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

[texas pete]

Same here, our 'average' always lies, our rain is plentiful, just crams itself into corners instead of being spread through the year.

On paper it looks like we should get 70-120 mm each month, in reality it now varies between 5 and 350mm.
So you either adapt, or moan a lot - only one of those pays.
Instead of grazing 10 times, I want to graze 5 times a year, this halves the risk and the cost

"Adapt or moan a lot".

Isn't that the official TFF motto that we all swear allegiance to on joining the forum?

 

[Henarar]

Same here, our 'average' always lies, our rain is plentiful, just crams itself into corners instead of being spread through the year.

On paper it looks like we should get 70-120 mm each month, in reality it now varies between 5 and 350mm.
So you either adapt, or moan a lot - only one of those pays.
Instead of grazing 10 times, I want to graze 5 times a year, this halves the risk and the cost

I do both adapt and moan a lot as well as a fair bit of cussing and swearing
One pays the other's make you feel better and fill the time

 

[Henarar]

"Adapt or moan a lot".

Isn't that the official TFF motto that we all swear allegiance to on joining the forum?

No TFF Motto was is and always will be
"TFF, JOIN THE ARGUMENT"

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Load a brick in your handbag and log in....


I have gained a lot out of "justifying my position", all the same, it will prevent early-onset Alzheimer's.
To be a good liar, you need a great memory.....

The underlying theme seems to be "grow two blades of grass where one grew before", funny that the goal is also the problem

 

[Farmer Roy]

Yet.

As somebody said "The times, they are a-changin"

Our area here was always considered “safe”, or “inside” country

in over 30 years active involvement in agriculture, I’ve never experienced such sustained conditions as this

the first half of my farming career was dominated by floods & wet weather

just because it has always rained in the past doesn’t mean it will rain tomorrow . . .

 

[Henarar]

Our area here was always considered “safe”, or “inside” country

in over 30 years active involvement in agriculture, I’ve never experienced such sustained conditions as this

the first half of my farming career was dominated by floods & wet weather

just because it has always rained in the past doesn’t mean it will rain tomorrow . . .

but with the same will it stay dry

 

[Fenwick]

Yet.

As somebody said "The times, they are a-changin"

"Adapt or moan a lot".

Isn't that the official TFF motto that we all swear allegiance to on joining the forum?

Things are changing here alright. We didn't have any rain for three months this summer. For the first time ever I've seen irrigationsystems in these parts. Vineyards are popping up here and there. We have record temperatures every year and this year temperatures rose over 37C for several days twice. We are having to adapt to this. Those using pasture can at least play with seed mixes. The boys on maize just suffer.

To put things in perspective I am only about 250kms or so south of @Henarar.

 

[awkward]

We are finding it similar here over the last few years. Much dryer than norm and we are on some very dry land but thanks to Pete and Roy we have learned a lot in how to manage pasture and improve our water cycle in our situation

 

[awkward]

To add it just goes to show what an influence the right kind of people can have in life

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Thanks, I've found exactly the same - it's that diversity thing, eh? Diversity of experience

Blaithin and Roy and Karl may all have completely different climates and operations - but it's how we get them to work more reliably that matters.

And, what also matters is that those same basic principles apply everywhere, it doesn't matter whether you have "the wettest farm in the UK" or trying to survive a drought and prevent your land becoming desert - those same principles apply.

 

[Blaithin]

It’s funny because here it’s hard to get people to grow more than one species because they “compete for water”. Trying to get a jump on the idea of growing cover to retain moisture, protect soil and increase infiltration can be a losing battle.

In the UK where they so often suffer from too much water, you would think they’d want as many different plants as possible to compete for that water and utilize as much of it as possible. Plus increase infiltration.

I’m not sure I’ve ever heard a UK person talk about competition for water. I wonder if that’s something that’s even in their mindset compared to farmers in more arid environments who tend to focus on it.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

It’s funny because here it’s hard to get people to grow more than one species because they “compete for water”. Trying to get a jump on the idea of growing cover to retain moisture, protect soil and increase infiltration can be a losing battle.

