Question for you cattlemen and pasture grass

[hunter966]

Your County Extension office should rent out a no-till grass seeder for cheap. I planted 320 acres back to native grass 3y ago. 12', took forever but it's nice equipment. All the ones I've seen are new or newer JD.

If he’s wanting/going to plant Native grass a regular grain drill whether no-till or conventional, won’t work well. A drill set up with agitators and picker fingers is what’s needed for Native grass seeds. If a guy can find one of the drop seeders/fertilizer applicators will work good also.

 

[Okie4570]

If he’s wanting/going to plant Native grass a regular grain drill whether no-till or conventional, won’t work well. A drill set up with agitators and picker fingers is what’s needed for Native grass seeds. If a guy can find one of the drop seeders/fertilizer applicators will work good also.

Yes that's what they loan out. There's a cylinder agitator that runs the full length of the seed box. It's a no-till grass seeder.

 

[OkieJoe72]

I haven't seen anything yet that will choke Johnson grass out. I've grazed cattle on it for years and it still comes back. If it has ever gone to seed or cattle eating hay with seed heads you'll never get rid of it.

I agree with you. That’s my reasoning for a deep tilling and trying to start completely over. Luckily, I don’t have any neighboring properties with Johnson grass. This pasture was once a very productive alfalfa field, but it was let go about 10 years ago. The Johnson grass has completely taken over. I bought it about 2 years ago, and I’ve just used it for a hay field up until now. It’ll be an interesting experiment to see if I can get rid of it.

 

[hunter966]

I have brush hogged plum thickets 5 years in a row while I was doing an NRCS program and that will kill them too, if you have the time to do it that long.

 

[hunter966]

If you’re interested in a seed mix for Native grass, I work for the conservation office in Caddo County and can make you one up taking into account the type/types of soil you have in your land.

Or I can give you the guys number who runs the Comanche County office there in Lawton.

 

[OkieJoe72]

If you’re interested in a seed mix for Native grass, I work for the conservation office in Caddo County and can make you one up taking into account the type/types of soil you have in your land.

Or I can give you the guys number who runs the Comanche County office there in Lawton.

Yes, that is much appreciated. The land is in Comanche county, but not far from Caddo county. I’ll PM you shortly after I eat some supper.

 

[OHJEEZE]

I have no experience with johnson grass (that I know of), but know what your talking about with rhizomes (field bind weed). Cut the root in 100 pieces, get 100 new plants! Ugh!

The question I would have is, how do the cows like that johnson grass?

It sounds like that johnson grass thrives in your area.



Joel Salatin and Greg Judy are my farming hero's

In Joel's book Salad Bar Beef, Joel mentions that when people ask him what they should plant for their pasture, he tells them to look to what is growing in their road side ditches, what is thriving in their area! The pasture is a "salad bar" because of the many species of plants growing, not a monoculture.

I been looking trying to find it but no luck, in one of Greg Judy's youtube videos, Greg tells why to NOT spray your pasture.
It kills off the soil life and harms the earthworms which really effects your fertility.

Another great guy no longer with us is Farmer / author Gene Logsdon. I have one of Gene's books All Flesh is Grass.

In it Gene talks of some poisonous plants that grew on his farm. Gene's thought was that the poisonous plants that got nibbled on by his stock was for a medicinal purpose.

Greg Judy has a youtube channel.
https://m.youtube.com/@gregjudyregenerativerancher/videos

 

[dennishoddy]

Yes that's what they loan out. There's a cylinder agitator that runs the full length of the seed box. It's a no-till grass seeder.

I’ve used the one Grant County rents out to put in a repairan buffer along a stream bed.
The seed came imbedded in cotton balls that the pickers in the hopper would catch and discharge. The packer wheels were just old tires on a shaft to press in the seed to the lightly tilled soil. Looked home built but it sure worked good.

 

[OkieJoe72]

I have no experience with johnson grass (that I know of), but know what your talking about with rhizomes (field bind weed). Cut the root in 100 pieces, get 100 new plants! Ugh!

The question I would have is, how do the cows like that johnson grass?

It sounds like that johnson grass thrives in your area.



Joel Salatin and Greg Judy are my farming hero's

In Joel's book Salad Bar Beef, Joel mentions that when people ask him what they should plant for their pasture, he tells them to look to what is growing in their road side ditches, what is thriving in their area! The pasture is a "salad bar" because of the many species of plants growing, not a monoculture.

I been looking trying to find it but no luck, in one of Greg Judy's youtube videos, Greg tells why to NOT spray your pasture.
It kills off the soil life and harms the earthworms which really effects your fertility.

Another great guy no longer with us is Farmer / author Gene Logsdon. I have one of Gene's books All Flesh is Grass.

In it Gene talks of some poisonous plants that grew on his farm. Gene's thought was that the poisonous plants that got nibbled on by his stock was for a medicinal purpose.

Greg Judy has a youtube channel.
https://m.youtube.com/@gregjudyregenerativerancher/videos

Johnson grass is found throughout the United States. If I were just grazing cattle, I wouldn’t be that concerned about it. With the money and time that I have invested in my equine, I don’t want them grazing it due to the probability of them being poisoned.

Here’s an article on how Johnson grass was introduced in the USA.

Johnsongrass in Pastures: Weed or Forage? - Oklahoma State University

An aid for Johngrass identification and maintenance practices that also points out the benefits and drawbacks of weed in pastures.

extension.okstate.edu

 

[OHJEEZE]

Johnson grass is found throughout the United States. If I were just grazing cattle, I wouldn’t be that concerned about it. With the money and time that I have invested in my equine, I don’t want them grazing it due to the probability of them being poisoned.

Here’s an article on how Johnson grass was introduced in the USA.

Johnsongrass in Pastures: Weed or Forage? - Oklahoma State University

An aid for Johngrass identification and maintenance practices that also points out the benefits and drawbacks of weed in pastures.

extension.okstate.edu

Interesting!

Here is a quote from the article you posted that stood out to me!

"Cattle often kill Johnsongrass stands by grazing it to the ground"