What We Do
Our Pastures
We provide our animals a combination of perennials and annuals. In our perennial pastures we have combinations of white clover, red clover, alfalfa, perennial rye grass, tall fescue, birdsfoot trefoil, Kentucky blue grass, orchard grass and brome grass. For annuals we like to provide a medley from peas, Italian rye grass, oats, barley, rye, millets, turnips, radish, etc.
Having a good mix improves our soils and is healthy to the environment. Diversity is great for the animal’s performance, giving them the choice to take what they instinctively want to balance their needs. No artificial fertilizer is applied to our pastures. We feel soil restoration and balance happen through variety in our pastures and animal impact through grazing.
Share land with Livestock
Wacholz farm raises 100% grass-fed cattle and grass-fed hogs. The cattle herd is comprised of small/medium framed crossbred beef breeds; (North Red Devon bull is crossed with Angus, Barzona, Hereford and Senepol). As for our hogs we currently raise Duroc, Spot, and Chester white butcher hogs.
During the growing season the cattle and hogs are rotationally grazed. This means we give the animals portions of pasture at a time. We use portable electric fencing to control the grazing and stay efficient. This style of grazing allows grazed portions time to recover and re-grow before the cattle and hogs mow it down again.
Moving the animals around on fresh pasture also reduces viruses, parasites, and disease.
