High Grove Farm Journal – August 2025
Sep 10, 2025 (Westby, WI)
My husband Drew calls August “the February of summer.” It’s a challenging month that tends to be a balancing act for dairy farmers like us and can really test one’s management practices.
Hello, welcome to our farm! We are in the “dog days of summer” here at High Grove and it’s become tedious as the heat and humidity intensify. Our main goal each day is reducing any stress to the cows and giving them as much “cow comfort” as possible!
This late in summer, the lush growth of spring has slowed, and farmers often face the challenge of keeping enough high-quality forage in front of their cows, if they graze like ours do.
Early morning pasture views. I could stay out here for hours! But it’s time to milk the cows. “Come on girls! Let’s go to the barn!”
For us, August is also a time of planning and adjusting. We carefully stockpile pastures for fall grazing, letting certain paddocks rest so that they have a reserve of grass once the cooler temperatures return. We supplement with harvested forages like baleage or hay and keep the cows in the barn where it’s cool with the help of fans.
We finished up another crop of hay and then turned our focus to soil fertility – with manure management and pasture clipping to promote regrowth and reduce weeds. Every decision is made with the coming months in mind. Autumn brings both opportunities for extended grazing and the need to prepare for winter.
Skat sleepily eyeing the group leaving without her. Also, she came to us with that name…I assume it was given for a special reason.
Our cows tend to enjoy August grazing when conditions are right. They often graze best in the cooler parts of the day — early morning and evening. We pay close attention to body condition and milk components when the heat becomes oppressive, since both can shift if the quality of forage dips. It typically does this time of the year, causing us to change up their feed to accommodate their needs. Last week on a local community Facebook page, I saw a post where someone was upset with the inconsistency of the cottage cheese they got from Westby Creamery that week. I couldn’t help but think how hard it would be to make a consistent dairy product with such inconsistent conditions for cows, and how these weather conditions absolutely affect the consistency of their milk.
Keeping our cows comfortable and well-fed during this month helps ensure they enter fall in strong condition. Boy, aren’t we all happy once cool fall weather arrives!
It’s the heart of county fair season. Farm families get to showcase animals and take a break from the daily grind to celebrate agriculture, and we are looking forward to our local fair. It’s also a month of long days and tired hands, but one of deep satisfaction. Watching cows spread out over green pastures under a late summer sunset is a reward in itself, and reminds us why we chose the grazing system — it works in harmony with the land, the animals, and (some) of the Wisconsin seasons!
Thank you for stopping by on here to “visit” High Grove Farm! See you next month or get a glimpse of our farm life weekly on the Creamery’s Facebook & Instagram!
Bye now!
-Farmer Jess & Family
Jessica Rogers is a Westby Creamery farmer-owner who is sharing glimpses of farm life with us.
