ShooTa
Member
- Location
- Denbighshire - In the vale of Clwyd!
"Improving Our Lot" - Planned Holistic Grazing, for starters..
- Thread starter Kiwi Pete
- Start date
Hmm maybe!... that would be great I'm not sure what I'm going to be doing about it yet I'll have to see nearer the time. I'll keep the offer in mind though thanks
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
http://www.savory.global/ebooks/That is why I spend most of my time reading only.
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
I plan to have a few fruit trees on the outskirts, so the rancher doesn't need to pack a lunch to manage the priaries .You DO realise that the stock will gather near the trees I'm sure
Not necessarily just for the stock!
But some poplar would help shade the slopes a little over summer, it's quite surprising how the "edge effect" works
for aiding cycling - so let's make it all edges!
We need it warmer in winter and cooler in summer.
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
Just been browsing FB
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
Let the cows do the work: First generation rancher turns to regenerative grazing techniques
Shawn Freeland’s cattle stand on one of his new year-round grazing pastures. Freeland now uses regenerative techniques on his pastures instead of irrigation.
A major drought forced Caputa, South Dakota rancher Shawn Freeland to reconsider his grazing methods.
The first generation rancher and his wife Kristy run roughly 200 head of cattle, having destocked from a herd of about 400 in 2016.
Since then, the couple have gone entirely no-till and replaced irrigated pastures
“I thought there had got to be a better way,” he said.
Freeland went to the South Dakota Grasslands Coalition grazing school to ask questions and gather tips on a more holistic approach and has been successful ever since. After switching systems, Freeland said he was able to save money each year while selling unnecessary equipment to keep his costs down.
In 2016, Freeland planted winter triticale, a hybrid of winter rye and wheat, and he hasn’t looked back since.
“It was like jumping off a cliff for me. I didn’t know what to expect,” he said. “It was really awesome to see the cattle do great on it.”
After planting triticale, Freeland planted a warm-season blend right on top and has done the same each rotation since. When he reached out to local ranchers to learn about opinions and get more information, Freeland said many of them were confused why he would double plant, let alone not use irrigated pastures. That’s when he turned to, Millborn Seeds, a company that’s new to West River, South Dakota.
The Brookings-based company has been around 30 years. It set up shop in Rapid City with the start of the new year to help ranchers who are looking to branch out with a grazing system that’s more sustainable.
Millborn’s representative for Rapid City, Matt Metzger, is on hand at the newest location to help with forage and cover crop needs for ranchers looking to explore new techniques to combat difficult times on the farm.
“It became more and more apparent we needed to get a local presence out there to better serve our current customers in the region and grow that base,” Metzger said.
Over the last five to six years, Metzger said Millborn has seen an increased desire for cover crops and alternative forages as drought has become tougher and harder to deal with west of the Missouri River.
While Millborn Seeds remains a grass seed company at heart, Metzger said, they wanted to be prepared to offer niche products and cover crops
“The unique scope of products we offer helps the region,” he said
In addition to providing the seed, Metzger said he is on hand to provide any guidance he can. Millborn works with the the Natural Resources Conservation Service and local soil conservation districts to help producers as well. By spring, the Rapid City location should be fully stocked.
“Spring could be long and drawn out, or spring can happen all in two weeks,” Metzger said. “We know that, and ranchers know that, so you have to be ready for those possibilities.”
Finding a company like Millborn Seeds to help supply alternative forages has been helpful for Freeland as a first-generation rancher.
“I would quiz them on what to do,” Freeland said. “Matt isn’t swamped yet, so I can bounce stuff off of him all the time. They’re right on time. People are getting interested in this kind of stuff.”
Freeland, his wife, and his two daughters help run his family’s operation. With no background in agriculture, Freeland said switching over to more environmentally friendly approaches probably just came from a lack of roots in traditional systems.
Along with being one of a handful of producers in his area to try these techniques, Freeland is part of the South Dakota Soil Health Coalition as well as the Pennington County Conservation District board. Since he has become a regional voice in holistic practices, Freeland volunteers time every now and again to teach other producers in the area about what he’s doing.
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- Jager Robinson, Tri-State Neighbor Reporter
- 23 hrs ago
Shawn Freeland’s cattle stand on one of his new year-round grazing pastures. Freeland now uses regenerative techniques on his pastures instead of irrigation.
A major drought forced Caputa, South Dakota rancher Shawn Freeland to reconsider his grazing methods.
