tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post3327411784398567194..comments2024-03-18T22:33:57.339-04:00Comments on 5 Acres & A Dream: A Modified Fukuoka Method of Planting Winter PastureLeighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-7019442011639281522015-10-21T06:16:33.231-04:002015-10-21T06:16:33.231-04:00Hi Liz, I cannot imagine how this could be done on...Hi Liz, I cannot imagine how this could be done on larger acreage. I thought about that one day while I was seeding and mulching, and as much as we wish we had more land, learning how to steward what we've got is important. <br /><br />I'll be interested in your perennial pasture, because I've been working toward that as well. I suppose spot seeding will still be necessary, but I want to get away from buying and planting pasture seed every year.<br /><br />Thanks for telling me about the book! Sounds like a really helpful resource. Adapting others' successes to our own circumstances is always a challenge, and it's good to hear how others do that. Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-10277776115952183142015-10-20T21:14:54.855-04:002015-10-20T21:14:54.855-04:00Hi Leigh, great to see your results. Did you know...Hi Leigh, great to see your results. Did you know that Larry Korn has just published "One Straw Revolutionaries" about how farmers are using one straw revolution techniques. I think this is a great method for a small area. I get stuck when I think about how to do this over our 60 acres of cultivation. I want to stop ploughing though. We are planting a perennial pasture instead and I hope that will solve some of the problems. Its amazing to see those seeds sprout without being "planted", just like in nature :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12874273438983052621noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-19780726573210876652015-10-19T06:13:34.761-04:002015-10-19T06:13:34.761-04:00It's hard to fence for critters than can jump ...It's hard to fence for critters than can jump like that. I agree that something truly helpful is to plant enough to share. Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-53384647216332557382015-10-19T02:48:05.986-04:002015-10-19T02:48:05.986-04:00Well kangaroos can clear all the regular fencing i...Well kangaroos can clear all the regular fencing in this region. That's about 1.2m high, but they can jump higher than that too. Where I would be fencing though, is around the chicken coop, so they may not want access to a limited area, unless they're desperate.<br /><br />Also a lot of mothers tend to raise their joey's in our yard, so they often have a full pouch or a little one at their heels, which wouldn't be able to clear the fencing. The trick is to expand the wild feeding areas elsewhere on the property. Gaps to fill, everywhere. ;)Chris https://www.blogger.com/profile/13715819899708384147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-56496136121297527492015-10-18T06:28:46.351-04:002015-10-18T06:28:46.351-04:00Yes, there are always gaps, LOL. As well as one cr...Yes, there are always gaps, LOL. As well as one critter or another wanting to feed off of the homesteader's hard work. Another reason why there's no one-size-fits-all homesteading. <br /><br />In F. B. Morrison's <i>Feed and Feeding</i> there is a picture of a huge hay wagon being pulled by draft horses. The caption mentions that when the farmer sells his hay, he also sells off the soil nutrition. I think about that, and think it makes a strong point in favor of agrairian farming versus industrialized farming. <br /><br />Just out of curiosity, what kind of fencing do you need to keep kangaroos out? What works for goats doesn't work for deer, which is an ongoing problem for us. Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-5866758469516840542015-10-18T06:14:51.947-04:002015-10-18T06:14:51.947-04:00Healthy pasture is a huge concern. I knew nothing ...Healthy pasture is a huge concern. I knew nothing about pasture when we moved here, and we've had to learn everything. Working in smaller areas has certainly been easier. Learning how to use our own "waste" has been all the better. Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-56936247381081137232015-10-17T21:03:23.575-04:002015-10-17T21:03:23.575-04:00Filling in gaps would have to be the main preoccup...Filling in gaps would have to be the main preoccupation with homesteading. ;)<br /><br />That's because gaps translate into having to purchase from others, who were able to grow an excess to their requirements. Those excesses elsewhere can fluctuate in reliability too, and with livestock, its not good practice to leave your homestead short.<br /><br />So I can see the importance behind these steps, although gaps always seem to appear somewhere else, after you fill them in. ;)<br /><br />I have tried this method and can vouch that it works. Only I cannot keep the kangaroos off, like you can keep the goats away. I'm looking at fencing in the near future. Where seeds have germinated near clumps the kangaroos can't get too, tells me this method works.Chris https://www.blogger.com/profile/13715819899708384147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-66680635190959542302015-10-16T08:40:22.608-04:002015-10-16T08:40:22.608-04:00Been clearing and seeding more pasture here. Alway...Been clearing and seeding more pasture here. Always looking for ideas for creating more healthy pasture. Thanks.Erika kellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02086673285608786783noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-26565580680781481952015-10-15T22:01:29.977-04:002015-10-15T22:01:29.977-04:00Thank you!Thank you!Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-61580116109559395972015-10-15T22:01:18.343-04:002015-10-15T22:01:18.343-04:00Fern, that's my constant question as well, i.e...Fern, that's my constant question as well, i.e. how to raise a sustainable pasture. The deer mix is all annuals, so it will only do for fall through spring. It doesn't seem to reseed itself, I reckon because the goats eat it so well. I just planted the orchard grass last spring, so I'll be interested in how it does now. It lasted through most of the summer and then went dormant when we had a dry spell. I got a seed crop of the Egyptian wheat, which is more of a sudan grass. If I can raise a seed crop every year and add it to my mix, that will be good. I still need a good warm weather perennial and will likely plant something like brown millet this spring. Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-38001983891123486332015-10-15T19:12:47.163-04:002015-10-15T19:12:47.163-04:00What a difference! Good luck on your book!What a difference! Good luck on your book!Christinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09562443495196867143noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-45765752884601042032015-10-15T15:58:52.958-04:002015-10-15T15:58:52.958-04:00Very valuable information, Leigh, thank you. Will ...Very valuable information, Leigh, thank you. Will you be able to maintain this if you can't purchase more seed? That's always a questions I ask myself now days.<br /><br />FernFrank and Fernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15570058990887565563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-67643976880050161552015-10-15T04:38:47.089-04:002015-10-15T04:38:47.089-04:00Howard, good point about kale. Most of the extra s...Howard, good point about kale. Most of the extra seeds I added were homegrown, home-gathered, of which I have no extra kale! It is an amazingly nutritious plant, however, and should be part of that seed mix. Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-67173019229103657672015-10-15T04:34:14.227-04:002015-10-15T04:34:14.227-04:00It was the soil building that is really key for us...It was the soil building that is really key for us. Our soil is so poor and even though we've added organic soil amendments, it desperately lacks building with organic matter! I couldn't do this if we had acres and acres of pasture, though. It works well for spot seeding, but without a manure spreader like you mention, it would be nearly impossible to do a large patch! Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-38540485477280147412015-10-15T04:28:33.271-04:002015-10-15T04:28:33.271-04:00He and Sepp Holzer are two people whom I admire. T...He and Sepp Holzer are two people whom I admire. They've actually made permaculture work for them. They admit it took years, even decades to work out a system that worked for them. I understand why. Experiments are seasonal and it takes years to work out one's particular geographic challenges. I'm just happy to be taking a step in the right direction. Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-58804819883819387692015-10-15T04:25:49.456-04:002015-10-15T04:25:49.456-04:00Mark, it's a very interesting read and I picke...Mark, it's a very interesting read and I picked up a couple of useful things from it. I won't be able to grow grain the way he does, but adapting his mulching concept was a light bulb moment for me!Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-31336474336327656872015-10-15T04:23:31.743-04:002015-10-15T04:23:31.743-04:00If it doesn't get too cold this winter, I'...If it doesn't get too cold this winter, I'll have forage for the goats all winter long. Otherwise everything will go dormant and it will be hay, hay, hay. Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-91298858366162390222015-10-15T03:36:08.892-04:002015-10-15T03:36:08.892-04:00You might try adding forage kale to your winter pa...You might try adding forage kale to your winter pasture mix. It is high protein, withstands frost and is sometimes used by sheep breeders to reduce the amount of grain needed to condition the sheep for efficient breeding.Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03869673270566635616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-38513190119444781422015-10-14T21:09:47.697-04:002015-10-14T21:09:47.697-04:00From what I remembered of it those techniques woul...From what I remembered of it those techniques wouldn't work in the Plains anyway. First off no rice. You could do the same method more or less with river bottom land that was flooded yearly but that flooding is almost the same thing as spraying fertilizer in it's own way. Although natural I admit.<br /><br />As you mentioned the grass crop off the fields is more valuable used as feed. Most around here just frost seed this far North after most of the bird life has moved South. If you are sowing smaller patches though mulching with anything is beneficial but barn waste will also add alot more to the soil than just straw so that's a good plan.<br /><br />I do it a little differently for my large hay field but hopefully this Winter I will be adding the manure spreader to my line up and may be able to by pass the Spring fertilizer run.<br /><br />Your pasture is looking good!!!<br />PioneerPreppyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09269878017447335944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-72587986703378304392015-10-14T19:29:08.425-04:002015-10-14T19:29:08.425-04:00Looks good! I read about him back n the 80's a...Looks good! I read about him back n the 80's and saw a documentary. Brilliant guy. I think he'd be happy his method has spread world wide :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00576053785355324560noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-41277034212716690432015-10-14T19:22:40.693-04:002015-10-14T19:22:40.693-04:00Leigh, that is a great looking pasture. I'll ...Leigh, that is a great looking pasture. I'll be reading Fukuokasan's book and figuring out what I can glean. Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08343134852881572900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-89713730070423778782015-10-14T17:44:06.455-04:002015-10-14T17:44:06.455-04:00I'm so glad it's working for you...hoping ...I'm so glad it's working for you...hoping for a bumper crop! :DRenee Nefehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08167893445846427824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-66424376786696233732015-10-14T16:26:27.646-04:002015-10-14T16:26:27.646-04:00Perry, that's so funny. Sounds like something ...Perry, that's so funny. Sounds like something I would do. But isn't the internet the greatest place for ideas and record keeping. :)Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-30832829904485656632015-10-14T16:25:40.668-04:002015-10-14T16:25:40.668-04:00Thanks, Nancy! Me too!Thanks, Nancy! Me too!Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-82361133159551722402015-10-14T16:25:26.622-04:002015-10-14T16:25:26.622-04:00It's tough because there is no one-size-fits-a...It's tough because there is no one-size-fits-all formula for homesteading. When I first read the book I was a little disappointed I couldn't put it to use. Now I'm thinking, why didn't I think of this before?Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.com