(STEP-BY-STEP) BUILDING PASTURE FROM SCRATCH | SOIL COWS Cover Crops TOPSOIL Grazing Cattle ranching

[@theShepherdess]

🐑🥩CLICK HERE for my FREE GUIDE to raising beef and lamb: bit.ly/bflmbGUIDE

[@ejking7759]

I am 18 and started managing my grandpas cow herd around 3 years ago. At first he was reluctant to let me have any control but he has started to realize that I know what I am doing and is giving me more control. Over the past three years I have gained a lot of knowledge from experience but also from the internet. Rotational grazing has been one of my most valuable tools and has helped me bring the operation a long ways.

[@sulaimankalisa7247]

Great job well done @how can I get in touch with you for more knowledge

[@advent35]

Gabe Brown From North Dakota May have some information you would be interested in.

[@lisalange4922]

I am intrigued with this! We purchased 10 acres in Arkansas and its very rocky and hilly...but I am trying to stop soil erosion and planted the hill in front of our house with chicken friendly plants so they can forage...the roots will help and the decay each year should rebuilt the soil. even this first year, i saw a population explosion of crickets, bugs etc...I started a compost area to bring back worms.

[@breesechick]

Wow right around the 9 minute 30 second Mark he explains that regular sorghum is not good for livestock because during drought conditions it builds up a lot of a certain type of acid that turns into arsenic in your livestocks blood and explains why it's better to plant Sudan sorghum if you're going to be planting it.

[@DrMomans]

Even some sorghum x sudan hybrids are prone to that (basically result in cyanide poisoning). Some seed varieties are bred to be less toxics. Sheep are less susceptible though. Read up on symptoms and if you see it in cows move them immediately Another reason to never plant monocrops

[@yrp237]

The pictures of this guy's cows are beautiful. They looked washed, buffed, and polished but they aren't, its just healthy coats. Amazing!

[@jeffhuntley2921]

I’m amazed at how many stories I’ve heard from people that got started with Joel Salitin as an inspiration.

[@firehorsewoman414]

What he preaches just seems to make sense. We bought land and are in process of building, so no animals out there since we don’t have a water source yet. But I plan on following his techniques for moving the cattle daily (less than 12) and following them with chickens. Going to try to work in lambs and pigs, but still learning.

[@jeffhuntley2921]

@@firehorsewoman414 i started with chickens. Now I’ve been raising pigs and cows. Always learning and enjoying every minute of it

[@firehorsewoman414]

@@jeffhuntley2921 yep that is where I am going to start too probably. I want to jump right in and go for the big guys, but I will cool down and come to my senses soon hahaha. I am so ready to try it, but we aren’t moved yet. Was at Tractor Supply picking up some things - husband takes off to get what we actually went for while I wander over to the baby ducks and chicks. He comes walking by and says “not yet” and starts moving me to the register. It was like I was a little kid staring at puppies in the window LOL What breed of pigs are you raising?

[@jeffhuntley2921]

@@firehorsewoman414 it’s good to have the whole family on board when taking on a new farm addition. We’ve had great luck with our yorkshire duroc mixes. If you’re keeping a boar for breeding I would suggest putting a ring in his nose. Mistake I’ll only make once:)

[@danielrios6396]

Any ideas for west texas? I just purchased 20 acres and unsure what to do with them ?

[@harveypenner2386]

Excellent!! You're doing an awesome job educating and helping young people establish their own farming enterprises!!! I am cheering for you!!!

[@4.43acrehomestead]

We frost seeded half of our pastures this spring. The results were amazing! We have received our seed to frost seed the rest this fall.

[@lindaferguson593]

What seed did you use? How much coverage did the seed offer?

[@jestabbjy]

Wow. Learned ALOT!!! We just turned our row crop 6 acres into pasture and of course didn’t do it correctly. So I will be taking this knowledge and do better this year.

