@@StoneyRidgeFarmer wow man there’s more than I thought for that gate!! 3 day install. In the video you said it’s expensive, can you ballpark what something like that would run?
Cat's out of the bag on this concept, I sure hope it catches on. Breaks my heart every day on my commute to see all the heavily over grazed farmland. What a difference a few strands of poly wire would make for them.
I love this video so, so much. "This is the way farming should be, and this is the way food should be." This is EXACTLY why I'm getting into regenerative farming.
Trying the same thing on our 147a ranch on canyon edge of Salmonriver. Steep, rocky ground, infested with Star thistle, hemlock. Dry during summer, with limited water. Appreciate your program. Hav major cross section fencing, will work with elect fencing. Otto Creek ranch, White Bird, Idaho.
Brilliant! Absolutely Brilliant and the Proof of Holistic Grazing is the Results. Very impressive. Best Video I have seen yet on Why n How to Regeneratively Farm. Thank you. Exceeding Abundant Blessings over you, your family and your Farm.
Hey Josh, so glad you brought up the "no flies" I noticed that and it shows how much more the cows are relaxed, brother you've done such a great job establishing your farm buddy!!! You certainly have a wealth of knowledge about your entire operation and I thank you for sharing it with everyone. Take care my friend. Jay.
Fantastic, comprehensive explanation of regenerative farming. I hope I'm still around in 5-10 years to see the re-development of the soil on your farm.
Well Josh, we've been watching your progress for about 3 years now, and this is the first time I've left a comment because I was so impressed. Seen you install the high tinsel and the Kentucky 4-board, seen the automatic gate, the water cisterns, the pond, the hydrant installs - so much good stuff. This vid, however, contained such thorough information, well, we think it's your BEST thus far. Keep it up, buddy!
I have been doing paddock grazing for 3 years now. I started with Gregg Judy and then I found your channel. I am in western PA, so my pasture time becomes limited due to our winters. I wish my farm was as flat as yours. My Pop’s, he is 85 years old, is old school and did like you mentioned earlier, graze down to nothing. He is always asking why I am dividing the pastures into smaller paddocks. I am seeing an improvement in the pasture. Thanks for your videos and be safe out there.
bhahhahha....you think this is flat...funny I have folks visit and tell me it looks bigger on "TV" then I take them around and they eat their words...it's not mountains but it's surely not flat my friend. All my neighbors didn't get what I was doing here...they thought "it's stupid and a waste of time" ...now they've started asking questions and they see the health of the land and the animals with minimal input....got them all scratching their heads. I've screwed up along the way...but now I'm getting into the good stuff! Greg is right! Move them 2 times per day!!!!
I know your not flat…lol. Your farm has a very nice layout with the rolling hills. I wish I had a better water supply. Each year I try to make things better.
This is the way brother. Thank you for sharing this with the people. Most of our farming friends have found that a regenerative permaculture concept works very well and we hold a self reliance festival a few times a year here in West Tennessee.
Yes! Thanks for showing people that this works! We need ruminants to heal the land. We are praying that more and more will turn to regenerative ag. The cows look beautiful!!!
Good vid Josh I like the grass in your lawn analogy by far the weediest yards are the ones cut less than 3 in Bermuda is the only exception. Glad you have a good mix of forage in the pastures looking good imagine how they will look in a few more years .
Hard work is what it takes to have a beautiful farm and you have done it by your self witch is amazing to me it goes to show any one can do it if you work hard 🇺🇸
Love what your doing. Very thought out and planned. All farms should move towards regenerative farming. Our countries food would be so much healthier and I think would eliminate so many health conditions & diseases. Great job. I would love to start a farm like you have.
If you make a circle around the water fount and each paddock has its own poly-wire gate with quick hooks all you will have to do is take down that section and will keep them out of the other paddocks. I hope that I described it clearly.
Joel Salatin uses a portable, and sturdy shade unit for his cattle, your 4 wheeler should be able to pull it. Very high fertility wherever it is used (hint: don't pick one spot for each paddock). Have you ever used a Yeoman's plough (and Keyline) to get rid of any soil compaction? You did say 'first generation' at the start but then mentioned previous use later; probably not necessary if the farm was virgin land. Greg Judy (Mo) uses longer rest periods and his forage sometimes hides the calves when the herd first moves in. He also uses sheep to knock down the leafy plants and weeds. The point being he rarely needs to mow any forage. It all gets eaten, trampled or left to seed. Building the humus layer is a major key to fertility. At first glance those paddocks farm look like they could use more minerals, solution: rock dust. Great advertisement for Regen: with your enthusiasm you would make a great speaker on the circuit. You didn't say it out loud but the key motivator is the lower stress when using Regen methods, i.e. more family time, low or no bills, checks signed on the back (Gabe Brown), etc.
we don't have too many compaction issues on the farm...and yep, I've been to Polyface...I've got a great vid with Joel on the channel... I think it's called "Why isn't everybody farming like this"...check it out...it's a great watch and about 35mins long...the most comprehensive video of polyface farm I've seen
Great vid SRF. It really explains how you go about laying out your land to make the mob n move work well. It sounds like this could be done to most scales of ones herd (within reason). 40 some cows for you....or even only 4 cows on proportionally less land.
We are having to do what you did at the start, level the nutrients with fertiliser at the start plant seed to grow pasture so it can outcompete the weeds, combined with slashing to keep the weed seed bank under control.
don't sweat that "weed seed bank" so much.....remember your weeds are telling you something...the plants that grow are telling ya what you need to do without chemicals my friend....Dandelion or moss...needs iron....Broomsedge....Ph to acidic....clover....needs nitrogen.....ragweed....too much exposed soil and so on...vid coming out on this soon!
