Posted by Bob in SD on May 29, 2018 at 15:01:08 from (137.216.209.56):
Hi All,
I've got 5-6 acres of grass that I normally just mow once or twice a year and spray for thistles. It seems like I should be putting it to better use. I've got lots of spare time in the summer months (say, May-August), but not during the winter.
When I mow (rotary 3-point mower) the grass ends up piled almost in windrows, which causes the grass underneath to die and thistles then grow. I spray Curtail or 2,4d in the fall, and maybe spot spray an acre or so earlier if thistles look bad. For several years a friend hayed it off, and for several years after that another friend had sheep (30 ewes after lambing couldn't eat all the grass in a summer). With the sheep we had electric netting so I could move them around as they finished grazing an area. They'd eat thistles and all, so I just spot sprayed those years and didn't really have a thistle issue.
I hate to see the grass going to waste. I'm not trying to make any/much money, but don't want to lose a lot either. Again, I have lots of time in the summer but would rather not have too many critter related chores in the winter. Fence would need repaired if I put a cow/steer out there (but I like the taste of beef over mutton,and oughta fix the fence anyway).
What are my options?
1) Mow more often so grass doesn't pile up? I'm trying to mow after the grass goes to seed but before the thistles bloom (so late June here)? Should I do it more often? This might help with the thistle, but still seems wasteful.
2) Have somebody hay it? I don't really even need shares, but would I then need to fertilize? There's some thistle mixed in, so not everybody would want it anyway (at first). I've got some trees in rows at various places, so it's not wide open. More like 2-3 1-acre lots and a 3 acre plot.
3) Sheep/goats? The neighbors have sheep. I kinda know what that involves over the summer at least. I'm thinking of asking the neighbor about 1/2 mile away if he'd want to move them over there for the summer, but he has permanent fences (not the movable nets) and I wouldn't want to build permanent $heep pens all over my place. He also only has 10 or so sheep, so they probably wouldn't make to big of a dent. Still willing to consider, I guess?
4) Any likely options for keeping calf/steer just for the summer? Do I bite the bullet and get set up for a steer year round?
Any and all advice considered and appreciated! Thanks,
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