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

[Kiwi Pete]

Funny some of your photos I look at and think that could be round here and some clearly are not

A lot of "wide open" here, it's distinctly different in that respect. I will address that, just really don't want to make a muckup of what I plant where -and some things always seem to yell louder than others

 

[Henarar]

A lot of "wide open" here, it's distinctly different in that respect. I will address that, just really don't want to make a muckup of what I plant where -and some things always seem to yell louder than others

Lots of hedges and trees here and I like that, the only thing I will say is I don't like very high hedges to the south side of a field, in your case it would be the north side, it stops the solar panels working and keeps the land very wet.
Trees are fine as long as the sun can shine round them at some point in the day

 

[som farmer]

looking at the ash trees, a lot seem to have ash die back, took a few years to get used to no elms, it will be tougher, if the ash go as well. One thing for certain, ash logs will be a lot easier to split, than the f-ing elm was.
Would be interesting to see if the new tree planting grants, have removed ash, from their species list, l rather expect not, perhaps staff die back, would be a good idea.
Found some old photo's, pre d elm, it really is scary the amount of trees we lost then.

 

[Gulli]

looking at the ash trees, a lot seem to have ash die back, took a few years to get used to no elms, it will be tougher, if the ash go as well. One thing for certain, ash logs will be a lot easier to split, than the f-ing elm was.
Would be interesting to see if the new tree planting grants, have removed ash, from their species list, l rather expect not, perhaps staff die back, would be a good idea.
Found some old photo's, pre d elm, it really is scary the amount of trees we lost then.

Just about every ash tree in our woods is dying this year

 

[som farmer]

This came up in my facebook feed and i thought of you @som farmer .

Rye (st johns) and vetch direct sown into pasture. 25kgs of each/ha.View attachment 993595View attachment 993595

we were disappointed with vetch in our ley mix, basically it was a waste of time, yet with h/rye, fantastic, but cut for silage, therefore no regrowth, as maize followed it.
Speaking to chap from cotswold seeds, tomorrow, hopefully interesting, and enlightening, all part of our future plans. They are forming quite well now, basically, cut cows down, up yield a bit, and produce as much protien, energy, and N, buying in, the least amount possible, if to much, keeping some beef calves, on for stores.
The buzz words in dairy grazing, are friesians and xbreds, but it is becoming very very obvious that the hol breeders have addressed the issue remarkably quickly, there are plenty of hol bulls, with figures and vital statistics, (shape etc), that look a better bet, than fr, with no vital statistics, only production figures. How quickly that happened, it wasn't long ago, l wouldn't entertain a hol at all.

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

View attachment 993640they can't really rub on much that doesn't bite them.

Cure the extra trees in the landscape.....

 

[Fenwick]

Just looked it up in Cotswold Seeds £££££

Is it not possible to buy seed from a mate? We have a facebook group for stuff like that.

and grass.
Came across some research on running sheep over winter wheat, and how it can increase yield, anyone tried it

Plenty doing it here, very successul. I have two mates doimg it that are farmers without land.

tried it ? Also some thoughts, on sowing clover, with cereals,

Popular with the organic boys over here. Typically 4-5kg of white clover broadcast into winter wheat at the 1 leaf stage or 10kg of red clover at the three leaf stage.

I'm going to try this year.

Would be interesting to see if the new tree planting grants, have removed ash, from their species list, l rather expect not

Wr have two possible grants. One of them have removed it from the scheme, the other hasn't.

we were disappointed with vetch in our ley mix, basically it was a waste of time, yet with h/rye, fantastic, but cut for silage, therefore no regrowth, as maize followed it

When this is sown with a pasture mix it is used for a big first cut then grazed. In this case it is dd into an existing pasture, for a big spring cut and then grazed.

