9 Cattle, 28 Sheep, 140 Chickens on 5 acres | Multi-Species Rotational Grazing and Rest

Join me today as we discuss rest and productivity on our grazing operation, which includes grass-fed Red Devon cattle, St. Croix sheep, and chickens all within a 5 acre rotational grazing system.

[@scythiandiaspora9531]

More homesteader's / farmers need to take your example of giving praise to God in their videos. Well done Sir.

[@birchfieldfarming]

Thank you for watching, commenting, and encouraging!🤠

[@spoolsandbobbins]

One of the main reasons I’m here. It’s just SO edifying ❤

[@spoolsandbobbins]

Our little homesteading family of 7 grow much of our food and we always pray that we’ll learn to rest from our work and learn to work from a place of REST. God is so good. The boundary lines have fallen for us in pleasant places. Prayers from Nova Scotia 🇨🇦

[@birchfieldfarming]

❤️❤️❤️

[@jenniexfuller]

What an amazing idea!

[@t.m.3769]

Hi Jason! I’m a new subscriber. Been binge watching all day. You are raising what I want on to have on my farm. Thank you for sharing the scripture or your journey. 🙏🏾🙌🏾

[@birchfieldfarming]

Welcome here, TM! Thanks for watching and commenting!🤠🐄🐑🌱

[@inmybible6975]

I LOVE this. I have long been in awe of how much the Bible focuses on the importance of rest and how it is built into the very structure of creation and given to us as an example from the very moments of creation. Our sermon at church this morning was from Psalm 112, and it speaks about how blessed the man is who finds delight in the commandments of God, some of the promises for him and his family that God will not forsake him and that he has security. Stewarding the land and animals in a way that honors Him, giving it rest, and finding delight in doing that seems like one example of that being put into very practical action.

[@birchfieldfarming]

Thanks so much for this encouragement! I do indeed find so much delight here, and as I look back I understand it was all the grace of Jesus that made it possible.

[@liammatthewart4609]

Love your speech on small farmers coming together. I live in one of the largest cities in America and me and my wife are actively trying to get out. God bless!

[@birchfieldfarming]

I remember when we moved and then one of the first times I returned to see friends. I couldn’t believe how much hotter it was in the city, and I had never known it when living there. I wish you the best in moving on.

[@ProvidenceAcresFarm]

What a lovely update and message today, Jason. Dont let anything take your peace in the name of Christ. Amen brother! Blessings :)

[@birchfieldfarming]

Blessings to you as well. Thank you for your encouragement! You guys keep me excited to share!!😀

[@tireddad6541]

I have to pray about this, thank you. My father worked too much, and I learned that rest and leisure were part of God's plan, but it was six days hard work and then rest. And importantly, the sabbath was made for man. So i learned to better work hard during the week so that I could really rest and pray and fellowship, etc. We had an evening prayer service on Saturday right before supper. I had to get all my work and study done, which meant better Thursday, Fridays, and Saturday. Then really take time for the Lord, for prayer, even going to a symphony on Sunday fit into that. If i honored God, in this way, i had a much better life, and my studies also improved. I do hear too much work all the time vut farmers have to figure it out. Some give a double pasture to try and minimize this. Don't be legalistic, but don't ignore it.

[@birchfieldfarming]

Too often for me it’s a matter of pride in thinking, “Imagine how much more I could get done if I didn’t break?” I think you’re right, each farm has a different context so rest may look different. The place I’m coming into is that God is good, and he blesses us with rest. We get to do that, and ultimately end up in a better place for it. Be blessed, Tired Dad🤠

[@jonboyd7008]

I have watched your videos for a while and I appreciate your verses and love for Godly things. Your words on rest in this video really hit home with me. I was out cutting hay and found myself trying to hurry through and get done and feeling stressed. I thought about your words and started just looking at the scenery around me and decided to “rest” in the work God had for me and to enjoy it. I found myself singing while driving the tractor and truly enjoy cutting the hay again. Appreciate your words and commitment brother. Thanks.

[@birchfieldfarming]

Man, what a great story, thanks for sharing this experience, Jon!🤠🌱

[@StephenG222]

What a great reflection on rest and productivity. Been trying to be more trusting in the Lord with that. It always amazes me how much reflective one can be when observing real life on the farm. Great insight and wisdom as always.

[@birchfieldfarming]

Thanks, Stephen - Hope things are well up North!