[@brycehess6708]

We plant cereal rye and buckwheat as a crop to broadcast perrrenial seeds into. Sometimes we roller crimp it afyer seeding but usual we let the cows/goats walk it in...works every time

[@KPVFarmer]

Great info, Ethon!!! Happy to hear you’re keeping the family farm alive and growing back! 🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸

[@miriammigliacci9427]

So interesting! I’m sitting on my couch, knitting with wool, deep in January, just wishing to be a farmer! I would marry one!

[@SasquatchBioacoustic]

Amazing interview. This video is a wealth of knowledge and experience, all in one place.

[@9realitycheck9]

I really enjoy watching how so many different farmers and ranchers manage their animals. Of course down in the Southeast it's a lot different than what we have here in Northern california. So, it's achievable in certain respects even though we have a different climate different soils we need to adapt to where we are. I don't have the benefit of being able to irrigate and most of my grazing is on slopes so even doing cover cropping or supplemental seating is extremely difficult and near impossible. However I do agree with being able to move the animals around more often has improved the soils most measurably.

[@markrodrigue9503]

Greg Judy is the man

[@mcmerriman]

I'm really enjoying your book. I can tell it will be a big help as I'm starting to build my flock.

[@theShepherdess]

Thank you so much!!

[@JohnSimeonBarkar]

I am John Simeon Barkar, commenting from Sierra Leone west Africa. I am amazed by your video and i have learnt a lot from your video. I am planning to start livestock farming in my home town as i already have a land.

[@breesechick]

Danny from South homestead is where I learned how to remove grazon from the soil on their channel.

[@DrMomans]

Wonderful episode! I have been trying with cover crops in east Texas and had many struggles..finally paying attention and making progress. I wish I had this 2 years ago! Few additional suggestions for fellow commentators: - If you have over 50% weeds, till it over just before spring or fall rain then broadcast cover crops densely. Don't waste time spraying. Don't keep tilling each season. - Start with NRCS mix. It's pretty cheap ($1/lbs) and multispecies. Buy as local as possible for adaptability - There's some valuable research by A&M. For Southeast Texas, sorghum-sudangrass, sunn hemp, cowpea and buckwheat was summer cover crops with the most potential while triticale, oat, mustard and Austrian winter pea were the top winter cover crops - You need to have winter AND summer cover crops. Unfilled space will get taken over by weeds. Teach your cows to eat weeds though (kzbin.info/www/bejne/rXK4oIGqhKuVeac) - I like to mix in about 15-20% perennials with 80% annual covercrop mixes. Annual ryegrass/white clover (both reseeding) for winter, and about 1lbs of Bermuda/acre for summer. Eventually you'll get enough perennial re-growth to not need cover crops. I am still looking for a perennial warm legume (if anyone has experience with LabLab, reseeding annual lespezda or illinois bundleflower I'll greatly appreciate it). - Terminating cover crops at the right moment is less important when they won't survive the heat/cold anyway. Crimp, mow or re-graze when you're ready to plant the next season then either no-till drill or disc lightly and broadcast into the worked soil. If you want to fertilize, granulated chicken manure is amazing and easy to broadcast - Pick whatever is cheaper and practical but if you don't have cows yet a good used crimper roller is an investment that you can sell later. Mowing costs a lot in diesel and does not work or last as much for weed suppression.

[@pacodefrancis7235]

Great video, but I think most folks don't have the luxury of starting with row crop land--rather the only option is forested woodland for most new farms as it's basically impossible to find productive pasture or row crop fields for sale, and if you’re able to find good fertile tillable farmland the price is astronomical compared to uncleared woodland.

[@whitefarms3274]

🥩Actually an advantage if developing Silvopasture especially in hardwoods & want have toxic issues related to crop land🌾 🕊

[@pacodefrancis7235]

@@whitefarms3274 very good point. I don’t have any direct experience with Silviopasture but I’ve been very intrigued with it and would like to try it on my property, at least at a small scale at first.

