RicelandMeadows

Mixed specie grazing

July 12, 2011

 

     Here are our cows and sheep grazing together. They keep each other company, but more importantly, graze our pastures efficiently. They eat different grasses along with some of the same. This “clipping” makes the best use of the feed. I mow after I rotate them to another pasture to kill weeds and give the grass an even start.

 

     The pastures are rested for about 3 weeks before grazing them again. In the hot dry days of summer we may rest them a bit longer. I walk the fields to determine when the best time to offer the grass to the stock again. It’s a balance that comes from experience.

 

     Mixing it up is a great phrase for small farmers. It can mean many things, like crop rotations, livestock diversity and farming methods. Change is good in some cases and this is a good example of that. Monocropping is not sustainable. At a minimum, crops must be rotated to break up the pest and weed cycles, not to mention to keep from depleting the soil of just a few nutrients. Mixing in livestock and pasture rotations is a very healthy alternative for soil health.

 

     Our gardens should also be mixed up. The plants should be moved around from year to year just like the crop rotation on a farm. I plant cover crops to enrich the soil, even in a small way such as planting buckwheat after peas. The buckwheat breaks up soil, enriches it by pulling out nutrients through its roots, then gives it back in a useable form, upon being plowed under.

 

     Look how a group of people bring diversity to a team. Each one of us has a given skill set and different life experiences. It is the differences that make a team strong. We feed off of each other and build upon each other for a successful outcome. This could not happen without … mixing it up.

 

     My farm is mixed powered. I use draft horses along with a couple small tractors and a skid steer. This gives me a wide range of horsepower to complete the task at hand. I think it helps me farm, because when I get behind from my off farm job, the weather or other commitments, I can catch up by employing a different method.

 

     Our family is mixed as well. We have a big group of folks when we all get together. There are kids, stepkids , and grandkids. We all form a family unit diverse and comfortable. We all get something different out of it, but we all bring something to give as well. One thing we all have in common is a sense of humor and wit. It keeps us all on our toes and smiles on our faces.

 

     As I look out across our mixed up farm, I can only feel pleased. It is sustainable, comfortable, healthy and diverse. There are folks who have known me for years who will say that I have been mixed up for decades … So, I guess that makes me an expert 😮