Creating Silvopasture

[@kmac350]

Good job guys keep up the good work this video is very informative informative

[@RenewedHomestead]

Thank you so much kmac!

[@serenityhillhomestead5392]

We want to get a milk cow but don't want to clear out all the trees, so silvopasture seems like a good option for us. I use a sawzall with a 9" Diablo carbide tipped pruning blade for trees up to 6" diameter. That allows me to cut them off below ground level without dulling a chain. Its a lot lighter and easier to handle than a chainsaw. For bigger stuff I use a Husqvarna 372XP with a 24 or 28" bar.

[@RenewedHomestead]

Hi serenityhill! The sawzall is a great idea! We do that for the smaller trees as well. So much easier! We also have a smaller electric chainsaw that works great. Ben has bar envy 😂 He has a Husqvarna with a 20” bar. Silvopasture is great. So many benefits for us and the livestock. Good luck on creating it.

[@thomasjohnfisher]

I’m jealous. You get to start with a forest and then turn it into a silvopasture. I started with run down range land with almost no trees but lots of sagebrush. We’ll both enjoy the journey. Just wanted to mention, silvopasture is about 60 percent open canopy vs a closed canopy forest. According to Mark Shepherd. Best of luck.

[@RenewedHomestead]

Hi Thomas, we have some open pasture that we are trying to put some trees on for shelter for our livestock, which is challenging. We have to protect them from the livestock. lol Thanks for the tip. I am about halfway through Mark Shepard's book. He has some amazing knowledge. Good luck with everything. I know how good you will feel when you have some trees growing. God bless!

[@SerenityOffGridHomesteadMaine]

I’m new to the idea and process of silvopasture; can you please tell me more about how the animals creating the terracing happens? We bought sloped property and have huge boulders to contend with in addition to all the other homesteading challenges, and I’d really like to know more about how all these things work together! Thanks for this video, and I look forward to your response!

[@RenewedHomestead]

Hi offgridhomesteadmaine! The animals will essentially make deer trails. They will traverse certain paths along the mountain and the trails will create small terraces if that makes sense. Cows do this fairly quickly because of their weight, sheep and goats will help develop it slowly but they will help with it. If you ever see a hillside with cows pay close attention to that hillside and you will see terracing from the cows. You can really see evidence of this better in fall and winter. Thanks for the great question. 😊

[@SerenityOffGridHomesteadMaine]

@@RenewedHomestead Thanks so much for responding! We’re a long way from cattle infrastructure, and since seeing your video, I’ve found that pigs will accomplish this also. So interesting how nature works together! You definitely opened the rabbit hole for me on this topic! Thanks again for the great footage!

[@RenewedHomestead]

@OffGridHomesteadMaine absolutely, we all learn together. 😊 The more I learn of nature the more I’m awe of it I am. Denise

[@ladyryan902]

Is that white birch? I heard they were endangered?? And I have to say some of those large trees that you want to lumber?? My gramps would've left because they are holding that hill up... That's a beautiful woods

[@RenewedHomestead]

Hi lady ryan! Thank you! Some of the larger trees will definitely stay. We just need to clear some out and those will be put on the sawmill. We also forgot to mention that we will be leaving some of the smaller trees to mature. 🙂

[@garyhunt141]

Hi, Ben and Denise, I grew up on a 30 acre parcel of roughly 50/50 pasture/trees with several horses. First we clear cut 12 feet along fence rows, just to make it easier to tend fences. Then, thinned out the rest based mainly on health/age of tree. When a larger tree was found about ready for removal, and still had some green in canopy, I would "girdle it" . Then let it stand/dry until next summer before harvesting it. Just an idea for you. Great that you and many other creators are teaching folks how to get back to the old ways, and taking good care of nature, in a more natural way. May God Bless you both and keep you safe. (Power tools, even electric, can be dangerous without proper precautions)

[@RenewedHomestead]

Hi Gary, Thank you so much. That is a great idea about girdling and the perimeter fence. We really appreciate that. 🙂 God bless you and yours. 🙏🙏🙏

[@elijahsfarmsteadjourney]

Also i wanna ask what your plans are for your stumps? I suggest if you wanna create good silvo-pasture for sheep id coppice and pollard certain hardwood trees at hip hight to allow shoots to grow off the "stumps" all those shoots will push out new growth and leaves for your sheepies

[@RenewedHomestead]

Hi Elijah, that is a great idea! Some of the tees in other area we will be coppicing. Tree hay is a great thing! Ugh, another thing we forgot. Lol Do you have suggestions for the best trees to coppice? Thanks!

