Weed Removal from pasture

Religion or fact, I am allowed to choose not to use chemicals. My original ask for advice was very clear on my intention not to use chemicals so why not accept that and spend your time on another thread?? It may be a better use of your time.
No one disputes your right to choose... your on a farming forum: we will all agree it' your land to do as you wish with as a sacred right!
The comment was a general one with regard to the wider debate, as is normal in a discussion forum! For all participants to exchange views, as said by myself above, you appear to grasp the issue you face to a degree many new to land don't.
The point is, and perhaps this hasn't been clear enough, and given your not familiar with people's experiences here, that what your asking to do will be a3-5 year endeaour, but one thst could be made to be 3-5 month one with minimal impact shirt term and none long term.
Further.Furthermre, long term horses would be at 100% odds with the aims you set out at the beginnng. Obviously all land is different, but for 90% of land in the UK, horses, weed free and chemical free is not a combination most will ever achieve. Usually one condition is given up on! In my grandfather's day a horse had 2 acres for 3 months and the land didn' see the horse again for 2 years, and they out wintered in a cobbled yard.

Hopefully thst gives you context to your answers!
 
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Mini Ostrich, originates from South America.
I would be keen if it didn
No one disputes your right to choose... your on a farming forum: we will all agree it' your land to do as you wish with as a sacred right!
The comment was a general one with regard to the wider debate, as is normal in a discussion forum! For all participants to exchange views, as said by myself above, you appear to grasp the issue you face to a degree many new to land don't.
The point is, and perhaps this hasn't been clear enough, and given your not familiar with people's experiences here, that what your asking to do will be a3-5 year endeaour, but one thst could be made to be 3-5 month one with minimal impact shirt term and none long term.
Further.Furthermre, long term horses would be at 100% odds with the aims you set out at the beginnng. Obviously all land is different, but for 90% of land in the UK, horses, weed free and chemical free is not a combination most will ever achieve. Usually one condition is given up on! In my grandfather's day a horse had 2 acres for 3 months and the land didn' see the horse again for 2 years, and they out wintered in a cobbled yard.

Hopefully thst gives you context to your answers!
I was pretty clear I don't intend to use chemicals so any advice on the use of chemicals is a bit pointless on this thread. Yes I agree that discussion is good but also that discussing the use of chemicals over and over and then taking the Mick for that choice is not really very helpful. I have had some great advice from people on here on management without chemicals so it has been useful.
 
Mini Ostrich, originates from South America.
I would be keen if it didn
Take no notice , professional farmers of old never used them , but the grass has to be encouraged , , reseed and feed and sign of weeds get them topped before they seed, main thing to watch is , Lime Phosphate and Potash to keep the grass healthy
Thanks, people do seem to forget that we didn't always use chemicals and the fact is I am not a commercial farmer with loads of acres.
 
And the corollary is that you believe those of us who use any chemicals aren't looking after our soil? It's a good job us farmers are thick skinned or we could be offended by such a remark..
It will do for now. I will of course look into how I manage this in the future.


See above.

OP, I'd recommend that you don't just rely on 'sheep poo' for fertiliser - the poo is what's left over after they have eaten the grass and kept some of the energy and matter for themselves and, like all animals, sheep will be a net consumer of resources from the land. With careful management of clover etc., you can manage without adding any nitrogen based fertilisers, which I think is your aim, but it will need some input or else you will just strip the land of all its goodness over time.
 
And the corollary is that you believe those of us who use any chemicals aren't looking after our soil? It's a good job us farmers are thick skinned or we could be offended by such a remark..
Hi. I am sorry if I offended anyone. That was not my intention. I just intend to manage my land in a natural way without the use of chemicals. How you manage your land is entirely up to you. We all have our reasons for doing what we do.


See above.

OP, I'd recommend that you don't just rely on 'sheep poo' for fertiliser - the poo is what's left over after they have eaten the grass and kept some of the energy and matter for themselves and, like all animals, sheep will be a net consumer of resources from the land. With careful management of clover etc., you can manage without adding any nitrogen based fertilisers, which I think is your aim, but it will need some input or else you will just strip the land of all its goodness over time.
 
No one disputes your right to choose... your on a farming forum: we will all agree it' your land to do as you wish with as a sacred right!
The comment was a general one with regard to the wider debate, as is normal in a discussion forum! For all participants to exchange views, as said by myself above, you appear to grasp the issue you face to a degree many new to land don't.
The point is, and perhaps this hasn't been clear enough, and given your not familiar with people's experiences here, that what your asking to do will be a3-5 year endeaour, but one thst could be made to be 3-5 month one with minimal impact shirt term and none long term.
Further.Furthermre, long term horses would be at 100% odds with the aims you set out at the beginnng. Obviously all land is different, but for 90% of land in the UK, horses, weed free and chemical free is not a combination most will ever achieve. Usually one condition is given up on! In my grandfather's day a horse had 2 acres for 3 months and the land didn' see the horse again for 2 years, and they out wintered in a cobbled yard.

Hopefully thst gives you context to your answers!
I have all the time in the world. I am not looking for a quick fix. I appreciate I am doing this the hard way but I have a manageable amount of land. Maybe I would think differently if I had thousands of acres to manage. There are plenty of organic farmers that seem to do ok without chemicals so it really isn't the only option.
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
I cant compute in my mind putting someone else's horses on my field and while trying to keep it weed free by hand
I would have a hard enough job with 2 of my own and pulling weeds while doing my day job

I sympathise, even though we only have one tearing around trashing a paddock. Have you considered spraying it?:whistle::censored::stop:
 
Just a thought Laura.
When we were back in the uk we had some rare breed free range pigs. It was relevant to us to utilise a forum called "the accidental smallholder ".
Almost by its nature, the majority on there were organic. It may well be worth a look for you.
Hi Czechmate, thanks for the suggestion. I am on there too but didn't get a lot of response. Certainly not as much lively debate ;)
 
Hi Dry Rot - They are not my ponies, I am not running a livery, the fiels will be rented to somebody for them to care for their own horses. When I had my own horses I used to go up twice a day every day. They had the very best of care.
 
I was wondering on that too:rolleyes:
I'd love to go up the yard once a week and let the beasts get on with it on their on :coffee:
Mushnt grummmble - The field will be rented to somebody else so their care will not be my responsibility. If I had my own livestock I would be up there twice a day just like I always used to when I had my own horses. Due to the fact I work away a lot etc I don't have my own livestock.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 78 43.1%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 63 34.8%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 16.6%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.7%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.7%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 4 2.2%

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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