mowing unused pasture or let it go?

[MikeD74T]

In northern NH fields that I hayed in 1968 have been cut for softwood pulp twice since that I know of. My property had a 2 acre field that was over run with alders 6-8' tall in three years before I got a tractor/bush hog. MikeD74T

 

[Bull88]

I have about fifteen acres or so, all of which used to be mowed twice a year when this was my grandparents' active farm. Then, when they passed on, it was still mowed once, maybe twice per year for a while. But, we haven't had it mowed in about eight years now. I really don't know one grass or hay type from another, but it's green and gets really tall every summer, then withers and browns every winter. There are some small, thin bushes that have started here and there, but nothing that could not easily be dug up or hogged over.

I mow about five acres or so to have as a manicured area that looks decent and allows me to walk around and enjoy the land. Part of the reason I stopped mowing the rest is because as soon as it was cut, everyone in the area figured the space had just opened up as their personal golf/frisbee/baseball/hiking playground. I get so darn angry when people use things of mine without my permission, that I decided to put the kibosh on it as best as I could, without having money to run a fence around the whole place.

 

[anojones]

"Yep. Someday, someone's going to set up a goat-rental business and make a fortune. I have this hillside that's too steep for a tractor"

This is a business in the Northwest, my grandparents had a lot next to them on a hillside in the city- the lot owner rented some goats, electric fence and they ate it down.

Rent-a-goats gain foothold - seattlepi.com
Rent-A-Ruminant, LLC. Rent a Goat for Clearing Land
Home
http://goatrentalnw.yolasite.com/

 

[flusher]

we have about 15 acres of unused pasture we continue to mow at least 2x each year to keep it in resonable shape should we ever be able to sell our property in this economy. my question is this...

if we don't mow it, will it maintain its current health..% weeds/ % of grasses or will it degrade and become more and more weedy. i know if the animals were eating the good grasses and only the weeds remained to go to seed, the answer would be clear in that the grasses would never seed and the weeds would overrun the grasses.

with both grasses and weeds going to seed, wouldn't the current ratio remain the same?

asking due to the godaweful fuel costs and necessity to cut back where we can.

please give opinions and thanks in advance

Keeping your pasture mowed is good neighbor policy. If you let it go to pot the weeds there will spread to nearby pasture causing problems there. Here in the North Sacramento Valley we have big problems with yellow star thistle so we mow fallow pastures that have this weed in June before it goes to seed. My neighbors have horses (I don't) and have spent $$$ on Transline and other herbicides to control star thistle on their properties (the weed is toxic to horses). I control it on my place with mowing when my hayfield is resting and by cultivation when I plant a hay crop.

 

[clemsonfor]

I have about fifteen acres or so, all of which used to be mowed twice a year when this was my grandparents' active farm. Then, when they passed on, it was still mowed once, maybe twice per year for a while. But, we haven't had it mowed in about eight years now. I really don't know one grass or hay type from another, but it's green and gets really tall every summer, then withers and browns every winter. There are some small, thin bushes that have started here and there, but nothing that could not easily be dug up or hogged over.

I mow about five acres or so to have as a manicured area that looks decent and allows me to walk around and enjoy the land. Part of the reason I stopped mowing the rest is because as soon as it was cut, everyone in the area figured the space had just opened up as their personal golf/frisbee/baseball/hiking playground. I get so darn angry when people use things of mine without my permission, that I decided to put the kibosh on it as best as I could, without having money to run a fence around the whole place.

You obviously dont live in the south! Looks like midwest, iowa, illinois, kansass? Around here pine trees will grow after the second year and after the thrid will be to big to cut down with a bushhog. Maybe if you have a 30+ acre fild the middle wont get trees but for several hundred feet around the edges you will get trees growing in!

 

[Bull88]

You obviously dont live in the south! Looks like midwest, iowa, illinois, kansass? Around here pine trees will grow after the second year and after the thrid will be to big to cut down with a bushhog. Maybe if you have a 30+ acre fild the middle wont get trees but for several hundred feet around the edges you will get trees growing in!

No sir, I don't live in the south, or any of the places you mentioned. I often wish I lived elsewhere, though, I'll tell you that. I'm in Massachusetts.

 

[clemsonfor]

No sir, I don't live in the south, or any of the places you mentioned. I often wish I lived elsewhere, though, I'll tell you that. I'm in Massachusetts.

Yalls brush/bushes and trees must grow a tad different than stuff arond here.

 

[ShenandoahJoe]

This is a business in the Northwest, ...

Ok, I give up. Next time I have a funny idea, I'm going to google it before I post.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

The last guy I spoke with about haying fields on shares was for each 8 bales, he kept 7 and gave 1 to landowner. I would'nt hire this guy but I've not heard of anything better than 20% share to the landowner lately.