[@baxter513]

Keep up the good work👍

[@RenewedHomestead]

Thank you Roselyn!

[@justtom1820]

Great job guys 👍 Looks like a lot of work, but good work. Way to go!

[@RenewedHomestead]

Thanks so much Justtom! We appreciate you. How are things there?

[@justtom1820]

@@RenewedHomestead Decent. I have a brain injury, and some days are just difficult. I truly wish I could do the things you guys are doing. I try but my seizures just get the best of me. I guess I sort of live my homestead dreams through watching what you guys do.

[@RenewedHomestead]

I am so sorry. Your health is important so only do what you can. We are in prayer for y’all.

[@justtom1820]

@@RenewedHomestead Thank you

[@skylinepastures8445]

I enjoyed your video guys. I will be building a silvopasture system on my farm this summer (refining it really since I have been using pigs to clear scrub for a couple years), and am interest in comparing my progress to your to develop a list of best practices. I will keep tabs on your channel to see how it comes along!

[@RenewedHomestead]

Hi Skyline Pastures! Thank you. Pigs are great for clearing out underbrush. We talked about pigs but we just aren’t ready for them quite yet. Good luck with setting yours up. Keep us posted with how it goes.

[@jamesjessee4064]

Nice video guys ❤️ 👍 🙋‍♂️

[@RenewedHomestead]

Thanks James Jessee!

[@khatch62]

I have to plant trees to have silvo pasture.

[@RenewedHomestead]

Hi K H62, we have started to plant trees in our pasture to create that in our open pasture. 🙂 Thanks.

[@johnbelcher7955]

Hi Both, are you familiar with the work of Dr. John Christy? Do you leave some of the smaller trees as a replacement for the older trees?

[@RenewedHomestead]

Hi John, we are not. Does he educate on silvopasture? Yes. We will definitely be leaving some smaller trees. We knew we forgot to put something in the video. Thank you!

[@johnbelcher7955]

@@RenewedHomestead Dr. John Christy does the actual science on C-Change before the other scientists feed it into their wonky models, he has spoken in Congress multiple times and explained why c0two makes for good Plant food! Quite a lot on yt if you you put his name into the search he resently had a good interview on yt. I have the video saved to a play list if you would like but his video in Congress are also on yt from what I can remember I have watched several.....

[@RenewedHomestead]

Thanks John! We will definitely look him up. That is what have always said, the carbon is a buffet for the trees and plants!

[@elijahsfarmsteadjourney]

The way we make silvo-pasture is cut down dead trees first then i survey what verieties of trees i have and the size and i make careful decisions on what to cut... you have to leave some small trees for generational growth. Also i agree with planting fruit and nut trees..if im making silvo-pasture for my pigs id definitely plant nut trees

[@RenewedHomestead]

Hi Elijah! Thank you! That is a good idea. We will definitely keep some young trees, the area we are cutting down needed to the smaller trees in that area cut down. We did forget to make that point! Thanks for adding it. When we get pigs they will define run through the forest. 🙂

[@jeremygould492]

The dead trees are in compost for mushrooms and mycelium which will help the trees more then you clearing them out it would be better if you used a wood chopper and spread it on the forest floor

[@RenewedHomestead]

Hi Jeremy, thanks for the comment. Those are good ideas. That is why Ben said we had plans for the trees. We didn’t really discuss what we will be using some of the wood for. Some will stay in the forest, some will be chipped, some will be used for other things, it is difficult to go over everything in a video unless it is a 2 hour video. Very few people will watch that. Lol You also have to be careful about leaving too much on the ground if you want grass to grow, which is the whole purpose of silvopasture.