The first generation rancher and his wife Kristy run roughly 200 head of cattle, having destocked from a herd of about 400 in 2016.
Since then, the couple have gone entirely no-till and replaced irrigated pastures
“I thought there had got to be a better way,” he said.
Freeland went to the South Dakota Grasslands Coalition grazing school to ask questions and gather tips on a more holistic approach and has been successful ever since. After switching systems, Freeland said he was able to save money each year while selling unnecessary equipment to keep his costs down.
In 2016, Freeland planted winter triticale, a hybrid of winter rye and wheat, and he hasn’t looked back since.
“It was like jumping off a cliff for me. I didn’t know what to expect,” he said. “It was really awesome to see the cattle do great on it.”
After planting triticale, Freeland planted a warm-season blend right on top and has done the same each rotation since. When he reached out to local ranchers to learn about opinions and get more information, Freeland said many of them were confused why he would double plant, let alone not use irrigated pastures. That’s when he turned to, Millborn Seeds, a company that’s new to West River, South Dakota.
The Brookings-based company has been around 30 years. It set up shop in Rapid City with the start of the new year to help ranchers who are looking to branch out with a grazing system that’s more sustainable.
Millborn’s representative for Rapid City, Matt Metzger, is on hand at the newest location to help with forage and cover crop needs for ranchers looking to explore new techniques to combat difficult times on the farm.
“It became more and more apparent we needed to get a local presence out there to better serve our current customers in the region and grow that base,” Metzger said.
Over the last five to six years, Metzger said Millborn has seen an increased desire for cover crops and alternative forages as drought has become tougher and harder to deal with west of the Missouri River.
While Millborn Seeds remains a grass seed company at heart, Metzger said, they wanted to be prepared to offer niche products and cover crops
“The unique scope of products we offer helps the region,” he said
In addition to providing the seed, Metzger said he is on hand to provide any guidance he can. Millborn works with the the Natural Resources Conservation Service and local soil conservation districts to help producers as well. By spring, the Rapid City location should be fully stocked.
“Spring could be long and drawn out, or spring can happen all in two weeks,” Metzger said. “We know that, and ranchers know that, so you have to be ready for those possibilities.”
Finding a company like Millborn Seeds to help supply alternative forages has been helpful for Freeland as a first-generation rancher.
“I would quiz them on what to do,” Freeland said. “Matt isn’t swamped yet, so I can bounce stuff off of him all the time. They’re right on time. People are getting interested in this kind of stuff.”
Freeland, his wife, and his two daughters help run his family’s operation. With no background in agriculture, Freeland said switching over to more environmentally friendly approaches probably just came from a lack of roots in traditional systems.
Along with being one of a handful of producers in his area to try these techniques, Freeland is part of the South Dakota Soil Health Coalition as well as the Pennington County Conservation District board. Since he has become a regional voice in holistic practices, Freeland volunteers time every now and again to teach other producers in the area about what he’s doing.
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I don't think any job should be 24/7, it's the one thing that I'm very unsure about with this whole system. I'm a one man band, how do I have a life and farm this way?Yep
And about 2 hours in the weekend or one evening to set up their next paddock with lanes.
I was spending an hour a day moving them once!!
foobar
Member
- Location
- South Wales
What about a degree (or the like) in something like agricultural microbiology? Seems that soil is the most important part of farming so a grounding in how it works would be hugely beneficial.
Sheila Cooke
Member
This was a great article. Would love to know what they mean by "regenerative grazing".
Sheila Cooke
Member
What are you getting interviewed about?
This is going to make me sound cheap after my poor persons course comment but I kind of am cheapHaven't you twigged yet Pete? YOU'RE going to be the New Zealand Joel Salatin who folk come to bounce THEIR paradigm off
Joel was up here doing some talks at the end of last year. I was super excited and even willing to drive into the City
to go see him.Tickets were $600!!!!
What the actual f**k Joel. For someone trying to market themselves to the small time farmer trying to get established and people trying to make big switches, charging us an arm and then saying "But it's an investment in the future" is bull crap. Especially considering most people would be travelling hours to get to the venues and many would also probably have to find accommodations for the night. All for one talk!
I pay $100 and I get a two day, hands on course, with meals and a multitude of speakers. I've been jaded by it apparently.
If you ever do that Pete, I'll fly over there to flick you in the nose myself.
