(CORRECTIONVILLE, IA) - Farmers have different methods when it comes to raising livestock and growing crops. Brian Sadler runs a corn, soybean and cattle pasture farm in Correctionville, IA.
The Woodbury County Soil and Water Conservation District plans a pasture walk every year. Organizers asked Brian and his brother to host this year's walk on Wednesday, August 8. Even though this isn't the first time they've held the event, Brian said he has much more knowledge to show off his pasture to other Siouxland farmers.
He grew up on the farm with his dad and never found anything else he liked better than spending his time out here.
"Six or seven, I was driving the tractors and that type of stuff and I just enjoyed it. And the livestock end is the part I really enjoy. My brother Bruce does more the crops and of course we exchange help," said Sadler.
It's Brian in charge of corralling his cattle from pasture to pasture. A rotation system he decided to try about five years ago, running water pipes through the entire farm.
He uses an old bathtub as a cattle fountain. Brian hooks up a pipe which then feeds in water and the cattle drink from it.
"It's just a different way that they can raise their cattle. In the old days, we used to run them in the creeks all the time," explained Sadler. "Well, that's probably not the best for the environment. It stirs up mud, erodes in banks and that type of stuff."
During the pasture walk on Wednesday, he'll show Siouxland farmers how they're able to raise their cattle using that method.
This is not the first time Brian's hosted the pasture walk. For the second go at it, he hopes to have a better grip on the show and tell.
"Try to explain to the people that haven't done it yet, the advantages of it, where before, it was just the second year of me doing it. So I really didn't have a good handle on everything," said Sadler.
Aside from this year's drought, he said the last three or four years have been the best he's ever had.
"A lot of it's due to the Ethanol and demand for corn. We're at a high point in price and stuff over the last three or four years and that's really helped," said Sadler.
Now, that demand will be at an all time high. This summer's historic drought has affected half of the country.
"We grow the corn, lot of it goes to the ethanol plant and we bring the bi-products back to feed to the cattle. So everything's utilized, but you know, as the drought continues and we get less and less corn, whether we'll have enough corn for the ethanol, I don't know," he said.
In the meantime, Brian looks forward to hosting the Pasture Walk on Wednesday. If you're interested in coming out, it starts at 6 p.m. with a burger grill-out before the tour.
Sadler Farms Inc.: 3448 160th St. Correctionville, IA.
