David and Rita Stratton’s farm is nestled in the woods and hills of Cookson, Okla. They are currently remodeling David’s boyhood home with the intention of turning it into a bed and breakfast and then building themselves a smaller home nearby.
The couple married on Valentine’s Day unknowingly in 2006 because they wanted to get married and Rita had Tuesday off, which just happened to be Valentine’s Day. Afterward they had a bite to eat and headed to the local John Deere dealership where David bought Rita a pink John Deere hat. Rita laughed and said, “I am a city girl, and the first thing David bought me was a pair of red overalls and then a purple pair. I was glad to get them and even happier they weren’t brown.”
David and Rita have a 625-acre farm, 325 of which is pasture. David said, “The woods hold the good land together.”
Though David started with Herefords and later a Hereford and Limousin/Angus cross. David said, “Herefords have only about seven breeding years so I switched to a tiger striped Brahma influenced herd. These cows breed for 12 years or more.”
David studied animal science production at Oklahoma State University starting in 1974. However because his program was more production based, he learned good pasture management from his father, Howard, who used his degree and experience when director of GI training after WWII.
David said, “Good pasture management always begins with soil testing. What you need depends upon the soil’s usage history.” The important thing is to test and balance the pH in the soil. Nature indicates pH imbalance when the spring clovers don’t grow well. David fertilizes in the spring but doesn’t use chicken litter because he can’t get it economically. Then he sprays for weeds in June after the clover is done.
While some ranchers may have different pastures with different forage, David believes in using pastures year round. Therefore the pastures are a combination of different forages that mature at different times and supply cattle needs through the seasons. Clover is for spring while Bermuda is the summer forage and perennial rye and fescue are for winter. David said, “This year I bought a pasture drill and I have drilled about 130 acres with wheat for spring foraging to supplement hay and clover.”
David continued, “I make sure to get my feed contracted early so I am not as susceptible to higher market prices later. I also use as many natural products as I can because they are more digestible.” His current custom-made feed is composed of soy hulls, cottonseed and 16 percent dairy pellets. “I want to know exactly what is in my feed rather than work with what is available.”
The USDA standard for lost calves is 10 percent, but David loses five or less each year with his herd of 100 momma cows. He said, “I have learned the better quality feed, forage and mineral supplements makes for easier calving and better feed utilization.”
While driving around his cattle and looking at the land, David said, “This is a fourth generation farm. It needs a lot of work, but I am hoping to have more time now to get at things that have been neglected for years. This is home.”
