My Learning to Farm: Newbie Renovating Pastures in MD

[Learning to Farm]

Thank you all for the support! Please remember I am in MD and some of this may not apply to you.

To answer a few questions:

You don't mention mowing length, did the ext office say anything about that? I went to a pasture seminar about 10 years ago, the guy said the single most important thing I could do for the pasture was mow it up around 9-12".

No, your right I didn't mention mower height. Get a field stick (it is about 1"x1"x3', kind of like a square yard or meter stick), the Ag Agents have them in MD, so you can probably get them in other states too, they are the best tool! It has marks on it for rotational grazing when to start the horses to graze and when to pull them off to mow. Mine has Cool and Warm season grasses seperately, there is other information on it too. (I will take pictures of it so you can see, you all probably realize how much I like pictures)

Basicly, I let the grass (cool season, fescue and blue) and weeds get no taller than 10 inches anywhere (no taller then the distance from the ground to an average horses eye, horses don't like to eat grass taller than thier eyes, I found a study done on it), then I mow no shorter than 4 inches and move the horses. Horses are not grazers, that is a giant horse lie, they are browsers. Browsers only eat the best, ever notice that lush green grass in overgrazed fields surrounding the piles of horse manure. They will eat the good stuff down to nothing and let the eh, so-so stuff go nuts. The mowing makes everything a level playing field (no pun intended) for all the grass and it cuts the weeds off before they seed. I am planning to only mow until I seed then leave it to grow as much as it can before winter.

We also just started getting bind weed, which I think is some form of morning glory. It's awful, not sure what strategy yet to pursue.

We call it Mile-a-Minute here (I am postive it is the same thing), the Ag Agent said kill-all herbicide is the only thing he knows, I am taking the class and I am going to look at a vine specific one, I will let you know what I find.

Mowing it longer also means there's a fair bit of forage in winter, the horses spend all day scratching the snow away and eating. It's suprising they don't damage the grass with their hooves, they do it very carefully.

That is interesting, all our pastures were heavily (basicly dirt in some of them)overgrazed. I am hoping to get it that good! I don't know that our guys will know to do that, they haven't had grass in so long also may not be that good for another year.

I have to run but I will, post more tonight and more pictures!

[Bigfoot62]

Wish List:
Chain Harrow- A big one.
Fimco 50 gallon spray (with boom)

LTF,
Don't overlook the link I posted for the Tarzan Chainlink Harrow: Harrows
I have the 11' drag type. I pull it behind the HayKing renovator plow. (I have the 8 shank): Hay King Renovators
Here's a pic of the harrow, hanging from my hay spear on the NH: 2007 New Holland TN70A pic2 - TractorByNet.com Photo Gallery
And, here's a pic of the renovator plow on the back of the JD: John deere 5085M pic2 - TractorByNet.com Photo Gallery

[Learning to Farm]

Oh, trust me I didn't overlook that harrow !

My next hope is that the owner will let me clean them up and sell them for some money for the harrow (which I love the one suggested ) or to put toward the sprayer.

Here are some additional photos:

1. We have a lot of paddocks and pastures, sometimes I feel like it is alphabet soup. My two are O and Q, they are about 1/4 of the farm.

2. The soil sampler with the field stick, oh and my feet in riding socks

3. The business end of the field stick, all you do is set to the ground and read!

4. When to pull the horse off of cool season grasses.

5. When to let them graze.

Following photos taken from 60' bucket.

6. Upper barn (hill barn that stables 12 horses), ring and drive way into farm

7. Front to back: machine and tractor garage (has side door and end door for the 2 tractors), small square hay trailer (been moved since photo taken), field N.

8. Fields P,Q, and S. Also the nice dump trailer with Ford.

9. Another picture of the dump trailer for size, ignore me teaching the little kid to ride the nubian goat (I believe all animals need a job, Waldo's job is to entertain me).

