Biofarm 2020

Water John

No, not yet. However it's in the Plan. I have a good bit of organic sward. Alan Savoury would be saying that its process of natural selection over time should be the correct sward. Don't think I wholly agree with him on that. Started a type of mob grazing on it last year so we'll see where that goes.
I have a bit of silage ryegrass as well, which I mob grazed also last year. May stitch in to that.

alps

Water John wrote: »

The guy that Christine Jones showed getting the first carbon payment in Australia had made the machine that stitched in about 23% diverse plants but it left the rest 77% of the strip which I presume was ryegrass.
That looks a more realistic model for the next move on commercial farms. Would suggest for example that a dairy farmer would initially do that in the paddocks grazed by the replacement calves. They certainly would benefit from it.

Any chance you'd have that guy's name...could do with it for a "project"😉

alps

https://www.maiagrazing.com/wilmot-cattle-co-sells-carbon-credits-to-microsoft-for-500000/

Dont think this was it

alps

alps wrote: »

Any chance you'd have that guy's name...could do with it for a "project"😉

Niels Olsen, SoilKee Renovator

alps

Deleted User wrote: »

Niels Olsen, SoilKee Renovator

That's fantastic...thanks a million

Water John

His design is basically a strip planter with an exotic price.

SouthWesterly

endainoz wrote: »

Ah yeah same book alright! So much information on each enterprise.

Theresa a nota course running this year with perkins. It's 30 e extra for the pdf version of the book or 60 extra for the hard copy.

Castlekeeper

https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8zNDQ3ZWY4L3BvZGNhc3QvcnNz/episode/MTNkOTRmMWQtMzFjNy00ZDAzLThjMmEtMjkwOTI2NmJiOGU2?sa=X&ved=0CAYQkfYCahcKEwiQ7b2ptvTuAhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAQ

Most on here might be familiar with his pieces but I only came across them lately. I found them very accessible anyway.
Ps Graeme Sait.

Water John

Now here's an interesting one, McDonalds are looking into Regenerative Farming as an option for its beef supply chain:
https://www.farminguk.com/news/mcdonald-s-uk-launches-regenerative-grazing-project_57616.html?fbclid=IwAR1LMIbg9Itb3jPOtE2I9PfPV4QCp7j6t7CgxeDocC4n1gfWd8HOUfo2Xac

Markcheese

How does regenerative grazing systems and its pasture management ( higher covers ect) work with a clover system ? It seems like it's the opposite with longer grass ect , ( although the longer grazing intervals in summer would help with the clover flowering ,which seriously improves it's persistence )

I'm assuming most regenerative systems are either low added nitrogen or no added nitrogen ?
( Which also suits clover )

Markcheese

Water John wrote: »

His design is basically a strip planter with an exotic price.

So you could probably just use a guttler or one of the other direct drills ?

Water John

Markcheese wrote: »

So you could probably just use a guttler or one of the other direct drills ?

You'd have to knock back what's there a good bit, to give the seeds a chance.

The clover one is a bit of a puzzle. Red clover would certainly be happy. Don't know how well/poor white clover would do? Other nitrogen fixing plants?
Used a 40day+ rotation last year and I think the clover survived. Will know more in about 2 months.

endainoz

Has anyone heard of hemp fibres being used to bedding. Saw an article about a guy in the southeast doing it for his organic stock after harvest but haven't seen any examples of it. I'd assume it would need to be broken down a bit to not get stuck in the baler.

It would be a perfect use for the fibres which have little value due to the lack of processing facilities in Ireland currently. They have potential to have enormous value of course.

Markcheese

Water John wrote: »

You'd have to knock back what's there a good bit, to give the seeds a chance.

The clover one is a bit of a puzzle. Red clover would certainly be happy. Don't know how well/poor white clover would do? Other nitrogen fixing plants?
Used a 40day+ rotation last year and I think the clover survived. Will know more in about 2 months.

I assume if you lay off the nitrogen for a bit , then graze it hard a couple of times in spring and stitch the newer species at start of may ,you'd be away ...
But you'd need to change your grassland management to suit the new species and system ( but that's the whole point anyway )

Markcheese

endainoz wrote: »

Has anyone heard of hemp fibres being used to bedding. Saw an article about a guy in the southeast doing it for his organic stock after harvest but haven't seen any examples of it. I'd assume it would need to be broken down a bit to not get stuck in the baler.

It would be a perfect use for the fibres which have little value due to the lack of processing facilities in Ireland currently. They have potential to have enormous value of course.

What would it chopped with ?? ,It'd take sharp blades ... Baling mightnt be too bad (depending on the baler ) if it's already chopped ,
Even spreading it after could be a pain if it wasn't chopped / cut properly. .
They used to reckon a sharp cutter bar was the best to knock it ,
Would it take a lot to dry it ?

Water John

Markcheese wrote: »

I assume if you lay off the nitrogen for a bit , then graze it hard a couple of times in spring and stitch the newer species at start of may ,you'd be away ...
But you'd need to change your grassland management to suit the new species and system ( but that's the whole point anyway )

Let in the sheep. I know a guy who gives it a couple of runs of a leveller. After a bit cut of silage, when the ground is white.

endainoz

Markcheese wrote: »

What would it chopped with ?? ,It'd take sharp blades ... Baling mightnt be too bad (depending on the baler ) if it's already chopped ,
Even spreading it after could be a pain if it wasn't chopped / cut properly. .
They used to reckon a sharp cutter bar was the best to knock it ,
Would it take a lot to dry it ?

