Teresa & Mike CHS - Our journal

[Mike CHS]

The one we processed last year was over 1200 pounds and two of us brought home a little less than 300 pounds each so thy have a ways to go.

 

[Mike CHS]

The majority of today was spent cutting grass in the bigger paddocks and in my lanes so I can broadcast and drag some of the cold weather seed mix on it tomorrow. We should be getting some heavy rain around the first of the week so that will help. I don't want solid planting areas so I crisscrossed the areas with 8' mowed lanes that will get seeded and dragged. That leaves about 75% of the paddocks with the grass mixes that are already there and the calves seem to like and the sheep can feed on the existing grass and the seed mix that I'm putting out tomorrow.

 

[Baymule]

What seed mix are you using?

 

[Mike CHS]

We got this from our CO-OP and added more rye grass and purple top turnip

• 25% Grain Rye
• 25% Oats
• 15% Winter Peas
• 10% Dixie Crimson Clover
• 10% Chicory
• 5% Purple Top Turnip
• 5% Daikon Radish
• 5% Sugar Beets

We planted a couple of 8' lanes in the paddock that they have been in a month ago and they love it. I was only able to leave them in it for a few days before they started eating it too short but I like have a lot of green vegetation when it is cold. I'm trying to provide more graze and less hay and so far it seems to work. Chicory has been shown to be a good wormer also according to the UKY folks we saw last month.

 

[Baymule]

I am working on a stand of chicory, it is blooming and setting seed now. I'll check with the feed stores here to see what mix they have. They have deer plot seed mix, is that what your mix is called?

 

[Mike CHS]

It is a deer plot mix. I just added the other seeds from our feed store based on what I planted and they liked last year. I was surprised how well the little bit of mix I broadcast last fall grew but I'll keep doing it as it's a good cover crop.

 

[Baymule]

I have a few pounds of Dutch white clover that I am going to sow. It is low growing, but it doesn't quit until it is hot. Like in June or July hot!

 

[Mike CHS]

I got all of the seed broadcast and dragged and it looks like rain is not far away.

Teresa and I got the last of the debris that our neighbor dragged on to what used to be our big garden spot all bagged up and ready to go to the dump. There will be a small trailer load but at least I can fence in that section. I still need to take our big roller magnet to see how many nails are still left there. There is zero cool season grass on that spot so I'm going to get a soil test on that one and maybe plant a cover crop of the deer plot mix on that section.

 

[Latestarter]

Just looked at the radar and it appears there's a huge bit of storm front headed in your direction with tornado watches and warnings galore! Batten down the hatches and stay safe!

 

[greybeard]

I've planted some winter mix that sounds similar to that fow winter grazing for the cows. Austrian peas, a clover, turnips, ryegrass and cereal rye, barley and wheat.
It did quite well but I believe deer ate more than the cows did. Feral hogs too.
(we don't really see the advantage of sowing any of it until late winter early spring.......something to get them by till spring grass really gets going well.)