioning the farm to grazing.
The three-year undertaking has a number of companions together with the Center for Dairy Excellence, TeamAg and the Rodale Institute.