"Improving Our Lot" - Planned Holistic Grazing, for starters..

Kiwi Pete

Member
Livestock Farmer
You're good at checking up on folks. A real mate:)
People are too important not to care about.... ?

I think the thing I remember often is, when I was down and someone asks how I am, I'll just say "fine, thanks, and how are you".
It's polite to not tell the truth..... which, numerous times, would have involved me saying that life is horrible and I'd just love it to all stop ?

So, I'm acutely aware of just how it is to feel completely and utterly lost, broken, helpless, and full of self-blame - in short (as per post #1 on this thread) I really do care about you guys - all of you.

I do notice when people are absent for a while, but then I know myself that TFF's gloom and doom is pretty toxic if you're not in the right place to deal with it, and a bit of time to "stick to your knitting" can be as good as a tonic (y)
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Life is beautiful
 

bendigeidfran

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Cei newydd
People are too important not to care about.... ?

I think the thing I remember often is, when I was down and someone asks how I am, I'll just say "fine, thanks, and how are you".
It's polite to not tell the truth..... which, numerous times, would have involved me saying that life is horrible and I'd just love it to all stop ?

So, I'm acutely aware of just how it is to feel completely and utterly lost, broken, helpless, and full of self-blame - in short (as per post #1 on this thread) I really do care about you guys - all of you.

I do notice when people are absent for a while, but then I know myself that TFF's gloom and doom is pretty toxic if you're not in the right place to deal with it, and a bit of time to "stick to your knitting" can be as good as a tonic (y)View attachment 892083
Life is beautiful
Maybe some feel better for having a moan on tff, easier to type a message than talk?‍♂️
Maybe it is just me but i dont see the gloom and doom, but this is one of the most positive thread's on the forum, reason i joined.
 

Whitewalker

Member
I do see a bit of gloom but it's probably because I always "look for the motive" or "read between the lines" or maybe even look for what isn't being said.

An awful lot of people need to take more responsibility for where they're at and stop shifting 'blame' onto the system - we are the system

You can't improve much if you can't see any improvements can be made, I think is what grinds my cogs, some people are like talking to a wall but I know not to waste energy in lengthy debates anymore ?
Well another wee change this morning we have added another plastic trough to the current grazing field and closed access to last night’s graze on the cows platform. Should get 4 feeds out of it with the trough in the middle of the field. #little steps
 

Kiwi Pete

Member
Livestock Farmer
Well another wee change this morning we have added another plastic trough to the current grazing field and closed access to last night’s graze on the cows platform. Should get 4 feeds out of it with the trough in the middle of the field. #little steps
I fully appreciate baby steps - I think it's absolutely crucial to do things your own way at your own pace.

Otherwise you don't get time to see what tweak effects what change, ie you don't get "your learning" out of it, like reading about a science experiment as opposed to doing a science experiment?

That's one thing that, in hindsight, I could have made more of a deal of right the way through this thread - tread your own path, don't just think "well, it's working for Kiwi Pete so it will work here" because I have a pretty unique set of circumstances.
I have such low costs that I need not sell much product to break even, the main driver to have good numbers is so I can "change" what I want to change

I still want to end up with a cow/calf operation one day but I can't afford it to be yet, as it just isn't flexible enough for our current "way", so I have to make concessions and delay that.
You good folk in family farming operations have it a lot different
Dairy farms have it different again, as do the predominantly sheep breeding operations.

Follow my recipe too closely and it will break your business, not to say that the principles don't hold true. (y)
 

Samcowman

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Cornwall
Right then I’ve got a conundrum for the assembled brainstrust!!!
I’ve got a permanent pasture field that has historically been silage then grazed. It’s really not doing the job for either anymore. So it is going to be taken out of the silage cut for the future anyway. I was thinking to speed it’s recovery up to spray it off and direct drill a diverse winter feed crop in which would help my other target of keeping cows out for extra long into the winter. I would be looking at putting some of the fast growing brassica type seeds in there along with some quick growing legumes and cheap cereals to give it extra bulk and diversity for feeding. A bit of everything really all doing different jobs. Ideally also have some grasses in there which would still be there as the reseed next year but realise this may be a bit hopefull to get a winter feed crop and the reseed all in one mix.
What would everyone have in their mixture?
 

Crofter64

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Quebec, Canada
Right then I’ve got a conundrum for the assembled brainstrust!!!
I’ve got a permanent pasture field that has historically been silage then grazed. It’s really not doing the job for either anymore. So it is going to be taken out of the silage cut for the future anyway. I was thinking to speed it’s recovery up to spray it off and direct drill a diverse winter feed crop in which would help my other target of keeping cows out for extra long into the winter. I would be looking at putting some of the fast growing brassica type seeds in there along with some quick growing legumes and cheap cereals to give it extra bulk and diversity for feeding. A bit of everything really all doing different jobs. Ideally also have some grasses in there which would still be there as the reseed next year but realise this may be a bit hopefull to get a winter feed crop and the reseed all in one mix.
What would everyone have in their mixture?
I can’t counsel you on reseeding but have you thought of partly out wintering on that piece, feeding hay there and letting it reseed itself? It would add a lot of fertility
 

awkward

Member
Location
kerry ireland
What i have done is after my first cut is broadcast forage rape to bulk crop and hopefully be their for some grazing later on ,plan after second cut is to topdress again with more rape and crimson clover, maybe some oats aswell
 

Henarar

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Somerset

Henarar

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Somerset
Maybe some feel better for having a moan on tff, easier to type a message than talk?‍♂️
Maybe it is just me but i dont see the gloom and doom, but this is one of the most positive thread's on the forum, reason i joined.
I don't really see the doom and gloom either but I know Pete and Roy have said about it, perhaps its a British thing, happy having a good moan
 

Samcowman

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Cornwall
I can’t counsel you on reseeding but have you thought of partly out wintering on that piece, feeding hay there and letting it reseed itself? It would add a lot of fertility
You are right and if I had some round bales of hay available I would probably bale graze them in the field as well. I do like the idea of having some deep roots in there such as sunflowers and also stubble turnips to help break up the soil and aerate it to a decent depth.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 80 42.3%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 66 34.9%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 15.9%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 7 3.7%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

  • 1,292
  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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