Sometimes, we find ourselves running an experiment by accident—and it may lead to greater success than we ever anticipated. Take penicillin, for example: discovered in a lab by accident due to unsanitary conditions, yet it became a life-saving remedy that has positively impacted millions.
Now, our accidental experiment on the farm this winter may not have the global significance of Dr. Fleming’s discovery, but it could still have a meaningful impact—specifically on our farm’s micro-ecosystem. It’s something worth watching closely.
One winter-feeding strategy gaining popularity among regenerative agriculturalists, especially those raising ruminants, is bale grazing. This method involves strategically placing hay bales in a grid pattern and giving animals controlled access. The benefits are multifaceted: the cows’ manure acts as fertilizer, seeds from the hay are trampled into the soil (a natural no-till planting method), and leftover stems create a mulch layer that suppresses weeds in the spring. For fields with low fertility and poor grass growth, bale grazing offers a holistic, low-input way to rejuvenate the land—requiring minimal fuel and no synthetic chemicals. It doesn’t mask the symptoms of poor productivity but addresses the root cause: soil health.
So, what was our accident?
Well, the challenge we’ve always faced with bale grazing is our soil type. Most of our farm consists of Burdett, Churchville, and Odessa soils—all poorly or somewhat poorly drained clays. These aren’t ideal for cattle residency in winter, especially since bale grazing requires animals to stay longer in one area due to the need for consistent water access. Our ability to overwinter cows is limited by where we can feasibly provide water.
Last fall, the cattle were in their final pasture on the west side of State Route 30A, just before we planned to begin grazing stockpiled forage. (Stockpiled forage refers to pasture that we allow to grow during the last 45–60 days before the first hard frost—usually around Columbus Day—and then graze again once it has gone dormant.) If weather conditions cooperate, we can often graze into mid-December—and sometimes into January.
But this year, freezing temperatures hit sooner than expected. The underpass we use to move cattle beneath the road froze solid, due to the accompanying stream icing over. Cattle can’t safely walk on ice—they’re prone to slipping, which can cause injury—so we lost access to our next grazing area. That meant we had to start feeding stored hay a month earlier than planned.
The silver lining? The ground had frozen too—and, unlike recent years, it stayed frozen. Seizing the moment, we decided to bale graze about 10 acres that we don’t typically use for wintering cattle. We could still get water to the cows from that location, though we had to spread the bales further apart than standard bale grazing protocol to allow for water access.
Still, this unplanned approach came with unexpected benefits:
- We spread nutrient-rich manure across a field that hadn’t previously received it.
- We bale grazed the field twice, which isn’t standard, but this area has had longstanding fertility issues—and perhaps a double application is just what it needed.
The results of our impromptu experiment remain to be seen, but we’re optimistic. As we continue to upgrade our farm’s water infrastructure in the coming years, we hope to bale graze more fields like this one.
Historically, this field has struggled—rampant with weeds and little desirable grass growth. Already, we’ve noticed the thick mulch layer suppressing the spring weed flush, which is encouraging. Embedded in that mulch are the grass seeds we want to grow, and we’re hopeful we’ll see them sprouting by fall, supported by improved soil organic matter and fertility.
As this winter unfolded, I was reminded that things didn’t go according to my plan. But sometimes, when we act in faith—even without all the answers—God rewards that trust. He always has a plan, and even when it doesn’t look like what we expected, His provision often exceeds anything we could have imagined.
- John V.