Farm Field Rehab for Fescue

   / Farm Field Rehab for Fescue #11  
Plowing is not always as effective as it seem, sometime necessary but in your case it's not. Keep mowing it and with seeding and proper soil health (fertilization/nutriment and PH) it will take over and suppress the weeds. Plowing is only necessary when brush are taking over or when you need to work the field drainage/groundwork (smooth out bumpy or uneven ground). The first field I did was 16 acres and I plowed the whole thing because it was overgrown with brush, it turn out very good, I have a few section with weeds due to poor soil nutriment in some area, I mow these area and keep seeding it to suppress them, weeds love poor soil ... Below is my second field, its 14 acres, the fist section in red I plowed late 2022 (September/October) since it was starting to grow with brush and small conifer, I plowed to removes these roots, with heavy seeding and fertilizing (seeded early summer 2023) it turn out very well (minimum weeds) by summer 2024. The section in blue I plowed in spring of 2024 I seeded it in mid summer, might have cheeped out in fertilizer (I will apply a other spread this spring) It is still early since we didn't get a whole lot of rain but this section the weeds got into it more then usual (I think), I will have lots of work pulling these out this spring/summer but it's still early to tell it might turn out... Since the blue section got more weeds that I anticipating and since the pink section had minimum overgrowth I did minimum tilling. (simply disking the hell out of it to expose the dirt) I don't have a drill so I spread my seeds with a rotary spreader, it works but it's not as effective as a drill (more waste). This section is ready to seed and fertilize this spring, I will see how this turn out by end of next summer.

Bottom line is it takes time depending on the amount of rain you get its a slow process but it's even longer if you plow, you will need more fertilizer and a many more working hours if you plow plus weeds will/can still get to it.



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   / Farm Field Rehab for Fescue #12  
Dataway, you might find some USDA resources to help with your land restoration at: Farm Answers
Dad spoke with the local office about building a pond on our farm. I think they paid most of the total cost, including the required woven wire fence around the pond.

I remember dad attending a USDA farm school under the GI bill about 1952. He took me with him every time he could, I still remember some of what was taught all those years ago, because I found it very interesting.
Does anyone know if that program still exists?
Contact your local USDA Farm Services or NRCS office to see if they offer any short courses or literature on the topics you’re interested in.
 
   / Farm Field Rehab for Fescue #13  
are you friends with any neighbors that farm in that area. They would potentially have some advice on works best on your soil types. What works on the heavy soil in northern Illinois may not work in Tennessee.

Maybe check with some local farmers cooperatives for some advice and they might be associated with the USDA.
 
   / Farm Field Rehab for Fescue #14  
   / Farm Field Rehab for Fescue #15  
What app/program did you use to make that map? We have 38 acres for hunting, and the SIL wants to map it out like that.

yeah knowing wont help you lol.... I used the drafting program from work called AutoCAD and I print screen maps from google map and paste them on AutoCAD, scale them to scale and used them.
 
   / Farm Field Rehab for Fescue #17  
yeah knowing wont help you lol.... I used the drafting program from work called AutoCAD and I print screen maps from google map and paste them on AutoCAD, scale them to scale and used them.
Thanks. I only used AutoCAD once or twice, but that was years ago and don't have access anymore anyway... We'll look into the GIS suggestion.
 
   / Farm Field Rehab for Fescue #18  
If/when you have wet areas in a field, use a sub-soiler implement as deep as your tractor will pull it. This breaks up the hard-pan that traps water between it and the surface.
Of course you must catch a dry-spell to do this or you leave it in worse condition.
After a few days the ground disturbance will settle down and be practically invisible. Or, if you prefer, just drive over the disturbed ground and flatten it down
 
   / Farm Field Rehab for Fescue #19  
Thanks. I only used AutoCAD once or twice, but that was years ago and don't have access anymore anyway... We'll look into the GIS suggestion.
try Web Soil Survey from USDA-NRCS. You zoom right in on your farm and create an Area Of Interest with the online tools that allow you to delineate your farm parcel boundaries, then pull the soil data for custom mapping. There is a lot of data so spend time with it. Very useful.

 

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