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txbikergirl
3197 Posts
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 Posted - Jun 07 2015 : 3:04:06 PM
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looking for what y'all do to keep your fence rows clear. we aren't environmental extremists, but we really do attempt to keep things organic/natural on our land for our health and the worlds - so looking for what others are doing other than just "roundup the fence row" which is what everyone around here does.
keep in mind we get 30-40" of rain annually, so that means the fence rows we just completely cleared in february already have 2' of thick growth on them. we do think that in a normal year we can probably clean the fence rows in november, and then not have to touch them again until july.
we only have 25 acres, so it isn't as if we have 1000 acres of fences and crossfences - it is a manageable amount once we have done our first complete pass of fence clearing/replacement (we are at only about 10% right now). we have one of those torch things so could burn it, and given all our rain that isn't as dangerous as it is elsewhere. we live in the piney woods of east texas, so we have pine trees and sweet gums and tons of brushy stuff - not just grass. we did cut back everything 2' on each side of the fence line in february so all the trees and tough stuff was taken down to the ground - but of course everything thrives in our combination of water/heat/humidity.
oh, and large amounts of the fencing will be "field fence" in order to keep wild hogs out (or future farm hogs in) so we can't just offset mow under the barbed wire fence or just weed eat it easily...
i know about orange oil, vinegar, etc - but in this large of an application that isn't an affordable option. any other practical advice?? |
_(199x300)_(66x100).jpg?v 93697001) Firefly Hollow Farm , our little farmstead. Farmgirl living in the green piney woods of East Texas on 23 acres with a few jerseys, too many chickens, a pair of pugs and my Texan hubby (aka "lover boy") |
Edited by - txbikergirl on Jun 07 2015 3:06:19 PM |
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Ron
4666 Posts
Ronnie
Peever
SD
USA
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Posted - Jun 07 2015 : 4:11:14 PM
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| I think you covered it Cindy...best I do here is mow up close as I can, weed eat where I have to...spray here specially roundup is out...I would rather have the weeds! Lol.. |
With a moo moo here and a moo moo there, here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo moo. |
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Ron
4666 Posts
Ronnie
Peever
SD
USA
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Mike
1667 Posts
Mike
Argyle
WI
United States of America
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Posted - Jun 07 2015 : 4:51:08 PM
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Leave the fence rows for the wildlife. No Roundup, no cutting. When you get cow she can clear what's edible.
Find out what are the poisonous plants in your area and if you have them, THEN clear them only. Works for me.
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NellieBelle
11217 Posts
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Posted - Jun 07 2015 : 6:00:57 PM
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| I'm like Mike, we leave the ditches and fencerows for wildlife. I even have no mowing signs up that say, " No Mowing, Road ditch for wildlife." I do use the torch and burn around my garden but then the rest is cleared by hand. Joe uses the weed eater and we have a DR weed mower that will cut down anything including your leg/arm, small trees. I'm not able to handle it anymore but the guys still use it. Don't care for sprays. I've learned to eat some weeds (stinging nettles). Milkweeds I leave for monarch butterflies. Actually planted some. So some weeds can be beneficial. Since I've gotten older, I can tolerate more than I use to. |
To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown |
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Mike
1667 Posts
Mike
Argyle
WI
United States of America
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Posted - Jun 07 2015 : 7:52:25 PM
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| Love Showy Milkweed and the Monarch flutterbys. No sprays, no nothing. We are not on a road, the house is back 1/2 mile so we have lots of wildlife here. Pheasants have been here forever and they are distance flushers, frustrate a lot of my friendly hunters. Saw a close friend shoot a double one day though. Two of those big Iowa birds flushed out of the asparagus bed (1000 plants) in the fall when the asparagus ferns are four to six feet tall. One went east, one went northwest. He got the east one and swung smoothly to the left (damned difficult) to get the NW one at about fifty yards out. Best shot I ever saw and I think of Chad every time I'm in the asparagus. |
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txbikergirl
3197 Posts
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Posted - Jun 08 2015 : 10:07:50 AM
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thanks everyone. we have a DR mower so maybe we'll just do that 1-2 times a year. the problem with the rate of growth here is that there are tons of TREES - and we all know nothing ruins a fence more than trees. we have trees on our dam that are 12 feet tall and only 8 months old... and so we are battling those buggers too. i know it is all just a part of farm life but we are trying to work smarter not harder if possible. but perhaps once we have cows on the land most of the problem could be handled by them and then we'll be left with a more manageable problem.
THANKS! |
Firefly Hollow Farm , our little farmstead. Farmgirl living in the green piney woods of East Texas on 23 acres with a few jerseys, too many chickens, a pair of pugs and my Texan hubby (aka "lover boy") |
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farmlife
1413 Posts
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Posted - Jun 08 2015 : 6:47:19 PM
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| Cows are good munchers! It sounds incredible to have trees that grow so fast. |
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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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Posted - Jun 10 2015 : 4:41:39 PM
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| I am thinking that 8 month old trees that are already 12 feet tall are not a typical farm problem! :-) At least not here in northern Idaho. I'd love to have some of those fast growing trees as we are trying to plant lots of trees on our land which is old farm fields. But trees in the wrong places are as much of a problem as no trees! |
Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens |
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Ron
4666 Posts
Ronnie
Peever
SD
USA
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Posted - Jun 10 2015 : 5:59:37 PM
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| Trees? What are they? |
With a moo moo here and a moo moo there, here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo moo. |
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NellieBelle
11217 Posts
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Posted - Jun 11 2015 : 04:24:03 AM
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Ron. Tree, a woody perennial plant, typically having a single stem or trunk… (now who's the smarty pants?) Illustration. Stick=trunk, green bushy stuff=leaves, tree. ;) |
To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown |
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Ron
4666 Posts
Ronnie
Peever
SD
USA
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Posted - Jun 11 2015 : 06:01:56 AM
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| I read about them things once! Sorta like a sage brush...just bigger..( smarty pants ) |
With a moo moo here and a moo moo there, here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo moo. |
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NellieBelle
11217 Posts
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Posted - Jun 11 2015 : 06:13:39 AM
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| ;) |
To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown |
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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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Posted - Jun 11 2015 : 11:12:28 AM
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| Janet, beautiful place! I love spring green (and the trees). |
Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens |
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NellieBelle
11217 Posts
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Posted - Jun 11 2015 : 12:38:25 PM
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| Thank you Charlene. It's certainly green. Right now we're getting drenched. 1.7" and still raining. Very lush and very wet right now. Pouring rain. Flood warnings and watches, Tornado watch. |
To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown |
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txbikergirl
3197 Posts
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Posted - Jun 11 2015 : 6:47:09 PM
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sorry i am so late to reply here. had a few long days at the desk, which means any and every free moment is spent outside choring ;> its hot, but we can be happy it is NOT wet or humid - and the late sunsets are just a joy to help getting all the work done outside.
we've got sycamore trees and sweet gums and something else... hubby is in a battle of wills with mother nature |
Firefly Hollow Farm , our little farmstead. Farmgirl living in the green piney woods of East Texas on 23 acres with a few jerseys, too many chickens, a pair of pugs and my Texan hubby (aka "lover boy") |
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fence rows
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