 

[Henarar]

looking at the ash trees, a lot seem to have ash die back, took a few years to get used to no elms, it will be tougher, if the ash go as well. One thing for certain, ash logs will be a lot easier to split, than the f-ing elm was.
Would be interesting to see if the new tree planting grants, have removed ash, from their species list, l rather expect not, perhaps staff die back, would be a good idea.
Found some old photo's, pre d elm, it really is scary the amount of trees we lost then.

Just about every ash tree in our woods is dying this year

we took out a lot of ash with die back from the hedges last year, some seem to be resistant to it though so there is hope

 

[som farmer]

yes, vetch and rye, for 1 good cut, worked well, 15 t/ac.
My motto is, if you don't try them, you will never know, in grazing ley, not good, or, just us ?
I think some legumes, can be over seeded, into existing pasture, where clover is not sufficient, to raise the feed value of that cut. In time, they should all get to clover dominance, perhaps it might be, we could be pleased to take a low clover cut of silage !
There is a lot of discussion over climate change, or, changing climate, so l took this picture, today, by our back door. Should have hoiked the dandelion out first though !

 

[Karliboy]

well my season has come to a end shockingly quick and stock will all come in this weekend and I’m feeling rather down about it as I’ve gained absolutely nothing on the grazing season length even though I’ve added a extra a extra 6 acres to the round by not mowing nothing and I’ve 1 less cow and calf than last year.
All I’ve saved is 600kg of fert and a bit of work making homegrown fodder.
it’s gone cold and very wet here had a couple of frosts and last field is literally standing grass in a bogg.
cows are grumpy and wanting to come in also.
the hill still has some eating on it but I’m not gonna force them as they will start looking for ways out/escape, better to leave a little cover on it I feel now

I feel it’s been a real crap year hear looking back now. Crappy slow cold dry spring with no growth until late may then everything came all at once and went to head and I probably didn’t get around fast enough. Summer has been very dry again really with only just enough rain to keep things going, even though I had lots of cover at all times grounds been dry underneath and all springs dried up mid summer and only started running last few weeks since the rains have come and not stopped since really.
I could maybe scrape another week out off the meadows but there’s no point I feel as they will only make a mess on the hills and slide the turf off.
if I can get some good cover on the meadows I may try get some tack sheep hopefully that may pay for a trailer load of bales.

 

[som farmer]

well my season has come to a end shockingly quick and stock will all come in this weekend and I’m feeling rather down about it as I’ve gained absolutely nothing on the grazing season length even though I’ve added a extra a extra 6 acres to the round by not mowing nothing and I’ve 1 less cow and calf than last year.
All I’ve saved is 600kg of fert and a bit of work making homegrown fodder.
it’s gone cold and very wet here had a couple of frosts and last field is literally standing grass in a bogg.
cows are grumpy and wanting to come in also.
the hill still has some eating on it but I’m not gonna force them as they will start looking for ways out/escape, better to leave a little cover on it I feel now
View attachment 993751View attachment 993752View attachment 993753View attachment 993754

I feel it’s been a real crap year hear looking back now. Crappy slow cold dry spring with no growth until late may then everything came all at once and went to head and I probably didn’t get around fast enough. Summer has been very dry again really with only just enough rain to keep things going, even though I had lots of cover at all times grounds been dry underneath and all springs dried up mid summer and only started running last few weeks since the rains have come and not stopped since really.
I could maybe scrape another week out off the meadows but there’s no point I feel as they will only make a mess on the hills and slide the turf off.
if I can get some good cover on the meadows I may try get some tack sheep hopefully that may pay for a trailer load of bales.

and next year will be different, as every year is. Farmers are the ultimate optimists, if we weren't, we wouldn't be farmers. A big but, but you did sort your system out, found the niggles, And you should be ready to rock and roll next spring !

 

[Henarar]

if I can get some good cover on the meadows I may try get some tack sheep hopefully that may pay for a trailer load of bales.