[Learning to Farm]

(Sorry for the delay, been busy) End of August Update:

Got the Nitrogen delivered, I have to say the Southern States guy is really nice. I have a place in the tractor shed that I cleared for him to drop it by, I was not able to be there so he called me and I walked him over the phone where to leave it. I had stapled an envelope to the wall with the check, he is bringing the seed this Friday (pretty awesome that I just trust him to drop it and take the money). I knew Irene was coming and wanted to get the N on the wet ground after she went through.

But I am getting ahead of myself, first I had to build the removable gate, I was more than determined to get that fence in and no 斗ittle hurricane was going to stop me. I started a 5:45am got the tractor and went down to pull the old �osts (don稚 know that I would call a 3x3 a post) out, horses are out for the night so I wasn稚 surprised to see the guys from the other field grazing in the good field. I thought for sure the posts had concert because I had the tractor tugging pretty hard, the FEL loaders are powerful I can see how you can flip a tractor with it. After I got them out, I went up on the hill to get the auger out of the weeds. Got it pulled out was heading down the hill, when I noticed it was missing the PTO shaft, doh! Dropped it off at the machine shed and grabbed a shovel and post hole diggers. Got both posts dug by 11 am set the posts, leveled up and then the rain came! I shoveled dirt in as fast as I could. Went up and got the boards, leveled, drilled pilots and sank one screw in each side, then the hail came (just little annoying hail, but the horses are still out). I drill and sink 4 more screw on my fence (my husband, an engineer, noticed the 2 missing screws first thing in the picture). Screwed up all the old boards to the fence and packed up the truck. Finally moved the horses in my pasture back to their pasture.

Now for the kicker, at 3:00 when I got done, I am preparing to leave the farm and the wind is getting pretty bad. Then I remember that the boarder that å¾’nows it all is feeding tonight. So I call her, SHE IS ASLEEP and tells me that she is not coming out until 4:30 because that is when the storm is supposed to start. I told her I am bringing in Diesel (Oh yeah that is the name of my horse that I am doing all this for ) and anyone else I can grab, this is not cool I walk out to get Diesel in the far field and as I am leading him back one of the BIG pecan tree (3 1/2 foot diameter), outside of his field, 6-10 feet from me looses about 1/3 of its canopy (fortunately in the opposite direction). Diesel understandably loses his mind, even with a chain on he sits, spins and bolts back to his field. Jumps and clears the 5' pipe gate to his field (chain shank and all). Did I mention he is an eventer?

But, back to the field renovation that this is supposed to be about.

We ended up with quite a bit of rain and I definitely noticed that the fields that I have been rotating and working had much more ground cover (notice I didn't say grass, haha). Because of this, there was less run off and less erosion! This helped me out because on Sunday I spread the nitrogen, the grass was damp and it was cooler. I was also able to drive in places that would have been mud in the spring. One thing about spreading, you get to go fast"er", this much fun, er I mean work, should be illegal ! I spread 10 acres in about 4 hrs (that includes loading the spreader up). It was done so fast, I didn't even think to take a picture of the tractor with the spreader on it. Rinsed out the spreader, because I have heard the horrors on TBN and was kind of sad I only get to use it a couple of hours a year.

Oh and for those that are looking for my rotation methods, the horses are now off those pastures until the middle of November.

I ordered the seed (as I said will be delivered Friday) and confirmed with the Ag Extension co-op machine guy, Jim Carey (I kid you not that is his real name) for the no-till drill rental on Friday too, I was/am kind of leary about pulling farm equipment behind my truck (first time for everything, I guess).

For the methods I am doing the following:
-Non-endophyte free fescue (we have no brood mares so I went with the "cheaper" seed)-20lbs per acre
-Winter wheat-50lbs per acre

The fescue is a slow growing grass and will be drilled in, the winter wheat is seasonal and will give the horses something to graze in the fall and spring it will be gone the end of next spring, that is being broadcast (I am excited to get the spreader back out).

Once I spread I will mow the fields, the Ag Extension Agent said to mow the new growth as often as I can. This goes against what I thought I was going to do in my first post, but he explained that it increases root growth.

