How agriculture works thread

[Creamer]

Grazing is highly discouraged here because of soil compaction.

That is interesting and somewhat old school thinking. True there is some compaction from grazing but if there is enough plant matter and soil activity it overcomes it. Plus grazing processes the plant matter to break it down quicker and have nutrients available. the thing you cannot do is overgraze because you need the plant matter mulch as well. There needs to be a lot of plant matter left on top.

There is substantial research data that shows an improvement in soil health from grazing but to date I do not think the exact reason has been determined. Some of the theories are having some preprocessed nutrients available and the effect of the bovine digestive system for adding certain enzymes into the soil structure that helps to break down plant matter and encourage soil activity. Some data I have seen tends to lead to the urine being a critical part of the system possibly because of the enzymes - but haying and hauling manure back out is not as good as grazing for soil health. (I reference Dr. Beck for most of this information.)

 

[5030]

Ain't working all that well around here, dryer than a popcorn fart. Stuff is stressed with no relief in sight.

 

[cqaigy2]

Horses are usually over grazing on pasture, unless a person has enough land and is paying attention.

 

[ptsg]

Loading alfalfa silage using a slightly different setup:

 

[ArlyA]

Horses are usually over grazing on pasture, unless a person has enough land and is paying attention.

This is what would be called "poor land management". Weather its horses, sheep or cattle.

 

[ArlyA]

Sonne farm in eastern SD trying to cut hay. We'd call that brome grass that he's cutting.

 

[ovrszd]

Here's a video I shot a few years ago of a local Aronia Berry operation. Harvest in progress.

 

[5030]

Exactly what it is. Hay Dude's specialty... grass hay for mushroom bedding...lol

 

[5030]

No rain here for the last 2 or 3 weeks and hot as well. Corn is starting to fire up a bit. Needs a drink. Last night we got maybe a sprinkle. Nothing to amount to anything in the rain gage and I've been watering the garden in the evening. I water between 8pm and 10 pm so the sun don't dry it out and the water can percolate deeper into the soil.

One positive thing, don't have to cut the lawns, they aren't growing at all, saving expensive gas...

Very unusual weather here. More like August in late June.

 

[lman]

This is a different way of filling the fertilizer tank.