[@StephenG222]

@@birchfieldfarming Doing great! Foxes are really enjoying our chicken and ducks...🤦‍♂ Also, you mentions the cattle/sheep eating Honey Suckle. I was reading that it was reading the berries can be toxic. Do you only graze them prior to the berries coming?

[@birchfieldfarming]

@@StephenG222Oh man, foxes are crafty!! I don’t worry about the berries. I’ve noticed the animals tend to self-select. So many of the naturally occurring species in the silvopasture are toxic, but only in larger quantities. Never had an issue here.

[@elainekennedy4355]

Very well done. Glad to know of your farm and ministry via KZbin. Very challenging Thank you for making a meaningful connection between Scripture and real life, so few are thinking like this way. Craig

[@birchfieldfarming]

Thank you, Craig. Blessings to you and yours.

[@benburns5995]

Hi Jason, thanks for sharing the story about your 2 Rams running low on feed and causing fighting amongst them because of it. It reminds me of the saying "Desperate times call for Desperate Measures". When you mentioned about the downfalls of Artificial Insemination it reminded me of another Homesteading channel I watch. There is a family that has one Jersey Milk Cow and they had to try 3 different times to successfully get her bred. It is expensive and sometimes the delay that is caused by it not working can cause a lot of difficulties in your operation.

[@birchfieldfarming]

Interesting observations there, Mr. Ben. Thank you for sharing, Sir.🤠🍻

[@C.Hawkshaw]

Thanks for the great content! Keep holy the Saturday. 😁 I have a LOT of hope in the future, because of regenerative agriculture. l think this is a great time to be alive ! I focus on the things that l want to see happen in the future. l ignore the rest. Focus on what you want. That is all. 😀

[@birchfieldfarming]

Indeed, so much to be hopeful for!

[@rpglennj]

Great reflections and so fascinating to track your progress. Let me say, you’ve got the BEST shepherdesses anywhere, and that young feller manning the drone is top-notch too. You reminded me at 31:12 of the Josh Garrels tune, The Resistance, when referring to our “weapon of rest.” When your sis introduced me to that song, it’s just grown on me through the years as an ongoing song speaking to our emerging times (for me at least). Just hope you- and others like you who are co-laborers in this work across the region, nation and world- are encouraged that all you and your families sacrifice to work the land is life-giving. Who would have thought that living out a theology that balances the trichotomy of land/God/others would draw the ire of the establishment, but here we are. You all are an inspiration.

[@birchfieldfarming]

Thanks, Codge❤️

[@gavinbowman8234]

Rest needed for abundance. Good message for a Sunday.👍

[@birchfieldfarming]

You got it🤠

[@jackfaltz8020]

I understand completely. Today I am taking a day of rest from installing my electric fence on the 6 acres. Thank you for all your videos. They keep me encouraged to make the small farm a reality for my retirement in two years.

[@birchfieldfarming]

@@jackfaltz8020Keep after it, Jack! Thanks for stopping by!!🌱🐄🐑

[@aquaclearwatersolutions3210]

How often you moving your animals from paddock to paddock? If I remember early on you were doing 2-3 days? Has that changed

[@birchfieldfarming]

@@aquaclearwatersolutions3210Yeah, daily moves seem to be working best now, especially with above average rainfall - been a great Spring to graze. We’ll see how we do come August/Sept when forage growth typically halves.

[@thomasbaker2561]

Thanks again for sharing the word.

[@birchfieldfarming]

You got it, Thomas, thanks for following along

[@selebogokhune]

A man after Gods heart. I love you bro.

[@birchfieldfarming]

Thank you, God bless🤠

[@patrickngandumudiayi4477]

Not sure what's more inspiring... your farming strategy or your revelations from scriptures 💪

[@birchfieldfarming]

Thanks Patrick

[@GeoffHou]

Looks all very nice. If you have nitrates in your water, I would also do a soil test as it might be an issue of too much manure during the slow growth season. Testing water in the swale might be an option. Is your land also sloping into that same swale? If not you might have another swale to check some of the effluents of your land. In the USA the laws on stocking rates and nitrate testing are quite relaxed compared to some other regions in the world.

[@birchfieldfarming]

Good ideas…yes, part of our land slopes to swale but downstream from well.

[@Farmer4Truth]

I love the preaching brother, we have been keeping the sabbath for about four years now and it’s amazing how much it affects our lives.

[@birchfieldfarming]

Thanks for sharing this❤️

[@drknockers5716]

Enjoy your video

[@birchfieldfarming]

Thanks!

