I like the idea of using the native grasses. Im relocating to Pennsylvania in another year or so and will definitely look into doing this as we build up our pastures. 👍🏼
Hi, i am new to the channel, coming from Greg Judy's YT. Your "JUNGLE" looks astounding. Great stuff, gonna binge watch your videos through the weekend, keep em coming!!
Do cattle like to eat the cup plant? At 12:12 you can see an almost untouched plant. Also one further left in the background. Have you ever done a feed value test on it? Whereby the feed value on paper may not matter if the animals avoid the plants in practice.
Hello Russ! I've been a huge Greg Judy fan for awhile now and now I'm a fan of yours as well! Thanks for taking the time to make your videos, very informative. I've just subbed, now off to binge watch!
I agree. Greg has some really good stuff and I really enjoy watching his channel, but Russ, the content you provide is what I have been looking for for several months. Glad I found the channel last weekend
WOW...jungle would be an understatement! Like you I am very interested in utilizing warm season native grasses. A couple questions, how long did you have to allow your eastern gamagrass to mature before you could begin to graze it? Can you explain how you stratified the seed? Did you prepare a seedbed or drill into the sod? I'd really love a video (if you have time) to explain in more detail your planting and establishment of these fabulous grasses! That stand looks amazing! Last question, the cattle you turned in to the grass...that is a single day of grazing then move correct? How many turns through there per season? Thanks for the time Russ!
Hi Tim Great questions! We do things a little different then recommendations on establishment of the natives. We will go into the field the fall before establishment and cover crop it usually with cereal rye, hairy vetch, and annual ryegrass. Graze it in the spring maybe twice then burn it off and plant the natives into that pasture. Then graze the annuals "weeds" that start to grow. maybe twice. We will really watch closely so we do not over graze the native plants that are being established. Maybe move or turn the cattle four to five times in a day vs the recommendations of herbicide use or clipping. The second year we will begin to graze the native plants being very careful not to over graze them. Stratified seed is where you soak the seed with a clorox solution @ 1/10 then put the refigaution for 6wks to mimic natures winter cylcle as if it were seeded naturally. We no till our natives; however they can be easily established conventional In that field we turned the cattle twice per day. We will graze our natives two to three times per year. I have put your suggestions for videos on my list and I will get it out to you. Have a great day!!!!!!!!!! Russ
I have not clipped a field since 2012. If a field is looking like it should be clipped I'll change the grazing up to do it with the animals. Thanks for watching!!
Are all summer grasses bunchgrass. I can imagine why all the Pioneers plowed all that summer grass down if it was a bunch grass. I wonder how many horses end up with broken legs and cattle with broken legs and how many broken wagon wheels. With my experience a cutting CRP hay with a moco. Very rough.
Not all warm season grasses are bunch type. Pennsylvania has more than 1200 species of grasses. But you are right the bunch types are very rough going over. Can't imagine mowing crp ground with a moco. It would shake your teeth out. Thanks for Watching!!
The natives are part of the drought plan if we have a drought. They are still growing cause of their huge root systems. I do not irrigate. Was looking into irrigation but we just don't have enough water reserve to do it. Great question!
A lot of native seeds are hard seeded. Meaning they will lay dormant for years. When the conditions are perfect they will germinate. Cold stratify native seeds make more of the hard seeds germinate. I've had a lot of questions on how to do it. I will be doing a video on cold stratify seeds. Thanks for Watching!!
All that looks great. But what do you do in the winter. Are you able to graze thru the winter or do you feed hay? How many days? And how many cows are you running on that 145 acres?
Hi Doug That's a great question. We graze threw the winter sometimes the cattle graze threw 3' of snow. We do feed a little bit of hay last year it was for 22 days. Which is purchased. The stocking rate on the farm is 1 animal unit to 1.70 acres for 343 days last year. The grazing days are going to vary depending on the year. (a animal unit is 1000 pounds of animal) . Side note in my area if you have a NRCS Grazing Specialist writes you a grazing plan. The stocking rate for the plan will be 1 animal unit for 2 acres for about 160 days. With some variables Soil type, management type, etc. This is to give you an idea of the overall production of our farm. Using animal units is a more precise way of being able to adjust stocking rate. We have 13 equine and little over 100 head of cattle for a total of about 85 animal units. Thanks for watching.
The cows are grazing than 300 days a year. Cows will be on a paddock 12-24 hours. the paddock size ranges from 1/10 acre to 1 acre depending on how much is in each paddock. Thanks for Watching!!
Hi John We use Kencove mini reels www.kencove.com . They are 1/4 the price compaired to O'Brain or Stafix geared reels. Smaller easier to use. Not as durable. For the price I'm good with that. Thanks for watching! Russ
@@johnwieczorek7992 I built the reel winder. I'm not a where of any commercially on the market. If your interested I could figure what it would cost to build only if your serious. Take a bit of time to figure out. Thanks Russ
We graze soft leaf tall fescue, orchard grass, meadow fescue, and canary grass in the winter. Most of the grasses are fescue. If I had the perfect stockpile field it would be 50%fescue, 20% orchard grass and 30% legumes. The legumes would be clover or birdsfoot trefoil. The legumes help improve the forage quality.
