Pasture Maintenance

[Wingnut]

Hey, way to go, Muhammad ... new site looks great!

Since nobodies responded yet ... I thought I'd back to the old site, copy this and ressurect it here ... 'course I'll be more patient this time - as I have to zip over to Europe for 10 days ... hopefully SOMEONE will have some clues for me when I get back.

OK, what I said ...

ok ... now that we've exhausted the 3 dog night stuff ... I could use some conversation on 4 horse days. Especially on 4 miniature horse days (no, not the days, the horses). When we moved to Michigan 2 years ago, I found this 8 acre place close to work ... and it had several fenced pastures, a corral and a barn ... so I gave my wife those minis she'd always wanted.
Anyway ... this is about the pasture ... not really the horses. The cluck that built this place had been farming but decided to retire and use the back lot as a RV storage place. So he made some money selling off the topsoil ... and then changed his mind. So ... I find this out by stumbling over drainage tube out there (I'm the third owner, previous paid scant attention to the pasture) and asking questions. Last year prompted me to finally get a new tractor to (as a start) cut down the weeds - including a fantastic crop of 7 ft high sweet clover.
I've already tilled the first (worst) 3 acre pasture and it looks like mostly sandy soil with some clay and none of the black dirt I'm used to.
OK ... finally, the question. Besides seeding it with high nitrogen stuff like grass and clover that won't adversely affect the horses ... and besides shredding and spreading the manure out there ... what can I do to make the soil properly arable??



too bad that common sense ain't

 

[PBMAX]

Wingnut,I just bought 8.8 acres and will be improving the soil (6acres of it is reclaim)over the next couple of years.It needs (per soil test)3.5 tons of lime per acre!!!Imagine the cloud from that one.As to your question the oldtimer at work told me to through out Peas of any type.He says they give back to the soil...?He says they die off in about 4-5 months..Don't know about this. But I'm sure someone out there can tell us.Besides I'm sure all the deer hunters will love me for all the fat deer this winter. dad burn it still can't do the faces...

 

[Muhammad]

Check the 'FAQ' - you need to use markup ---there are plenty of faces to choose from! /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

<font color=blue>>></font color=blue>Muhammad
<font color=blue>Administrator</font color=blue>

 

[MChalkley]

PBurns, try clicking on the words markup in your posts just above the Username field on any message composition screen. It will take you to a page that shows you how to do the faces and bold text, etc. Then hit your 'Back' button to get back to the message you were typing./w3tcompact/icons/cool.gif

 

[Wil]

/w3tcompact/icons/cool.gifYeah, the oltimers advice about peas is good. They are legumes, which are nitrogen fixers, an excellent "green manure". Alfalfa is also. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Wil

 

[Anonymous Poster]

First I would contact you state/county ag extension office and get a soil test kit from them. Then once you have the results they can give you alternative methods to improve whatever needs to be improved. They help farmers all the time.

 

[Budinohio]

PBurns: Be careful applying more than 2-ton of lime at one time or in one season . Here in Ohio lime is known too cause compaction ( makes soil come together) if put on to heavy. Might want to check with extention office, elevator, etc. to see if they recommend split applications. Bud.

 

[jyoutz]

Tom's advice is right on the money. Really anything you do without a soil analysis is just guessing. Although I do think that what you're currently doing can't help but to improve the situation.

 

[PBMAX]

Wingnut,The soil test I hAD DONE WAS CHEAP for the amount of info..$8 bucks per test(including shipping) and each test is good for so many acres...They supplied the container with decsent instructions.I sent mine in kinda early. i called the testing center and they mentioned that late feb to early march the farmers tend to start sending in thier samples.This of course can add to the time it takes to get the sample results back..Plus it was definatly informative. Fella that did mine was very helpfull.He made all kinds of notes and recommedations.on top of the basic sample in formation.Based on what I said I was planning to do...

Good luck....

Lil' Paul

 

[PBMAX]

Bud, A little compacting might not be a baaaaad thing.I may have mentioned about 6 acres is reclaimed.(stripp mined) but has had twelve yrs to settle and have yet to find any evendence of sink holes...The soil is very sandy or silty may be a better word.Looks like it has a little clay in it.My point being That with after a good week of drying i still nearly got a 4x4 L3010 stuck on flat ground. Need less to say the soil is a bit soft.All the same I will keep it in mind (soil compacting that is).......

Thanks for the heads up....

Lil' Paul