This year things have progressed to the point that I began the first tentative look into feed, grain and fodder production for the livestock.
At this point those of you who follow the blog will remember I have the useless nags in the field eating massive quantities of grass, grain and hay. Well forget about them because they are not part of this problem. My long term needs may incorporate one riding/work horse if I find I have the production to manage it. The excess horseflesh is BBQ for when the starving masses start begging plain and simple. They will not be carried long term I can tell you that.
The problem is a balance needs to be figured out between my available pasturage, hay fields and grain production needs to be squeezed into the mix. Not only that but to figure the amount of acreage I will need to seed and sow I have to come up with a reasonable yield amount estimate that takes into account the lack of purchased fertilizer and archaic methods of harvesting.
I started this by planting 1/10th of an acre of mixed corn varieties this Summer. My goal here is to use a variety that is not only palatable for human consumption but will also work for long term animal fodder.
In many ways I am still guessing on some points like field rotations and the like. Available manure for fertilization will ultimately be dependent on how many animals, at this point namely sheep, I can expect to keep fed. Also overall yields will be hit the more we as humans hit the crop without allowing it to dry into feed. Then there is the matter of keeping sufficient seed for the next year's planting.
As you can see this is a very long and complex issue with many variables and more than likely a large number of hidden variables I am not even seeing at present. Factoring in all the "Black Swans" would be impossible as well.
My initial numbers are coming in at a working base of twenty bushels of dried corn per acre. That's a damned poor number. In fact that is barely 1/10th of the production being made per acre with GMO seed and liquid fertilizer these days. I came up with this number using mostly an old open pollinated corn variety that was both palatable and feed worthy and counted that portion we consumed as part of the overall yield since we would be planting much more than we would use ourselves.
The next step is to begin calculations on just how far 20 bushels of dried corn would go towards feeding a single average sized sheep. I may also have to look at perhaps leaving behind the multipurpose corn idea and going with a variety more specifically geared towards feed production.
All I know at this point is the entire process is going to require some more research.
One advantage I do have is that most of the acreage I have available is tillable. I may complain about the lack of trees but it sure makes adjusting between hay, pasture and tilled land easy. No clearing to be done.
Keep Prepping Everyone!!!
Almost anything organic will feed your dirt, if you have the time and energy. Lots of farmers will be glad to let you clean there barn out. Got a fair anywhere close? They usually pay someone to haul stall cleanings out. Just be careful not to bring disease or parasites in. Spread it in a field of a different species from which it came or compost it. After your land recovers from comercial fertilyzers and the earthworms come back you will see a great improvement. And bushels per acre don't tell the whole story. The food value of open pollinated is much greater than hybrids. Enjoy your blog. Kathy
ReplyDeleteKathy - Glad you enjoy my ravings :)
DeleteBelieve me I spread any number of things on my dirt and fields. Once I get my old manure spreader fixed up I will do more too.
The problem is a post collapse scenario. Getting manure from anywhere may prove much harder in a grid down situation both from demand which would increase by leaps and bounds and transportation problems.
If I was going to keep a horse at this point I would almost prefer a smaller one that had a small wagon it could pull. If fuel became totally nonexistent it maybe time to look at mules.
I figure I can store enough fuel for my small tractor to run it three years max.
It is entirely possible to raise sheep without any sort of grain or corn whatsoever. The trick is making sure you have the right breed of sheep.
ReplyDeleteIn my neck of the woods, the generation before me NEVER grained sheep or cattle.
As long as sheep and cattle are fed a good quality legume hay they'll be just find.
It gets harder to maintain body condition with just hay for dairy animals.
Of course during cold weather livestock will need to eat more.
But depending upon the size of the ewe, she'll need about 1 - 1.5 lbs. of good quality hay before lambing, and about 2 - 2.5 lbs. of hay after lambing.
Don't forget that you can "corn off" sheep, hogs or cattle in the fall after harvest (turn livestock in to clean up the corn field). Sheep, hogs, cattle and sometimes goats will eat beets, turnips, pumpkins and rutabagas if they have to :-)
GM - Well the grain, especially corn thing is something that in my opinion once you start you will never want to go back kinda thing. I am NOT a big fan of strictly grass fed edible meat on the hoof of any variety. Ideally the livestock should stay in pasturage as much as possible though I agree but grain is almost a requirement for lambing season and the fattening up period in my opinion.
DeleteI have been doing a running question with some of the old timers around here about edible forage. The problem with corn is though to let it dry properly most of the silage is worthless after that. It gives em something to pick through though.
As I mentioned the hard part is figuring out how I am going to divide it all up and what type of yields to expect on everything corn to hay to pasture in a grid down situation.