@@StoneyRidgeFarmer yeah the soil is telling us "we need N-P cause we starvin marvin" I ended up getting a soil test to be sure, and very low nitrate and phosphorus levels. Look forward to the video! Cheers
Very smart...2x a day...i saw in Cornwall, ik, where there are paddocks which are not big but the meadows all have hedges, for molls.. hedgehogs, mice, birds (nests), growing blackberries, herbs like hunnysuckle, all you can expect there to have an harmonious farmland..if moles have enough shady hedges where they eat their foods they will not come into the field so much .also mini strips of trees between the fields helps a lot too..it's good for shade for the animals..to keep the big tiles of water for all sorts of life..and it attracks deer and other animals like foxes yo keep the rats and mice controlled...well.. they all walk their beautiful clean cows..none of them have the runners, they take them into the shed around the house...in the morning they are let out. Very early..and then the farmer opens 2 paddocks..you cannot believe it but these sweethearts just walk along the road to the paddock they want to be in..one of these 2, there they will raze...at lunchtime the farmer walks over and opens the paddock's across that very small street...and then he puts some biscuits..or other side foods.snacks in the new paddock..like carrots..sugar eets, hey, oats..like that..spread..near the bathtubs of fresh water...then if there is no traffick they open the gates where the cows are already waiting to crossover!!!! They hop over in a few minutes..having a picknick .i am not joking..i stayed at the local b&b to watch this theatreshow happening....the poo is being picked up though..and they reuse it on the field by putting it in piles and mix it with water and some other natural feeds for the grass..and then they spread it with the manure spreader ..it takes 3 days and then all is absorbed i heard..like compost water.....doesn't ruin the grass..some paddocks are left to grow grass for hay and straw producing..so at the end of the season..they have moved these cows in 2 troops.over to at least 8 paddocks where they roulate...randomly..by their own taste haha .these are all dairy but also meat cows..and since they love to go back into the stables, and attracks tourist by doing so ...they will be fed and milked, before they can rest for the night..not in Rowe's or restricted areas..poo areas..just on straw and sheltered..together...and a mini patio where they can breathe the nightly air....but that's only paved... So that's my illustration of what i saw there..i loved it .they also held goats and some sheep .since the woman apart from keeping the b&b only is summer they said...she produced small amounts of 3 sorts of cheeses .sheep..cow and goat cheese..and produced a kind of soap bars and other stuff from certain ponies she kept too..that milk is a remedy.. And can be used for baby milk if the mother isn't producing enough..like that . Well i was super impressed this is not old grandpa's farming at all .but very harmonious which they have been doing for hundreds of years there..this was in the early 80's, it was still there after the millennium..so I liked what i saw .i hope they have been able to survive during the harsh times they put on farmers in the earth..
Hey Josh! Ma Nature has had a LONG time to come up with the best solutions. So... imitating her methods should have the best results. Once more farmers realize that there is a better, cheaper way to achieve more profitable results, they will follow the leaders in these techniques. It's a lot like moving your cows from one pasture to another... once one starts to move, the rest will, eventually, follow!
yep...shouldve come said hey! Next time come shake my hand buddy! Me and my stepdad were at spring lake all day saturday...if you're not sure it's me...just go Wooooo!!! or yell out Stoney Ridge ! I'll hear ya lol
I know too little about cattle/livestock to make an intelligent comment. I do like learning even at my age, so I watch and learn. Hard to argue with success. As several have committed, one size does not fit all. But as I said, hard to argue with your successful methods. I hope you find a life partner that is compatible, and sorry about the misses.
Graze to the ground is not just old school its time not amount of forage harvested. Look into jim elizondo he will blow your mind. Even though it kind looks like you do total grazing but use the leave some. selective grazing ideas...great job on the right track for sure
Hi Josh, good job on rotational grazing. Might want to put some geo textile material and stone around your water trough. I also put old telephone poles around the outside perimeter to keep the stone in place. Thanks for the video.
Those cows are absolutely gorgeous. I believe in eating meat, but I wish more could be raised like this. I want to do similar, but include chickens in the rotation to spread the manure. Just not sure how to do it at the scale you do. We live in Utah now, but we're planning to be out to the Carolinas for good by the end of this year. Thanks for sharing your journey!
lol...it's a good thing you believe in eating meat my brotha.....so funny ....if you were to say that 40 years ago people wouldn't understand.....so many sick minds out there that don't understand that we can't escape our genetic makeup....you've got K9 teeth....you eat meat or you won't be healthy. I lived in Ogden, Layton, Clearfield and finally West Haven Utah for about 10 years USAF Hill AFB also
@@StoneyRidgeFarmer Yessir, been to HAFB many times. I'm Army Guard myself, but we all bleed and sweat red white and blue! For real Josh, your channel keeps the dream alive for me. Don't give up, keep on keepin' on!
Hay Josh thanks for taking the time to make this video. I always love to see different ways people raise their animals and you do a really good job explaining how everything works on your farm thanks again and have a nice day. Anyone who is looking for another farming UA-cam channel I just started one and I would appreciate it if you check it out.
@@StoneyRidgeFarmer I had a rancher in Western South Dakota that I prairie dogged on that claimed he needed 200 acres per cow. Partly due the prairie dogs consuming so much of the best grass. Very arid. Not like cattle country in South FL for sure. No research, his story.
Looks good Sir! Great video once again! Thanks for sharing. I use 1/4 " electric rope for a lot of my fencing. Personal preference only as I find it lasts better than the small poly braid wire as our cold temperature causes wire to crack - and the rope is easier to see. But again personal preference. Pastures look great and although it may be the way it should be done, the reality is that it is a huge financial outpour and not all have the resources. So we we do the best we can, a little bit at a time, with what we have whilst keeping all the benefits of this in mind. Like you have said before it has taken you 5 years - its just taking me a lot longer...lol. I am curious if you plan to gravel your sacrifice areas around the waterers. Again, Thanks Josh. Great content.
