Low Budget Small Pasture Renovation

[@gregbell2117]

Even lower budget - hand spread everything. I did a tonne by hand - took a week, but I got to walk around and look at the paddocks. I routinely spread a few bags of seeds by hand. Saves having the machines sit around the rest of the year, and saves soil compaction.

[@jacefreeman8713]

Another thing to note is when to take your soil test, doing it in winter/summer will give you very different results to spring/autumn when the nutrient exchange levels between microbes are the highest.

[@AmandaIsAwesome]

This is really helpful for me!! We have a small farm that needs lots of love to get it back up to snuff. Thanks for the info!!

[@tonydoggett7627]

For a 70 year old tractor the Ferguson TEA-20 treads lightly in wet paddocks. Is cheap to purchase and new parts are plentiful.

[@lesleypapworth335]

Hi Tim Would love to hear more about small farm equipment ie less than 20 ha farming with paddocks up to 1.5ha. I want a degree of efficiency but don't need massively fossil fuel guzzling equipment. Thanks for your videos. Love them!

[@alistairmacphail5778]

Thanks Tim. Some great tips for small blocks. FYI recently purchased a box blade which has rippers and have used it with hydraulic top link to aerate my paddocks ( and use same tool for my driveway). Love dual usage tools

[@harrylawrence5300]

I’ve only got a few acres, found this video very useful. Thank you

[@barrywise7701]

I think dinky toys are very useful. We volunteer at an historic homestead and vineyard,. The vineyard is only one acre but we manage to produce enough grapes to produce a range of wines, which sell at our cellar door. We don’t have the space or budget for large implements, so dinky items are great. Thanks for the video. From Port Macquarie, NSW.

[@gnijhuis]

I did some research on those aerators myself and in the end opted against another implement as most of the forums I read concluded it didn't make much of a difference. If I had to get an aerator though, I'd suggest the ones that pull plugs rather than the ones that poke holes as poling of said holes compacts the soil around it and the water still doesn't go where it's supposed to. Thanks for sharing, great content :)

[@FarmLearningTim]

They are hooked teeth that spear in and rip out. Not sure what forum you’re referring to but watch the video and you’ll see how it works. It tears the soil upward.

[@ryanemerry]

Great advise and a great demonstration.

[@lisadolan689]

This is the channel Ive been looking for 🙌☺️

[@go5582]

Great job at hoogies.

[@MethaneHurricane]

Really keen to hear how this worked out since I did something almost identical at about the same time last year

[@FarmLearningTim]

Update coming! I'm going to combine it with a soils video. Hope you like it.

[@Archi1F]

Good to have small block ideas. So many people moved to 5 or 10 acre rural blocks leaving the city since the pandemic. You aren’t going to empty out the John Deere dealership with that size land but you may still want to get the best results with what you have, and it’s clearly too large a plot for quarter-acre block sized implements.

[@FarmLearningTim]

Yep. Watch this space for more content on this topic

[@jacefreeman8713]

For small acreage I wouldn’t overlook buying old hay from someone and spread it everywhere. You get the nutrients, nice amount of organic matter and the hay has more grass seed it in than you could ever drill. Just don’t lay it too thick on the ground or they become slug havens.

[@jimmyjohnson7041]

If you have good quality hay......there wont be any seed in it. Because its been cut every 30 days or less.

[@Ifyouarehurtnointentwasapplied]

If you have plenty of lizards slugs arnt a problem

[@beartooth867]

@@jimmyjohnson7041 that’s alfalfa for dairy and it is hayledge

[@aussiebushhomestead3223]

First time viewer. Great content and appreciate the dinky toys bery much. We don't own any machinery, so always looking for tricks to do the job without a tractor!

[@FarmLearningTim]

Hopefully you'll see lots more content on the channel that's helpful mate. Cheers!

[@mattoe8621]

Have you tried GPS guidance? It will let you “paint” your paddocks with the seeder etc. For your acreage an ATV or UTV would be best but you seem to enjoy the old tractors. Thanks for the video. Very informative.

[@hillbilly2224]

Great information 👍🤙

[@stevenwilkinson3598]

Tad concerned about the pasture seed on surface of ground, love the aerator, thought I seen something very similar same design except in it was a seeder 😎👍

[@FarmLearningTim]

Seeding is growing nicely. Would love to see a picture of the seeder. Big gap in the small holding market!