In the UK where they so often suffer from too much water, you would think they’d want as many different plants as possible to compete for that water and utilize as much of it as possible. Plus increase infiltration.

I’m not sure I’ve ever heard a UK person talk about competition for water. I wonder if that’s something that’s even in their mindset compared to farmers in more arid environments who tend to focus on it.

I seem to be using the word "counterintuitive" more and more these days. Conservation can be quite a difficult topic if you're mentally programmed to harvest.

What you're saying I completely agree with, it's a form of prejudice - if you believe "it's always raining /wet as a swan's socks, here" then you're not preparing yourself for adversity so much as what you believe the reality to be, and that's how we can create droughts from a few dry weeks?
The reality is often quite different from our perception of it.

My examination of our circumstances reveals we get plenty of rainwater, and we make plenty of income, but we managed them poorly.

 

[Farmer Roy]

It’s funny because here it’s hard to get people to grow more than one species because they “compete for water”. Trying to get a jump on the idea of growing cover to retain moisture, protect soil and increase infiltration can be a losing battle.

In the UK where they so often suffer from too much water, you would think they’d want as many different plants as possible to compete for that water and utilize as much of it as possible. Plus increase infiltration.

I’m not sure I’ve ever heard a UK person talk about competition for water. I wonder if that’s something that’s even in their mindset compared to farmers in more arid environments who tend to focus on it.

very good points

I agree, that mindset of "competing for water" is THE biggest hurdle to cover crops & intercropping here

as to the UK - well, they seem to plant wheat at a rate about 5 times heavier than I do. I don't think the concept of running out of moisture even exists . . .

 

[Kiwi Pete]

very good points

I agree, that mindset of "competing for water" is THE biggest hurdle to cover crops & intercropping here

as to the UK - well, they seem to plant wheat at a rate about 5 times heavier than I do. I don't think the concept of running out of moisture even exists . . .

What's under your pet thistle?

Is it drier or wetter than elsewhere?

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

I seem to be using the word "counterintuitive" more and more these days. Conservation can be quite a difficult topic if you're mentally programmed to harvest.

What you're saying I completely agree with, it's a form of prejudice - if you believe "it's always raining /wet as a swan's socks, here" then you're not preparing yourself for adversity so much as what you believe the reality to be, and that's how we can create droughts from a few dry weeks?
The reality is often quite different from our perception of it.

My examination of our circumstances reveals we get plenty of rainwater, and we make plenty of income, but we managed them poorly.

"Counterintuitive Pete" has a certain ring to it, even if it IS a bit long winded.....

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

It’s funny because here it’s hard to get people to grow more than one species because they “compete for water”. Trying to get a jump on the idea of growing cover to retain moisture, protect soil and increase infiltration can be a losing battle.

In the UK where they so often suffer from too much water, you would think they’d want as many different plants as possible to compete for that water and utilize as much of it as possible. Plus increase infiltration.

I’m not sure I’ve ever heard a UK person talk about competition for water. I wonder if that’s something that’s even in their mindset compared to farmers in more arid environments who tend to focus on it.

Like Pete, even in the dry bit here, we get PLENTY of rainfall, it's just what we do with it that's the problem. Our biggest "competition for water" is the 9 million people in our doorstep and the other 10 million spread around them

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

Thanks, I've found exactly the same - it's that diversity thing, eh? Diversity of experience

Blaithin and Roy and Karl may all have completely different climates and operations - but it's how we get them to work more reliably that matters.

And, what also matters is that those same basic principles apply everywhere, it doesn't matter whether you have "the wettest farm in the UK" or trying to survive a drought and prevent your land becoming desert - those same principles apply.

You wouldn't understand, you're only a Kiwi

 

[Treg]

"Counterintuitive Pete" has a certain ring to it, even if it IS a bit long winded.....

I can't even say it

 

[Henarar]

I can't even say it

It means you know a good counter when you see one
what this has to do with grazing I don't know

 

[ShooTa]

im certainly trying to sort water - ive just taken a 200l drum up to the stock along my woodland tracks to the top fields (on a hill) - IN the rain... to a wet/spring field next to an old farmstead shed building... Rainwater harvesting is my current youtube research marathon...