So here are some more photos, if you want to know any particulars or see pictures of something let me know. I have a spread sheet for cost of each field, based on Nutrient Management Plan. I need to send pictures out of the fields.

[BeezFun]

2. The soil sampler with the field stick, oh and my feet in riding socks

3. The business end of the field stick, all you do is set to the ground and read!

4. When to pull the horse off of cool season grasses.

5. When to let them graze.

We've got such a mix of grasses and clover, not sure what the right strategy would be for grazing and mowing. Think I'll go talk to our extension office and see if they've got that type of stick and some advice.

[BeezFun]

Once I spread I will mow the fields, the Ag Extension Agent said to mow the new growth as often as I can. This goes against what I thought I was going to do in my first post, but he explained that it increases root growth.

Very surprising. I've been to a few pasture lectures and they've all said to let the grass grow as long as possible because root depth is proportional to plant height. Maybe when it's first growing that doesn't apply. The other problem with mowing a lot is that newest growth is sweeter and the horses go right for it, don't touch the longer stuff.

Nice pictures and story, you've got guts going up in a 60' bucket.

[Learning to Farm]

Think I'll go talk to our extension office and see if they've got that type of stick and some advice.

I whole heartily agree, the extension office folks are all great and FREE! They want you to know how to do the right things (benefits your pocket and the environment) and they will explain how!

I adore everyone that has helped me, the owner of the property, the Soil Conservationist- Steve, the Extension Office Horse Expert - Eileen, my mechanic/farm machine fixer -Steve, the Nutrient management guys- Chris, the Southern States guy- Joe. (by the way these are my titles for them, not sure if they are right but this is what they help me with )

I am just doing the labor, these guys are the brains!

Let me know what your folks say, it will be interesting to hear how it is different in different climates.

[Learning to Farm]

Very surprising. I've been to a few pasture lectures and they've all said to let the grass grow as long as possible because root depth is proportional to plant height. Maybe when it's first growing that doesn't apply. The other problem with mowing a lot is that newest growth is sweeter and the horses go right for it, don't touch the longer stuff.

Beez, the following is out of an email that Steve "the soil conservation one" sent me. We normally have one going back and forth, I ask a lot of questions so we number or bullet them in emails (this was originated by him but he broke each point out for me).

"2) You should see new grass in about 2 weeks. Then let it grow as long as possible before allowing mild grazing. Keep the existing grass mowed to a height of 3-4”. Mowing keeps the weeds down and promotes palatability of the existing forage."

Now, I must have seen a Ag publication or had another email about root growth and mowing (I will keep looking). But when he is talking about "as long as possible" he is referring to time, not length of grass. Maybe that is what your guy meant too. He is very good about giving me the whys, hence the reason for mowing 3 to 4".

On a funny, I tell people, (barn work, family, TBNers, anyone really) all about this project. I was so excited to be seeding that I was telling folks "the seed and seeder is coming on Friday". I had no less than 4 people say something about trees/closets, they thought I said Cedar. One asked me, "chips to put on the fields to remove bugs or to plant".

Nice pictures and story, you've got guts going up in a 60' bucket.

Thank you for the compliment, it is more of a newbie journal (a place to put my pictures too) and a way to get feed back and suggestions ( like the link to the harrows ) Haha, the only thing that was a little disturbing about that is I had no parachute, I met my husband skydiving, he is also a base jumper. You may be surprised but I get more questions about "farming" and horses than I do about "jumping" out of planes. I chose this summer (although you can jump year round) to put my "disposable" income into these fields so I haven't been in a while. I needed a height refresher, so when it was there I asked to go up. The property butts up against DC grid power lines, they were working on them the other day and I REALLY wanted to go up in that bucket (easily base jump height) didn't ask though, they looked busy.

Photo Key:
1. 46% N delivery, there are 4 stacks.

2. This is most of field Q, you can see the powerlines and the adjoin fence to O in the distance.

3. Photo of O.

4 and 5. O is less square and more rectangle so decided 2 photos were better.