I still think that if things reached such a pass gasoline and diesel were not available, you'd be in a good position with all those horses. Someone like me would buy or trade for a couple. In fact, that's exactly what I intend to do if the fewmets hit the windmill. There's a stables in this county that wouldn't be able to feed all their horses, and I have a meadow that I have already kept two horses in without a lot of trouble. I'm sure not going to walk all the way to town. There have to be others in your location who would want to buy a horse if that was the current mode of transportation. As for calculating feed you can grow, I don't know anything about that. I always just went and got hay from an old guy I know that has plenty, or I would pick up grain at the feed store.
ReplyDeleteHarry - Well most of these horses are passed their prime really. I think all of them are above 20 now, there maybe one that is 18. I doubt most people would be interested in a horse that old.
DeleteBottom line there is no way I could keep five horses and an ancient donkey. The place doesn't produce enough fodder for them on it's own. My guess is for at least a few years after a collapse going on horseback would be far too dangerous anyway. Might as well be walking on stilts with a target on your back IMO.
A horse is worthless unless it and you can actually plow with it. I have the right horse but don't know what I am doing. Anyway I think maybe wheat and barley might be a good grain to grow over winter as I have so many small animals that destroy my corn patches. I am experimenting with different things like you so we may figure it out.
ReplyDeleteSF - I can actually see the benefit in a cart pony or smaller horse for wood gathering and such. Indeed though you are right a plow horse or mule will eventually become mandatory which is why I am giving myself a three years supply of fuel in the hopes that it will be long enough to adjust.
DeleteI maybe off on that one however. It is something else to think on.
Your endeavor to figure out a formula for carrying capacity for your farm is a hard one. Have you thought about a purely calorie count approach. Like you will need 2400 calories/day, then figure for each animal on your farm. Just a little outside the box thinking.
ReplyDeleteK - That's a good idea but I am not sure the fodder I would feed has ever been caloried (for lack of a better term) out. An interesting question I will look into. I wonder what the daily allowance in calories is for various livestock or even where i could dig it up.
DeleteYou are discussing something I've been thinking about just recently. What the heck am I going to feed my chickens, rabbits and now hogs when crap hits it? I know they can free range, etc. but I only have 2.5 acres, not 25, so my options are limited, and I'm not a fan of just letting them figure it out. I'd rather keep my livestock as healthy as possible for as long as possible. Can't wait to see what you come up with!
ReplyDeleteIzzy - For chickens I would go the corn route and crack it myself. My bet is 20 bushels of corn would feed a lot of chickens. Pigs can eat about anything and you got me on rabbits I haven't a clue.
DeleteI have been researching a bit more tonight and what I am seeing is actually kinda scary overall if not on a personal level.
A very good stop and think posting. I will think about what you are saying and see if I can give you a solution from what I have seen here this summer.
ReplyDeleteRob - Thank you Rob. I would be very interested in hearing about how the guys up your way do things differently as well.
DeleteThat is probably not a bad yeild. Medieval farmers got 3 busshels per acre yeild on wheat; 2 bushels planted and 5 harvested. corn was a new world miracle crop to feed the masses. No ideal what the yeild was but it didn't take much.
ReplyDeleteAnother metric to consider is the acre itself. An acre was defined as the amount of land one plowman could plow behind one ox. Also the ox was the constraint in the system. It could only plow 15 acres a season because it needed to rest so it could eat.
Best,
Dan
Dan - That is in my next post. I actually from I can tell wasn't as bad off as I first thought which brings up some other scary questions.
DeleteThe original acre was the amount that could be plowed in one day with yoke of oxen which was a minimum of two. Depending on who was manipulating things sometimes they said four oxen minimum to get more land lol. The 15 acres was typically called a Grama-something if I remember right and was as you say the amount 1 oxen could plow in a season more or less.
However for my purposes I am using the standard American acre of 209.blah blah feet square so for my 1/10th of an acre test I did a 30'x30' square of corn.
You are actually also correct in my yield not being all that bad but that explanation is in the next post on this topic.
But you are as usual on to something...
Have you looked into how the Basque's work thier sheep? I know nothing at all about sheep but the basques still take sheep and feed them on BLM in Owyhee county here in Idaho and that is mostly high desert scrub and sage brush that doesn't look like it would keep a goat alive and the have big herds.
ReplyDeleteThe Sheep Eaters? I have read about them and what I saw lead me to believe they just followed a strategy of huge amounts of grazing pasturage. My problem is I need to make 25 acres sustainable. If I had the space and pasturage I may not need to worry about grain production and the like. It may be that just using that land as pasturage ultimately may be more efficient. Not sure yet.
DeleteSheep goat requirements
ReplyDeletehttp://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-0812/ANR-0812.pdf
Planting feed crop is not that great of an idea except for a mule or horse. The big advantage of oxen was that with their multi-stomach they could eat lower grade forage.