Bird as usual has it right. Start with your extension agent. They'll flood you with information. What you have to do is decide what kind of grass you want to grow and for what. We have a 40 acre hay pasture in East Texas with improved coastal. We use it for winter fodder for the beef cows. I wasn't around when it was started but I'm told it took quite a few years to establish and a lot of hard work. You have to kill off all the weeds and junk grass, disc and hire someone to come in and sprig. It was let slip for a few years but now I've got it looking good again. I spray for weeds immediately before or immediately after the first fertilizing. We fertilize again after the first cutting but no more weed control. Haying equipment costs waaaaay too much for a small farmer to buy so we hire someone to cut, fluff, bale and stack. He works on a percentage basis, usually 50/50, with an upper limit being set on how many bales he gets. It works pretty well. I don't know if you can justify the expense of preparing 10 acres for hay and you surely can't justify the cost of the equipment. The best thing might be to turn the sheep and goats loose and bush hog what they don't take care of but it is satisfying to lean on the gate of your hay pasture and watch your grass ripple in the wind. It kinda makes it all worthwhile.

Reply

Quote Reply

Digg It

Del.icio.us