Nice work i would probably at least double the size of each pasture for that number of head for 12hrs, it will need less time to recover. I rotate on 15-20 acre pastures, 5 days on, 15 + days off. The grass and clover is 8-10 inches tall when they come off, double when they go on. If I let anything go for 30 days I'm baling it for hay.
the sizes of these paddocks are working great for this number of cattle.....5 days on and 15 days off with my soil is a recipe for complete failureask me how I know....last year I opened up larger paddocks like this...we simply have no top soil and are rebuilding the soil here on the farm.....if I put the cows on a 20 acre pasture I'd have cow trails running all over the farm and bare ground....not to say what you are doing is wrong...it's just different from the concept of intensive mob grazing...if anything I've considered event tighter paddocks....every place it different..this land was farmed to it's detriment with tobacco for a couple hundred years...it's taking my grass at least 20 days to recover in most cases.....just to recover to 5-7 inches! Very very poor soil here
Another great video!! I think that you are doing a great job!! I really like how you communicate with your friends! The only thing I don’t quite understand is why you always say “we do this or that”. It looks like to me it’s all “YOU”!!! I think you should say “I” do this or that. THANKS for allowing us along on your farm.
yep....I think you're over thinking this one buddy lol...we is me, you, us, the cows and "we" is the farm...don't get hung up on something that really doesn't matter lol..."the editorial we" here's a definition: en.wiktionary.org/wiki/editorial_we
You brought that property up quite a bit from when you got it. Way to go Josh. I remember some of your early videos when you went out to visit Joel. Have you ever thought about using a small eggmobile to let the chickens scratch out your pies? All that nitrogen benefit you see in your garden mixed with scratching out the cow pies... Just curious really.
good points - you can still till and you need to till to get best results - the biggest point is staying all natural whenever possible - good content, cows are massive time sinks and lower roi than sheep or other livestock - stay flexible and experiment - nobody knows it all and different tracts need different interventions - get soil tests and get proper ph
small farms are getting killed off - it is no coincidence - you need to keep less animals per acre instead of overgrazing but the money and pressure can not be there in some situations so farmers are being forced to use sub optimal strategies just to survive - we need better ag policy for small farms - small farms have no lobby money - big conglomerates spend tons of lobby money so the laws end up favoring huge farms and farming is highly subsidized - it is a losing industry rifht now until there are changes #extant #extinct
And the tail of poly wire is too long. When you went to grab that yellow handle/hook, I flinched in response of the contact you made with that tail. Then I seen that it wasn’t “hot”. Whew!
We have a small 5 acre homestead surrounded by big commercial farmers and they spray constantly. Either they are spraying or the have a crop duster spraying. We have a water well and were afraid to drink from it. They are so hard on this land around us its sad.
Amen! Crazy how we have no flies now! So...black angus cattle bring more at the market around here..but soon I'll probably incorporate some south pole into my herd
I love Greg's philosophy for sure...however doing this on a much smaller scale requires a different mindset...he's got about a 30 year head start on me...but we're coming along great here! Both Greg Judy and Joel Salitan have been great inspiration and education for what we're doing on the farm here
Josh, you're going to reap the rewards for your hard, intelligent work! Very well done! Happy, healthy cows! In turn, us as the consumer, will benefit from eating this nutrient rich beef, needing less to be satisfied, and not putting stress on the beef supply. Full circle! I saw something being done on The Fit Farmer's Channel, and I wanted your opinion. Mike is doing something mentioned in the bible. He's letting a portion of his land rest one year, after using it for six years, as it says in the Bible. What are your thoughts, and would you consider doing this? Thanks again Josh!
yep...called laying fallow and the bible recommends every 7th year.....this is something that's done mainly on crop land...not grazing land. In fact when you let crop land lay fallow, you'd typically graze it with ruminant animals, so for all practical purposes...we are letting the whole farm lay fallow....not taking anything from the farm that we're not putting back...cows consume grass...and poop it right back out thus restoring the land The only loss is the weight gained by the cattle
I mow once per year if the fields get "woolly" meaning if they have plants that are less desirable. For example I moved the cattle off the pasture the other day...it had some ragweed, dog fennel and cereasy lespedeza ...I mowed it just to knock the tops out of the weeds at about 7 inches...now the more desirable grasses are taking over. I won't mow after around August 15th or I risk ruining some of my winter forage...in late winter and early spring I will drag the manure pats in the pastures...move my poly fencing around a bit and repeat the process next season
I think all farmers care about the land and the quality of their products....but we've gotten into a cycle of "cheap food" and gov't subsidies that force farmer so to make so few $$ per acre that a small operation like mine basically looses money..in order to remain competitive they feel forced to farm with tillage and or grain feeding beef...it's truly a tough market
2 of my neighbors planted crops this year using only manure.They had the two nicest crops of corn and soybeans I have ever seen. I don’t know I understand zero till farming. As a gardener, not a farmer, it seems like a bad idea. I am all about manuer, cover crops and deep tilling. Maybe I am wrong?
there's a big difference in your back yard garden and 10,000 acres of corn or soybeans my friend....what do ya do when you wanna control weeds in your garden? Dig them up? Expose the soil? Yep....that sterilizes the soil with UV ...if you do that over 10,000 acres....you're killing of all the microbial life in the soil...soil is an ecosystem, if you wanna see some weeds....till up a 4x4 spot in your yard and leave it alone.....the opportunistic plants (weeds) will take over...weeds take over the 10,000 acres....glyphosate come in to fix it......glyphosate needed...then GMO plants designed to tolerate glyphosate come into play and thus the viscous cycle continues. Try a cover crop like purple top clover in your garden this winter...then minimal tillage as you plant your garden...use wood chips and composted cow manure around your plants for weed control and over time you'll see a huge difference
This video series is very impressive and educational. I am a fan! I also like to eat grass-fed beef for its nutritional benefits. Òne question: where do you sell your food products? Thanks!