It's easier to use numbers at first. I think it's just part of how the human mind works - or at least has been trained to work. I'll use an example from work that probably nobody will get
When we clean wheat I have to check how much "refuse" is left in it, or how clean I'm really getting it. Different components are things like large seeds and broken grain, but both of these things fall through one screen and sit on top of another so I have to hand pick them to get the numbers of each left in them. There's different tolerances as broken grain is just broken wheat but large seeds can include weed seeds which can affect grade and quality. Anyway, when people first start doing these picks, we sit there for agggeeessss picking every piece of broken grain out from every seed to get an exact number. As you get more comfortable with the process, you start to eyeball it. You know what it looks like when there's .087% large seeds and .17% broken grain, you're ok guesstimating because you know by looking at it it's within tolerances.
Similarly, when first starting to figure out animal intake and grass capacity it's easier to have numbers to back you up. Especially if you're by yourself and don't have a mentor that can look at it and show you what they see. Reading in a book how much the author takes off in Tennessee really means nothing to me. We all use the same principals globally, yes, but that doesn't mean I'm going to do Pete's methodology and expect the same result. Species and environment play a big roll in how we can treat our pastures and how they're going to react. I'm not trusting enough to use the eye ball technique as told by people with completely different seasons, species and rainfall as me. Instead I have local references about numbers and I can use those as a starting point. As I get more comfortable with those and learn what the numbers look like and what they each achieve as a result, then I will get more comfortable not measuring and just looking.
Of course, there's always the people that get stuck in the rut and never make it past the measuring
- Location
- Glen Clova, Angus, DD8 4RD
Excellent description of the learning process @BlaithinIt's easier to use numbers at first. I think it's just part of how the human mind works - or at least has been trained to work. I'll use an example from work that probably nobody will get
When we clean wheat I have to check how much "refuse" is left in it, or how clean I'm really getting it. Different components are things like large seeds and broken grain, but both of these things fall through one screen and sit on top of another so I have to hand pick them to get the numbers of each left in them. There's different tolerances as broken grain is just broken wheat but large seeds can include weed seeds which can affect grade and quality. Anyway, when people first start doing these picks, we sit there for agggeeessss picking every piece of broken grain out from every seed to get an exact number. As you get more comfortable with the process, you start to eyeball it. You know what it looks like when there's .087% large seeds and .17% broken grain, you're ok guesstimating because you know by looking at it it's within tolerances.
Similarly, when first starting to figure out animal intake and grass capacity it's easier to have numbers to back you up. Especially if you're by yourself and don't have a mentor that can look at it and show you what they see. Reading in a book how much the author takes off in Tennessee really means nothing to me. We all use the same principals globally, yes, but that doesn't mean I'm going to do Pete's methodology and expect the same result. Species and environment play a big roll in how we can treat our pastures and how they're going to react. I'm not trusting enough to use the eye ball technique as told by people with completely different seasons, species and rainfall as me. Instead I have local references about numbers and I can use those as a starting point. As I get more comfortable with those and learn what the numbers look like and what they each achieve as a result, then I will get more comfortable not measuring and just looking.
Of course, there's always the people that get stuck in the rut and never make it past the measuring
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
The best things in life are FREEThis is going to make me sound cheap after my poor persons course comment but I kind of am cheap
Joel was up here doing some talks at the end of last year. I was super excited and even willing to drive into the City
Tickets were $600!!!!
What the actual fudge Joel. For someone trying to market themselves to the small time farmer trying to get established and people trying to make big switches, charging us an arm and then saying "But it's an investment in the future" is bull crap. Especially considering most people would be travelling hours to get to the venues and many would also probably have to find accommodations for the night. All for one talk!
I pay $100 and I get a two day, hands on course, with meals and a multitude of speakers. I've been jaded by it apparently.
If you ever do that Pete, I'll fly over there to flick you in the nose myself.
Get yourself to my place and you can have what I have.... end of
Sure. $600 CAD pleaseOh I would pay to see that
Sure. $600 CAD please
If I knew you better - I would give you the £340 bucks to see that
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
However it works for you - never a popular question to ask a fulltime farmer what do they do all day, so I won't!
How often do you move your stock, how many mobs do you run?
Can you add mobs together?
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
For each party, I hope?Sure. $600 CAD please
I'd imagine you'd pack a fairly hefty one if you only got the one shot
For each party, I hope?
I'd imagine you'd pack a fairly hefty one if you only got the one shot
What is she fliking your nose with - a baseball bat