[@TheAtroShow]

please get at least the cheapest helmet for ppe as the top of those trees even if half alive like to break and fall on ppl taking them down.

[@RenewedHomestead]

Hi, that is great advice. Thank you so much. 😊

[@ladyryan902]

You do know the answer lol maybe you'll have enough carbon to sell it back to the gov 🤣🤣🤣

[@RenewedHomestead]

😂 😂

[@dwighthires3163]

Once again, you have done your research before you made your video. If this were me, I would stumble all over it. Good job. So sorry that you have to dance with all the critics in each step you explain, i.e. roots near the creek, spacing, climate change, carbon cycle, what a girl can or cannot do, etc. etc. 🙃 According to what I have read, permanent carbon sequestration only happens at depth. By this I mean deep in soil or ocean depth. All carbon sequestration which happens in the tree canopy is temporary. All leaves, limbs and even trunks eventually release their carbon back into the air as they rot or are burned. The only forest carbon permanently sequestrated is in the soil. The great plains sequestered a tremendous amount of carbon in the grass roots, even more than is sequestrated in a rain forest.

[@RenewedHomestead]

Thanks Dwight. We have a lot of people that try to clean everything from a few minute video. We try to cover what we can, but we can only do so much. Thankfully, we knew going into YT we would have negative comments. The main reason I can’t use Ben’s chainsaw for long is it is heavy. lol Contrary to popular opinion boys are stronger than girls. 😂 That is really great to know about the carbon sequestration. I didn’t know it would be temporary in the canopy. They talk a lot about the fertility of the grasslands. I am sure that was a major component. Plants so take in C02 and convert it to oxygen. That was something that always perplexed me, if trees and plants basically eat C02 (not a tech term lol) then wouldn’t excess carbon dioxide it be like a buffet for them? We get big when we eat a lot….does that make sense?

[@dwighthires3163]

@@RenewedHomestead First off, what is your source for the weird concept that boys are stronger than girls? What a novel concept. 😂🤣 Love your spin on eating CO2. I first picked up the carbon sequestration details from Joel Salatin who said that Midwest grasslands sequester far more carbon than rain forest. After checking into it further I confirmed it plus learned that deep ocean trenches also sequester a lot of carbon when free of rising currents. Fascinating, isn't it?

[@RenewedHomestead]

😂 😆 We are hoping to get to Joel Salatin’s farm this spring. They have an intimate 2 day training that we are contacting them about. I am sure it is very pricey but hopefully, we can at least tour Polyface. We really appreciate him and know we can learn so much from him. It is interesting, it is almost like they want to use things that don’t work….things that make you go 🤔

[@stephaniewilson3955]

I would have started by taking out the dead trees. The trouble with Silvopasture is that there is no succession. The small stuff is taken out so where is the next generation of trees? And whether you like it or not man-made climate change is happening now. We should be heading for an Ice Age as the Sun is cooling (part of its normal cycle) instead the planet is heating up. Those are facts.

[@RenewedHomestead]

Hi Stephanie, we will agree to disagree on the climate. The climate is changing but when you look at all the data it doesn’t add up to the assertions the mainstream narrative is espousing. It is all about control and money. I would do some research into green energy and how bad it is for the climate, and where the money is being made. If it was all about being green why not look into magnet technology? We have definitely neglected the planet but the direction we are going is only going to hurt the planet and make certain people in power very rich. That is a fact. There is too much to get into over here. I recommend reading ‘Fake Invisible Catastrophes and Threats of Doom’ by Patrick Moore. He also has another book Confessions of a Greenpeace dropout. We will be cutting out the dead ones and leaving some of the younger ones. We knew we forgot something when we ended the video. A lot of the trees have to come out no matter if they are dead or not. Unfortunately, the entire property was neglected. Thanks for the comment.

[@bobbiechurch-peck8048]

Are you always so condescending? Do you have a Homestead that makes you know everything? Honestly, your replies get old after awhile and are not helpful. You seem one sided. As one who thinks everything is your way or the highway. 😖🤨

[@RenewedHomestead]

Thank you Bobbie. We deeply appreciate you. 💜🙏

[@brycehess6708]

Fake news !