[@TobyElGato]

@pacodefrancis7235 Shade improves the animal's efficiency quite a bit, not sure the exact numbers, something to look into. Anywhere from 5-20% improved efficiency is the average I got from chat.openai for chickens, sheep, cattle, and pigs. God bless

[@xcgates]

Certainly was a hobby for personal consumption, but I used electric fencing in a narrow cleared path to get my sheep eating undergrowth. Then cut and burned the trees. Not fast, but it worked

[@AgnesMariaL]

So true - all we could afford was woodland, but that's okay! We have no shortage of wood, so lots of free heat and free building materials. Forest is also perfect for raising pigs, which clear, till, level and fertilize the earth so it can be be cleared afterward and then used for plant crops or whatever ;)

[@breakheartorchard4761]

Great information. Thank you. Turning cleared forest into farmland. Never knew how hard it is to build a field.

[@Marilou-g5t]

Ethon might enjoy Gabe Brown's multi-species mixes. Gabe is in North Dakota.

[@KPVFarmer]

I love your content!!! Always great info! Growing soil, hay, and grass fed beef in Northern WI. 🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸

[@Matthew-eh3jt]

This was very helpful information. Thanks for always putting out great content!

[@mckennahicks5259]

Bought 8 acres 6 of it was tow crop land as soon as I could I planted peas clover wheat rye triticale let it go to seed to cut in this year before we got our cattle

[@MarkranielAdre]

watching from the philippines soon to be working abroad and be able to take care of a good breed of animal and be able to get experience abroad happy farming and God bless😊.

[@breesechick]

To test for grazon you can have your animals eat some of the hay and use some of their manure mixed in soil and try to grow a dicot. The most sensitive wants to graze on I believe are beans and if it's sprouts and then later in early development the leaves begin to wither you will know that it's contaminated with grazon. Might be able to test by soaking some of the hay and water and using that to wet your growing medium to see if it contains grazon but I'm not 100% sure of that way but it might work. Grass is a monocot and plant with two leaves starting out are dicots and that is what Grazon glyphosate kills. To remediate your soil you can plant sunflowers and then when they're done growing they will have sucked up the gray zone from your soil and do not throw them into your compost bin you need to throw them away to make sure your soil doesn't get re contaminated. Do that for a couple years and it will really remove it.

[@ChristopherArdron]

Morning. Just working out how to use this mobile /KZbin system. Sorry. Lol. I run a horse farm on 75 acres, but LOVE to be able to change my way for the VERY FERTILE land, to become very self-sufficient. ( Not sure what tho)

[@Barbaralee1205]

Has anyone here tried seed balls for those who don’t have access to drills.

[@wendybond9374]

My question is, where do you keep your cattle when your pastures have to rest. Like if you‘ve moved through your pastures and they are still growing back. In the early days of your rotational grazing, when your pastures are still developing, do you just paddock the livestock and feed hay until it‘s time to put them out again, so the grass has a chance to grow?

[@ericedwards9658]

Do you have too many cattle for the land you have? You could have 100 acres but if it’s poor quality, you may have too many cattle grazing.

[@wendybond9374]

@@ericedwards9658 They showed previous crop land with just bare dirt covered in hay. Then they showed it as lush grasses, and said they feed their cows on the ground so the seeds from the hay and the manure from the cows improves the soil. Then they use rotational grazing to improve the forage. At some point in between, the cows can‘t be moved because the forage hasn’t grown back enough to move them. Where do the cows go during that time? Or when it isn‘t growing season?

[@mleonard3163]

Ethan states he started with 1 cow calf pair and a bull on 10-acres. Depending on your land you might need to start with an animal like chickens and seeding after the chickens go through. If you've got lots of brambles or invasive maybe start with a few goats or sheep instead of cattle. He's also feeding hay throughout each field and the seed from the hay is going to help populate your pasture with desirables. Look up Jaime Alizondo's videos too as he goes into creating a winter stockpile pasture. He also works a lot in dryer areas in case you don't have abundant rains.

[@DrMomans]

It depends on how much land you have, pay attention to never graze to less than 4" and preferably not graze more than 50% of the grass. This spring we had tons of rain you could rest it 2 weeks and it'll grow back up. In the summer it's closer to 40 days. You'll need to feed hay when you're starting. Develop 1 third of your property at a time so it does not all sit there. Learn about stockpiling, etc..

