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south east Indiana | I am hoping for some suggestions about what is best to plant in my sheep pastures. I am in SE Indiana, the soil here is clay type soils. Corn, soybeans and tobacco are readily grown here. In a normal year - if there is such a thing these days - it is Wet late winter, spring and fall. Dry hot and humid July and August. It seems fescue it the predominate grass, there is Johnson grass and other things, there is some white clover also- iron weed, golden rod, queens ann's lace in the summer. - The sheep do well taking care of those things if I get them into those pastures at the right time. I can usually begin to turn sheep out in mid- late March or April.
I do not have 'farming equipment' nothing to seed with and only a riding mower for the yard so that complicates things. I am able to rotationally graze so that is my main mowing method. I do occasionally use the lawn mower in the flat pastures but it generally is not so happy about that.
My plan is to broadcast seed over the next couple weeks, normal temps are highs in the mid 40's lows 30's and we are getting lots of rain. I have bought some Orchard grass seed but that is all so far. I have several places that are about 500foot by 700 foot - measuring by rolls of electronet used. Not sure how far a bag of orchard grass seed will go? I am also thinking about adding some red clover but not sure what else to use. I need some warm season grasses but ones that retain palitability. I have thought about using a bit of rye and or triticale to see how that goes but not sure what would happen if without mowing.
It is easier and less costly for me to buy hay rather than have someone come mow, rake and bale here. It also allows me more pasture keeping me from needing to hay most years until late Nov or Dec.
My dogs and I are great getting anything done with stock the pasture thing is another issue all together so any wisdom would be appreciated.
Denice | |
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Pasture seeding suggestions
