This was such an amazingly informative and helpful visit from Darby and Diego. I love this community and get so much out of every interaction I have with these gentlemen. The workshop I attended last Fall was so incredibly helpful coming into my first year on the farm.
Great video and great example of how grazing cattle can regenerate a landscape. Mayfield makes me feel like I'm slacking! Can't say enough good things about all three of y'all.
I have read that when you graze cattle on a piece of land that also improves the land for wildlife. To me that's a win all the way around. A win for the cattle that uses the land,a win for the people that eat the cattle,a win for the cattle owner,a win for the wildlife, and a win for whoever gets to hunt on that land.
When we started rotational grazing we noticed an increase in deer and turkey sightings within the first year. We never had resident animals, just pass throughs. We also noticed an increase in birds, snakes, predators and insects. The only thing we saw a decrease in was fire ant mounds and we were glad for that.
Johnsongrass is poisonous when very young or drought-stricken or frosted. This is a natural defense mechanism for the plant, which is a wild sorghum. Once it gets four to six feet tall, and/or develops a seed head, its toxicity virtually disappears and it is safe to graze. Unfortunately, it seems to me none of these fellows seems to be very informed as to how it works as a forage species. It needs to grow up tall like it is in these photos. It will last a few years under grazing but is essentially a three to six year short lived perennial. The answer to having grass like this every summer is to plant Alamo Switchgrass, a very tall growing native American grass from south central Texas. Despite being from that far south, it has good cold tolerance and can be used into the Ohio Valley region. The stand will have a lot of volunteer Johnsongrass in it for about three years, then the switchgrass will crowd it out. As to overseeding the stand with legumes, some white clover will help, but a taller clover such as red, crimson, or arrowleaf will compete better with the tall Johnsongrass. As switchgrass comes along, it will crowd out the legumes as well as the Johnson and weeds.
Have you considered getting a nose pump and watering from the creek? It'd save you hauling water and cattle basically pump their own water and because it is a pump and you move them weekly bank degradation should not be an issue.
I just leased a farm starting Oct 1st that has some fairly large Johnson grass patches in the Bahia pastures. I am hoping to have my first cattle on those pastures by Jan 1. So, I went ahead and closely mowed all the Johnson grass immediately after the first frost and then over -seeded Crimson Clover and rye grass. Hopefully the clover/rye grass will take upl the exposed areas between the Johnson grass plants and make a decent enough stand to allow for one of two grazing passes by time Johnson grass greens up in Spring. I'm also hopeful that the competition at green up time will also slow the Johnson Grass regrowth enough to start to increase the plant diversity in these stands. But I hear the cattle love Johnson Grass, so not at all displeased to have it.
Adding chickens is a big step that needs to be fully considered before beginning it. Lots of new inputs, infrastructure, time and expense. You also have to have a market to sell either eggs or meat so you can offset the cost of feed and birds. Poly culture is great but it takes a big commitment of time and resources.
This looks great, but how do you juggle things when the weather turns cold and the grass isn't growing anymore as winter approaches? Can you help to sort of bridge through this transition and how to deal with it?
Any word on how this will hold up in the sun? My concern right off the bat is if the roll is to live outside and it is proprietary uv’s will kill it in no time. I plan to graze in the Colorado high country. About 8000 ft and the suns no joke. Otherwise I really like this system before I dive into it. 900 m is ample per roll. And the efficiency of you laying down the line was great. Maybe I’d have to just buy a ton of rolls? Also about how many sticks could a larger man realistically carry? Thoughts please…
I have hypathetical question... If I had just 10 miniature cows could I graze them on just 5 acres using this same method or would I need more land to rotate them around?
A: You have to rotate them around unless you want your pasture to gradually degrade while you're feeding them supplemental hay. B: the number of acres you need depends on your climate [latitude, rainfall, weather] and Geography [slope of the land, slope aspect, whether there's catchment or you're up on a ridge...] and Soil and Vegetation. A good starting place is your local NRCS
Depends on your grass and paddocks. I can do 5 on 5 acres but I have high quality grass plus a big farm if I needed to feed them more. The 5 I keep are for eating separate from main herd
grab a pair of snake boots and keep on walking. I run a standard boot height for dry ground, and a full chap length for water over knee high. I constantly encounter cottonmouths, and haven't had any issues.
Jj I don’t know about hogs and snakes, but when it comes to these thick, grassy weeds that have runner roots they’re a big help to clear it away. Just mow the grass for hay, plough up the ground, then fence your hogs in to root about. That’s how my parents cleared their land of Johnson grass, if you don’t want to maintain grazing land.
great video-thanks! I'm about to get started on portable electric fencing in a lot of Johnson grass. Do you lose a lot of voltage running your wire through the middle of that Johnson grass? I had planned on mowing temporary lanes before placing the wire.
Easier to run over the grass with a four wheeler, or maybe a riding lawn mower with the mower turned off. Works best to do it when the dew is still on the grass to really knock it down. Might take 2 passes. The cows can then graze the laid down grass. I like to use my 3 wheeler, really lays down a nice path.
