- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
^^ one of the "grow like stink" areas, it was only grazed 22 days ago
"Improving Our Lot" - Planned Holistic Grazing, for starters..
- Thread starter Kiwi Pete
- Start date
^^ one of the "grow like stink" areas, it was only grazed 22 days ago
- Location
- Isle of Skye
+
Trying to tackle same issue here, after many decades (last 15 years by me) of essentially set stocked sheep, most fertility has moved from top of hills to a few preferred sleeping areas. the flatter, lower bits were all undergrazed but easily brought into production as although they were wet and rush infested there's plenty of organic material to get better stuff growing, all thats needed is to drain it and mob graze it whilst topping rushes at strategic times.
The tops of the hills though are proving very difficult, as due to our rainfall here when the soil cover gets low moss grows, and it grows all through the winter- quickly smothering any useful plants, causing waterlogging, subsequent compaction and anaerobic conditions (creating peat essentially) I have quite a few acres of ground that is now so acidic that i'm struggling to get anywhere with.
Only grazed these areas a couple times each year for last couple of years and left flock to sleep on it (sheep seem to leave most sh!t behind them in the mornings) also tried a few other cheap fixes but with limited success.
I'll keep trying though.
I find it quite interesting how the soil health degenerates in both wet and dry climates because of same causes - overgrazing/overcultivating but different damage effects in wet or dry climate.
I think a dry climate seems easier to repair/regenerate where as in the wet climate, nature has quickly solved the problems by turning bare soil into a peat bog. which is all very nice for co2 capture but it doesn't help me or my sheep very much.
I think cattle would definitely give me the desired effect, but sheep just don't seem to have the weight. The hoof effect is what I think i'm missing...
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
Sheep are fantastic for knocking grass down, as you say they're just a little light for serious "impact".
The key for us has been getting the necessary abundance of pasture and a planned grazing system in place - as I went into above, you can then put the mob "in the right place at the right time" rather than chasing feed all the time, which gets you there a lot quicker.
Our aim is to get that vertical cracking to occur, which is greatly aided by a dimpled soil surface and attention to detail regards wet/dry grazing. A good crack not only lets water in deeper but then draws air in behind it, both of which help stimulate the biology into increased activity - all that doesn't happen if the soil biology isn't being fed and collapse soon follows.
That's what's happened here due to less ideal grazing management, the soil surface is too smooth and runoff then follows, due to being a silty clay.
Plus our rain events are much heavier and more infrequent and so capturing it is more important than 30-40 years ago.
The key for us has been getting the necessary abundance of pasture and a planned grazing system in place - as I went into above, you can then put the mob "in the right place at the right time" rather than chasing feed all the time, which gets you there a lot quicker.
Our aim is to get that vertical cracking to occur, which is greatly aided by a dimpled soil surface and attention to detail regards wet/dry grazing. A good crack not only lets water in deeper but then draws air in behind it, both of which help stimulate the biology into increased activity - all that doesn't happen if the soil biology isn't being fed and collapse soon follows.
That's what's happened here due to less ideal grazing management, the soil surface is too smooth and runoff then follows, due to being a silty clay.
Plus our rain events are much heavier and more infrequent and so capturing it is more important than 30-40 years ago.
- Location
- Isle of Skye
yeah, i'm seeing a big change from grass trampled and more importantly for here is leaving plenty of winter cover. I found that places that were covered in rushes are pretty healthy soils, and i see with topping, those cut rushes are feeding the soil even more. I'd go as far as to say i'm glad i neglected the rushes over the years, because if i'd bothered to remove them i'd have probably killed off even more soil health in my ignorance.
sub soil here is free draining until it hits solid rock (which is about 6 inches down in places), retaining water here seemed like a stupid idea a few years ago but we're seeing a mini drought most springs now.
sub soil here is free draining until it hits solid rock (which is about 6 inches down in places), retaining water here seemed like a stupid idea a few years ago but we're seeing a mini drought most springs now.
- Location
- Isle of Skye
As for cattle, whilst i see the huge benefits for the soil, they would cost me alot of time and grief and expense. I also think they have potential to cause as much damage as they cure in a really wet year.
So considering the whole (thats the holistic bit i believe) no cows coming here.
So considering the whole (thats the holistic bit i believe) no cows coming here.
- Location
- Ardrossan Ayrshire
Do your neighbours not have cattle that you could utilise for some intensive grazing/poaching? A mutually beneficial arrangement?
- Location
- Isle of Skye
there could be potential for it i guess, in fact my wife suggested the same thing a few days ago...
I don't think i need them for most of the ground though, and there's a few things i want to try first, I actually think i'd be as well to just get the worst bits ploughed, limed and reseeded and start afresh.
I don't think i need them for most of the ground though, and there's a few things i want to try first, I actually think i'd be as well to just get the worst bits ploughed, limed and reseeded and start afresh.
- Location
- Isle of Skye
Also i'd like to find a system that works with what i have (even if slow) to improve i'm still hopeful that i can continually tweak what i'm doing to bring about the changes i want.
Really my goal is to make what i have work without too much work or external inputs. that way i know i can scale operations over time.
Really my goal is to make what i have work without too much work or external inputs. that way i know i can scale operations over time.
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
That's where you want to be, far too much stuff "hinges" on other stuff IMO
Hinges on high/low livestock prices
Hinges on fossil fuel and fertilisers
Hinges on the right weather
etc etc
Hinges on high/low livestock prices
Hinges on fossil fuel and fertilisers
Hinges on the right weather
etc etc
- Location
- Isle of Skye
Yes i want to produce enough lambs to make us a bit of money and i want to leave the land better than i found it.
Biggest threat to that is external changes of all the things you listed so the less they control me the better chance i have of surviving i believe.
Biggest threat to that is external changes of all the things you listed so the less they control me the better chance i have of surviving i believe.
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
Aim to thrive, not just survive.
Far too many farmers are happy to just break even which is rather limiting for those of us who want to do well.
You're definitely going in the right direction. However the possibilities really are limitless once you get your mind going with that "infinite mindset" rather than just having simple targets
- Location
- NSW, Newstralya
And apparently she is already trying to fix herself now there are less people out ruining it
- Location
- NSW, Newstralya
- Location
- NSW, Newstralya
- Location
- Glen Clova, Angus, DD8 4RD
- Location
- Quebec, Canada
Great!Our farm is right in the middle of corn and bean land and as such in one of the only spots in Canada with a high Glysophate residue. It doesn’t surprise me with our heavy clay soil. That might be the indirect reason we have fewer bugs, as mentioned in Roy’s thread.
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
Stolen from my book, "It will never work"
Your cattle ate a rabbit?