Joe Coulson

Thanks for the chance.

Thank you all for the input and shared experiences. I plan to make some adjustments from the advice given and plan to document my first row of silvopasture I put in this spring.

My plan is much like Mary's where I will establish 1 row first then proceed to add additional rows in the following year's. Properly protecting the trees can be a big expense. I have access to free pallets and plan to make a tripod of sorts with these to go around most of my trees. Wire cages may well be faster to construct though. Haha as with all things ill see how it goes and adjust accordingly.

The videos I've watched regarding tree suggest to harvest it obviously before the fall and nutrients begin to retract out of the leaves. My plan again for drying is precisely in bundles that I will hang in a pallet structure that looks like a firewood storage area with some old tin I have laying around to keep out the rain.

Thanks again for all the knowledge and participation. For my first post I was blown away by the activity here. Cant wait to keep learning with you all. Take care

Jay Angler wrote:

Joe Coulson wrote:I'm interested in the best tree species for harvesting tree hay on a rotation for my livestock.

It might be helpful if you identified your livestock as they have different nutritional needs. Mulberry is mentioned in many sources as being good for chickens.

Morus alba is mentioned, but I'm on the limit of it's range, so I'm not convinced mine would cope with serious coppicing. A fellow visited from the States a couple of years back and considered the plant a weed in his ecosystem! Zones are helpful info, but there are more factors than just that. Our summer droughts and wet winters are counter to what many plants would prefer.

I'll be getting kunekune (pigs) in the spring and a few katahdin lambs. They'll be move frequently for rotational grazing to discourage rooting.

Mulberries do grow like "weeds" here. I don't expect to meet all my animals nutritional needs with tree hay/fodder but i hope to give them a good supplement to their diets over winter with it.

Welcome Mark and I appreciate you sharing your time here. I haven't read your book yet but it's on my to do list. I'm anxious to read all your input in the forums.

I'm interested in the best tree species for harvesting tree hay on a rotation for my livestock. I'm in zone 6B and plan to plant poplar, willow, and locust. I've read that mulberry makes a great high protein tree hay as well with white mulberry being the highest in protein.

Can anyone recommend a specific white mulberry cultivar that is best? Additionally please recommend any other species that I might be overlooking and or share your own experience.