Kentucky Summer Forage Tour set for Aug. 6

A local family beef farm will be the hosting site for the 2020 Western Kentucky Summer Forage Tour. Palmer Farms Beef, located in Almo, Ky. near Murray, is owned and operated by Michael and Stacie Palmer and their three children. The Palmer’s GRASS finish and retail approximately 40 head of beef cattle per year. The Palmers’ forage system is based on both cool- and warm-season annual and perennial forages with the goal of providing high quality grazing year-round. Two key forage species in their system are annual ryegrass and crabgrass, grown in rotation. Tour stops and topics will include crabgrass as forage; annual ryegrass for grazing and silage; producing and marketing high quality grass finished beef; increasing productivity with summer annual grasses and legumes; managing perennial pastures; endophyte in tall fescue, grass finishing, fencing for controlled grazing, and more. The tour will be held rain or shine from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., Aug. 6, 2020, at Palmer Farms in Almo. Registration will take place at 3 p.m. with the tour beginning at 4 p.m. The cost is $10 per person at the door to cover the farm tour, a dinner and a bluegrass band. There is no cost for students. Preregistration is required and will be limited. The walking tour includes a total route length of approximately 1.5 miles. Limited transportation will be provided on a first come, first serve basis for those unable to walk the tour route. Palmer Farms is located at 2629 Hickory Grove Rd. in Almo. Registration is available online at https://wkyforagefieldday2020.eventbrite.com or by contacting Carrie Tarr-Janes, University of Kentucky Master Grazing Coordinator, at carrie.tarr-janes@uky.edu or by phone at (270) 963-8351. For more information on this tour and other forage and livestock related events, visit http://forages.ca.uky.edu or contact Tarr-Janes.