Josh Sorrells, Cold Mountain Nursery and Farm
Expansion of Beef Cattle Using Strip Grazing
Grant Award: $3,000
Josh is transitioning his cattle farm to the Strip Grazing method with the purchase of solar-powered electric fencing to divide his pasture and hay field into sections. Cattle stay in four to five-acre strips at a time and are rotated once grazed, which is a more sustainable method of land management than allowing cattle to roam the entire 40-acre pasture. He is expanding the herd size so he can market 30 to 40 head, resulting in 1,000 pounds a year.
Josh is lowering feed costs as well as reducing the workload on his farm by eliminating the need to mow hay. In addition, Joshua can attain grass-fed beef certification, dramatically increasing the value of his product. He is exploring a variety of marketing channels, including the local livestock market, a broker and individuals who want to buy the live animal for personal use.
“Strip grazing is on the leading edge of pasture/forage management techniques and is used little in Haywood County,” Josh said. “More farmers might become more interested in this practice if they could see it being successfully used locally by another farmer.”
Josh also has annual plants in a 14,000 square foot heated space and 30 acres of field grown trees and shrubs.
See www.coldmountainnursery.com.
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