May 27, 2020
With three sons who might one day take over the family farm, Todd and Michelle Andresen are advancing plans to expand their beef operation without buying more land.
The Andresens run about 1,500 acres of grain, grow about 300 acres of hay and raise 110 cow-calf pairs of Red Angus cattle on about 400 acres of pasture north of Detroit Lakes, Minn. Expanding last season’s cover crop trial would add pastureland, extend the grazing season, cut feed costs and — once established — help to alleviate the excess spring moisture that often delays planting.
The initial trial started with a 27-acre wheat field. On the cover crops planted into the post-harvest wheat stubble, the Andresens grazed cattle for 10 days in November.
Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) assistance from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service reduced the risk of trying a cover crop. Clean Water Funds from the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources covered part of the fencing costs. Becker Soil & Water Conservation District and NRCS staff offered technical assistance.
“We want to grow that end of our operation, and I think [how we’re going to do it] has got a lot to do with these programs,” Todd says. “We can grow our livestock end without a lot of capital expense. We don’t need to purchase more land or rent more land. We can utilize the land we have now with cover crops — full-season cover crops or cover crops after we harvest our wheat or corn — and just grow internally.”
That might mean expanding to 150 or 200 cows — maybe more depending upon what their oldest son decides to do after he graduates from high school this year. Michelle’s primary responsibilities center on the cattle. She also helps with fieldwork. Each son owns a few cattle.
Rotational grazing begins
In August 2019, the cattle grazed on land previously enrolled in USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program. The Andresens bought the CRP land about six years ago, intending to use it for pasture.