Though the days might still be short and cold, it's the time of year when folks are pulling out their grazing charts, sitting down with a strong cup of coffee, and planning out the new season. You might be wondering how all your records from PastureMap carry over from one season to the next.
We put together this FAQ for everyone who's starting a new season in PastureMap for the first time. Or if you need a brush-up from last year, no worries!
FAQ
- Why should I start a new season in PastureMap?
- Keeping yourself organized is the biggest one! Separate your grazing records and metrics for each of your grazing seasons. Using seasons in PastureMap has multiple benefits: a clean start, organizing your past data, accurate pasture performance metrics, and comparing across seasons for future planning.
- When should I start a new season?
- Everyone's grazing season is different. Some folks like to start on Jan 1 of each year. Others like to plan their grazing season around green-up time.
- Pro tip: For followers of Holistic Management, you can even do open or closed seasons by making multiple seasons in PastureMap in one year. The benefit is that you get to use a grazing chart for the growing season, and start a separate grazing chart for your stockpile for the closed season.
- What happens to last season's data when I start a new season in PastureMap?
- You won't lose your data. All your grazing records and animal records will get stored in the prior season. They'll also be accessible anytime from the upper right hand corner of your Ranch Name.
- Visually, you'll be able to go back and see them just like you can see them now. Think of every season as an online folder, with last season's snapshot frozen in time from the day you ended the season. All the records of every move you did, all the herd records, will be there.
In this screenshot, you can see how your Ranch Name drops down to a menu showing all prior grazing seasons. Toggle between them, and your full grazing records and maps will load for that season.
- Will I have to re-draw my pastures or re-enter my herds?
- No, you don't have to redraw any infrastructure. All your maps stay the same. You may decide to retire certain subdivisions in paddocks and make new fencing decisions. For example, now is a great time to decide whether cross-fence should be turned into permanent fence.
- Can I export my data from last season?
- Sure. You can export your grazing records into an Excel file anytime during or after each grazing season. Here's an article on how to Export Grazing Records.
- Can I store multiple years of grazing records in PastureMap?
- You can store multiple years of grazing records. It'll all be stored in your PastureMap account.
For more tips and resources, read our PastureMap Help Center articles:
Got questions? We're here for you.