Posted by Bob in SD on May 29, 2018 at 15:01:08 from (137.216.209.56):
Hi All,
I've got 5-6 acres of grass that I normally just mow once or twice a year and spray for thistles. It seems like I should be putting it to better use. I've got lots of spare time in the summer months (say, May-August), but not during the winter.
When I mow (rotary 3-point mower) the grass ends up piled almost in windrows, which causes the grass underneath to die and thistles then grow. I spray Curtail or 2,4d in the fall, and maybe spot spray an acre or so earlier if thistles look bad. For several years a friend hayed it off, and for several years after that another friend had sheep (30 ewes after lambing couldn't eat all the grass in a summer). With the sheep we had electric netting so I could move them around as they finished grazing an area. They'd eat thistles and all, so I just spot sprayed those years and didn't really have a thistle issue.
I hate to see the grass going to waste. I'm not trying to make any/much money, but don't want to lose a lot either. Again, I have lots of time in the summer but would rather not have too many critter related chores in the winter. Fence would need repaired if I put a cow/steer out there (but I like the taste of beef over mutton,and oughta fix the fence anyway).
What are my options?
1) Mow more often so grass doesn't pile up? I'm trying to mow after the grass goes to seed but before the thistles bloom (so late June here)? Should I do it more often? This might help with the thistle, but still seems wasteful.
2) Have somebody hay it? I don't really even need shares, but would I then need to fertilize? There's some thistle mixed in, so not everybody would want it anyway (at first). I've got some trees in rows at various places, so it's not wide open. More like 2-3 1-acre lots and a 3 acre plot.
3) Sheep/goats? The neighbors have sheep. I kinda know what that involves over the summer at least. I'm thinking of asking the neighbor about 1/2 mile away if he'd want to move them over there for the summer, but he has permanent fences (not the movable nets) and I wouldn't want to build permanent $heep pens all over my place. He also only has 10 or so sheep, so they probably wouldn't make to big of a dent. Still willing to consider, I guess?
4) Any likely options for keeping calf/steer just for the summer? Do I bite the bullet and get set up for a steer year round?
Any and all advice considered and appreciated! Thanks,
Upload one or more videos to your post. Photo filesizes should be less than 300K and Videos, less than 2MB. Formats allowed are gif, jpg, png, ogg, mp4, mov, and avi. Be sure to use filenames without spaces or special characters, and filetypes of 3 digits lower case.
We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]
Today's Featured Article - Listening to Your Tractor - by Curtis Von Fange. Years ago there was a TV show about a talking car. Unless you are from another planet, physically or otherwise, I don’t think our internal combustion buddies will talk and tell us their problems. But, on the other hand, there is a secret language that our mechanical companions readily do speak. It is an interesting form of communication that involves all the senses of the listener. In this series we are going to investigate and learn the basic rudimentary skills of understanding this lingo.
... [Read Article]
Latest Ad:
2022 John Deere 5045E, 4wd, front end loader and 3rd function with grapple. 120 hrs, 55k new, must sell
[More Ads]
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy
TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.