you need minerals, birds need minerals...and cattle need minerals....every living thing on earth survives on minerals Minerals are the conductors for all movement in any living thing on earth....google search sodium potassium pump and you'll learn a little bit...we all need proper vitamins and minerals to survive and thrive
Josh what a great video. I have been considering taking a couple of cows and goats on my property. To be honest I don't know how and where to start. I have 7 acres of farming area, recently cleared. Cleared it myself and left all the cedar trees, for shade. Cleared all the trash trees. Currently, most of it is raw soil. should I plant grass or just let nature run its course? Was wondering how I was going ot do this. This video gave me a great idea.
start with a good parameter fence my brotha...then you can do anything! I planted fescue grass on my property...check to see if you can rent a seed drill from the county or even better hire a "hydroseed" guy and you'll have great success...otherwise what you cleared will be wrapped up in weeds
nothing is fenced into the yard my friend...the gate is to keep vehicles out....this fall I'm planting some bushes to block those gaps...but it's mainly there to keep folks from driving up and bothering me lol
True story: On the British BBC radio it was reported two cows escaped ( the presenter said they were named Black and Gus). After a short silence the co-presenter said I think they mean the breed Black Angus... I know people naming a cow Gus and also Black being a popular name.
That is literally the funniest news report blooper…I saw it years ago with my mom and we still hollar ‘there’s black, wonder where his is!!’ When we see black cows! I contemplated naming two of my black butcher steers black and gus! 😂 😂
Regenerative farm,More like eco friendly farm.Best for the animals and nature.The grass 🌾is so green and the cows🐄 is so happy and healthy.Yeah,Thats the way it should be.
How come your mineral/salt blocks are on the ground and not in a box ? Aren't you creating a dead/kill spot in your grass with your block ? Also how is the deer population around you do they bother you ? Also you got some trees on the tree line that could be moved to where you want a few ? Anyway your place is great. What's your winter program?
So....the cows have a mineral block in each paddock....that's 62 mineral blocks....they move 2 times per day...they lick, butt, roll and kick around the block so it's never in the same spot killing grass. Can you imaging buying 62 different mineral block holders and putting them all over the farm? I can't give you all this info in a comment...jump in and follow the channel and you'll see my friend...also much more content on facebook.com/stoneyridgefarmer daily cattle livestreams there
lol....dear god input costs are insane! So...buying hay..hay contains grass seed and makes fertilizer for us out the cow's butt.....$9400 in hay this year! So..input costs are hay, pipe, water tanks, pumps, parementer fence, poly wire, step in posts, cattle handling equipment, atv, UTV tractors, mowers, sprayers for common areas, buildings to store equipment and materials and more! Over time input costs will be decreased...but as of now spending $10k per year on hay (carbon) to bring to the farm and machinery to keep everything up is pricey. If I fertilized it would have cost me over $40k this year! Crazy huh!
that's where the trench has settled this year....and no...the cows are used to uneven ground....later this year I'll grab some fill dirt and touch those spots up...also putting some gravel around the water tanks in high traffic areas
Great educational video Josh. Did you install your automatic gate on your farm entrance?
no sir...here's the install vid..you'll love it! ua-cam.com/video/n-ah9G0kZFg/v-deo.html
@@StoneyRidgeFarmer awesome thanks man
@@StoneyRidgeFarmer wow man there’s more than I thought for that gate!! 3 day install. In the video you said it’s expensive, can you ballpark what something like that would run?
Cat's out of the bag on this concept, I sure hope it catches on. Breaks my heart every day on my commute to see all the heavily over grazed farmland. What a difference a few strands of poly wire would make for them.
I love this video so, so much. "This is the way farming should be, and this is the way food should be." This is EXACTLY why I'm getting into regenerative farming.
Trying the same thing on our 147a ranch on canyon edge of Salmonriver. Steep, rocky ground, infested with Star thistle, hemlock. Dry during summer, with limited water. Appreciate your program. Hav major cross section fencing, will work with elect fencing. Otto Creek ranch, White Bird, Idaho.
Brilliant! Absolutely Brilliant and the Proof of Holistic Grazing is the Results. Very impressive. Best Video I have seen yet on Why n How to Regeneratively Farm. Thank you. Exceeding Abundant Blessings over you, your family and your Farm.
I’ve been following you for a long time. Your farm has come along way.
Hey Josh, so glad you brought up the "no flies" I noticed that and it shows how much more the cows are relaxed, brother you've done such a great job establishing your farm buddy!!! You certainly have a wealth of knowledge about your entire operation and I thank you for sharing it with everyone. Take care my friend. Jay.
I grew up on an Angus Stud. Your cows are in fabulous condition.
Pasture looks better Josh. Been praying for rain for all you farmers. Thanks for sharing.
Fantastic, comprehensive explanation of regenerative farming. I hope I'm still around in 5-10 years to see the re-development of the soil on your farm.
Well Josh, we've been watching your progress for about 3 years now, and this is the first time I've left a comment because I was so impressed. Seen you install the high tinsel and the Kentucky 4-board, seen the automatic gate, the water cisterns, the pond, the hydrant installs - so much good stuff. This vid, however, contained such thorough information, well, we think it's your BEST thus far. Keep it up, buddy!
Thanks my friend....don't be afraid to leave comments...and or questions...I read them as much as I can get too of course!
I have been doing paddock grazing for 3 years now. I started with Gregg Judy and then I found your channel. I am in western PA, so my pasture time becomes limited due to our winters. I wish my farm was as flat as yours. My Pop’s, he is 85 years old, is old school and did like you mentioned earlier, graze down to nothing. He is always asking why I am dividing the pastures into smaller paddocks. I am seeing an improvement in the pasture. Thanks for your videos and be safe out there.
bhahhahha....you think this is flat...funny I have folks visit and tell me it looks bigger on "TV" then I take them around and they eat their words...it's not mountains but it's surely not flat my friend. All my neighbors didn't get what I was doing here...they thought "it's stupid and a waste of time" ...now they've started asking questions and they see the health of the land and the animals with minimal input....got them all scratching their heads. I've screwed up along the way...but now I'm getting into the good stuff! Greg is right! Move them 2 times per day!!!!
