Thursday, September 25, 2014

Bees, Sheep and Alfalfa





We got the fourth cutting and baling off the new Alfalfa field finished yesterday. This time we used that old New Holland 283 square baler I mentioned we were going to try and get going again over a year ago.

The first three cuttings we had to round bale it and the last cutting didn't give us as much as we were hoping as we only got about 25 square bales total. The big round bales were put up so it should still save us from having to actually buy Alfalfa hay come the next lambing season though. It's hard to know how it will work itself out yet because there is so much more waste in the round bales.

Trust me not having to buy 50 some-odd square bales of Alfalfa that run anywhere from $6.00 to $10.00 each (or even more if you can find) depending on year will go a long way to extending the bottom line ink into the black. It did cost us a little over $300.00 to get that old square baler running again so if I eat that we may only break even but then the real savings should show themselves next year.

The Cutting Crew finally couldn't resist the temptation of the green grass just across the fence any longer and made themselves a mass escape yesterday morning. The cool nights have also started getting one ewe in particular a bit interested in the Rams once again as well. Not so interested that she stops eating grass but enough that she prefers to do it next to a Ram. This had the effect of making the Rams want to get out and the Bluefaced one almost made it out before I put a stop to that nonsense.




One of the Ewes also thought my new grape vines looked tasty too. I can't say I blame em their little pasture area was looking awfully dry and brown and dusty so I relented and moved em yesterday afternoon.




The forefront is what remains of their temporary pasture area, you can see how much taller the stuff is on the other side of the fence. The crew has gnawed it down to the ground. Those patches of green you see are so short there isn't even enough to get their teeth on. So I took down the fence and moved em into an overgrown section of the big hay field. We won't be getting another cutting off of it anyway and the part I fenced in for them is full of tall weeds we never mowed for hay. The girls whined and cried the whole time I had em penned in the barn while I was moving all the fence around. When I set em free I took the entire little flock for a walk through so they could see the new section and know where the fence was. This keeps em a good distance away from the Ram pens and if they get out they will only be inside the fenced in larger field anyway with no way to get to the road.

Since I have another six weeks or so before we move em into the Winter breeding pens I have also decided to start locking em up at night to make this last section of forage last as long as possible before they start looking for greener pasturage. I did have to leave the gate open for them so they have access to water and shade in the barn but at night I will just feed em a bit of grain and lock em in.

After we move the breeding Ewes in with the Rams and cut out the slaughter lambs from the keepers I will then have the Winter Bachelorette flock of Ewes that are too young to breed this year. My plan for them is to have the garden fenced in and let em forage in there some over Winter.




The Goldenrod flow is still going. As patches dry up new patches are coming into bloom and the girls go everywhere looking for it. I disturbed many of them while moving the fence.

Everything is still growing according to plan. Getting the baler up and running and bringing in the first square bales is a big jump forward towards overall self sufficiency although it still relies on outside fuel inputs. The solar powered fencing and rotating forage use is also proving to be a big move towards keeping livestock year round as well. I am getting some good working figures for how many head I can run and still leave enough pasture untouched for Winter forage. The problem is going to be reduced hay yields as chemical fertilizers become unavailable. 

One step at a time.

Keep Prepping Everyone!!!


9 comments:

  1. Sounds like its all working out. I needed a break from studying so I stopped by

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    1. Rob - It's getting there. Of course I will never be finished but I hope to get as far as I can before it's too late.

      I should look into converting the tractor into burning methane.

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  2. Those bales look good, I have been buying hay at 1.50 a bale which is about as cheap as it comes for decent hay that isn't mulch. The drive by farmer round bales alfalfa but he doesn't let it cure hardly a day, it just doesn't seem right but maybe you put the stuff up green.

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    1. Sf - Well I always heard it was dangerous to put up alfalfa especially if it is too green and damp because that's the stuff that can really com-bust on itself. All hay supposedly can but Alfalfa is suppose to be extra prone to it. We let this cure for three days before baling it and then those light brown bales you see are actually part of a round bale from the last cutting we unrolled and baled in the baler so we wouldn't leave the tightly packed fresh Alfalfa in there. Without air flow the stuff left in the baler is really likely to burst into flame.

      I went down this afternoon and felt a couple of the bales and they were already about 10 degrees warmer than the air. Alfalfa bales should be left under a roof but with open sides for a few weeks after baling.

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  3. Coming to MO Sat to visit family. Looking forward to it!!

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    1. LW - Should be a nice weekend here. What part of the State you heading into?

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  4. Southern, gainesville area. Going to baker creek seeds today!!! Gonna go seed crazy!!! I do love coming here!! PP if you get this way Hollar!

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    1. Isn't their festival the second weekend in October? I think that's when the Mrs. always wants to go down there. I was trapped cutting wood again this weekend.

      Hope you had a great trip!!!

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  5. The festival is next weekend, you should go, it's an amazing place. The people are so nice. I went crazy buying seeds! So happy we have nice weather!!

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