[@JS-ss6fr]

I agree with you about having a bull, I have taken cows to a bull when in heat and some worked and some did not a friend had five cows and had them AI one caught plus the problem of the tech showing up at the right time. When I had my bull I never had a miss, I only had three cows so you are on the bottom of the list when you need them breed. I got laughed at buy other farmers for letting one of my fields stand empty and summer fall it for a year but that is what is talked about in the bible. Yes I believe in the day of rest as well and try to follow that as well. John

[@birchfieldfarming]

Hey John, You know, I think that’s my biggest beef (no pun intended) with conventional farming - It’s all about maximum extraction, but the paradox is by never stopping it actually becomes destructive. We may even be labeled as lazy or laughed at like you’re saying. Also, with all the big equipment now, if one isn’t wise, it’s now easy to go broke by working and running those machines all the time. We don’t rest to be more productive, we do it b/c God tells us to. Kuddos to you for doing what He says no matter what those around you are saying!

[@davidpeightal4918]

Amazing abundance. You are blessed and are passing on the blessing. In my own life, experiencing the provision of יהוה God has come most vividly and even miraculously as I observe his “rest” commandments. I was in an industry that never stops. When I demanded that I must stop in obedience to the commandments, I became the boss instead of the employee. I have so many stories because once a week I challenged an entire industry, and won. I think farming too is an industry that never stops. Yet all those commandments were given to an agricultural society. It takes a lot of faith to do exactly nothing for 24 hours during seed time and harvest. Especially when a harvest can absolutely be lost in a 24 hour period depending on weather. Yet, this is the commandment. Your words and life are such a powerful statement. Thank you for your courage.

[@birchfieldfarming]

Wow, thanks, David…your words are encouraging. Peace to you.

[@womanofwazo]

Great video 🎉level land is a blessing

[@birchfieldfarming]

Thanks for stopping by!!🤠

[@womanofwazo]

New subscriber ❤ May all of us youtubers channel grow😊

[@IzaNugi-hv4vi]

❤❤❤❤❤

[@skeletalbassman1028]

Lord have mercy!

[@JK-jf7xq]

I often grab wads of nearby grass, ball it up, and scrub the chicken waterers when filling.

[@birchfieldfarming]

Awesome!…Amazing what we can do with stuff laying around the farm!🌱

[@JK-jf7xq]

​@birchfieldfarming You've got the Cadillac of salvaged material. 😅

[@dinaaperazzo5699]

Thank you for your video and appreciate the verse too. I am wondering if you cut your fields at all for hay in the winter?

[@birchfieldfarming]

We rent some hay pasture to a local farm family who makes our hay for winter. It’s been a great fit.

[@JosiNdongFarmsBondo]

i must visit you . im a farmer too in Kenya

[@birchfieldfarming]

Would love to have you here👍

[@JosiNdongFarmsBondo]

I'll plan my brother and come

[@Kelly_Mae]

We are about to move onto 10 acres, and want to prepare our pasture land by planting cover crops, oats, what else should we seed before we start with sheep? The land hasn’t been used in 5 years. Currently it’s covered in native grasses and native wild flowers and it’s beautiful. But there are some bare patches. We already have the perimeter fenced, we will be adding paddocks. I really just want to be feeding the soil this year and need ideas for what to seed in pasture, thanks!

[@birchfieldfarming]

If you can get chickens on the ground, it will be the best thing you ever did from a pasture perspective. Eggs are just a bonus. There’s just no substitute for their scratching and manure. I’m also a big fan of Green Cover Seed’s warm season grazing cover crop mix. Also, take a hard look at dripping down some extracts (KNF, Johnson-Su, etc). Those can be really good at jumpstarting things, especially when dripped directly onto your cover crop seed. I’ve also done some sod transplanting for smaller pasture bare spots (mostly where the bulls kick up dirt🙄) with pretty good success - it’s quick and typically thrives when taken from out nearby lawn. Best thing you can do though, is get those sheep in there and get them grazing! Best wishes to ya!!🤠🐑

[@Kelly_Mae]

@@birchfieldfarming thank you so much! Your videos are helpful and inspiring!

[@birchfieldfarming]

@@Kelly_Mae Thanks for following along, Kelly!😀

[@joshuabrownnutrition5717]

Do you need water pressure to make those waterers work?! I bought one and I cannot get it to gravity feed.

