dogghr
Well-Known Member
I’m sure if someone reads this in years to come they will prob be wondering why the heck was I on lockdown.
Made it to farm. Been a cold, rainy , snowy spring. It was 35 and snowing here this morning on the mountain tops. Plots look decent but really need some warm weather to spunk them.
I mowed the alfalfa plot thinking it had played out after 7 years and I’d let it transition to clover/ chicory on this ridge top. But when I went to move my exclusion cage , there was foot tall alfalfa within it. This is the only plot I still use cages on as it’s impossible to judge alfalfa growth since deer keep it browsed out of sight.
So guess I’ll throw some 0-20-20 and Boron/ Borax on it soon. I need lime bad but this year been too wet for access as was last spring. And then most you know my life was in turmoil thru the fall to even consider the farm. Below is alfalfa field and out of sight to the right is annual WW / brassica/ RC field.
Yes you can mow alfalfa. No you don’t need to bale or remove it. Yea it will thrive as deer keep it mowed. No it’s not the drama to grow like some suggest. Yea just don’t do monoculture and add WC and Chicory. And no the clover doesn’t take over/ see above comments.
Want some clover with those turnips?? Just plant your brassica , WW , and RC all in one mix. This is all throw and mow. I haven’t tilled for 5+ years and never ever have bare dirt at any given time. Something always present. Builds soil, prevents wind and water erosion , controls soil temps , promotes micro and macro organisms and saves time , money , and sweat. Why make it complicated?? I used to!
A few natures planting of Red Dead Nettle mixed in for fun. Cattle like that stuff.
Poor pic but here is an untubed Silky I was referring to on my cage thread. Look close and you can see all the bush like sprouts that were being hidden and abused by the tube past 3 yrs. Say NO to tubes.
WC /chicory plot in background. 8 years old. Do not, do not redo clover plot because you think it’s needed. They will last longer than you.
Between tree and clover is a swamp drainage I allow grow into a thicket each year. Free stuff right there.
My Hazelnut trees are planted in dry/ poor soil and they have progressed slow. Like the Silkies I’m trashing the tubes and putting cages on them. Just takes me a while to fix stupid. I’m a slow learner.
Fallow fields surround all I’ve shown and they too have been neglected. I’ll show them and my methods in their establishment and maintenance in the future. Hint... let nature teach you. She been doing this for a long time. Don’t fight her. Peace.
“A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise.” —— Aldo Leopold
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Made it to farm. Been a cold, rainy , snowy spring. It was 35 and snowing here this morning on the mountain tops. Plots look decent but really need some warm weather to spunk them.
I mowed the alfalfa plot thinking it had played out after 7 years and I’d let it transition to clover/ chicory on this ridge top. But when I went to move my exclusion cage , there was foot tall alfalfa within it. This is the only plot I still use cages on as it’s impossible to judge alfalfa growth since deer keep it browsed out of sight.
So guess I’ll throw some 0-20-20 and Boron/ Borax on it soon. I need lime bad but this year been too wet for access as was last spring. And then most you know my life was in turmoil thru the fall to even consider the farm. Below is alfalfa field and out of sight to the right is annual WW / brassica/ RC field.
Yes you can mow alfalfa. No you don’t need to bale or remove it. Yea it will thrive as deer keep it mowed. No it’s not the drama to grow like some suggest. Yea just don’t do monoculture and add WC and Chicory. And no the clover doesn’t take over/ see above comments.
Want some clover with those turnips?? Just plant your brassica , WW , and RC all in one mix. This is all throw and mow. I haven’t tilled for 5+ years and never ever have bare dirt at any given time. Something always present. Builds soil, prevents wind and water erosion , controls soil temps , promotes micro and macro organisms and saves time , money , and sweat. Why make it complicated?? I used to!
A few natures planting of Red Dead Nettle mixed in for fun. Cattle like that stuff.
Poor pic but here is an untubed Silky I was referring to on my cage thread. Look close and you can see all the bush like sprouts that were being hidden and abused by the tube past 3 yrs. Say NO to tubes.
WC /chicory plot in background. 8 years old. Do not, do not redo clover plot because you think it’s needed. They will last longer than you.
Between tree and clover is a swamp drainage I allow grow into a thicket each year. Free stuff right there.
My Hazelnut trees are planted in dry/ poor soil and they have progressed slow. Like the Silkies I’m trashing the tubes and putting cages on them. Just takes me a while to fix stupid. I’m a slow learner.
Fallow fields surround all I’ve shown and they too have been neglected. I’ll show them and my methods in their establishment and maintenance in the future. Hint... let nature teach you. She been doing this for a long time. Don’t fight her. Peace.
“A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise.” —— Aldo Leopold
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
