Small-Scale GRASS FED SHEEP Operation | WINTER CHORES
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- Опубликовано: 30 янв 2021
- Electric Fence for Sheep SHOPPING LIST: bit.ly/sheepfence
Winter chores on a GRASS FED SHEEP Operation. Today I am tackling some winter chores on my small sheep farm. We also have beef and chickens on pasture, but overall our farm's main focus is raising Dorper sheep. My winter chores on my small farm involve rotational grazing, protein supplement for the cows and sheep, and various pasture management tasks.
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Our GRASS FED SHEEP operation is based in Texas, allowing us to graze our sheep on grass almost all year round.
Enjoy and thanks for watching!
-the Shepherdess
"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Phil. 4:13
Thanks to MaxKo for the music!
Nice catch with the leftover material! That sure highlights the importance of close observation in livestock.
Thank you so much for your content! As a small scale sheep farmer and Christian, I love it!
Thank you!!
@@theShepherdess you’re very welcome!
Just starting doing research as we are starting up a small sheep farm,(Gods Will) and really enjoy your videos and have already learned alot from them, our weather in Nova Scotia is quite different from where you are but still alot of useful information, thanks so much and will be continuing to watch and Learn,God bless 🙌 what the Lord had entrusted you with !! Keep up the great work
Noce Scotia? Look up David Asher to learn about sheep cheese.
I enjoy watching all your videos , you have inspired me to start rotational grazing on my 25 acre property in Australia and build my flock of full blood dorper sheep . thank you so much cheers Lea
Thank you, Scarlett!
If it’s a dam embankment it might be the sod base they used to get ground cover to spread so there was no erosion. its in a crisscross netting pattern is it is that. The netting Comes out when the land settles under compaction for the earthen dam.
Thanks for the video keep them coming. We just started a small pastured poultry farm in southern California and your channel is super inspiring
Can’t tell you how much I appreciate this feedback! Thanks for commenting. -the Shepherdess 🐑🌱
By the way, we hold a virtual Meet for Small Farmers once a month! Would love to have you join: harmonyfarms.blog/meet-farmers/
@@theShepherdess that sounds great, we're up for any advice we can get. We stumbled across your channel looking for info on raising sheep...thanks again!
It’s hard to imagine a land owner with cattle leaving plastic hay binder on the ground. It could be lethal I’m thinking.
So I’m guessing the hay was rolled onto ground that had been dozed for soil to shape the pond; as you said to prevent erosion. I don’t yet have a herd or a flock and I know better than to leave the wrappers on my pasture!
RUclips keeps feeding me your past episodes and I keep watching. I’m on a similar journey. Assignment from you know who!
It was really terrible to see it coming out of their mouths! I think it was the previous owners winter feeding spot and, like you said, he never picked them up. Grateful I caught it!
Thanks so much for watching my previous episodes: it helps my channel a lot! I hope you'll keep me updated on your journey.
-the Shepherdess
Great video!!!!! I really enjoyed seeing some of what you do, and how you do it!!! 🤩 Keep up the great work!!!!! I love learning from your videos!!!🐑🌱
Thank you, Anna!!!
Greetings!
Rotational Grazing gets such a better use of the resource. Forces animals to graze the good stuff as well as the bad.....now you need to provide more of the good as you continue to rotate. Best of luck.
Thanks very much, Richard! I agree!
-the Shepherdess🐑🌱
Excellent job. So fun to follow your adventures.
Your support makes it a joy to share... thank you!🌱
East Texas? Cool. We used to live in Houston. Friends had a place between Buffalo and Madisonville. Lost track after we moved to the Midwest. Not sure if they are still there. Nice area in the Winter. Too danged hot in Summer, but if we ever move back down South, Texas will be the place.
Winter chores in New Hampshire look a lot different vs east Texas. For one, you can’t drive a post here. We can hardly do that in July due to the granite.
Our mini has the same attitude toward our goats- they’re beneath him and they know not to get too close to him.
How do you manage manure with your rotations?
❤❤❤
Wonderful video!! When do you typically plan to begin slowing the pace of your intensive rotation for the winter, and begin increasing the pace again in the spring? Are you working that around first and last frost or freeze? Or some other signal or marker?
Thank you for all of the information! I live just north of San Antonio and our property has a LOT of wind. How does the electric fence hold up in a windstorm?
It holds up well, but I do need to go out and tighten it after a night of relentless wind. 👍🏻
When you slow down in the winter, do you keep the same paddock size or do you increase it for the extended period?
Maybe should protect the pond from wading cattle. Electric fence around it with watering pad for drinking not bathing. Hate bale string left behind.
This is really good info! We were hoping to get something in place before summer heat kicks in. Will look up the watering pad.
-the Shepherdess 🐑🌱
What are the best plastic step in posts?
The ones I bought from tractor supply get brittle and break from the hot Texas sun.
I have upgraded to the fiberglass version with the black slots! www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/sunguard-ii-3-8-in-fiberglass-step-in-post?cm_vc=-10005
Yes - they are a little more.. but they hold up better
How far apart do you put the fence posts when you’re rotating?
10-15ft!
We’re enjoying your journey. Thx for sharing.
Two questions:
1) how do you like that feed trough? We’re due for a new one for our cattle and we’re looking at a heavy duty set up, but yours looks easier to move around and cheaper.
2) Do you really need to drive the ground rods that deep with such wet soil?
Thanks for commenting!
The trough is working great so far. Very lightweight so it’s easy to move with each paddock shift.
I chose the 6ft ground rods because we are leaving about 18” above the ground. If I were to do that with a 3 footer I don’t think there would be enough in the ground for a good charge (at least with as small as my charger is). Plus, it does dry out quite a bit during summer here.
Hope this helps!
-the Shepherdess🐑🌱
Also, I host a monthly virtual meet for small farmers. Here is a link to check it out: harmonyfarms.blog/meet-farmers/
@@theShepherdess Do you remember the brand name for the trough? I forgot you said you were leaving those ground rods in long-term. You might want to change them annually (at a min) to run the tape in different directions.
Thanks again!
- Alex
@@SoilMatesofGeorgia we bought the troughs at our local Tractor Supply store. They had stacks and stacks of them, but I can’t remember if they were branded.
That’s interesting insight about removing the ground rods, thanks! Why is there a need to remove/replace them?
@@theShepherdess cool, I’ve seen some at tractor supply and wondered if they were any good.
There are a few reasons to move your electric fence, such as not having to mow under the same line every time which could do more damage to the grass and soil in those lines and cause more erosion. Also, once your flerd Is trained to the tape a little more, they might end up not grazing near it. Changing the directions also means your paddocks will be a little bit different every year and give the forage different opportunities to grow and rest. This last one is the most important.
I’ll try to think of more, but those are the first few reasons I could think of.
Where are you guys located?
Texas!
-the Shepherdess🐑🌱
@@theShepherdess best of luck!
Hay strings are awful!
Amen. 😅 Took quite a while to get this cut out of the pasture.
-the Shepherdess🐑🌱