Why can't you drill Eastern gamagrass. How big is the bunches on the seed. Are you tripping over the Mounds. And maybe talk a little more about switchgrass. Is that a bunch grass or sod grass . thank you.
You can't drill Eastern Gamagrass. Most folks use a corn planter cause it more precise. The goal for eastern gamagrass is one plant every square yard. The bunches get big on eastern gamagrass. I'm not tripping on mounds. I'm also used working around the gamagrass. Most all native grasses are bunch grasses this includes switchgrass. Switchgrass is cheap to establish and very hardy. It isn't the highest quality but very productive. Thanks for watching!!
That is one of my older videos. I have changed the music and only use it for b roll footage. Thanks for the input. I'm always trying to make the videos better.
That is an amazing stand of grass Russ! That’s my goal, to have my grass that tall one day.
Keep at it your grass will be just as good as mine! Thanks for watching!
I like the idea of using the native grasses. Im relocating to Pennsylvania in another year or so and will definitely look into doing this as we build up our pastures. 👍🏼
Just found your channel. I'm a big Greg Judy fan. Can't wait to watch your videos.
always enjoy seeing the cattle quickly going through the gate to get to their new buffet. thanks
They enjoy new clean new pasture. Thanks for watching!
Hi, i am new to the channel, coming from Greg Judy's YT. Your "JUNGLE" looks astounding. Great stuff, gonna binge watch your videos through the weekend, keep em coming!!
We're new 2 thanks to Greg Judy, the grass is CRAZY BIG!
Thanks for the sub!
Do cattle like to eat the cup plant? At 12:12 you can see an almost untouched plant. Also one further left in the background. Have you ever done a feed value test on it? Whereby the feed value on paper may not matter if the animals avoid the plants in practice.
Great video, great information, thanks
Thanks for watching!
Hello Russ! I've been a huge Greg Judy fan for awhile now and now I'm a fan of yours as well! Thanks for taking the time to make your videos, very informative. I've just subbed, now off to binge watch!
I agree. Greg has some really good stuff and I really enjoy watching his channel, but Russ, the content you provide is what I have been looking for for several months. Glad I found the channel last weekend
Wonderful video and pastures!
And forbs included!
Many thanks! We do try our best for diversity Thanks for watching!
Your grass is HUGE, we came here thanks to Greg Judy. No offense to Greg, your grass makes Greg look like he's feeding sand LOL [love Greg's channel]
Welcome aboard!! Greg is a good person!
WOW...jungle would be an understatement! Like you I am very interested in utilizing warm season native grasses. A couple questions, how long did you have to allow your eastern gamagrass to mature before you could begin to graze it? Can you explain how you stratified the seed? Did you prepare a seedbed or drill into the sod? I'd really love a video (if you have time) to explain in more detail your planting and establishment of these fabulous grasses! That stand looks amazing! Last question, the cattle you turned in to the grass...that is a single day of grazing then move correct? How many turns through there per season? Thanks for the time Russ!
Hi Tim Great questions!
We do things a little different then recommendations on establishment of the natives. We will go into the field the fall before establishment and cover crop it usually with cereal rye, hairy vetch, and annual ryegrass. Graze it in the spring maybe twice then burn it off and plant the natives into that pasture. Then graze the annuals "weeds" that start to grow. maybe twice. We will really watch closely so we do not over graze the native plants that are being established. Maybe move or turn the cattle four to five times in a day vs the recommendations of herbicide use or clipping. The second year we will begin to graze the native plants being very careful not to over graze them.
Stratified seed is where you soak the seed with a clorox solution @ 1/10 then put the refigaution for 6wks to mimic natures winter cylcle as if it were seeded naturally.
We no till our natives; however they can be easily established conventional
In that field we turned the cattle twice per day. We will graze our natives two to three times per year.
I have put your suggestions for videos on my list and I will get it out to you.
Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!
Russ
I subscribed. I’m going to try some of your methods on my small place in. Coryell County, TX.
Thanks for the sub! A lot of what we do is fitting for the small producer. Are there any specific videos that would be helpful to you?
@@RussWilson Still looking through yours.
AWESOME!!!!
I would love a jungle like that!!
It's possible to make a jungle like that one. If you need any help let me know.
do you clip behind you or just leave that residual ? are there situations where you want to clip with a mower?
I have not clipped a field since 2012. If a field is looking like it should be clipped I'll change the grazing up to do it with the animals. Thanks for watching!!
Perfect plot, good for cattle good for some wildlife and good for building fertil soil
Its a excellent field!
What state are you in? Very impressive grass stand!
We are in north western pennsylvania. It is a impressive stand of grass everyone needs a field like it.
