What is intentional management? It might be easier to describe what it is not than to describe what it is. In an attempt at “tongue-in-cheek” humor, let me describe what intentional management is not.
Pecan phylloxera is an insect that can cause significant damage if ignored or treated incorrectly in pecan orchards. Phylloxera can attack shoots, leaves and fruit of pecan trees. Due to the life cycle of phylloxera, timing is very important to treating the infestation. Once you see galls, it is already too late to stop the infestation.
When it comes to your farm or ranch, nobody knows the operation like you. You know how many acres you’re operating, and you have inventories on all your commodities. Hopefully, you even know what assets and liabilities you have by taking a quick look at your net worth statement. But what steps have you taken when it comes to managing for taxes or assessing legal risks? By reviewing your operation’s business structure, you may find creating a business entity could provide your operation with added benefits.
Over the years I have seen many grazing operations in many parts of the country. I have seen places that never seem to grow as much grass as they should, and I have seen places that always seem to have lots of grass. Likewise, I have seen places that have been hurt by the extreme weather of the past several years, and I have seen places that have tolerated the extreme weather quite well. The places that have lots of grass and are doing well don’t necessarily have better soil or get more precipitation, and they may not be stocked lighter or rested more days per year. So what is the difference? Roots and the effects that management has on the roots.
It is spring and that time of year when many producers who operate winter stocker enterprises start to consider moving calves off cool-season pastures and into marketing channels. With cattle prices at record levels, one might conclude that not much effort or study is needed to determine the best time or best weight at which to sell cattle sale time will come when pastures quit growing and are grazed out.
Successfully managing a farm business is certainly the goal of farm owners. The quality of the decisions made by management is an important component in determining the longevity of the business.
Ryegrasses are productive, high quality cool season forages that are either perennial or annual in their growth. The perennial ryegrasses are grown throughout much of the midwestern and northern U.S. for pasture and turf. The use of perennial ryegrass in the southern U.S. is limited by the lack of persistent and productive varieties. Perennial ryegrass is sometimes used in the mid- to upper South as an annual because it is more winter hardy than annual ryegrass.