Diego Footer I've since learned that a solar pump can put pond water into a portable tank, right size for both pond and stock oc, so electric fence keeps cattle off the pond. If the fence is about ten feet back from the pond then no manure gets to the water
If the animals like to eat that long grass why would you like to try get rid of it? Surely it's a bigger mass of feed than what a little pretty field would provide for them
It was like that for a long time (i remember farmers bitching about it when I was a kid in the 1970's). Wheat and corn farmers hate the stuff with a passion. It just looks like crap in a monoculture and steals some of the nutrients. It is also really hard to wipe out.
First......mow it and bale if for hay if theres any value in it.....or burn it. Theres no real value in it as it is..... totally over mature..out of the vegetative stage ! You can see clearly the cattle just walked it down. If not mowed the new growth will be delayed !!
Regenerative farming doesn't involving burning. There's always value in biomass. If the cows walk it down, it adds organic matter to the soil as it dies off. If they eat it, that adds organic matter to the soil, too, from what comes out their other end. Burning pollutes the air and wastes perfectly good carbon for soil development. As the cows mash the leaves into the soil, the biomass protects the soil from the hot sun and from erosion. Watch some more videos on regenerative farming, and you'll see what's going on all over the world to fix this planet and the food we grow on it.
This was such an amazingly informative and helpful visit from Darby and Diego. I love this community and get so much out of every interaction I have with these gentlemen. The workshop I attended last Fall was so incredibly helpful coming into my first year on the farm.
Great video and great example of how grazing cattle can regenerate a landscape. Mayfield makes me feel like I'm slacking! Can't say enough good things about all three of y'all.
I have read that when you graze cattle on a piece of land that also improves the land for wildlife. To me that's a win all the way around. A win for the cattle that uses the land,a win for the people that eat the cattle,a win for the cattle owner,a win for the wildlife, and a win for whoever gets to hunt on that land.
When we started rotational grazing we noticed an increase in deer and turkey sightings within the first year. We never had resident animals, just pass throughs. We also noticed an increase in birds, snakes, predators and insects. The only thing we saw a decrease in was fire ant mounds and we were glad for that.
Cow: Now THAT'S what I'm talkin' about!
Your UA-cam channel is the best,processed please.
Johnsongrass is poisonous when very young or drought-stricken or frosted. This is a natural defense mechanism for the plant, which is a wild sorghum. Once it gets four to six feet tall, and/or develops a seed head, its toxicity virtually disappears and it is safe to graze. Unfortunately, it seems to me none of these fellows seems to be very informed as to how it works as a forage species. It needs to grow up tall like it is in these photos. It will last a few years under grazing but is essentially a three to six year short lived perennial. The answer to having grass like this every summer is to plant Alamo Switchgrass, a very tall growing native American grass from south central Texas. Despite being from that far south, it has good cold tolerance and can be used into the Ohio Valley region. The stand will have a lot of volunteer Johnsongrass in it for about three years, then the switchgrass will crowd it out. As to overseeding the stand with legumes, some white clover will help, but a taller clover such as red, crimson, or arrowleaf will compete better with the tall Johnsongrass. As switchgrass comes along, it will crowd out the legumes as well as the Johnson and weeds.
Maybe even big blue stem and little blue stem and eastern gamma grass
Have you considered getting a nose pump and watering from the creek? It'd save you hauling water and cattle basically pump their own water and because it is a pump and you move them weekly bank degradation should not be an issue.
I just leased a farm starting Oct 1st that has some fairly large Johnson grass patches in the Bahia pastures. I am hoping to have my first cattle on those pastures by Jan 1. So, I went ahead and closely mowed all the Johnson grass immediately after the first frost and then over -seeded Crimson Clover and rye grass. Hopefully the clover/rye grass will take upl the exposed areas between the Johnson grass plants and make a decent enough stand to allow for one of two grazing passes by time Johnson grass greens up in Spring. I'm also hopeful that the competition at green up time will also slow the Johnson Grass regrowth enough to start to increase the plant diversity in these stands. But I hear the cattle love Johnson Grass, so not at all displeased to have it.
If it provides a big mass of feed why do you want to get rid of it?
He should do as Salatin does that he even mentions... rotate chicken behind the cows.
Adding chickens is a big step that needs to be fully considered before beginning it. Lots of new inputs, infrastructure, time and expense. You also have to have a market to sell either eggs or meat so you can offset the cost of feed and birds. Poly culture is great but it takes a big commitment of time and resources.
Wondering also what your voltage drop is through the tall grass?
Johnson Grass is the best grass for grazing
This looks great, but how do you juggle things when the weather turns cold and the grass isn't growing anymore as winter approaches? Can you help to sort of bridge through this transition and how to deal with it?
Nice video Diego. You and Darby make a good team.
Any word on how this will hold up in the sun?
My concern right off the bat is if the roll is to live outside and it is proprietary uv’s will kill it in no time. I plan to graze in the Colorado high country. About 8000 ft and the suns no joke. Otherwise I really like this system before I dive into it. 900 m is ample per roll. And the efficiency of you laying down the line was great. Maybe I’d have to just buy a ton of rolls? Also about how many sticks could a larger man realistically carry? Thoughts please…
Do you have any hesitation or bloat from the cows grazing on the long grass?
