Growing tall fescue has made every harvest a successful one for Ernie Sirski.
Farming by Dauphin, Manitoba, Sirski and his son-in-law started growing grass seed more than 15 years ago to spread out their fall workload. Sirski said they were maxed out on combines come the August/September harvest, so they started growing perennial ryegrass and winter cereals to combine from the end of July onwards.
Most seed production crops are ready to be harvested by mid to late July, splitting the fall workload for those growing more conventional crops like canola, cereals, pulses, and more.
When the perennial ryegrass wasn’t giving him good luck, Sirski decided to start growing tall fescue instead — and he hasn’t looked back. When they first started with grass seed, Sirski would broadcast in front of seeding wheat. Now, they drill it in for better germination and less winterkill.
“Over the lifetime we’ve been growing it, it’s been consistently one of the top net profits on our farm per acre,” he said.
Sirski and his son-in-law grow 300 to 500 acres of tall fescue each year. They started growing with BrettYoung around a decade ago, naming three main reasons why:
- Producing seed for BrettYoung means there’s good movement of the seed
- BrettYoung pays on time, helping with overall cashflow.
- BrettYoung Seed Production Specialists provide good support and are easy to work with.
Along with being a very profitable crop and a relatively simple one to manage, tall fescue is a perennial, meaning growers get two harvests off one plant. One of the main reasons Sirski continues to grow it is because he doesn’t have to seed the crop every second year. Sirski also applies most of the crop’s fertilizer in the fall, and depending on the year, may not need to add more in spring.
The perennial, cool-season grass has a deep root system and adapts well on poorly drained soils. Tall fescue can also tolerate salinity, alkalinity, and acidity.
Sirski’s never had a year of growing tall fescue that didn’t pay. To date, he’s never not had a profit from the crop. As it stands, he and his son-in-law have no plans to switch it up. They’re happy to stick with tall fescue as long as it sticks with them.
“It works well for us,” said Sirski. “It’s just a good fit. That’s why we grow it.”
To learn more about producing seed for BrettYoung, click here.
