drew grim

I cut them down and leave them. I am using electric netting. So just fence them around it. Let them eat everything then move them to the next area. Then clean up the mess without all the "helpers".

The brush goes to the nearesr brush contour line. My thought is to plant vines on the piles and let them self mulch. It will take years.

I have been doing everything. Oak, poplar, beech, hickory. We live in nc peidmont zone 7b.

I just found put that they love redbud pods though. Im thinking of collecting those for winter.

My goal is to replant my forest with trees that can feed the animals. Black locusts, wild plumb, crab apple, persimmon, mulberry, elderberry. I just ordered last year from the forest service a bunch of those.

My thoughts are to create a Savannah with natives and then do multi species grazing in it.

ive been doing something very similar with just goats and sheep. since i am trying to avoid all engines i have been putting all the branches and such on contour. anything to larger to carry i cut up into firewood size or if its pine i roll it to the contour.

we had a major ice storm a few weeks back and it took down a ton of limbs and trees. so now i have a pile that looks like the below. I dont have access to machinery or horses, basically all i have is a pickup truck and a chainsaw. since 99% of it is pine, firewood is out of the question. Im just not sure if i should cut it into manageable sizes and just stack it to rot. put it on contour and let nature slowly cover it. I need some permie ideas please.

i recently had about 30 oak trees taken out and sold. i split the cost (60/40) of taking them out with the timber guy. My share ended up being right around $1k. from what i hear prices are just really low right now. it does seem like it would be better to just get it all milled up if you can afford that.

We have been doing something similar since late summer. So i am by no means an expert but here is what we are doing. We are running 3 potbellies with 24 layers. The chicken tractor is high enough that the pigs can sleep under it. i have for sure learned a few lessons along the way.
1- the pigs will eat the chicken food which will kill your food bill. so i made the feeder high enough they cant get to it.
2- keep them in a small area and move them often. if they have too much fencing they will get picky. We have the whole group in one section of 120' poultry netting. and we move them twice a week right now.
3- keep them on grass. if you sell the eggs the quality goes way down once it becomes mostly mud. If you feed them alfalfa pellets it will help a ton.
4- its probably going to take a few passes to kill out all the "weeds"

We also run goats behind infront of the chicken tractor. had to keep them separate though because the wreck havoc with the chicken feed and tractor.

let me know if you want more info and i can show you some pictures. but it does work really well.

I have a great pyrenees that is about 10 months old. I have him working the broilers and goats. But i haven't figure out a way for him to be in both fenced areas at once. I am thinking if i could put an invisible fence around both paddocks he could keep an eye on both. The only problem is i dont have a perimeter fence, so if i use an invisible fence its going to have to be about 100%. Does anyone have experience with large dogs and invisible fences? any ideas?

mine took a huge drop a few days ago too. it seems like the general conclusion was that it was the time of year and their age. It seems to me that it really has to do with me adding two new customers. Its like they know and think its funny.

not sure. it seems that goats need a visiable barrier. maybe is you would pair it with some sort of wired fence or fence tape. I have seen my goats try and run right through my electric fencing. they got stuck and made a big mess but they are crazy animals.

I have 24 chickens that are new from this spring. I have been regularly each day about 6-10 eggs a day. I feed them some feed and range them on new grass weekly. They have plenty of water and all their other needs seem to be met. But it seems to me that i have quite a few that are not laying. How can i figure out which ones are laying and which arent? It seems like quite a few are just getting a free ride.