[@brettwithers7803]

How do you go with birds eating the seeds Tim? I’m in Mansfield and we have a lot of birds around , Id be curious to know if this can be an issue? Love the videos Cheers Brett

[@PaulLadendorf]

Great vid. Thanks. But buying a bunch of commercial products is almost never the best low budget option. What about finding local stables that would let you clean out the stables and spread the horse manure/hay on your pasture? Greg Judy recommends laying down hay on the pasture in the winter and letting the animals trample and eat it and then fertilize naturally.

[@jonstevensmaplegrovefarms3754]

Tim how have you been?! Been a while since I saw you, really enjoyed your fencing videos, shared them many times. Good tips on pasture renovation! We get a by product from a wood plant, the wood ash, they blend it with Lime, very cheap for farmers. We have a no till drill to go into pastures with, but I would like to try just top dressing some hard seed like alfalfa/clover, vetch. Early spring as a frost seed.

[@FarmLearningTim]

Thanks John. Great tip. I’ve been uploading videos every week

[@Fazendinha_TAS]

Hi Tim, could you detail the content of the seed bag? I’d love to check what you were using there. Maybe if you share a link to the product… Thank you

[@FarmLearningTim]

Give me a day or so and I’ll do a quick blog on the website. When I do I’ll put a link in the description.

[@evaburgess3648]

Would love to know too

[@markleonard1036]

Hey Tim what were the results of your soil test? And can you do a follow up soil test when you see results to show how well the products worked? Also what seed did you use, and did you give the soil time to come good before you seeded? Cheers Mark

[@FarmLearningTim]

My soil results showed a low P availability. Marginally acidic. This video took place over 3 months. Lime, one month, p, three weeks, seeding. Used cool climate mix. 12 different species. My results irrelevant to you. Your property will be different. Soil testing is expensive. I will monitor growth to see if I have to do another

[@pol1on1]

Hi Tim seen on Gumtree lots of different types of plows for a 3 point link. Like disc, disc with bite marks in them, large half stream train front ends, multiple angry scorpion tailed pointing down. What do they all do and will a small tractor in 1st gear still pull them. COULD YOU PLEASE MAKE A VIDEO ON THIS :)

[@FarmLearningTim]

Great idea. Let me think for a while

[@jasonac]

Network Seeder make/import a cheap seeder, but i havent been brave enough to part with my money for one. And there isnt much in terms of youtube reviews.

[@FarmLearningTim]

Maybe they need to call me. To be honest I’m still looking for a solution. The seeder was ok, but a bit small and flimsy. I’m looking for something with heavier steel, at least 4” wide with a driven feeder for about a grand. Nothing out there.

[@kalgaramerinos7085]

@@FarmLearningTim Second hand seeder? Ours is a 3 point linkage Connor Shea circa late 50's early 60's and does a reasonable job. $3k about 8 or 10 years ago. What would be handy for us is a small and cheap tractor pulled combine harvester for the odd occasion we plant oats.

[@Petani-bali]

Thank you for video👍👍👍

[@666bruv]

Looks like you have bugger all soil biology, will be interesting to see if the multi species improves that

[@FarmLearningTim]

Yeah. Rather than a video at the end, I’m taking a risk and sharing the process… good and bad. Let’s see what happens and what works.

[@666bruv]

@@FarmLearningTim trial 5ltr's of nutrisoil on an area also

[@stephennussio4502]

Hi Tim....Bat Guano? I thought all Guano in Australia is from seabirds???

[@FarmLearningTim]

Yeah it’s literally imported s@:$

[@gregpowell5805]

Hey Tim how did the seeding go any results yet

[@FarmLearningTim]

Yes good mate. Considering the gear it worked pretty well. There is still plenty of persistent plants two years down the track. I’m going to do a video on using the spreader to broadcast seed one day in the near future.

[@aussiefarmer8741]

Tim what was the seed mix, I saw it was AGF, Was it a custom mix? There normal blends only contain around 6 or so. Ive been looking for a mega multi blend mix. Ive mixed my own but that's a hassle with the cement mixer.

[@FarmLearningTim]

static1.squarespace.com/static/5892d8953a0411ada0658a98/t/6202055588241a5f1c5e874e/1644299629884/AGF_Smyth-CoolCover-FlyerA4-2022-Final.pdf

[@evaburgess3648]

Do you have any suggestions for repairing muddy areas like paddock entrances and gateways

[@FarmLearningTim]

Great idea for a video. I’m doing one on mud management hopefully soon. Australian concrete mats make a mat that works well.