I know your not flat…lol. Your farm has a very nice layout with the rolling hills. I wish I had a better water supply. Each year I try to make things better.
This is the way brother. Thank you for sharing this with the people. Most of our farming friends have found that a regenerative permaculture concept works very well and we hold a self reliance festival a few times a year here in West Tennessee.
Amen brother! That’s the way to do it.
Love the dedication of thought it took to get where you are now. I remember when you first got your property!
Yes! Thanks for showing people that this works! We need ruminants to heal the land. We are praying that more and more will turn to regenerative ag.
The cows look beautiful!!!
Can't believe how far you've come Josh. What a beautiful farm you've created! Woooooo!
thanks Doug! and thanks for being such a great supporter of the farm buddy!
Good morning Josh have a great day
Doin it the way it was intended, NATURAL! Love it!
Great video Josh
Could not agree with you more! From healthy soil comes everything else... Thanks for sharing this vital info!! 🙏
Thank you for sharing. I have a calf, pot belly pig and a miniature horse. I am going to try this on my little pasture.
Well said
Great work my brother.
Excellent and informative video. Thank you so much for explaining how and why of the rotation.
Great video. Really enjoyed learning how this works together.
Howdy, morning Josh
Good vid Josh I like the grass in your lawn analogy by far the weediest yards are the ones cut less than 3 in Bermuda is the only exception. Glad you have a good mix of forage in the pastures looking good imagine how they will look in a few more years .
We just helped a tractor salvage recycle tractor tires by taking them to reservice as raised garden beds on our property.
Your system must work well Josh. Your herd looks good and healthy. Plus your pasture looks awesomely green.
I'll never be a cow farmer, but really enjoyed your video Josh!!! Very informative!
What a fantastic video!! I am learning so much from your channel and so appreciative of your efforts to educate us! Keep up the great work!!
Your herd is looking good!! Some don't understand that you don't want to see your cows' tails swishing.
Regenerative, organic farming!👌🌻🦋
Hard work is what it takes to have a beautiful farm and you have done it by your self witch is amazing to me it goes to show any one can do it if you work hard 🇺🇸
and work smart my brotha...for sure
Your cattle are beautiful! So shiny and the color....very healthy. Great job!!
That's an amazing job your doing, regen the way to go 110%.
Great content as always.Very educational.Thanks for sharing
Love what your doing. Very thought out and planned. All farms should move towards regenerative farming. Our countries food would be so much healthier and I think would eliminate so many health conditions & diseases. Great job. I would love to start a farm like you have.
it all starts in the soil!! The health of every nation and it's people starts in the soil!
If you make a circle around the water fount and each paddock has its own poly-wire gate with quick hooks all you will have to do is take down that section and will keep them out of the other paddocks. I hope that I described it clearly.
coming soon buddy! Vid coming out this week solving this problem....you'll love it!
i really liked the information that you give on your videos. thanks for posting. have a great week
I wish all farmers were thinking like you! They say longhorn cattle are very easy to keep and are very tuff when it comes to heat.
Have a beautiful farm
Joel Salatin uses a portable, and sturdy shade unit for his cattle, your 4 wheeler should be able to pull it. Very high fertility wherever it is used (hint: don't pick one spot for each paddock).
Have you ever used a Yeoman's plough (and Keyline) to get rid of any soil compaction? You did say 'first generation' at the start but then mentioned previous use later; probably not necessary if the farm was virgin land.
Greg Judy (Mo) uses longer rest periods and his forage sometimes hides the calves when the herd first moves in. He also uses sheep to knock down the leafy plants and weeds. The point being he rarely needs to mow any forage. It all gets eaten, trampled or left to seed. Building the humus layer is a major key to fertility.
At first glance those paddocks farm look like they could use more minerals, solution: rock dust.
Great advertisement for Regen: with your enthusiasm you would make a great speaker on the circuit.
You didn't say it out loud but the key motivator is the lower stress when using Regen methods, i.e. more family time, low or no bills, checks signed on the back (Gabe Brown), etc.
we don't have too many compaction issues on the farm...and yep, I've been to Polyface...I've got a great vid with Joel on the channel... I think it's called "Why isn't everybody farming like this"...check it out...it's a great watch and about 35mins long...the most comprehensive video of polyface farm I've seen
Always have loved your farm/homested, JOSH!
Love the eating machines analogy. Reminds me of the way my grandfather said it. EEEEEE-DINGGG!! You don't say it. You HOLLER IT! 😅
Great job explaining Josh. Some take things for granted, good for you teaching a great sustainable way! Good stuff, thanks! Woohoo
Great vid SRF. It really explains how you go about laying out your land to make the mob n move work well. It sounds like this could be done to most scales of ones herd (within reason). 40 some cows for you....or even only 4 cows on proportionally less land.
WOOO! Great stuff!! That’s a cow paradise you’ve created!
We are having to do what you did at the start, level the nutrients with fertiliser at the start plant seed to grow pasture so it can outcompete the weeds, combined with slashing to keep the weed seed bank under control.
don't sweat that "weed seed bank" so much.....remember your weeds are telling you something...the plants that grow are telling ya what you need to do without chemicals my friend....Dandelion or moss...needs iron....Broomsedge....Ph to acidic....clover....needs nitrogen.....ragweed....too much exposed soil and so on...vid coming out on this soon!
@@StoneyRidgeFarmer yeah the soil is telling us "we need N-P cause we starvin marvin" I ended up getting a soil test to be sure, and very low nitrate and phosphorus levels. Look forward to the video! Cheers
Good morning!
Great job as always! Very informative.
