- Location
- West Somerset
In answer to the op's question, Rest. Plenty of it between rotations
big quote, just because you can't do, doesn't mean everybody else can't. And ploughing, destroys soil structure, we find it very cost effective, but, hey ho, each to his own,Overseeding is the biggest waste of time and money, never works. A plough is surely the best implement.
If conditions and timing are correct it works beautifully, if not its like burning £50 notes.Iv never done it put still think it's a waste of time, a neighbour did 30 acres with a special machine years ago, really no difference at all. I would like to see a before and after pic of a field.
Second picture shows my wedges of wood used for corner posts, easy to knock in on stoney ground, doesn’t matter if they snap and light enough that carrying 10 on the bike doesn’t take up any room.
View attachment 856049View attachment 856048
I just use a steel RAPPA stake, set about where your wooden peg is, and a length of twine similar (unless a hedge plant is near enough to use instead).
i must be the ot one to use the Rappa galv corner posts then...
Puroforts are better than Noras in this regard. Something to do with the type of plastic they make em of.
Standing on one foot also helps (and helps more people think you've lost the plot completely, as if touching a live fence wasn't enough...).
Helped one of the lads fix a broken wire today, just by the lead out cable from the energiser. Caught a couple of belts at 6.9kV while standing in wet mud. Fairly sure I now have a hole in the sole of both boots.Lesson learned here-- stand on the foot that hasn't got a hole in sole of the boot.
With regards to thd electric, it's relevant to us asAnother vote for grazing.
Has to be sheep - they are the greatest of all grassland improvers. They'll wipe out a lot of weeds, and they'll feed the grass.
You just need to know when to graze hard, and when to rest.
I don't bugger about with electric fences- fields are the size they are for a reason (dry stane dykes)
A fertiliser spreader, and 20 ton of 20 10 10 helps any grass field.
Hi all..
We run a mixed arable and beef farm, with both permanent 'old school' pasture meadows and 3 to 5 year lays in the arable rotation.
Currently we don't do much in the way of grassland maintenance, maybe some occasional rolling but nothing intensive..
I would like to improve the grassland a bit, and have been considering harrowing, slitting etc
What, if any, would be the best machine to start with to give the most noticeable improvement?
All fert indices and kept up, ph is monitored and lime applied where necessary. Not much FYM applied as it tends to head towards the arable rotation!
Chain harrows,
Tine harrows,
Slitters / spikes,
Rolls
Anything else ??
Are any worth bothering with in the long run
A flock of sheep or take some in for winter
A fertiliser spreader, and 20 ton of 20 10 10 helps any grass field.
That could be my dad... but he can't use a computer !That’s really quite scary, imho.?
Sounds not too bad if its a 160 acre field, ...2 1/2 cwt an acreThat’s really quite scary, imho.? You’re not a fertiliser salesman by any chance?
In short, all the softcock comments about animal love and welfare NEED TO BE APPLIED to how we see our soils and pastures, we need to love these equally or better than the animals that graze on it.