Multi-Species Rotational Grazing | $26 Cover Crop Worth $72 in Hay

Рет қаралды 1,913

Ай бұрын

Do cover crops work from an economic standpoint on the small regenerative farm? Digging our heels into this question as we move our Red Devon cattle and St Croix sheep to new paddocks and talk pasture health and strategy. Thanks for following along!
Warm Season Grazing Mix: store.greencover.com/products...

Пікірлер: 35

@guyhickson7332 Ай бұрын

I really appreciate how you are working your land and getting the most out of what you have. We have just less than 5 acres and raising sheep and chickens. I get a lot of motivation from watching your videos!

@birchfieldfarming Ай бұрын

Thanks for always encouraging me, Guy!🙏

@paulamcminn2532 6 күн бұрын

So thankful to find such a good word and just what I need to hear! ❤️

@birchfieldfarming 6 күн бұрын

Be blessed and at peace

@matthewaamot2961 Ай бұрын

Love the channel, brother!! 🙏🙏

@birchfieldfarming Ай бұрын

Thanks, Matthew!🤠

@ShepherdsCreek Ай бұрын

I did a bit of cover cropping this year just by hand and I'm waiting to see how that goes. We aren't out of drought but we got enough rain to go from level 5 (highest level of drought) to level 4. We aren't out of the woods, but it's better at least. I'm really hopeful that at least some of the seeds will take. I'm also hoping that next year we can get chickens too and make it work with the sheep as well.

@birchfieldfarming Ай бұрын

I can’t imagine all that comes with a level 4 & 5. The animals, plants, and external life are one thing, but there is absolutely a psychosomatic element the farmer deals with internally everyday as you attempt to buy time and press thru. It just illustrates the land as being a very literal extension of who we are, the connection inescapable. Peace to you, your family, and animals up North, friend.

@itinertantparishioner8092 Ай бұрын

Great video. I was just thinking of cover crop yesterday. I like how you show the advantage to planting a grazing annual cover as opposed to throwing hay down on the ground. Thank you!!

@birchfieldfarming Ай бұрын

Your American Milking Devons are going to love your cover crops someday, friend🤠

@dnawormcastings Ай бұрын

Sheep are so clean looking 🇳🇿🙏🏼

@birchfieldfarming Ай бұрын

They’re all slicked off this time of year, trying to stay cool🐑🐑

@fairacres6601 Ай бұрын

Great information!

@birchfieldfarming Ай бұрын

Thanks for watching🧑🏻‍🌾

@davidpeightal4918 Ай бұрын

Great job. The visuals are stunning at times. The discussion is inadvertently explaining some things I have not been able to figure out as a beginner at this. I think you actually assume people know about it, because most people do. yet the way you use the terms implies the meaning I need. Like the term “cover crop”. Well I know a lot more what people mean when they say those words now. I am still a bit confused because I saw a large operation grow a beautiful “cover crop” and then kill it with herbicide to send it back into the soil. So I guess I have a lot to learn. But I love the diversity of your cover, and the animals love it obviously. And it would seem the added health benefits of fresh green diversity would also be superior to feeding hay. And just seeing my animals feel that elated about something adds value beyond dollars.

@birchfieldfarming Ай бұрын

Thanks for this, David. To further expound, the herbicide is another cover crop strategy to add the leftover residue to soil to increase organic matter and a lot of times to cover the soil as the next living row crop emerges thru it. Spraying the herbicide on the cover to terminate it is called “burn down.” Obviously, not interested in that with grazing and our focus on soil health, but as we always say context is very important. Thank you again for your encouragement here with this comment.🤠

@benburns5995 Ай бұрын

Hi Jason, always good to see the Cows and the Sheep out grazing in the pastures. They are so at peace so it is very relaxing. Liked the idea of Cover Crops being used to Supplement feed later on in the Summer when needed.

@birchfieldfarming Ай бұрын

Hey there, Ben! Thanks for stopping by! How bout that kick I almost took to the knee? Gotta watch that little dude!!🐄🌱

@benburns5995 Ай бұрын

@@birchfieldfarming Yes, you always have to watch out for the Bulls. When he gets older he will be a handful.

