Ray and Stephanie Tucker and their son Nathan farm 5000 acres in north central Kentucky, an 8th generation farm family.
When it comes to grass hay and pasture production, early-season management sets the tone for the entire year. What happens at green-up influences stand density, forage response, nutrient efficiency, and ultimately how much you can get out of every acre. Building a strong forage program isn’t about chasing a single pass or product. It’s about supporting soil function, nutrient availability, and plant health from the start. If soil conditions or nutrient availability limit growth at green-up, those challenges can carry through the rest of the season and impact both yield and forage quality.  That’s why many hay and pasture growers focus on programs that support early nutrient efficiency and soil function — not fertilizer alone. In many hay and pasture systems, early fertility focuses heavily on nitrogen to drive growth. While nitrogen can increase biomass, it doesn’t always improve forage quality or feed value. Bigger plants don’t automatically mean better hay. In some cases, bulk without balance can lead to more waste and less efficient utilization.
A crop may still require calcium even when soil pH is within the optimal range because soil pH alone does not indicate how much calcium is actually available to plants or how effectively it is taken up. While pH reflects soil acidity or alkalinity, it does not measure exchangeable calcium levels.