Love the videos
Thank you thanks for watching
Thanks, great video
You're welcome! Love your channel!! Thanks Russ
Are all summer grasses bunchgrass. I can imagine why all the Pioneers plowed all that summer grass down if it was a bunch grass. I wonder how many horses end up with broken legs and cattle with broken legs and how many broken wagon wheels. With my experience a cutting CRP hay with a moco. Very rough.
Not all warm season grasses are bunch type. Pennsylvania has more than 1200 species of grasses. But you are right the bunch types are very rough going over. Can't imagine mowing crp ground with a moco. It would shake your teeth out. Thanks for Watching!!
Hey russ, are your native warm season fields what get you through droughts in the summer? or do you irrigate?
The natives are part of the drought plan if we have a drought. They are still growing cause of their huge root systems. I do not irrigate. Was looking into irrigation but we just don't have enough water reserve to do it. Great question!
At :48 - some cow loving- put on some Barry Manilow
Russ I hear you mention stratify the gammagrass seed. What's that mean. Like what your doing. Learning a lot from your farming techniques.
A lot of native seeds are hard seeded. Meaning they will lay dormant for years. When the conditions are perfect they will germinate. Cold stratify native seeds make more of the hard seeds germinate. I've had a lot of questions on how to do it. I will be doing a video on cold stratify seeds. Thanks for Watching!!
@@RussWilson Day
All that looks great. But what do you do in the winter. Are you able to graze thru the winter or do you feed hay? How many days?
And how many cows are you running on that 145 acres?
Hi Doug That's a great question. We graze threw the winter sometimes the cattle graze threw 3' of snow. We do feed a little bit of hay last year it was for 22 days. Which is purchased. The stocking rate on the farm is 1 animal unit to 1.70 acres for 343 days last year. The grazing days are going to vary depending on the year. (a animal unit is 1000 pounds of animal) . Side note in my area if you have a NRCS Grazing Specialist writes you a grazing plan. The stocking rate for the plan will be 1 animal unit for 2 acres for about 160 days. With some variables Soil type, management type, etc. This is to give you an idea of the overall production of our farm. Using animal units is a more precise way of being able to adjust stocking rate. We have 13 equine and little over 100 head of cattle for a total of about 85 animal units. Thanks for watching.
How many pounds of cup plant seed do you put on?
1/2-1 ounce to the acre.
Hi Russ
How long do you let cattle on your fields and what are size of paddocks?
The cows are grazing than 300 days a year. Cows will be on a paddock 12-24 hours. the paddock size ranges from 1/10 acre to 1 acre depending on how much is in each paddock. Thanks for Watching!!
incredible
Thanks!
Russ where do you buy gamagrass seed ?
Hill top seed on millerstown rd Walt Robertson or Eastern Gamagrass Co.
Hi Russ, great information where do you get them reels you use for poly wire and what brand are they. THANKS
Hi John We use Kencove mini reels www.kencove.com . They are 1/4 the price compaired to O'Brain or Stafix geared reels. Smaller easier to use. Not as durable. For the price I'm good with that. Thanks for watching! Russ
Russ Wilson did you get the reel winder there also?
@@johnwieczorek7992 I built the reel winder. I'm not a where of any commercially on the market. If your interested I could figure what it would cost to build only if your serious. Take a bit of time to figure out. Thanks Russ
Russ Wilson could you send me some pictures of it ? Thanks
How many cattle do you have on your 130 acres of pasture? Cow-calf operation? Thank you in advance.
We run about 80-90 animal units or 80,000-90,000 pounds of animal. This includes the cows, sheep, mule and donkeys. Thanks for watching!!
What kid of setup is that for the wire reel? I need one.
That is a homemade set up. I'm going to do a tutorial on how to build them and also going to build couple extra for a giveaway.
What kind of grass do you graze in the winter? Fescue?
We graze soft leaf tall fescue, orchard grass, meadow fescue, and canary grass in the winter. Most of the grasses are fescue. If I had the perfect stockpile field it would be 50%fescue, 20% orchard grass and 30% legumes. The legumes would be clover or birdsfoot trefoil. The legumes help improve the forage quality.
Why can't you drill Eastern gamagrass. How big is the bunches on the seed. Are you tripping over the Mounds. And maybe talk a little more about switchgrass. Is that a bunch grass or sod grass . thank you.
You can't drill Eastern Gamagrass. Most folks use a corn planter cause it more precise. The goal for eastern gamagrass is one plant every square yard. The bunches get big on eastern gamagrass. I'm not tripping on mounds. I'm also used working around the gamagrass. Most all native grasses are bunch grasses this includes switchgrass. Switchgrass is cheap to establish and very hardy. It isn't the highest quality but very productive. Thanks for watching!!
can u turn yer music volume down,it spoils yer vid in my opinion mickey oldfield.
That is one of my older videos. I have changed the music and only use it for b roll footage. Thanks for the input. I'm always trying to make the videos better.