116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Drought-ful
Just after I visited Kevin Heiserman's Rowley farm for
a story on how the drought is affecting Iowa cattle farmers, new national cattle numbers were released showing the country's cattle count at
a four-decade low. The cows were a little skittish around the stranger with the camera, so I backed off for a few minutes until I could slowly approach again, positioning myself low to the ground near a mound of hay.
A cow on Kevin Heiserman's Rowley farm feed on hay Wednesday afternoon, July 18, 2012, near Rowley, Iowa. Heiserman started feeding hay three weeks ago, several weeks earlier than he has in the past, due to the dry pasture. Widespread drought in the U.S. has forced ranchers to sell off animals, leading to the fewest cattle in at least four decades. (The Gazette-Liz Martin)
Kevin Heiserman of Rowley and his grandson Grady McEnany, 9, of Walker, unload hay to feed cattle on Heiserman's farm on Wednesday afternoon, July 18, 2012, near Rowley, Iowa. Heiserman started feeding hay three weeks ago, several weeks earlier than he has in the past, due to the dry pasture. Widespread drought in the U.S. has forced ranchers to sell off animals, leading to the fewest cattle in at least four decades. (The Gazette-Liz Martin)
Cows on Kevin Heiserman's Rowley farm feed on hay Wednesday afternoon, July 18, 2012, near Rowley, Iowa. Heiserman started feeding hay three weeks ago, several weeks earlier than he has in the past, due to the dry pasture. Widespread drought in the U.S. has forced ranchers to sell off animals, leading to the fewest cattle in at least four decades. (The Gazette-Liz Martin)
A cow on Kevin Heiserman's Rowley farm feed on hay Wednesday afternoon, July 18, 2012, near Rowley, Iowa. Heiserman started feeding hay three weeks ago, several weeks earlier than he has in the past, due to the dry pasture. Widespread drought in the U.S. has forced ranchers to sell off animals, leading to the fewest cattle in at least four decades. (The Gazette-Liz Martin)
Grady McEnany, 9, of Walker, unloads hay to feed cattle on his grandfather Kevin Heiserman's farm on Wednesday afternoon, July 18, 2012, near Rowley, Iowa. Heiserman started feeding hay three weeks ago, several weeks earlier than he has in the past, due to the dry pasture. Widespread drought in the U.S. has forced ranchers to sell off animals, leading to the fewest cattle in at least four decades. (The Gazette-Liz Martin)
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