Block · one region of the page, as the scanner read it. It may hold a whole story, part of one, several, or an advertisement; stitching blocks into articles is the next step. Text is supplied OCR.
Page 14 · column 6 of 7 · from the scan, no model involved
All livestock at Mount Vernon Farm have access to fertile, lush pastures and are fed a minimum amount of stored forages until they reach the appropriate age, weight, and quality to be individual ly selected for processing Animals are marketed as free of antibiotics, vaccines, or synthetic growth hormones arid emphasis is placed on handling methods to minimize stress, as stress can reduce meat quality.
The farm’s cattle and sheep herds are moved around some 45 paddocks throughout the farm that are created using electric fence. Under this rota tional grazing system, the pa >• tures have enough time to recover before being grazed again, manure is more evenly distributed, and livestock have access to grass when it is at its highest quality.
In an effort to achieve the most desirable forage quality, the farm operation also incorporates the use of organic fertilizer and legume over-seeding into its management plan. This eliminates the need for synthetic fertilizers and produces a wholesome diet for the livestock, reducing the need for expensive dietary supplements.
Rotational grazing serves as the primary weed control method on the farm. Brown prefers this mechanical weed management to the use of herbicides for both economic and water quality reasons.
Mount'Vemon Farm relies heavily on its winter grazing program which starts in midAugust when one-third to one' half of the farm is stockpiled (not grazed) after an application of composted poultry litter Following the first hard frost the cattle are strip grazed through the stockpile. The)’ are moved to a new strip of grass every day throughout the winter which helps reduce the farm’s reliance on hay for win ter sustenance. With the assistance of Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE), Mount Vernon routinely tests the quality of its stockpiled forages and hay. Test results in late February 2005 indicated that stockpiled fescue that had been previously grazed over was superior in quality than the best hay on the farm that had been stored under cover.
Additional farm management practices include improving cattle genetics, using herding and guard dogs to move and protect livestock, and pel forming a business economic analysis according to the high ly recommended “Ranching For Profit” program.
With 600 acres of the Mount Vernon Farm already under conservation easement Miller is intent on preserving farmland for future generations. The farm also has about 175 acres enrolled in CREP (Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program), which
86.8%