Very smart...2x a day...i saw in Cornwall, ik, where there are paddocks which are not big but the meadows all have hedges, for molls.. hedgehogs, mice, birds (nests), growing blackberries, herbs like hunnysuckle, all you can expect there to have an harmonious farmland..if moles have enough shady hedges where they eat their foods they will not come into the field so much .also mini strips of trees between the fields helps a lot too..it's good for shade for the animals..to keep the big tiles of water for all sorts of life..and it attracks deer and other animals like foxes yo keep the rats and mice controlled...well.. they all walk their beautiful clean cows..none of them have the runners, they take them into the shed around the house...in the morning they are let out. Very early..and then the farmer opens 2 paddocks..you cannot believe it but these sweethearts just walk along the road to the paddock they want to be in..one of these 2, there they will raze...at lunchtime the farmer walks over and opens the paddock's across that very small street...and then he puts some biscuits..or other side foods.snacks in the new paddock..like carrots..sugar eets, hey, oats..like that..spread..near the bathtubs of fresh water...then if there is no traffick they open the gates where the cows are already waiting to crossover!!!! They hop over in a few minutes..having a picknick .i am not joking..i stayed at the local b&b to watch this theatreshow happening....the poo is being picked up though..and they reuse it on the field by putting it in piles and mix it with water and some other natural feeds for the grass..and then they spread it with the manure spreader ..it takes 3 days and then all is absorbed i heard..like compost water.....doesn't ruin the grass..some paddocks are left to grow grass for hay and straw producing..so at the end of the season..they have moved these cows in 2 troops.over to at least 8 paddocks where they roulate...randomly..by their own taste haha .these are all dairy but also meat cows..and since they love to go back into the stables, and attracks tourist by doing so ...they will be fed and milked, before they can rest for the night..not in Rowe's or restricted areas..poo areas..just on straw and sheltered..together...and a mini patio where they can breathe the nightly air....but that's only paved... So that's my illustration of what i saw there..i loved it .they also held goats and some sheep .since the woman apart from keeping the b&b only is summer they said...she produced small amounts of 3 sorts of cheeses .sheep..cow and goat cheese..and produced a kind of soap bars and other stuff from certain ponies she kept too..that milk is a remedy..
And can be used for baby milk if the mother isn't producing enough..like that .
Well i was super impressed this is not old grandpa's farming at all .but very harmonious which they have been doing for hundreds of years there..this was in the early 80's, it was still there after the millennium..so I liked what i saw .i hope they have been able to survive during the harsh times they put on farmers in the earth..
Hey Josh! Ma Nature has had a LONG time to come up with the best solutions. So... imitating her methods should have the best results. Once more farmers realize that there is a better, cheaper way to achieve more profitable results, they will follow the leaders in these techniques. It's a lot like moving your cows from one pasture to another... once one starts to move, the rest will, eventually, follow!
Hi.... Josh nice to see you love watching your videos homestead beautiful good job keep it up 👋 bye 👋 bye 👋 bye 👋 👕🐔🐓🐣🐥🐕🐈🐄🐖🐝🌱🏡🎥👍👍👍
I believe I saw you at the Livestock auction yesterday!
yep...shouldve come said hey! Next time come shake my hand buddy! Me and my stepdad were at spring lake all day saturday...if you're not sure it's me...just go Wooooo!!! or yell out Stoney Ridge ! I'll hear ya lol
Fantastic video.
I know too little about cattle/livestock to make an intelligent comment. I do like learning even at my age, so I watch and learn. Hard to argue with success. As several have committed, one size does not fit all. But as I said, hard to argue with your successful methods. I hope you find a life partner that is compatible, and sorry about the misses.
that's so awesome! and thank you...I believe I've found a nice lady now
Graze to the ground is not just old school its time not amount of forage harvested. Look into jim elizondo he will blow your mind. Even though it kind looks like you do total grazing but use the leave some. selective grazing ideas...great job on the right track for sure
Hi Josh, good job on rotational grazing. Might want to put some geo textile material and stone around your water trough. I also put old telephone poles around the outside perimeter to keep the stone in place. Thanks for the video.
I've got a plan....you'll see in the next few weeks my brotha!
the growing energy is in the bottom two inches of the grass plant generally between the roots and the first l
Those cows are absolutely gorgeous. I believe in eating meat, but I wish more could be raised like this. I want to do similar, but include chickens in the rotation to spread the manure. Just not sure how to do it at the scale you do.
We live in Utah now, but we're planning to be out to the Carolinas for good by the end of this year. Thanks for sharing your journey!
lol...it's a good thing you believe in eating meat my brotha.....so funny ....if you were to say that 40 years ago people wouldn't understand.....so many sick minds out there that don't understand that we can't escape our genetic makeup....you've got K9 teeth....you eat meat or you won't be healthy. I lived in Ogden, Layton, Clearfield and finally West Haven Utah for about 10 years USAF Hill AFB also
@@StoneyRidgeFarmer Yessir, been to HAFB many times. I'm Army Guard myself, but we all bleed and sweat red white and blue!
For real Josh, your channel keeps the dream alive for me. Don't give up, keep on keepin' on!
Really interesting and educational.
Hay Josh thanks for taking the time to make this video. I always love to see different ways people raise their animals and you do a really good job explaining how everything works on your farm thanks again and have a nice day.
Anyone who is looking for another farming UA-cam channel I just started one and I would appreciate it if you check it out.
That is crazy. Where I live in west Texas I can only do 1 cow to 10 acres. Crazy how different parts of the country are.
oh I know....my friends in WY say it takes 30-35 acres per cow
@@StoneyRidgeFarmer I had a rancher in Western South Dakota that I prairie dogged on that claimed he needed 200 acres per cow. Partly due the prairie dogs consuming so much of the best grass. Very arid. Not like cattle country in South FL for sure. No research, his story.
Looks good Sir! Great video once again! Thanks for sharing. I use 1/4 " electric rope for a lot of my fencing. Personal preference only as I find it lasts better than the small poly braid wire as our cold temperature causes wire to crack - and the rope is easier to see. But again personal preference. Pastures look great and although it may be the way it should be done, the reality is that it is a huge financial outpour and not all have the resources. So we we do the best we can, a little bit at a time, with what we have whilst keeping all the benefits of this in mind. Like you have said before it has taken you 5 years - its just taking me a lot longer...lol. I am curious if you plan to gravel your sacrifice areas around the waterers. Again, Thanks Josh. Great content.