[@jzachr]

9:11 Not super important but sorghum does not cause Arsenic poisoning. Arsenic is an element and can’t be created, but prussic acid can cause cyanide poisoning (HCN).

[@llbailey9946]

That's what I'm looking thru the Comments for, to see if anyone corrected the prussic acid error. Thank you. I wish they would have put up a text bubble correction. Makes me wonder what else is incorrect

[@kennethmitchelljr.3927]

Appreciate all the information

[@garybratton7250]

Jacob and Dorper sheep, 11 mini cows, ducks , chickens, geese and some mini ponies on 70 acres in northern Wisconsin

[@Gedeonholly]

Such great questions being asked. Very grateful for all you two are sharing

[@dinosaur0073]

Before & After....I like it..!!!. Prove it does work..thanks.

[@Promeethious]

Great guest. Great Interview.

[@breesechick]

Wow thanks for the lead that some people call poor-quality hey the hey that wasn't spray for weeds we're to be the good stuff!

[@RobSquier-i5q]

Anyone have good practices for planting annuals into dormant land that wasn't necessarily crop land without using herbicides? I'm working to reclaim some old hay ground that has been neglected for many years. I grazed hard and unrolled hay on it in the spring and then used an overseeder to plant Sorgum Sudangrass. It kind of worked, but the weed pressure really stunted the sorgum so I didn't get a lot of tonnage. It came in great where the soil was bare.

[@breesechick]

Sleep well. Night everyone, loved the wisdom shared.

[@Crypto.Vantage]

00:04 Transforming depleted crop land into grazing land with cattle and cover crops 02:14 Implementing sustainable grazing practices for soil health 06:26 Importance of proper seed broadcasting techniques 08:38 Supplemental grazing benefits: organic matter and mycorrhizal fungi growth. 12:56 Utilizing mobile shade structures for fertility and weed control 15:07 Consider costs and time for building soil fertility 19:13 Utilize annuals for effective pasture building 21:07 Adaptive grazing allows for flexibility based on observation. 24:37 Importance of soil fertility for pasture improvement 26:38 Building pasture from scratch requires organic matter and intensive rotational grazing. 30:18 Consider animal frame in cattle ranching 32:15 Important to consider the quality of hay when buying for grazing cattle 35:59 Bail grazing for nutrient boost and ground cover 37:39 Improving cattle grazing practices 41:36 Show willingness to work hard to access land for cattle ranching. Crafted by Merlin AI.

[@gibro0548]

Prussic acid yeilds cyanide not arsenic. Stressed plannts can be mowed, dried and used for hay. The prussic acid/cyanide will evaporate but arsenic is an element and won't evaporate. Some land has more than other, some plants take up more arsenic than others .

[@gibro0548]

It is possible to have both present at the same time in the same plant.

[@FlyOverZone]

Smartmix at the green cover seed company. I want to increase my grazing pasture for cattle. What do I put as the termination date because grazing Fields don't have a termination date, right?

[@moitsapisetimela8163]

Marvelous. From Botswana Africa

[@britniskye]

GOAT WEEDS?!?!?!?!?! Any one have guidance on how to begin removing these suckers and begin to crowd them out for the future? THANK YOU!

[@d.w2669]

My question is if you don’t have cows but have small acreage, should we covert lawns to these types of field grasses.

[@brentheltonj6308]

LoL I just posted on another video about my plan and here we are thanks again

[@bryantaskins4448]

If you look into it, ragweed may not be as undesirable as commonly thought.