Short-grass prairie restoration!!
I have hypathetical question... If I had just 10 miniature cows could I graze them on just 5 acres using this same method or would I need more land to rotate them around?
A: You have to rotate them around unless you want your pasture to gradually degrade while you're feeding them supplemental hay.
B: the number of acres you need depends on your climate [latitude, rainfall, weather] and Geography [slope of the land, slope aspect, whether there's catchment or you're up on a ridge...] and Soil and Vegetation.
A good starting place is your local NRCS
Depends on your grass and paddocks.
I can do 5 on 5 acres but I have high quality grass plus a big farm if I needed to feed them more.
The 5 I keep are for eating separate from main herd
thank you for posting
51k one year later
may be the pasture need more cows for the summer...i think...
Thanks
Sweet Vid Diego....Cool Place
Aren't cows way more prone to get pink eye grazing tall grass? How do you cows do with it?
Great Vídeo! Thanks for share!
I live in TX. No way would I walk through that grass. You would have a snake on you. I’d have to mow a strip. Then Put in fence
@@Jj-gi2uv You betcha hogs'll eat snakes! Snake pizen aint no worse than a drunk to a derned hog!! Eat a snake just like a rope of taffy!!
grab a pair of snake boots and keep on walking. I run a standard boot height for dry ground, and a full chap length for water over knee high. I constantly encounter cottonmouths, and haven't had any issues.
I think you'd have snake probs here in Aussie too, browns, tigers, tiapan, nice grass though
Even without snakes, there’s chiggers, too.
Jj
I don’t know about hogs and snakes, but when it comes to these thick, grassy weeds that have runner roots they’re a big help to clear it away. Just mow the grass for hay, plough up the ground, then fence your hogs in to root about. That’s how my parents cleared their land of Johnson grass, if you don’t want to maintain grazing land.
Look up - Eastern Gamma grass.
Good good and good
Hey man how do you only have 17k subs?
Where is this? It looks such a lovely unspoilt place. You are so lucky.
East Tennessee
great video-thanks! I'm about to get started on portable electric fencing in a lot of Johnson grass. Do you lose a lot of voltage running your wire through the middle of that Johnson grass? I had planned on mowing temporary lanes before placing the wire.
Easier to run over the grass with a four wheeler, or maybe a riding lawn mower with the mower turned off. Works best to do it when the dew is still on the grass to really knock it down. Might take 2 passes. The cows can then graze the laid down grass. I like to use my 3 wheeler, really lays down a nice path.
What do the cattle do to the creek?
Destroy the bank and vegetation on the bank which leads to erosion.
Diego Footer
I've since learned that a solar pump can put pond water into a portable tank, right size for both pond and stock oc, so electric fence keeps cattle off the pond. If the fence is about ten feet back from the pond then no manure gets to the water
Forget the cultipacker and just have your cows step it in.
"Fallow" is a barren field where nothing is growing.
What kind of grass do you plant in your farm or pasture
@27:16 you have a bug in your URL forwarding I think.
If the animals like to eat that long grass why would you like to try get rid of it? Surely it's a bigger mass of feed than what a little pretty field would provide for them
You may not get legumes to come back without liming.
Can you provide a link for the fencing? Thanks.
It's at 6:15
What about using cows for milk using this method?
I found grass-fed cows' milk at Trader Joe's. I was thrilled! And it's delicious, of course.
Pastures in Colombia, Brazil and Venezuela are usually that tall, but they are poor quality.
All i can think ab is ticks
Get guinea fowl. They love ticks!
No-till Intuit green I would not bush hog it at all
get some goats, sheep and maybe few pigs that will help out as well !!
how many cows on the 20 acres ty for the video.
About 35 rotated through half acre cells.
I've read that you must wait for at least 5 days after the last rain day before animal can graze, otherwise it can be toxic.
Is this statment true ?
Nah, its not realy toxic. Animals might get a temporary diarrhea because of the moisture excess...
Has he thought of adding chickens?
Maria Hurley Already has, but different part of the farm.
Why did his neighbors think he had to spray his johnson grass? Monsanto et al propaganda probably.
It was like that for a long time (i remember farmers bitching about it when I was a kid in the 1970's). Wheat and corn farmers hate the stuff with a passion. It just looks like crap in a monoculture and steals some of the nutrients. It is also really hard to wipe out.
johnson grass
No thanks to Johnson grass.
First......mow it and bale if for hay if theres any value in it.....or burn it. Theres no real value in it as it is..... totally over mature..out of the vegetative stage ! You can see clearly the cattle just walked it down. If not mowed the new growth will be delayed !!
You didn't hear a word he's said.
Regenerative farming doesn't involving burning. There's always value in biomass. If the cows walk it down, it adds organic matter to the soil as it dies off. If they eat it, that adds organic matter to the soil, too, from what comes out their other end. Burning pollutes the air and wastes perfectly good carbon for soil development. As the cows mash the leaves into the soil, the biomass protects the soil from the hot sun and from erosion. Watch some more videos on regenerative farming, and you'll see what's going on all over the world to fix this planet and the food we grow on it.