Nice work i would probably at least double the size of each pasture for that number of head for 12hrs, it will need less time to recover. I rotate on 15-20 acre pastures, 5 days on, 15 + days off. The grass and clover is 8-10 inches tall when they come off, double when they go on. If I let anything go for 30 days I'm baling it for hay.
the sizes of these paddocks are working great for this number of cattle.....5 days on and 15 days off with my soil is a recipe for complete failureask me how I know....last year I opened up larger paddocks like this...we simply have no top soil and are rebuilding the soil here on the farm.....if I put the cows on a 20 acre pasture I'd have cow trails running all over the farm and bare ground....not to say what you are doing is wrong...it's just different from the concept of intensive mob grazing...if anything I've considered event tighter paddocks....every place it different..this land was farmed to it's detriment with tobacco for a couple hundred years...it's taking my grass at least 20 days to recover in most cases.....just to recover to 5-7 inches! Very very poor soil here
Thank you for this!! Can you do a video on how you irrigate your pasture?
I don't irrigate them...we live in NC where we get about 45 inches of rainfall per year
Caribou, musk ox, buffaloes and many other grazing animals are nomadic foragers.
We finally opened up to 5 acre pads to use all sporadic grass patches .
Another great video!! I think that you are doing a great job!! I really like how you communicate with your friends! The only thing I don’t quite understand is why you always say “we do this or that”.
It looks like to me it’s all “YOU”!!! I think you should say “I” do this or that. THANKS for allowing us along on your farm.
yep....I think you're over thinking this one buddy lol...we is me, you, us, the cows and "we" is the farm...don't get hung up on something that really doesn't matter lol..."the editorial we" here's a definition: en.wiktionary.org/wiki/editorial_we
@@StoneyRidgeFarmer 10-4 on the cows and me equals we!! I like cows better than some people!!😂🤣
Morning SRF#1
You brought that property up quite a bit from when you got it. Way to go Josh. I remember some of your early videos when you went out to visit Joel. Have you ever thought about using a small eggmobile to let the chickens scratch out your pies? All that nitrogen benefit you see in your garden mixed with scratching out the cow pies... Just curious really.
yessir! Eggmobiles are here!! I just have to build them out!
@@StoneyRidgeFarmer there are always more projects on a farm! Fantastic man. I look forward to seeing them.
Like they say, take care of the land and it will take care of you.
good points - you can still till and you need to till to get best results - the biggest point is staying all natural whenever possible - good content, cows are massive time sinks and lower roi than sheep or other livestock - stay flexible and experiment - nobody knows it all and different tracts need different interventions - get soil tests and get proper ph
small farms are getting killed off - it is no coincidence - you need to keep less animals per acre instead of overgrazing but the money and pressure can not be there in some situations so farmers are being forced to use sub optimal strategies just to survive - we need better ag policy for small farms - small farms have no lobby money - big conglomerates spend tons of lobby money so the laws end up favoring huge farms and farming is highly subsidized - it is a losing industry rifht now until there are changes #extant #extinct
And the tail of poly wire is too long. When you went to grab that yellow handle/hook, I flinched in response of the contact you made with that tail. Then I seen that it wasn’t “hot”. Whew!
lol...I got this buddy ....a nice shock just makes ya realize you're alive once in a while lol
We have a small 5 acre homestead surrounded by big commercial farmers and they spray constantly. Either they are spraying or the have a crop duster spraying. We have a water well and were afraid to drink from it. They are so hard on this land around us its sad.
Your the 1st I've seen with out flies, even Greg Judy has some, how do you do that, and also why the Angus? Nice job.
Amen! Crazy how we have no flies now! So...black angus cattle bring more at the market around here..but soon I'll probably incorporate some south pole into my herd
@@StoneyRidgeFarmer Thanks for the answer
Oh look, Josh picked up a cow frisbee! 😂
Greg Judy is smiling and nodding YES! 😎
I love Greg's philosophy for sure...however doing this on a much smaller scale requires a different mindset...he's got about a 30 year head start on me...but we're coming along great here! Both Greg Judy and Joel Salitan have been great inspiration and education for what we're doing on the farm here
Josh, you're going to reap the rewards for your hard, intelligent work! Very well done! Happy, healthy cows!
In turn, us as the consumer, will benefit from eating this nutrient rich beef, needing less to be satisfied, and not putting stress on the beef supply. Full circle!
I saw something being done on The Fit Farmer's Channel, and I wanted your opinion. Mike is doing something mentioned in the bible. He's letting a portion of his land rest one year, after using it for six years, as it says in the Bible. What are your thoughts, and would you consider doing this? Thanks again Josh!
yep...called laying fallow and the bible recommends every 7th year.....this is something that's done mainly on crop land...not grazing land. In fact when you let crop land lay fallow, you'd typically graze it with ruminant animals, so for all practical purposes...we are letting the whole farm lay fallow....not taking anything from the farm that we're not putting back...cows consume grass...and poop it right back out thus restoring the land The only loss is the weight gained by the cattle
@@StoneyRidgeFarmer Thanks for the explanation and feedback. Fantastic!
12:01 Mooved the cows. 😊
Great teaching... When do you mow, after the move?
I mow once per year if the fields get "woolly" meaning if they have plants that are less desirable. For example I moved the cattle off the pasture the other day...it had some ragweed, dog fennel and cereasy lespedeza ...I mowed it just to knock the tops out of the weeds at about 7 inches...now the more desirable grasses are taking over. I won't mow after around August 15th or I risk ruining some of my winter forage...in late winter and early spring I will drag the manure pats in the pastures...move my poly fencing around a bit and repeat the process next season
The big corp farms dont care. Thats what sets you apart. would love to see a blind taste test on the first beef you have. I bet it is awesome!!
