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

[Farmer Roy]

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/02/business/climate-change-soil-dirt.html

 

[Treg]

Well, you give me plenty of inspiration.

Me too @Farmer Roy .

 

[Treg]

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/02/business/climate-change-soil-dirt.html

Another brilliant post , simply put will print it off & send to my local school.
Glad to hear the Californians are realizing they have to protect their soils & will pay for it.

 

[onesiedale]

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/02/business/climate-change-soil-dirt.html

How is it that the NY Times is one of the few main stream media groups that seems to have grasped some of the fundamentals of what's really needed?
Over recent months, that was one of a number of similar articles they have put out. They must have some holistic thinking within their editorial team.

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

Inspiration - you are too kind. I've been called worse things on TFF

"Water off a duck's back" comes to mind

Things have been a bit difficult the last couple of years here in northern NSW

Understatement of the decade

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

How is it that the NY Times is one of the few main stream media groups that seems to have grasped some of the fundamentals of what's really needed?
Over recent months, that was one of a number of similar articles they have put out. They must have some holistic thinking within their editorial team.

Could you see OUR Times printing that?

 

[onesiedale]

Could you see OUR Times printing that?

mmm let me think
. . .
Trouble is that, it isn't really a laughing matter. Until there is some serious journalistic discussion on the matter, it's just playing to the popular public 'vote' that gains any coverage.
When there is a high profile coverage of someone, who is 'popular'and respected nationally, speaking /discussing the whole holistic debate, then, the tide will start to turn.
@martian
Has David Attenborough been sent an invite and tickets to Groundswell? ?

 

[Farmer Roy]

"Water off a duck's back" comes to mind

Nah, it's just part of my personal firewall & online persona
Along with the drinking & swearing

I'm actually quite a gentle & sensitive soul if you meet me in person, which probably underpins some of my environmental opinions & feeling of "connection to country". To me, land is almost a spiritual thing, not just a $$$ asset . . .

 

[Kiwi Pete]

I can relate to that .

 

[Crofter64]

Another brilliant post , simply put will print it off & send to my local school.
Glad to hear the Californians are realizing they have to protect their soils & will pay for it.

Too bad ‘overgrazing’ , with stock of course, came before over tillage in the list of soil damaging practices. Its an anti animals -who -work -for -a -living world out there.

 

[Bury the Trash]

Yes, the drill was a big investment for us, but it has proved a really useful tool for forage crops and ease of use means that it gets used for the grass as well. There are no contractors in this area who believe in direct drilling, they all want to plough and power harrow , (nearest DD contractor is an hour away) so given that we probably cover 100 acres plus /year with it on balance it was a worthwhile buy.
As for harrows, we don't have any, and fertiizer spinner doesn't work well with seed. It was a big mistake getting rid of the old wagtail

My problem with those drills when sowing grass seed is the gaps even with cross drilling which would be twice the wearing work anyway.
different matter drilling forage crops that drills are actually better for.
or I guess the exception could be a tightly cropped sward not sprayed and new grass seed drilled in overseeding style .

Yes everybody had them years ago..... but I bought one back a few years ago less than £400 with only a few low cost repairs needed similar time to buying a brand new 5m einbock for 2k.

cant beat good quick cover.

#veryexpensivemachinerydontimprovemylot

 

[Henarar]

we used to drill in a diamond pattern not directly across

 

[Treg]

Just came in the post, a bit of light reading.

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

View attachment 797118 Just came in the post, a bit of light reading.

Post a short review once you've read it?

 

[Treg]

Post a short review once you've read it?

Will do, it was recommended to me by my Ai man. It's £4.99 but only 52 pages.
I've had a quick flick through & I'd say it's written for farmers as some of the other Homoeopathy books I've read have been long winded & I've ended up confused (easily done ) but this one is straight to the point & easy to follow.

 

[Bury the Trash]

we used to drill in a diamond pattern not directly across

That's right good lad, common sense that would be.
Still a second pass though and with a rather large tractor on a drill like that.

We find even multiple passes with smaller tractors dont cause as much damage as with the trendy massive ones used these days.

One of the big issues of the day is that tractors and kit is way too big and heavy.
Those building it and selling it wouldnt mind either way.

#compactiondonthelpmygrassgrow

 

[Doc]

Water anyone?

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

That's right good lad, common sense that would be.
Still a second pass though and with a rather large tractor on a drill like that.

We find even multiple passes with smaller tractors dont cause as much damage as with the trendy massive ones used these days.

One of the big issues of the day is that tractors and kit is way too big and heavy.
Those building it and selling it wouldnt mind either way.

#compactiondonthelpmygrassgrow

I've often drilled grass seed like that with our old Accord DA 6M with the coulter springs disconnected. On a 90hp tractor on duals the ground pressures are low, the work rate is high and the seed spreads well. The metering is much more precise than a disc spreader as well.

 

[Henarar]

That's right good lad, common sense that would be.
Still a second pass though and with a rather large tractor on a drill like that.

We find even multiple passes with smaller tractors dont cause as much damage as with the trendy massive ones used these days.

One of the big issues of the day is that tractors and kit is way too big and heavy.
Those building it and selling it wouldnt mind either way.

#compactiondonthelpmygrassgrow

Dad laughed at a young lad that said he needed a big tractor to pull the subsoiler

 

[martian]

mmm let me think
. . .
Trouble is that, it isn't really a laughing matter. Until there is some serious journalistic discussion on the matter, it's just playing to the popular public 'vote' that gains any coverage.
When there is a high profile coverage of someone, who is 'popular'and respected nationally, speaking /discussing the whole holistic debate, then, the tide will start to turn.
@martian
Has David Attenborough been sent an invite and tickets to Groundswell? ?

No, but we'll give it a go. Got a few movers and shakers coming along anyway.