6. The tree that split that cause Diesel to loose his marbles, taken from the distance I was when it broke.

7. Backed up to show overall size.

8. I use my camera phone for everything, Jim asked me "you have hydraulics on your tractor, right?" (didn't ask back or front, I have learned from TBN, there are both, haha) I can only imagine what knowledgeable farmers think when I show them the picture and say "you mean this?"

9. How I got the seeder to the farm, yes that is a Ranger (city truck). Have hauled lots of stuff, this was my first slow moving signed thing, people are not cool. I didn't go on the belt-way, but the had to go on a state 4-lane, I think they were inspecting the reflective triangle REAL CLOSE.

10. It is super nice, the only one I have seen mind you. Was wrong about rental cost, sorry that was another machine. This one is $25 day and $6 acre (not sure if I mentioned that in this post). Wanted to show the decal on the side for the County Soil Conservation District!

11. Bags of seed: large are fescue and small are winter wheat.

12. Zoomed in on the line guys, it is 10'+ brush where they are parked.

13. The truck they went up in (the farm is an access point).

Promise to try not to post so many photos at one time again, sorry , haha!

[BeezFun]

"2) You should see new grass in about 2 weeks. Then let it grow as long as possible before allowing mild grazing. Keep the existing grass mowed to a height of 3-4”. Mowing keeps the weeds down and promotes palatability of the existing forage."

Now, I must have seen a Ag publication or had another email about root growth and mowing (I will keep looking). But when he is talking about "as long as possible" he is referring to time, not length of grass. Maybe that is what your guy meant too. He is very good about giving me the whys, hence the reason for mowing 3 to 4".

This is consistent with my understanding. The goal with new grasses is to make sure they beat the weeds getting a foothold, so regular mowing at a reasonably short length ensures you get all the weeds, including dandelions. Also agree that keeping horses off new growth as long as possible is best, but often difficult in practice. That's what cover crops are for.

I'm starting to think from the things you've said that there is probably a time of the year when I should be mowing shorter (probably spring and early summer) to make sure the weeds get cut before going to seed. Then as the season goes on, let the grass grow longer to keep that deep root structure to survive droughts without going dormant.

[Learning to Farm]

First Mistake

I earned my �armer-lite title this past weekend and I have the farmer痴 tan (sunburn) to go with it. I planted something!!! I don稚 know if it will grow with all the rain we are getting, but I did it!

I also made my first mistake, a slightly large one but fixablish. So that snazzy spreadsheet that I have, has the amount of seed I needed. It was supposed to multiply the number of lbs of seed by the acres in the field to get total seed per field. Well, instead of multiplying the acres column it looked at the column for manure total per field (four times the number of acres). I bought approximately 4X the amount of seed that I needed !!! I ordered 18 50# bags of seed when all I needed was 7 (6.5 really, but you can稚 order half bags), this was after I upped it from 20lbs per acre to 30lbs, which is the high end of the Steve's recommendation! I have 10 bags of seed that I had to call Joe and ask if I could return. I could see where he could say no, but he didn稚 whew .

Want to know how I figured it out? I had set the settings on the seeder, and loaded 175 lbs of seed into it (what I thought was the right amount for the 2.4 acre field, I really needed 100lbs less than that) and went out to seed. 4 hours later (and 6 passes over the same spot) the hopper was not even a 1/3 empty. I decided to call it a day and went home and re-read the seeder manual (even though, I felt like I followed the instructions). Tossed and turned it all night. Woke up the next morning (at 5:30 to go out to seed more) and thought to look at the spreadsheet and voila, there it was!

The rest of the seeding was pretty unremarkable. Just tired, sore and sunburnt !

Total time on both tractors (mowing, seeding fescue and wheat): ~32 hrs!

Hope your weekend was as great as mine. Keep your fingers crossed for my seed!

Cheers from the sun burnt bad math �armer-lite?

PS- One of the people that live on the property was upset because I started the tractor and was mowing at 7 am, I said çš„ guess that is what living on a real farm is like! It was not the owners, he gets up a 3am for his job, so I am not too worried about it, haha. Monday Friday I work 9-5, on Saturday and Sunday its 5-9!