Why is this holistic?Does anyone know whether this will be a problem....? Is it safe to graze Phacelia with beef cattle?
Will be drilled this week, then grazed in June/July, but could be ensiled instead if necessary. Herbal ley will then be zero tilled into the aftermath.
Tia,
Tim
This is a farm that is following the Salatin/Savory/Brown methods using Mob grazing and herbal leys, followed by mobile chicken hotels behind the cattle. The field in question was due for conversion from Arable to herbal ley, but since the season has been so dry, we are looking to drill an alternative and cheaper cover now, following holistic ideals of carbon sequestration, and a more natural approach to building the soil biota, and then, when the conditions are more suitable, drilling the originally intended herbal ley. The question is whether the Phacelia will cause any problem to the cattle, as we would obviously like to be able to mob graze it before drilling the herbal ley. Cutting it would partially defeat the object, but would allow us to at least get some stages of the holistic/regen ag process started now.Why is this holistic?
I wasn't having a go, just wondering what was holistic. I think I understand now just I thought you would have had more responses in the livestock section. As an aside I'm not sure the word holistic has particularly positive connotations in my or many other farmer's minds. Though I am sure you didn't decide to use it!This is a farm that is following the Salatin/Savory/Brown methods using Mob grazing and herbal leys, followed by mobile chicken hotels behind the cattle. The field in question was due for conversion from Arable to herbal ley, but since the season has been so dry, we are looking to drill an alternative and cheaper cover now, following holistic ideals of carbon sequestration, and a more natural approach to building the soil biota, and then, when the conditions are more suitable, drilling the originally intended herbal ley. The question is whether the Phacelia will cause any problem to the cattle, as we would obviously like to be able to mob graze it before drilling the herbal ley. Cutting it would partially defeat the object, but would allow us to at least get some stages of the holistic/regen ag process started now.
Given that one definition of holistic management itself is :"a process of decision-making and planning that gives people the insights and management tools needed to understand nature", and that we are in the decision making process ref. The Phacelia, planning process wrt getting the herbal ley in, and trying to understand how the Phacelia might affect one aspect of nature - The beef cattle, I can't think how any of this is anything other than a holistic question? However, if the mods feel that it ought to be moved, I'll more than happily accept.
I wasn't having a go, just wondering what was holistic. I think I understand now just I thought you would have had more responses in the livestock section. As an aside I'm not sure the word holistic has particularly positive connotations in my or many other farmer's minds. Though I am sure you didn't decide to use it!
Well I will look in here more often..........I loathe the term....it's awful.
Sorry if that came over a bit strong - I did take it as a bit of a dig, I suppose. I thought of the livestock section, but though it more appropriate in the "Holistic" section....
This is some work that we are doing for some near neighbours. It's actually quite fascinating & the more I look, the more I understand about things that wouldn't normally cross my mind....I really do just wish that there was a different name for "Holistic", that wasn't already in use elsewhere.
As an aside I'm not sure the word holistic has particularly positive connotations in my or many other farmer's minds
There's a nice interview with Allan Savory in the current issue of Acres USA in which he talks about General Smuts who coined the term holistic, very interesting man Smuts.
But back to the OP, you might have a bit of trouble getting the cattle to eat peas, beans and phacelia without something a bit blander to wash it down with. When we've grazed cover crops with these in, they tend to go for grasses first and peas, eating beans and phacelia when other options have gone. Not sure how nutritious/poisonous phacelia is, but I'd say it was an acquired taste, but then so is chicory so who knows?
There's a nice interview with Allan Savory in the current issue of Acres USA in which he talks about General Smuts who coined the term holistic, very interesting man Smuts.
@Timbo1080How did you get on with grazing your phacelia ?
@edwhite