Jack Edmondson

no shade against vetch.  I just don't have experience with it (yet.)  However vetch is in the mix I posted from Green Cover seed.  

ceral rye will be done by may (in kansas) and something else will have to take its place.  I suggested it combined with winter clover as it is reported to give the highest tonnage forage for a cool season green manure.  It is not perennial so perhaps a bad suggestion.  Sainfoin and alfalfa may be your best perennials mixed with cool and warm season clovers as reseeders.  

I don't know how red river crabgrass does in your area.  It will go in zone 6.  I don't know how productive it would be in the winter, but gives a lot of good tonnage in summer.  

Red River Crabgrass is commonly found throughout Nebraska, south and east to the Gulf and Atlantic coasts. Red River is adapted to many soil types, but will grow best on sandy and clay loam soils that have good drainage. Great for revitalizing pastures, Crabgrass can be utilized as both hay and grazing. This variety of crabgrass will produce highly digestible forage and high crude protein content. Non-GMO.

Planting Rate: 5-8 lbs per acre

Planting Date: Spring, Summer & Early Fall

Planting Methods:  Ideal pH 6.0-7.0. Seed must be placed in a depth range on the soil surface up to no more than ½ inch deep. Best planted on a very good fine, firm, freshly finished seedbed by broadcast and drag or shallow no-till drill after soil temperatures are 65 and rising. Easy double cropping with cool season annual grasses and legumes.

Care: Graze when grass reaches 6-8 inches. Best known for its ability to spread and regrow after grazing, if allowed to go to seed will germinate as a volunteer forage the following year.

A repeating muti season green manure may be the holy grail for permaculture.   I will be interested to see what solutions you find.

For your zone, I would pick cereal rye and clover.  If you had longer growing seasons sunn hemp and sorgham sudan grass.  If you are looking at perenials don't forget alfalfa.  

Green cover seeds has an over winter and a cool season soil builder mix he may want to check out.  Good diversity, low cost.  keeps roots in the ground from fall to spring.  overwinter mix

I have one and use it regularly.  Slow, but orders of magnatide easier and faster than swinging a maul.  My only complaint is (like most imported tools) is a lack of parts to service.  Mine has developed a leak in the pressure seal.  I will have to break the cylider down and go into NAPA and match up a seal, rather than having a part number or ability to order a part from a service/support team.

I would recommend to anyone who hates to swing a maul; but does not want to invest in a motorized hydraulic splitter.  

If you are going for manual operation, I would suggest considering a rotary design to take advantage of the fly wheel effect.  on woody material you may find a lot of brute force necessary to make each cut.  However if your blade/s are on a disk you can use the momentum of mass to help with each cut.

I have never used a fodder chopper, but have seen round wheels with blades cut in the faceplate, cheese grater style.  The mechanica advantage can be increase by the size of the belt pulleys on the drive and axial pulleys like a bike chain drive.  

Not a birder, but I am going to guess Cooper's Hawk.

When my dogs get picky, I make white rice or sweet potatoes.  I will put 3 to 5 pounds of potatoes in the instapot for 25 minutes.  Makes them nice and soft.  I leave them in the fridge and mass one up at dinner time.  Always gets well received; and not expensive.  

I would suggest buying a box of nitrile (surgical) gloves.  They have a better feel than latex and you will not have the same sensory experience touching dirt, worms or 'ick'.  You will be able to peel off the gloves anytime you feel gross and be clean and back to normal.  You can even put garden gloves over them if you are dealing with thorny or sharp material.

I don't know if you have encountered this, so may be a solution to a problem that does not exist for you.  Never the less, on inductrial cardboard balers (which this is very similar, albeit non hydraulic) they put chains or straps on the front bottom.  They lay on the floor in channels (so the bailing wire does not get under them) and hook to the "ram".  So when you are done with a bale, pushing the lever up will flip the bale out of the chamber with little fuss.

A inexpensive 1" binder strap or tow strap should be stong enough, if you chose to incorporate into your baler.  This is the best hand baler I think I have seen in my years.  Tell you neighbor to get ahead of the schedule for the highway departments maintenance crew next spring.  Be ready and they will cut all the hay you can handle.  All he has to do is allow to dry, rack and bale.  It can even be done on the right of way.  With this he will never run short of hay.

Well done.  A deserved apple for sure.