[@annburge291]

Woodchips where animals pass. Build up the area if machinery, trucks need to get through the gate

[@annburge291]

That was really groovy.

[@Jeffnixononline]

Hey Tim Thompson, what is the brand of the aerator?

[@FarmLearningTim]

Paddock. I picked it up in Qld. Great for small jobs. Terribly expensive if you get it delivered!

[@Jeffnixononline]

@@FarmLearningTim are scintez the supplier?

[@MethaneHurricane]

@Jeffnixononline Scintex are one outlet but the same unit is sold elsewhere with and without the paddock branding

[@peterwooldridge7285]

A bit off topic but how do you take the land from virgin bush with dense undergrowth to something a little more manageable?

[@FarmLearningTim]

Be sure to check planning laws before considering this

[@alec8317]

Hi Tim, mind if I ask where you found that Paddock aerator for 500 bucks-ish? I'm trying to get hold of the same model but so far haven't been able to find it at anywhere near that price.

[@FarmLearningTim]

The seeder was 4-5hundred. The Airator was nearly $900. I bought it direct when I was in Brisbane last. Freight is a killer.

[@alec8317]

@@FarmLearningTim Oops my bad. That will teach me for not paying closer attention. Totally agree re: gap in the market. Since I need the unit in Victoria, I have this weird situation where it's actually going to be cheaper to pick up a large unit that will be towed by the tractor drawbar, than something (of decent quality) half the size that I can pull with the mower.

[@ironwoodworkman4917]

The best part was the lawn mower seeder, Just saying. If it works, Is it wrong? 😄

[@FarmLearningTim]

Hahaha yeah. Horses for courses. We can’t all afford to live on a million acres. Pity….

[@ironwoodworkman4917]

@@FarmLearningTim That's right, It just makes us get better with the little plot of land we got. You might be surprised at some of the things we rig up in the hills of Appalachia.

[@FarmLearningTim]

@@ironwoodworkman4917 I'd love to get to Appelachia one day mate., Cheers.

[@rossholmes178]

Mate, (9:25) I reckon your neighbours two down got more bat guano on their paddocks than you did...

[@warwickhaar]

what was that seed spreader called i popped over to your website and could not see it

[@FarmLearningTim]

Not a supplied product or review…. I just bought it…. Off eBay…… was ok but would be better if metal and 5 feet wide.

[@warwickhaar]

@@FarmLearningTim Thanks for the reply and thanks for the videos and info

[@vsvnrg3263]

@@FarmLearningTim , the wheels looked pissweak. easily fixed.

[@Jamestee1]

Hi Tim, thanks for the great informative video once again ! Just 1 question, where did you get the soil sample bag from and how much did it cost to sample it ? Who does this service around the Yarra valley ? Thanks

[@FarmLearningTim]

There are a number of companies that offer soil testing in the Yarra valley, but you could try the one featured in this video, Hoogies are in Yarra Glen. Tell Rose that she did a great job in the video for me. She was really nervous

[@martyward9715]

Hey Tim, what was the width of that aerator?

[@FarmLearningTim]

It comes in two widths 40 inch or 64. I got the 64

[@martyward9715]

@@FarmLearningTim I’m on 20 acres in Laura, south Australia. Brought the property last year but the pastures need some TLC. Would you recommend this aerator?

[@chadwickaren]

It doesn't seem low budget to me if you have a tractor and all that machinery. 😊

[@samhenderson2947]

Why is the lime added? Was that prior to the soil results coming back?

[@FarmLearningTim]

No. after. pH was low

[@annburge291]

What about EM rather than lime

[@champyandmorris]

What state are you based in? Great video thanks 😊

[@FarmLearningTim]

Victoria…. But don’t hold that against me….

[@richardlove4287]

Ask your fert seller "how much per hectare" this eliminates all the bollocks.

[@ozlakota1]

calprill is 60%molasses than lime

[@FarmLearningTim]

Yeah but easy to spread and No dust plus not too many bags

[@stephennussio4502]

I think that's false. Calci prill is about 5% molasses. Rest is cal carbonate

[@ozlakota1]

still 3 times the price of lime spread @@stephennussio4502

[@stephennussio4502]

Guano should be Seabird not bat

[@FarmLearningTim]

Can be both. Seabird most common

[@cyclingzero2353]

lol its 2022 anything with fertiliser is now high budget

[@FarmLearningTim]

Amen mate