Sheep can be your friends when it comes wet, as you say a bit of keep money will pay for something

 

[Fenwick]

well my season has come to a end shockingly quick and stock will all come in this weekend and I’m feeling rather down about it as I’ve gained absolutely nothing on the grazing season length even though I’ve added a extra a extra 6 acres to the round by not mowing nothing and I’ve 1 less cow and calf than last year.
All I’ve saved is 600kg of fert and a bit of work making homegrown fodder.
it’s gone cold and very wet here had a couple of frosts and last field is literally standing grass in a bogg.
cows are grumpy and wanting to come in also.
the hill still has some eating on it but I’m not gonna force them as they will start looking for ways out/escape, better to leave a little cover on it I feel now
View attachment 993751View attachment 993752View attachment 993753View attachment 993754

I feel it’s been a real crap year hear looking back now. Crappy slow cold dry spring with no growth until late may then everything came all at once and went to head and I probably didn’t get around fast enough. Summer has been very dry again really with only just enough rain to keep things going, even though I had lots of cover at all times grounds been dry underneath and all springs dried up mid summer and only started running last few weeks since the rains have come and not stopped since really.
I could maybe scrape another week out off the meadows but there’s no point I feel as they will only make a mess on the hills and slide the turf off.
if I can get some good cover on the meadows I may try get some tack sheep hopefully that may pay for a trailer load of bales.

It's always so difficult comparing one year with another.

What things have you done this year that you will do again next year?

What things will you do differently?

 

[Samcowman]

looking at the ash trees, a lot seem to have ash die back, took a few years to get used to no elms, it will be tougher, if the ash go as well. One thing for certain, ash logs will be a lot easier to split, than the f-ing elm was.
Would be interesting to see if the new tree planting grants, have removed ash, from their species list, l rather expect not, perhaps staff die back, would be a good idea.
Found some old photo's, pre d elm, it really is scary the amount of trees we lost then.

Dutch elm was pre my time but I have been told they were the dominant tree around here and the landscape changed. Interestingly we have an ash tree in the field out the back here that we have been waiting to finish dying. This year has been its best year in the 10 years we have been here. Only thing that’s changed is the field is in its third year direct drilled rather than cultivate sup to the base.

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

Dutch elm was pre my time

Brings home to me the gap in our ages...

I remember us losing elms everywhere.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

All your tucker ended up here @Karliboy, it's odd but we feel like polar opposites and best mates at the same time

You sound about exactly where I was 18 months ago

All that work seems great in the summer and then the candle burns out ☹

Think of it this way, this will be you in 6 months' time

 

[Kiwi Pete]

One for you, @sheepdogtrail

For your bearings, we're under the red arrow and Bruce is under the green one

Pounawea in the middle...

Jack's Bay and Surat Bay in top photo, Cannibal Bay is the far side of the headland, this is looking from the south side of the bar, Jacks Bay blowhole is just behind where I was

 

[Henarar]

Brings home to me the gap in our ages...

I remember us losing elms everywhere.

I can remember them stood up dead but not alive.
Still plenty of elm in the hedges here, if you lay them before they get to big they won't die.

 

[som farmer]

Brings home to me the gap in our ages...

I remember us losing elms everywhere.

it wasn't only the trees that went, it was the massive size of them, they dwarfed a lot of todays trees.

 

[som farmer]

I can remember them stood up dead but not alive.
Still plenty of elm in the hedges here, if you lay them before they get to big they won't die.

we get a continuation of elm saplings, when they get to 6/7 across, they die. Make good logs though, well seasoned. Those big old elms, were truly massive, some well over 100 foot high, sold all the decent trunks, some were hollow, but they were sods to split for logs, twisted and knotty, dad went out and bought a log splitter, in the end. We have got used to them being gone, plenty won't even remember them, 45/50 yrs now, but it is going to look very different, if, as it looks like, the ash goes as well. Oaks are in danger as well, l believe, so what can we plant to replace.
And when those ash go, we will get accused of 'prairie' farming, no doubt.