by Lydia Holley March 17, 2025
Henderson County Master Gardener Association (HCMGA) will host Laurie Hannon, owner of Happy Cattle Company, on Wednesday, March 26, noon-1:00 p.m., Cain Center YMCA, 214 Loyola Drive, Athens, TX. A part of HCMGA’s “Let’s Grow” series, the lecture is free and open to the public.
What do cattlemen and gardeners have in common? Grass. Happy Cattle Company finishes their cattle on grass. Thus, their purpose is two-fold: raise healthy cattle and grow great grass. Hannon will talk about how to grow the very best grass, including a discussion of soil, since that is the starting point for growing any healthy plant. She will also explain how cattle are raised and selected for slaughter, so if you have acreage and are curious about growing livestock, this is your chance to decide if raising cattle is right for you.
There are several grasses which cattle feed on that are appropriate for a small lawn. Since some weeds are harmful to cattle, cattlemen and homeowners alike try to eradicate them. One of the best ways to do that is to grow your grass so thick no weeds can find a space to sprout. Thus, fertilizing is another area of interest which overlaps between cattlemen and homeowners. Hannon will explain how they keep weeds from taking over their grasses and how testing the soil and finding the right balance of fertilizer will improve your own grasses’ growth.
It is important for cattle to get the proper nutrients from their feed. For the gardener, grass is more for looks but the techniques for growing it is the same. Both need to provide the proper soil and nutrients for grass to grow beautifully and abundantly.
For more information, call 903-675-6130, email [email protected], or visit txmg.org/hendersonmg.