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

Rob Garrett

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Derbyshire UK
They all live happily ever after. Except Billy the Bull. He gets minced.
That was good timing, I only took Billy to market on Monday [emoji24]
IMG_20210111_093707_1.jpg
 
Actually after 900 pages, I think I'm well on the way to understanding the principle of it, it's the application of the principle that I need to get my head around! Time is precious, I to have a day job and confess most of the time spent reading was on my breaks. I have lots of plans spinning around in my head, one of the 1st things I need to address is water. I know what I'm going to do, it involves solar pumps, Ibc's and a good bit of gravity, oh and lots of alkathene pipe!
I read about 800 pages in a day or two last year. Reading this, and watching Greg Judy and Kiss The Ground, have changed my outlook completely. Solar pumps are on my radar too, so would be interested to see what you think/ do.
 

Bowland Bob

Member
Livestock Farmer
I read about 800 pages in a day or two last year. Reading this, and watching Greg Judy and Kiss The Ground, have changed my outlook completely. Solar pumps are on my radar too, so would be interested to see what you think/ do.
I'm thinking of using maybe 5 ibcs and coupling them together Ibc couplings into 25mm alky. Then I'll run a pipe down to each parcel of land. I've bought cheap 12v submersible pumps and a solar panel, just run with sunlight, overflow will go back into stream. I'll use a mix of portable troughs in places, thinking a kiwitech, but also thinking I'll cut some Ibcs in half and use a normal ball cock valve but plumb into the bottom and have the float on a string in some fields. I'm thinking of racecourse style semi permanent leccy fence so, get multiple use of the troughs. On the moorland there is a pond up there which again I'll use another submersible into ibcs. I've seen the irish solar pump solution pumps, but can't justify the expense just yet. I hope that makes sense?!
 

hendrebc

Member
Livestock Farmer
I'm thinking of using maybe 5 ibcs and coupling them together Ibc couplings into 25mm alky. Then I'll run a pipe down to each parcel of land. I've bought cheap 12v submersible pumps and a solar panel, just run with sunlight, overflow will go back into stream. I'll use a mix of portable troughs in places, thinking a kiwitech, but also thinking I'll cut some Ibcs in half and use a normal ball cock valve but plumb into the bottom and have the float on a string in some fields. I'm thinking of racecourse style semi permanent leccy fence so, get multiple use of the troughs. On the moorland there is a pond up there which again I'll use another submersible into ibcs. I've seen the irish solar pump solution pumps, but can't justify the expense just yet. I hope that makes sense?!
I'd be keen to see some pictures of all that once you get it set up if you could.
 

Henarar

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Somerset
All this talk of pumps,
Would anyone know where to get a small reliable mains powered pump to pump about 150M away and 20M high ?
The only ones I find are big ish submersible pumps, only need to pump about 800 gallons a day and I don't want to use very big pipe so they are not really what I want
 
View attachment 933740
Hope this book has a happy ending.

Wife bought it, somebody recomended it to her on fb. She has started to say that we need to change things, she will take more notice of the book than me.( i don't blame her i've tried allsorts of things in our time here)
Just finished that. Good book.
 

Samcowman

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Cornwall
I'm thinking of using maybe 5 ibcs and coupling them together Ibc couplings into 25mm alky. Then I'll run a pipe down to each parcel of land. I've bought cheap 12v submersible pumps and a solar panel, just run with sunlight, overflow will go back into stream. I'll use a mix of portable troughs in places, thinking a kiwitech, but also thinking I'll cut some Ibcs in half and use a normal ball cock valve but plumb into the bottom and have the float on a string in some fields. I'm thinking of racecourse style semi permanent leccy fence so, get multiple use of the troughs. On the moorland there is a pond up there which again I'll use another submersible into ibcs. I've seen the irish solar pump solution pumps, but can't justify the expense just yet. I hope that makes sense?!
Ref cutting ibcs in half for troughs. Neighbour used a couple this year and just cut 2 of the corners off at the top to make drinking space but keep more structural integrity.
 

Karliboy

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
West Yorkshire
3 nice early season calves born this week without any help thankfully
1 week old today the white one is heifer
58ABD5DD-ECEB-41F0-802A-95122A3918E3.jpeg

6 days heifer (it’s a lot bigger than it looks )
4CB62BBD-706E-4A85-A145-768EA0B9F034.jpeg

1 day bull
7B488847-383D-4814-B2A2-DD0E16731CF0.jpeg

only a couple more early ones then wait for mid/late April for next batch.
got to make the most of the grazing now to add value to these calf’s so early born is much better.
Think I’ll try and add a couple more to the herd this spring with calves at foot as the numbers seem to be stacking up ok to continue buying all winter silage at the moment.
 

Henarar

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Somerset
3 nice early season calves born this week without any help thankfully
1 week old today the white one is heifer View attachment 934053
6 days heifer (it’s a lot bigger than it looks )View attachment 934055
1 day bull View attachment 934056
only a couple more early ones then wait for mid/late April for next batch.
got to make the most of the grazing now to add value to these calf’s so early born is much better.
Think I’ll try and add a couple more to the herd this spring with calves at foot as the numbers seem to be stacking up ok to continue buying all winter silage at the moment.
Nice heifer that
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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