This was before I started following you but just to let you know this is why I am such an expert with a scythe. Starting at age 10 I had to go around 10 acres with a scythe every full moon and cut all the bracken ferns. In projects where we dug up a large area I observed that most of the ferns were all one plant growing from a web of horizontal roots at the level where the soil remained moist during the dry season, usually 12 to 16 inches down. So even plowing often did not disturb them. They do bleed when cut in the fiddlehead stage which is the most damaging to their food reserve. Cultures where they are eaten only harvest them in the fiddlehead stage so perhaps if the chickens will eat them at that stage you my be able to make some progress.
Fascinating, thank you. I was rooting for goats to be the solution, but I knew better. My best guess would have been fire, but it makes sense the bracken ferns would survive that. Man, that's a problem. Continuously cutting it and starving the roots, which the grass won't mind as much, looks like the best way to go. Good luck, I'll enjoy seeing the progress. I would have tried the same in the spring with seeds. Even though it didn't do much, I'd consider doing it again next spring in the problem areas. Give the ferns/weeds more competition, in theory anyway. I still wonder about using some giant tarps, like for baseball infields, and trying to start fresh, but that's mostly because those things are great slip 'n slides when it rains. The little internetting I've done on pasture management and weeds almost always involves what chemicals to use and when to use them. It is refreshing to see you trying to overcome this with wholesome, natural strategies. I look forward to learning more from you about "grass farming".
You're welcome Dude. I actually did consider tarps after learning how JM Fortier (The Market Gardner) uses them. I ruled it out after considering the scale of the problem. I was picturing regular sized tarps... lots of them. A giant baseball feed tarp would indeed be in order. I wonder how much they cost.
is it toxic to turkeys? I ask because turkeys will definitely graze on it. I know chickens dont graze to much but turkeys definitely do. Just a thought.
I haven't found anything that specifically mentions turkeys, but several documents citing it is toxic to livestock in general. My dad's chickens and ducks ate bracken fern when they were clearing land and suffered no noticeable ill effects. But I have A LOT more fern than there was at my dad's place.
I found on some horse sites that bracken grows best in depleted soils. They got rid of their bracken fern by manuring the area. forum.cyberhorse.com.au/forums/showthread.php?11926-Bracken-fern-how-to-get-rid-of
Thanks Lili. Yeah, increase soil fertility is the way to accelerate succession to more desirable species. Right now, I don't have to means to apply manure or compost tea to such a large area. I'll get there though. Thanks for watching.
+The Grass-fed Homestead In addition to researching these issues online, have you considered contacting your county or state extension services? Most parts of the U.S. have top-notch extension support, including through many agricultural and land-grant universities. Getting locally informed, locally appropriate expertise can make a real difference. Many also provide free or low-cost services and can alert you things like potential pests and diseases. (Otherwise, you'll only learn about many of these issues after the problem has manifested.)
Dan, do you still have any Tansy on the land? I'd really love to have seeds from them. For herbals. Hope you manage to control the issue so you can have animals in the field. 🌾Be Blessed ღ 🌿
Isn't that the truth? One person's junk is another's gold... *If* you feel generous enough to share some of the seeds Dan, I'll even send a self addressed envelope & stamped envelope your way. =D 🌾Be Blessed ღ 🌿
I have mixed feelings about it... my first thought is - you can have all the tansy seed you want but then the thought me aiding in the propagation of this plant bothers me. There might be legal issues with it too being a noxious weed (that's what our government calls it)
Peppermint, sunchokes, many other plants that are well able to be "Noxious" weeds... But they're still sold in market. Blue Tansy is available for sale. I never saw yellow tansy until your video. And I grow most of my herbals in pots or big planters. Not in ground where they can run rampant. We're on 1/4 an acre here and I don't want some things over taking other things that I plant. However, it's quite alright if you choose not to Dan. I totally understand your feelings on it. Much as I'd love the tansy, I certainly wouldn't push the issue. So, I'll leave it at this. If you choose, I'd love them. If not, that's all good. =) 🌾Be Blessed ღ 🌿
ah somehow I missed this video too. o.o Be sure to give us an update when you finally conquer that bracken nightmare Dan. It's a good tip to those out there shopping for land for homesteading...to consider what is already growing...although most people keep short grasses to "sell" the property...good reminder to find out. I know you'll problem solve this eventually :)
I'm confused...if you knew these weeds where on the land and you knew they were bad for the livestock you plan to raise...then...why purchase the land. I know I sound like a Monday morning quarterback, but I don't care how beautiful the view is...you can't eat the view. Sorry, if I sound too critical.
I apologize for not explaining it better. I didn't know about the weeds being toxic until after we bought the property. I realize now that I didn't mention the timeline of things.
OH maybe you can pick and sell it. Asian Cultures eat it when prepared properly its not poisonous! See www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2011/06/the-bracken-fern-a-natural-born-killer/241271/
I thought of you and your noxious weeds as I am watching a video on this itinerant herd of browsing goats based out of Wyoming: ua-cam.com/video/jJBtmSR7Nnc/v-deo.html. Maybe goats can eat your weeds? Wouldn't hurt to ask.
Fence area,plow area, de rock area, rack loose grasses, pile then burn . Then plant...
I was just reading about the tansy, and it's good for expelling worms
Tansy repels ants and the roots systems are so tightly packed it is hard to dig out or get other seeds to penetrate the root mat.
This was before I started following you but just to let you know this is why I am such an expert with a scythe. Starting at age 10 I had to go around 10 acres with a scythe every full moon and cut all the bracken ferns.
