# How Do I Improve This Pasture??



## Rollochrome (Apr 9, 2012)

I just bought 12 acres of mixed heavy woods, lightly wooded areas, and some nominal open pasture. All that is currently growing in the open and lightly wooded areas is some native blue stem and some oats or something that was imported by the prior owner in round bales and subsequently took root in limited locations. However for the most part, it's just weeds and bare soil.

The prior owner had 8 longhorn, 2 horses, and a mule on 12 acres and they stripped it bare.

I have one bred cow on site that is due in April.

I want to improve the pastures and lightly wooded areas with my john deere riding lawn mower or my Kawasaki Mule if I can ever get it out of the shop. I cannot afford a tractor this year. I probably have a total of 5 or 6 acres out of the 12 to develop this year.

Due to the budget and equipment constraint, I am looking at basically grounds keeping implements to pull behind the riding mower at worst case scenario, then if the Mule gets running, I will pull them with it. 

Tell me if I have a good plan:

1. I am going to buy a mini harrow rake from northern tool. Drag all areas. Link below:
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200365071_200365071

2. Then go back over these areas with a tow behind spreader full of grass seed like this one:
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200451682_200451682

My questions are these:

1. What sort of grass or "crop" do I need to plant? I would like it to come back every year if possible.
2. Assuming my two little implements do the job, do I need to "re-drag" the areas after seeding in order to cover the seeds, or is bare seed to ground contact sufficient?
3. Do I need to plan on doing this right before rain? Right after rain? Does it matter?
4. What is my timing for this? After the last freeze of the winter?? I am in North Texas so that might be in a few weeks..

Thank you!!


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## ramiller5675 (Mar 31, 2009)

If the pasture really is just weeds, I'd start by controlling those weeds next spring. Otherwise, whatever you try to plant will have trouble competing with the weeds.

Then, I'd wait and see what kind of grass comes up after you get rid of the weeds. If there's any grass at all there should be some sort of existing seed bank already in the soil.

If I tried to use a towable spreader, I'd be worried about dumping it on it's side every time I hit a rough spot in the pasture. I would probably use something like a hand-held spreader, until I could get the Mule running and could get a spreader that I could mount onto the back of the Mule. 

Control the weeds, wait to see what kind of grasses you actually have, and think about doing some soil tests.


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## M5farm (Jan 14, 2014)

Ramiller is correct about native grass. 2 ways to control the weeds. Herbicide or mowing 
I personally prefer herbicide and you can get a 25 gal spray rig fairly cheap and either buy a 3 or 4' boom or build your own. I would spray the area with 24d as soon as you get 4 to 6" weeds. this will allow the grass to start without competition. you will probably have to re spray in summer when the weeds start again. contact your extension office and ask about getting a soil test they can explain and provide you the information. you may need add something to the soil. that many acres for 1 cow I would try and spilt the area up so you can rotational graze. If you are set on planting something look at a Bahia for your are and you can mix with brown top millet. the millet will give you grazing while the Bahia get established.


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## redgate (Sep 18, 2008)

Forget the big equipment and seed right away. Get the book "Salad Bar Beef" by Joel Salatin. Although it has a focus on cattle, it is choc full of info on improving pasture using the animals you have. We have been using his methods on a VERY small scale (with a handful of sheep on 4.5 acres), and have seen vast improvement. As of this year, we got rid of the sheep, brought in a handful of cattle, goats, pigs, and chickens. The grazing process worked beautifully this summer, and the equivalent of 5 animal units (5000 lbs. worth of animals) were sustained on the grass produced on just 2 acres, while we cut the remaining 2.5 acres for winter hay. I am really looking forward to seeing the difference this coming spring when the grass starts growing again. Meanwhile, the only expenses were electric fence supplies and I did overseed with some more diverse grasses (though that is not always necessary).


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## Rollochrome (Apr 9, 2012)

redgate said:


> Forget the big equipment and seed right away. Get the book "Salad Bar Beef" by Joel Salatin. Although it has a focus on cattle, it is choc full of info on improving pasture using the animals you have. We have been using his methods on a VERY small scale (with a handful of sheep on 4.5 acres), and have seen vast improvement. As of this year, we got rid of the sheep, brought in a handful of cattle, goats, pigs, and chickens. The grazing process worked beautifully this summer, and the equivalent of 5 animal units (5000 lbs. worth of animals) were sustained on the grass produced on just 2 acres, while we cut the remaining 2.5 acres for winter hay. I am really looking forward to seeing the difference this coming spring when the grass starts growing again. Meanwhile, the only expenses were electric fence supplies and I did overseed with some more diverse grasses (though that is not always necessary).


Hmmmmm..

Someone gave me a book by Salatin for Christmas. Not the one you mentioned but another. They talk about Salatin on Ranch Kings TV show back when I watched that too..

Think I'll check into that.

Thanks


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## PasturedPork (Jan 22, 2014)

I'm new and this is my first post.

Meet your neighbors and hire/barter for the work. You will come out ahead compared to buying the harrow which might not be useful long term.

Forages are meant to be grown in full or mostly full sun. Partial wooded pastures usually have the wrong pH and sunlight to be productive and you end up with damaged woods and poor pasture. Better to designate where you want woods and where you want pasture. 

Given the history of the place your seed bank is full of either weed or forage seeds or both. Immediately frost seed white clover (no inoculant). Keep all animals off while it is reastablishing


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## Cheribelle (Jul 23, 2007)

White clover is what I'm trying to get rid of! It makes the animals slobber uncontrollably, both the horses and the cow!


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## bruce2288 (Jul 10, 2009)

I see you are in Texas, so I imagine your climate and soil is a bit different from mine, therefore my local advise would be suspect. contact your state extension office and get in contact with the range specialist or forage specialist, whatever they call them down there. He can look at your situation, and give advice as to practices, species and timing.


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## clothAnnie (May 6, 2011)

Why would it make them slobber? Sorry if that's a dumb question - I would've thought any clover would be a good forage - a legume(?) = protein? Pretty clueless when it comes to pasture management which is why I wanted to read this thread. I think our library has the Salatin Salad Bar Beef book...



Cheribelle said:


> White clover is what I'm trying to get rid of! It makes the animals slobber uncontrollably, both the horses and the cow!


 eta ok found this http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/horses/facts/info_slobbers.htm and got a bit clued in. aaaaah. always something to learn.


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## SCRancher (Jan 11, 2011)

My cows eat the clover first - clover is a great forage just have to watch for bloat - so far none of mine have bloated but I don't take them from hay to 6 inch clover on an empty stomach.

Clover is also excellent for it's nitrogen fixing ability - your grasses will do better with clover mixed in.


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