I think all farmers care about the land and the quality of their products....but we've gotten into a cycle of "cheap food" and gov't subsidies that force farmer so to make so few $$ per acre that a small operation like mine basically looses money..in order to remain competitive they feel forced to farm with tillage and or grain feeding beef...it's truly a tough market
I like to c your fences changed
JOSH I'VE WATCHED FROM THE BEGINNING BEGINNING. SORRY
FIRST TIME YOU SOUND SMART. SORRY THANK
keep it up good work.
And good video. Thanks.
lol out of 1600 videos this is the first video that you think I've sounded smart bhahhahaha...read your comment lol
That place has changed from when you got it.
Good work I've got a old PA. Farm 158 acres .
Work work work
Plus cold winter's
Bee safe take care.
2 of my neighbors planted crops this year using only manure.They had the two nicest crops of corn and soybeans I have ever seen.
I don’t know I understand zero till farming. As a gardener, not a farmer, it seems like a bad idea. I am all about manuer, cover crops and deep tilling.
Maybe I am wrong?
there's a big difference in your back yard garden and 10,000 acres of corn or soybeans my friend....what do ya do when you wanna control weeds in your garden? Dig them up? Expose the soil? Yep....that sterilizes the soil with UV ...if you do that over 10,000 acres....you're killing of all the microbial life in the soil...soil is an ecosystem, if you wanna see some weeds....till up a 4x4 spot in your yard and leave it alone.....the opportunistic plants (weeds) will take over...weeds take over the 10,000 acres....glyphosate come in to fix it......glyphosate needed...then GMO plants designed to tolerate glyphosate come into play and thus the viscous cycle continues. Try a cover crop like purple top clover in your garden this winter...then minimal tillage as you plant your garden...use wood chips and composted cow manure around your plants for weed control and over time you'll see a huge difference
This video series is very impressive and educational. I am a fan! I also like to eat grass-fed beef for its nutritional benefits. Òne question: where do you sell your food products? Thanks!
What is a mineral block and what is the purpose of it.
you need minerals, birds need minerals...and cattle need minerals....every living thing on earth survives on minerals Minerals are the conductors for all movement in any living thing on earth....google search sodium potassium pump and you'll learn a little bit...we all need proper vitamins and minerals to survive and thrive
Josh what a great video. I have been considering taking a couple of cows and goats on my property. To be honest I don't know how and where to start. I have 7 acres of farming area, recently cleared. Cleared it myself and left all the cedar trees, for shade. Cleared all the trash trees. Currently, most of it is raw soil. should I plant grass or just let nature run its course? Was wondering how I was going ot do this. This video gave me a great idea.
start with a good parameter fence my brotha...then you can do anything! I planted fescue grass on my property...check to see if you can rent a seed drill from the county or even better hire a "hydroseed" guy and you'll have great success...otherwise what you cleared will be wrapped up in weeds
🙋🏼♂️ hi Josh . The front gate looks like the fence does not connect ,fence opening ? Good job well done Boss 🏁
nothing is fenced into the yard my friend...the gate is to keep vehicles out....this fall I'm planting some bushes to block those gaps...but it's mainly there to keep folks from driving up and bothering me lol
@@StoneyRidgeFarmer Good deal ,bushes , just here to learn and have some fun brother 🙋🏼♂️
True story: On the British BBC radio it was reported two cows escaped ( the presenter said they were named Black and Gus). After a short silence the co-presenter said I think they mean the breed Black Angus...
I know people naming a cow Gus and also Black being a popular name.
lol
That is literally the funniest news report blooper…I saw it years ago with my mom and we still hollar ‘there’s black, wonder where his is!!’ When we see black cows! I contemplated naming two of my black butcher steers black and gus! 😂 😂
Great info Josh! Thanks. After the manure dries, do you have to break it up and distribute it around?
I saw the solor panels fences chance
LOL! My dad watched this with me while we made our breakfasts- he said 'impressive!'.. 😉👍
EDIT: Tammy, the tail-biting donkey! 😁
awesome!
Regenerative farm,More like eco friendly farm.Best for the animals and nature.The grass 🌾is so green and the cows🐄 is so happy and healthy.Yeah,Thats the way it should be.
How come your mineral/salt blocks are on the ground and not in a box ? Aren't you creating a dead/kill spot in your grass with your block ?
Also how is the deer population around you do they bother you ?
Also you got some trees on the tree line that could be moved to where you want a few ?
Anyway your place is great.
What's your winter program?
So....the cows have a mineral block in each paddock....that's 62 mineral blocks....they move 2 times per day...they lick, butt, roll and kick around the block so it's never in the same spot killing grass. Can you imaging buying 62 different mineral block holders and putting them all over the farm? I can't give you all this info in a comment...jump in and follow the channel and you'll see my friend...also much more content on facebook.com/stoneyridgefarmer daily cattle livestreams there
Josh so with you not using grass seed and fertilizer (not much input). What would you have in input, gas, hay, time eta.
lol....dear god input costs are insane! So...buying hay..hay contains grass seed and makes fertilizer for us out the cow's butt.....$9400 in hay this year! So..input costs are hay, pipe, water tanks, pumps, parementer fence, poly wire, step in posts, cattle handling equipment, atv, UTV tractors, mowers, sprayers for common areas, buildings to store equipment and materials and more! Over time input costs will be decreased...but as of now spending $10k per year on hay (carbon) to bring to the farm and machinery to keep everything up is pricey. If I fertilized it would have cost me over $40k this year! Crazy huh!
The low area/ditch coming off of your waterer, do the cows ever step in that and get hurt ?
that's where the trench has settled this year....and no...the cows are used to uneven ground....later this year I'll grab some fill dirt and touch those spots up...also putting some gravel around the water tanks in high traffic areas
On your intro. Using a saw like that will burn up a bar everytime. Turn the saw over so the bar can be oiled.
you're seeing the final 2 seconds of cutting on a tree that's literally 6ft around...but thanks for the info
@@StoneyRidgeFarmer all good. Some people think there is a pump that oils the chain. There is, gravity.