[@brentheltonj6308]

Isn’t cereal Rye a nitrogen scavenger? Wouldn’t you want more nitrogen fixers like alfalfa to enrich the pasture for a more permaculture pasture

[@TobyElGato]

Main concern is bloat with high protein and moisture. Especially when there’s more than 50% legumes. A quick google brought up these results from MSU Pastures are made up of 50% or more of the legumes listed above that cause bloat Hungry animals are first turned into a new paddock or pasture Pastures are wet from dew or from rainfall at turn in Alfalfas are in the vegetative stage and have not reached blossom Animals are given large areas to graze that take over a week or more to graze down Animals are turned into legume pastures after a frost When the animal’s diet is 100% pasture based God bless

[@brentheltonj6308]

@@TobyElGato thanks yeah that’s my next step is start reading college Agg edu pages, I’m in early research stage as well as I haven’t purchased. Moving accross the country with a bunch of kids as not cheap so saving for that as well, I’m blessed to have a Vererans loan for house and property so I can purchase with 0 down through VA loan. Thanks for the info

[@ejking7759]

@@brentheltonj6308 I would definitely recommend looking at Oklahoma State University for anything on beef production, they are my go to source.

[@brentheltonj6308]

What about planting acacia trees in the fields as it to is a nitrogen fixer.

[@DRPRDriverAssistant]

Namibia 🇳🇦, we have 271.816 acres and farm with Dorper sheep and Boer goat. Rocky terrain and depleted and eroded soil has degraded pasture. Need help replenishing the land.

[@mazhargardezi]

I am mazhar. I have 50 sheeps and 25 cows . I have !3 acres grazing land in which I have 8000 mango plants .some r fruit bearing& some not in pakistan. Where weather is very hot in 9 months. Only 3 month are cold not too cold. I live in USA but ihane a land and land in pakistan.

[@Jon_B_Quick]

How about raising sheep in West Texas on smaller acreage where there isn't much grass but a lot of rocks .

[@DrMomans]

I'm going to guess get a desert sheep variety (few to choose from) but you'll need much lesser grazing density

[@lindaferguson593]

What types of grasses to broadcast/introduce in my fields for my dairy sheep?

[@theShepherdess]

The interview I just posted with Nancy has some great guidance. She plants turnip and ryegrass.

[@breesechick]

Hey sis letting the ads place you can get that coin.🎉🎉🎉

[@CarolMains-dy7zh]

🤠 thanks

[@repentnow8823]

How is cereal rye for north central desertified texas? They don't have it at the local feed n seed so where can i get it if it's ok for my area?

[@repentnow8823]

Ok i just got to the part where he tells where to get it lol

[@brentheltonj6308]

That’s where I’m thinking East Texas or southern Oklahoma

[@jg2480]

I build soil with goats and mowing

[@zannaB60]

Facinating.

[@GreenWave-du3up]

Get a Trichoderma spore product

[@josephmclennan1229]

Where is this guy located? All soils are different.

[@theShepherdess]

Ohio

[@michaeljackson7361]

Is that broomshege

[@klipchegaming]

Why do you use a photo from winter for before then a photo from summer as the after? makes no sense...

[@BuckeyeFan-ty4vr]

You can still get prusicacid poisoning from Sudan also

[@breesechick]

❤❤❤❤❤

[@breesechick]

❤❤❤❤❤

[@LeanneAhern]

WA cattle sheep chooks

[@breesechick]

❤

[@VaxtorT]

Where can I find a shepherdess? Lol

[@gregorylewis9442]

Now if you're in the desert you still need water 💦.🤔

[@CoryFarrar]

Can this still be accomplished without animals of any kind, tractor, seed, or to be frank ; money?

[@theShepherdess]

Probably not.

[@kennypridemore5466]

All you need is 25 acres 50 cattle and tons of hay and straw and keep the cattle on the property for 10 years at a total cost of $ 5,000,000.00 😅😂😅😂 and i got a bridge to sell you ..... yes the one best thoughts hear is your soil NEEDS CARBON !!!! ..... WHY ???? EVERYTHING ALIVE IS MADE OF CARBON !! , AND SCIENTISTS STILL DONT KNOW WHERE CARBON COMES FROM ....😅😂😅😅

[@OldesouthFarm]

How do you get rid of thistle

[@DrMomans]

Check Kathy Voth on youtube: teaching cows to eat weeds

[@cindielou2151]

Are you on Facebook

[@theShepherdess]

yes! Search HarmonyFarms.dorpers

[@breesechick]

❤❤❤