Bracken for bedding

[nt farm]

Hi all. A couple of questions for those who farm common ground on or around brecon. We are on holiday up here and have been walking today around the national park visitor centre. There was a lot of bracken that had been mowed, some was rowed up and some was bailed.

It all seemed very dry so was surprised that more was not baled or is it a crop that needs to be very dry (dryer than hay) to prevent it warming up in the bale.

What do you use to mow in as I don't think I would want to put my disc mower over the ground with all the rocks and the uneveness. If it a drum do you need to extend the bottom plate to give a cut height of about 3" and avoid hitting the rocks.

And finally who ever mowed it did a great job missing 99% of the gorse but there was some in the cut crop and in the bales do the spikes cause a problem with the cattle when they lay down.

Cheers from a interested farmer.

 

[Fendt516profi]

Read about a man using it to make compost

 

[nt farm]

Oh I just assumed it was bedding as I couldn't see much arable ground where we are staying and cost of moving straw could be costly. My straw goes down the Devon and Cornwall not across the bridge but it adds cost to beef sector.

 

[Fendt516profi]

It could well be bedding but recently read the article where a farmer was mixing it with wool and making a compost he was buying it in from other farmer's to

 

[nt farm]

I that case I don't suppose it matters if it is too dry.

 

[Fendt516profi]

How one farmer adds value with ‘worthless’ wool and bracken - Farmers Weekly

Bracken is a scourge for many hill farmers, eating up valuable grazing land, providing an ideal habit for ticks, and proving difficult to control. But a

www.fwi.co.uk

 

[nt farm]

Just read article. Genius. What a great idea. Just a shame the wool is not being use for carpets, insulation etc where we can also reduce carbon footprint and use less oil.

 

[The Seeker]

read on the forum you will be spreading bracken seed on your fields when you much out the sheds, can't confirm or deny but id be cautious

 

[nt farm]

I was not looking to do it my self I was just interested in the process because of the weather at present and could see no activity in rowing up or baleing. Being a traditional mixed farm I have all the bedding straw I need and a use for any failed malting barley for the beef cattle. The ewes also have a part it rotation and fertility of the soil.

 

[Macsky]

If you can cut and bale your bracken, you really shouldn’t have any bracken!

 

[Pistonbroke]

It's mostly common land and baled for bedding. Our side of our common you're risking any machinery from rocks,the other side I've seen people mowing with a ten foot mower conditioner and rowing up with a twin rotor rake

 

[Y Fan Wen]

read on the forum you will be spreading bracken seed on your fields when you much out the sheds, can't confirm or deny but id be cautious

Spores, not seeds. Can't see it being a problem as you either cut for forage or plough for crops which would destroy it.

 

[nt farm]

No bracken on my wiltshire boys ground just thistles. Ahhhhhhhh.

Pistonbroke. With the weather as it is, is it just other work taking priority or am I missing something as the crop was dry even on the think stems as far as I could feel but not being baled. How well does I sock up liquid and where do you dare spread it in the spring or just leave in heaps to rot for a year to prevent seed spread.

 

[nt farm]

Y fan wen. Ignore last post as just read yours

 

[hill farmer]

read on the forum you will be spreading bracken seed on your fields when you much out the sheds, can't confirm or deny but id be cautious

We've been baling it for 6-7 yrs now, no sign of bracken growing in our fields, all muck being spread on silage/ hay fields
All the bracken( fern we call it) that I know that is baled is on common land, think @wr. bales a bit

 

[Hilly]

As said if you can get on with tackle why is it still their lol

 

[Pistonbroke]

No bracken on my wiltshire boys ground just thistles. Ahhhhhhhh.

Pistonbroke. With the weather as it is, is it just other work taking priority or am I missing something as the crop was dry even on the think stems as far as I could feel but not being baled. How well does I sock up liquid and where do you dare spread it in the spring or just leave in heaps to rot for a year to prevent seed spread.

Guessing other things to do. If it's too dry it goes brittle and crumbles I think. Several people out baling in the dark tonight in sight of here

 

[nt farm]

We will be going past the common on our way to the walk we plan to do tomorrow. I will see if any was done tonight.

 

[Pistonbroke]

As said if you can get on with tackle why is it still their lol

If its common land,all you're allowed to do is bale it for your own use,not to sell. Our hill has been sprayed with asulox and helicopter in places too awkward to cut but there's a hardcore who want their free patch to cut. Price of straw it looks ok this year

 

[Devil's advocate]

How one farmer adds value with ‘worthless’ wool and bracken - Farmers Weekly

Bracken is a scourge for many hill farmers, eating up valuable grazing land, providing an ideal habit for ticks, and proving difficult to control. But a

www.fwi.co.uk

No such thing as a free lunch.

The land having the bracken removed must be stripped of all nutrients