@birchfieldfarming Ай бұрын

@@benburns5995…at least no horns this time!😀

@sarahktm 29 күн бұрын

I heard recently that the rate of growth on the cattle was significantly better on mixed forage such as you are doing vs. straight grass diet. If you guys have a scale, it would be cool to know those numbers from your set up

@birchfieldfarming 29 күн бұрын

That’s a great suggestion! A cattle scale is on my list.

@reefingwithcalvin7336 29 күн бұрын

Love your channel , learning lots each video! I was wondering at 19:43 you mentioned 1” gives you 200-300lbs of dry forage but in older videos you do calculation with 100-200lbs using 150lb conservative. As a beginner which numbers should we be using as rough guidelines? Is there a guide for each grow zone which tells you the rates?

@birchfieldfarming 29 күн бұрын

Great question here, and man you’ve been paying attention!!🤠. So it all depends on a number of factors, the big one being how thick is your stand, which is determined in my area by time of the year, weather, previous grazing pressure, etc. There are many ways to go about dialing this number in. One is the microwave method - cutting all forage down within a 12in by 12in square and then dry, multiply by sq footage. Another is with an actual grazing stick, which you can buy. The stick gives you height, and you’re estimating stand thickness. Here’s a link to microwave method. Start about 3:39 to avoid the other digital chaff(sound is horrible): kzfaq.info/get/bejne/opiaa9B_qMDbYqs.htmlsi=f4IgWQaFw74aSsA7

@birchfieldfarming 29 күн бұрын

…I should add - the goal here is not using the microwave or grazing stick each time you need to test, but rather to train your eye on correctly estimating. A few times and you’ll have it.

@reefingwithcalvin7336 29 күн бұрын

@@birchfieldfarming thanks a lot! I did watch that other video you mention about weighing the sqft area and graze stick methods. I understand now it more based on specific location and pasture conditions than growing zone areas (I asked because I’m in Canada). I didn’t realize the difference could be hundreds of pounds per inch difference depending on time of year when it’s just grass lol. Thanks again, God bless!

@birchfieldfarming 29 күн бұрын

@@reefingwithcalvin7336 Yeah, I mean in my area, I’m pretty content assuming 200 lbs/in/acre, which puts me at that 50 lbs per 1/4 acre paddock…there’s no way that’s uniform even on my land though with the difference in pasture and soil health between paddocks. The grazing stick is a good place to start tho! God bless you as well.

@marcruel9401 27 күн бұрын

Guys like you and Greg Judy are giving to the land instead of taking away. That’s your legacy

@birchfieldfarming 27 күн бұрын

Thanks, Marc!🤠

@tireddad6541 Ай бұрын

As a small farmer you can do things the big ones can't. Observing, a little more variety that you need to do, but the big guys can't. From your opening Scripture, I kept thinking of the blessing it is to literally see life and be a shepherd. God asks we be stewards, but you see that blessing everyday. It isn't that you aren't working, you are dependent and mindful. But it is sure good.

@birchfieldfarming Ай бұрын

Yes, friend…the blessing is in the being. That we are because He is, and it is good.❤️

@dwcarrigan88 24 күн бұрын

How do get the cattle to get copper and it not affect the sheep?

@birchfieldfarming 24 күн бұрын

Free Choice Enterprises offers a mineral system that is very effective and unique. The concept is providing almost 20 different individual minerals in a covered buffet and allowing the animals to self-select. I was a skeptic at first, but am one of the biggest supporters of it now after seeing it work and remineralize my pastures. (I’m in no way affiliated either)

@dwcarrigan88 24 күн бұрын

I just want to say. I recently found your channel and love your enthusiasm, passion and how succinctly you communicate. I’ve been researching this way of farming for over 12 years. I had a farm and lost it and am waiting on the Lords timing to get another property. So for now I live vicariously through people like you. God bless and keep up the good work!

@birchfieldfarming 24 күн бұрын

@@dwcarrigan88Thank you for this encouragement. All you good folks keep me going. I pray you’ll farm again, and the 2nd time will be better. God bless you as well, friend.