In projects where we dug up a large area I observed that most of the ferns were all one plant growing from a web of horizontal roots at the level where the soil remained moist during the dry season, usually 12 to 16 inches down. So even plowing often did not disturb them. They do bleed when cut in the fiddlehead stage which is the most damaging to their food reserve. Cultures where they are eaten only harvest them in the fiddlehead stage so perhaps if the chickens will eat them at that stage you my be able to make some progress.
Is there a scythe you recommend for bracken fern?
Thank you Hans!!
Fascinating, thank you. I was rooting for goats to be the solution, but I knew better. My best guess would have been fire, but it makes sense the bracken ferns would survive that. Man, that's a problem. Continuously cutting it and starving the roots, which the grass won't mind as much, looks like the best way to go. Good luck, I'll enjoy seeing the progress.
I would have tried the same in the spring with seeds. Even though it didn't do much, I'd consider doing it again next spring in the problem areas. Give the ferns/weeds more competition, in theory anyway.
I still wonder about using some giant tarps, like for baseball infields, and trying to start fresh, but that's mostly because those things are great slip 'n slides when it rains.
The little internetting I've done on pasture management and weeds almost always involves what chemicals to use and when to use them. It is refreshing to see you trying to overcome this with wholesome, natural strategies. I look forward to learning more from you about "grass farming".
You're welcome Dude. I actually did consider tarps after learning how JM Fortier (The Market Gardner) uses them. I ruled it out after considering the scale of the problem. I was picturing regular sized tarps... lots of them. A giant baseball feed tarp would indeed be in order. I wonder how much they cost.
Needs to plow area, then one thing after another.
is it toxic to turkeys? I ask because turkeys will definitely graze on it. I know chickens dont graze to much but turkeys definitely do. Just a thought.
I haven't found anything that specifically mentions turkeys, but several documents citing it is toxic to livestock in general. My dad's chickens and ducks ate bracken fern when they were clearing land and suffered no noticeable ill effects. But I have A LOT more fern than there was at my dad's place.
I found on some horse sites that bracken grows best in depleted soils. They got rid of their bracken fern by manuring the area. forum.cyberhorse.com.au/forums/showthread.php?11926-Bracken-fern-how-to-get-rid-of
Thanks Lili. Yeah, increase soil fertility is the way to accelerate succession to more desirable species. Right now, I don't have to means to apply manure or compost tea to such a large area. I'll get there though. Thanks for watching.
try posting "will haul free manure " to freecycle.com you never know people just give this stuff away free.
+The Grass-fed Homestead In addition to researching these issues online, have you considered contacting your county or state extension services? Most parts of the U.S. have top-notch extension support, including through many agricultural and land-grant universities. Getting locally informed, locally appropriate expertise can make a real difference. Many also provide free or low-cost services and can alert you things like potential pests and diseases. (Otherwise, you'll only learn about many of these issues after the problem has manifested.)
Dan, do you still have any Tansy on the land? I'd really love to have seeds from them. For herbals. Hope you manage to control the issue so you can have animals in the field.
🌾Be Blessed ღ 🌿
Oh my, we have more tansy than we could ever chop down. One person's junk is another's gold...
Isn't that the truth? One person's junk is another's gold... *If* you feel generous enough to share some of the seeds Dan, I'll even send a self addressed envelope & stamped envelope your way. =D
🌾Be Blessed ღ 🌿
I have mixed feelings about it... my first thought is - you can have all the tansy seed you want but then the thought me aiding in the propagation of this plant bothers me. There might be legal issues with it too being a noxious weed (that's what our government calls it)
Peppermint, sunchokes, many other plants that are well able to be "Noxious" weeds... But they're still sold in market. Blue Tansy is available for sale. I never saw yellow tansy until your video. And I grow most of my herbals in pots or big planters. Not in ground where they can run rampant. We're on 1/4 an acre here and I don't want some things over taking other things that I plant.
However, it's quite alright if you choose not to Dan. I totally understand your feelings on it. Much as I'd love the tansy, I certainly wouldn't push the issue. So, I'll leave it at this. If you choose, I'd love them. If not, that's all good. =)
🌾Be Blessed ღ 🌿
ah somehow I missed this video too. o.o Be sure to give us an update when you finally conquer that bracken nightmare Dan. It's a good tip to those out there shopping for land for homesteading...to consider what is already growing...although most people keep short grasses to "sell" the property...good reminder to find out. I know you'll problem solve this eventually :)
It'll probably take 3 years but I will definitely keep you updated
i saw another video where a woman had to have her husband cut the weeds non stop...basically what you are saying in the video now.
I'm confused...if you knew these weeds where on the land and you knew they were bad for the livestock you plan to raise...then...why purchase the land. I know I sound like a Monday morning quarterback, but I don't care how beautiful the view is...you can't eat the view. Sorry, if I sound too critical.
I apologize for not explaining it better. I didn't know about the weeds being toxic until after we bought the property. I realize now that I didn't mention the timeline of things.
OH maybe you can pick and sell it. Asian Cultures eat it when prepared properly its not poisonous! See www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2011/06/the-bracken-fern-a-natural-born-killer/241271/
I thought of you and your noxious weeds as I am watching a video on this itinerant herd of browsing goats based out of Wyoming: ua-cam.com/video/jJBtmSR7Nnc/v-deo.html. Maybe goats can eat your weeds? Wouldn't hurt to ask.
Glyphosate it period.
lol, that is child slavery!!!