[@birchfieldfarming]

I only have about 4 psi on mine and it works great. How many feet of drop do you have?

[@bendtracy]

Could you use use goats instead of sheep in this rotation?

[@birchfieldfarming]

I’m sure you certainly could. Goats are notorious escape artists, and I don’t have the desire for them.

[@DAMMDAUGHTERS]

Id be extremely interested to hear why you run red devons over dexters on small acreage. I have dexters and recently discovered red devons, and they seem like the exact same breed, just a difference in size. Let me know your thoughts

[@birchfieldfarming]

When we first started, I desired the absolute heartiest, 100% grass-fed ruminants I could find. I originally wanted bison but couldn’t stomach the capital expense of extending existing 4 ft fencing up to 6 ft on a 60 acre perimeter. We were already set-up for cattle, so I rolled with it. And let me say, from my experience there’s just nothing heartier than these Red Devon on grass! We just sent one in for processing and hit almost 59% hanging weight to live weight, again that’s no grain. I’ve had our Devons thrive thru negative 33°F in winter with zero messing around or doctoring. Of the 8 we have now, no dewormer, no antibiotics, no foot issues, no growth hormones, etc. - even better than grass machines, as they put out fertilizer and require no petrol. Red Devon were the first cattle to North America with the pilgrims and many traversed the Oregon trail. Just a true triple purpose breed, small framed and lots of history as being tough as nails with very minimal inputs and a great maternal side. Thanks for the question!

[@DAMMDAUGHTERS]

@@birchfieldfarming thank you so much for such a thorough response. I appreciate it

[@mcchupka9718]

Do you use the silo? And if so, how do you use it? Should I have one?

[@birchfieldfarming]

We do not use the silo. It was here for an old dairy. Do you need one? Man, I guess that depends on your farm goals and what you want to do. Inputs would probably be best put towards something else when starting out, but again, depends on what you want to do farming-wise.

[@AzielYisrael90]

What mineral do you use for your sheep?

[@birchfieldfarming]

Free Choice Enterprises mineral system - expensive, but I’m convinced there’s nothing better when running sheep & cattle together

[@masonbaylorbears]

Great message! Pay attention to the words you overgrazed because you left them too long not because they grazed the forage too low. I'm not sure if it's being southpoll and corrientes in central Texas but I can really neglect the minerals and they still slick off really well. My 13 month old south poll slicked off faster than my 18 month aberdeen x corriente cross heifers which I was surprised by

[@birchfieldfarming]

I’ve heard great things about the South Pole and heat tolerance. My issue is I need cattle that can stand negative weather thru winter and not need babied or sheltered. I think South Pole would be great in the southern states.

[@birchfieldfarming]

I’ve heard great things about the Southpole and heat tolerance. My issue is I need cattle that can stand negative weather thru winter and not need babied or sheltered. I think Southpole would be great in the southern states.

[@masonbaylorbears]

@@birchfieldfarming it's funny I'm worried about south poll not being hardy enough for the heat and dry of Texas lol I dont have a concept of winter we get a few single digit days every couple years but most years a couple weeks of freezing and snow at a time. I'm moving to more tropical breeds I only have 1 cow heifer pair of southpoll. My bull ill start on the cows is a Mashona cross and then looking at the Romosinuano cross bulls next

[@birchfieldfarming]

@@masonbaylorbearsI watched a guy with Mashona/Angus cross having great success with heat tolerance. Yeah, I can’t imagine some of the heat you guys get down your way. I hit 85/90 up here and my cattle start the head bobbing and slobbering.

[@masonbaylorbears]

@birchfieldfarming I cant imagine the cold yall get, we get a week or so a year and it wrecks all my plans because it's hard to plan for because it will be 65 one week then single digits the next and all my water infrastructure isn't set up for it. Yeah heat is a big deal last years drought really made it where most of my later calving cows didn't get back in condition to rebreed. They were all straight corrientes so I was kind of surprised it hit them that hard

[@mcchupka9718]

Are those Red Angus? Purebred? Seems like you could double your herd and still have plenty for the summer???

[@user-kv2pt4lu9y]

Red Devon cattle

[@birchfieldfarming]

As we’ve talked about, grass growth is twice as aggressive now as it is in Aug/Sept. If you’re keeping up now, you’ll be way short come late summer.

[@SplinterFarmstead]

Do you run that many animals on only 5 acres total?

[@birchfieldfarming]

Yes, we run them on 5 acres total. We do feed hay in winter though.

