Friday, December 30, 2011

Iowa State Univ. managed grazing.


This is a pretty good video on how managed grazing is done.
and here is part 2

In this video, we learn that forage weighs about 200 lbs per inch per acre.
So if your grass is 10 inches high, you have about 2000 lbs of forage available. If you have a six day paddock system, and you cows weigh 1200 lbs:
1200 *.03 lbs of forage per cow day, 36 lbs per cow per day, times six days, 216 lbs of forage per cow, or 4.6 cows per acre to eat the desired 1000 lbs of forage.

We also learned about paddock shape and storing food (hay) to overwinter.




We learn about low impedance electric fence energizers, which are clearly best for our purposes.
We also learn that a main line energizer is much cheaper to run and maintain than a battery energizer.
Each paddock should have it's own water sources to reduce the traffic wear and tear. If they can be moved, all the better.




In part four, we learn about the plants on a pasture, how cool and summer grasses, along with legumes can be used to maximize growth in the pasture.  Growth is enhanced by the foraging of the animals, but at most 50% of the plant should be removed.



In part five, we learn about how to extend our pasture feeding into the winter months. Leave some pastures fallow and allow the cattle to graze on those until snow covered.




Monday, December 26, 2011

Soil, or dirt?

On the question of "What kind of soil is there" you can take a look at the USDA soil survey on the web at http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov which will allow you to look at different soil types to see if ti will work for you... Clearly, some soils are better than others...

Monday, December 5, 2011

So my 14 year old told me last night that there is going to be a replacement for oil, because technology will save the day. He doesn't exactly know why, nor how, much less when this will happen.

This should be my response to him on this point..

Friday, December 2, 2011

so what are the best farms ever?
Sepp Holzer is probably #1 in the world..




Joel Salatin is number 2




Seems to me that  everyone think pigs smell and tear everything up. If you have a high density, you are doing it wrong. These people seem to be doing it correctly!





What triggered my desire to make a life change?



Why in the heck would I want to be a farmer?







compare that with what you are getting in the grocery store.




any questions?
We have been eating organic, farm market eggs for awhile now. But all Organic labelled eggs are not the same..

Click here to find out why all eggs are not equal...

a nice video on selecting the chickens for you, check this one out