Well I'd probably chop it with my major cyclone, would definitely be strong enough to do it, blades would be strong enough for sure. I'm not sure about the spreading it part but if composted correctly it shouldn't be a problem. Drying I have no idea, be nice if it could be saved like hay, but who knows?

What I do know is that is supposed to have serious absorbing abilities compared to straw so I do think it's worth looking into.

Say my name

endainoz wrote: »

Has anyone heard of hemp fibres being used to bedding. Saw an article about a guy in the southeast doing it for his organic stock after harvest but haven't seen any examples of it. I'd assume it would need to be broken down a bit to not get stuck in the baler.

It would be a perfect use for the fibres which have little value due to the lack of processing facilities in Ireland currently. They have potential to have enormous value of course.

Haven't heard that one but just read about Kenaf ( Hibiscus cannabinus ) on another forum. Apparently that's used for bedding.

Water John

Say my name wrote: »

Haven't heard that one but just read about Kenaf ( Hibiscus cannabinus ) on another forum. Apparently that's used for bedding.

Happy cattle.

endainoz

https://youtu.be/Bq9y4IIAH0c

Looks like it can be bales alright, but would need to be very dry. Like getting two weeks of sun for hay.

Say my name

Water John wrote: »

Happy cattle.

Hibiscus John. Hibiscus.

Probably couldn't grow it here anyway.

SouthWesterly

Water John wrote: »

John Kempf was very interesting.
https://johnkempf.com/#book
Quality Agriculture is the book.
https://johnkempf.com/the-challenges-of-managing-nutrition-with-brix-readings/




The talk on KNF was a general introduction to it, I would go to Chris Trump's youtube, these were put up by a poster on the livestream;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7N2PXBKf_GE

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCus0ZO165qzh

Has anyone read John kempfs book? Currently going through it. Some interesting stuff that can be applied to the small holding.

Was in the garden today and found loads of mycelium in the soil which had woodchip on the beds last year.

Say my name

SouthWesterly wrote: »

Has anyone read John kempfs book? Currently going through it. Some interesting stuff that can be applied to the small holding.

Was in the garden today and found loads of mycelium in the soil which had woodchip on the beds last year.

Yea have the book here.

He's not afraid to interview the 'out there' experts in farming and biology.

Water John

This book, Entangled Life, on fungi looks very interesting:
https://www.thejournal.ie/readme/fungi-merlin-sheldrake-5395758-Apr2021/

Great to have the name Merlin and be an expert on the magic of mushrooms.

endainoz

Water John wrote: »

This book, Entangled Life, on fungi looks very interesting:
https://www.thejournal.ie/readme/fungi-merlin-sheldrake-5395758-Apr2021/

Great to have the name Merlin and be an expert on the magic of mushrooms.

I worked with an English guy in Australia named Merlin one time. Interesting guy, he was raised in a traveling circus where his parents performed.

Water John

Had a look through the mob grazed pasture of last year and the clover looks fine. A bit of heat coming from Wed on will fire it up, hopefully.
Into this years rotation. Have about a 35 day rotation going but grazing back well in each day block. Wouldn't risk leaving half the feed behind. Maybe at some stage I'll take that step? If I was to do the purest regen mob grazing I should leave 50% behind.

Dinzee Conlee

Water John wrote: »

Had a look through the mob grazed pasture of last year and the clover looks fine. A bit of heat coming from Wed on will fire it up, hopefully.
Into this years rotation. Have about a 35 day rotation going but grazing back well in each day block. Wouldn't risk leaving half the feed behind. Maybe at some stage I'll take that step? If I was to do the purest regen mob grazing I should leave 50% behind.

Is it not leave a third behind?

Graze a third, trample a third and leave a third?

I only know from reading and listening to bits and pieces. I had the best of intentions this year, but in reality, my sheep are outside grazing to the ground

Dinzee Conlee

Dinzee Conlee wrote: »

Is it not leave a third behind?

Graze a third, trample a third and leave a third?

I only know from reading and listening to bits and pieces. I had the best of intentions this year, but in reality, my sheep are outside grazing to the ground

It depends.....

....on what your goal is.

Some advocate cleaning out a paddock. Some want 50% left. Others then are the 33/33/33. Then what time of year is it, do you want to build up grass to stretch as late out in the year as possible, then you might leave 90%.

Prescriptions won't work, the goalposts are moving all of the time depending on time of year, objectives, stocking density and rate.

Listen and read widely would be my 2 cents, get training if that's your thing, then figure out what suits you & your place.

Dinzee Conlee

[Deleted User] wrote: »

It depends.....

....on what your goal is.

Some advocate cleaning out a paddock. Some want 50% left. Others then are the 33/33/33. Then what time of year is it, do you want to build up grass to stretch as late out in the year as possible, then you might leave 90%.

Prescriptions won't work, the goalposts are moving all of the time depending on time of year, objectives, stocking density and rate.

Listen and read widely would be my 2 cents, get training if that's your thing, then figure out what suits you & your place.

100%

I would be fairly sure you shouldn’t be grazing as low as I am though

But, we’ll see how we get on when the weather changes...

Dinzee Conlee

Dinzee Conlee wrote: »

100%

I would be fairly sure you shouldn’t be grazing as low as I am though

But, we’ll see how we get on when the weather changes...

I'm pretty sure Johan Zietsmann advocates eating everything, or near as. But, it's the rest period afterwards and not coming back until the pasture is ready that's key to success in most scenarios.