[@user-ht8io3kz8b]

What the name of the cattle and sheep mineral and what is your pastures mix for cow sheep 🐑

[@birchfieldfarming]

Free Choice Enterprises mineral system, and my pasture mix is whatever comes up and grows🌱🐑🐄

[@selebogokhune]

God economy is everlasting...wow. Imagine the exponential growth of a fruit and the number of seeds inside to plant multiply trees that will bear more multiple fruits. Never ending supply of food. All we need to do is love God and trust Him alone.

[@birchfieldfarming]

Amen❤️

[@safffff1000]

How do you handle ticks on you and your family?

[@birchfieldfarming]

Honestly, haven’t had ticks here since we first purchased the place almost 8 years ago. Chickens not only rid this place of every single tick, they made delicious eggs from them that we ate!

[@safffff1000]

@@birchfieldfarming Wow, I'm in central Missouri and have them, I can be outside, don't have grass as high as yours and only in it for a short time, with pants on and found 2 on my upper legs, 1/32" big. I have had them so small, smaller than a printed dot, that went right thru the fabric of my socks. Had to pick off more than a dozen and had mosquito like marks for a couple of weeks on each foot. We have a lot of deer here. Where do you live?

[@birchfieldfarming]

@@safffff1000That’s rough! Can you run some chickens? I’m serious - they took care of every tick around this place!

[@safffff1000]

@@birchfieldfarming Maybe I'll try but when I leave to travel there is no one to take care of any animals. What do you do if your whole family goes away for a week or so?

[@birchfieldfarming]

@@safffff1000Yep, that’s certainly a challenge to farming in this way. Need a reliable friend/neighbor.

[@ShepherdsCreek]

Do you ever have to worry about your bulls and rams getting aggressive? We have 4 rams and while they've all been well behaved so far, we still never take our eyes off them when we go in their pastures.

[@birchfieldfarming]

It’s always a great idea to keep an eye on them. Our bulls/rams are not aggressive, but two exceptions we’ve noticed: 1. Petting a ram’s head consistently was one of the stupidest things we did early on and 2. When the males get around the females in heat they can be a bit unpredictable, still not aggressive, but certainly unpredictable.🤠

[@SplinterFarmstead]

You run this many animals on a total of 5 acres?

[@birchfieldfarming]

Yes, we do feed hay over the winter.

[@SplinterFarmstead]

Thanks! I have 4.22 acres plus the use of my neighbors 2 acres. Just looking for ways to best utilize it for my 2 dairy cows, 7 goats and 2 kunekune pigs plus a few turkeys and chickens.

[@birchfieldfarming]

@@SplinterFarmstead Rotating thru a system of paddocks will improve productivity per acre.

[@dnawormcastings]

🇳🇿❤️🙏🏼

[@birchfieldfarming]

Hope the worms are well over there across the pond!🤠 🪱

[@drumhillerfarms6858]

Hi from Michigan, running a similar but little larger operation and always trying to give the glory to God! Check us out!

[@birchfieldfarming]

Hey, thanks for stopping by!😀

[@texasfrontiersman8245]

I'd hate to see your feed bill!

[@birchfieldfarming]

100% grass-fed, 120 day hay season, 8 to 10 ton of hay thru winter, so nothing to hate seeing here🤠

[@richardspeakes2883]

We don’t actually have to see your face as often as you think

[@birchfieldfarming]

Okay, thanks, Richard…I’ll be sure and pass that along to the production manager👍👍

[@j2muw667]

You know you can just listen and then watching him talk.. as many news people do as well, isn’t an issue! Listen mostly, and watch occasionally! We all have free will!

[@jackiebinns6205]

The cattle is beautiful ! But don't push religion if its a organization ! Ugh 😮 im Christian and Evangelicals need to repent 🙏

[@birchfieldfarming]

What org do you hear being pushed?

[@j2muw667]

Religion pushed? That’s the thing… if you don’t like it, you don’t have to watch! You can play something else. Odd that you’re saying you’re Christian, and being negative about this man’s reflections of how Gods Words can beautifully intertwine with life! God bless your journey!

[@spoolsandbobbins]

Our little homesteading family of 7 grow much of our food and we always pray that we’ll learn to rest from our work and learn to work from a place of REST. God is so good. The boundary lines have fallen for us in pleasant places. Prayers from Nova Scotia 🇨🇦

[@birchfieldfarming]

❤️❤️❤️