snip...
> The pasture management literature talks about adding lime and
> grass mixtures for optimum growth. It has legume mixes and
> suggest sewing different plants to help the pasture. I never
> do these things, but it is interesting to see what others are
> doing. They would probably laugh to see me standing in the
> middle of acres of grass with a garden rake, and i laugh at
> them and their lime trucks.
Its no wonder that traditional hay farmers have to pay $1000s every few
years to reseed and relime their hayfields. I mean when you cut all the
organic material and haul it away they are simply (but slowly) hauling
the soil and its minerals out too.
We try and let our pastures/hay fields (if you can call it that, only ~
2 acres) "rest" two years, after every five, where all we do is just mow
once a month or so to keep the weeds from seeding out and taking over.
Letting all the cut grasses and clovers remain where it will slowly
compost itself and work its way back into the soil.
Makes alot of sense if your trying to avoid alot of a) work and b)
outside and/or chemical inputs. Plus alot cheaper than new seed and lime
every other year.
Greg
