I have decided to break the cycle of corn/soybeans on this Southern Wisconsin rocky hillside. Need advice on what to plant on last year's 10 acres of round-up-ready soybean ground.

Here is the background: Assume I am going to fix PH and fertilize based on soil tests of this shallow clay-loam hillside. About 4 acres is the top of the hill with VERY little topsoil and lots of lime stones growing every year. The remainder is northwest facing 2-acre strips, also with VERY little soil with a 16% grade.

I also have existing fields planted in 2001 which are 4 acres of Old's Brand Horse/Pony [25%Ryegrass/25% Timothy/20%Orchardgrass/15%Festulolium/15%Bluegrass] and 2 acres of Old's Brand Multi-grazer 117 [40%Orchardgrass/15%RedClover/10%each of three types of ryegrass/10%Festulolium/5%LadinoClover].

I am raising sheep to eat the grass/hay because I could not give away my hay in the past three years. Too few active farmers nearby, too little hay ground to be cost effective for them and too much alfalfa available. I should mention that I don't have a barn at this time. I am hoping to talk one of my neighbors into letting me store hay and straw in their empty barns.

Long term, I hope to plant hardwood trees on the 4 acres at the top of the hill. I have heavy deer problems with a state park nearby. I might get horses in three or four years but right now I am working on landscaping around the house, which was planted in 1998 in the old cornfield. We have planted over a thousand trees and bushes in this rocky hillside since 1997.

I am leaning toward putting the top parcel in alfalfa, which I would then sell. That land is the farthest from the house and driveway. The sheep will not need to be grazed there since I only have 8 ewe and 12 lambs right now. I use management intensive grazing with temporary electric fencing. I am also leaning toward planting mono-crops (or two plants) instead of the commercial mixes in the strips.

Did I mention I would be hand broadcasting the seed? Have only a small tractor (1955 Ford 600) and disc w/drag. Worked last year for the other fields so I plan to try again.

So what would you do? What are you growing for your sheep?

-- BossNass (chrisnass@hotmail.com), April 03, 2002

Answers

I am not familiar with sheep, but a couple thoughts:

Sounds like a good plan from far away.

If you have limestone rocks washing out of the hills, are you sure you need to add lime? That is what I understood, but often with those rocks, it's already there...

You can get a small broadcast seeder for your 3-point, or a regular grain drill is less than $500 (less than $300 most of the time) at farm auctions. If you feel like hand seeding, that's cool too.

Rocky soil is difficult to cut the alfalfa on. If you have it hired done, that's a consideration. Have spare sickles if you cut your own.

Alfalfa is slow to grow. Are you going to interseed with oats, or just plant straight alfalfa? On a hill, a heavy rain could really hurt you without a nurse crop.

Alfalfa likes moisture, on a thin hill you obviously may not get outstanding yields. However, it will be the best to help stablize & restructure your soil once it gets established with deep roots. You won't have to add any more N in future years, but keep track of the P & K. Many people apply 3-5 years worth of P & K before seeding the alfalfa & work into the soil. These do not move much out of the root zone, and will be there for your alfalfa.

It is worth your time to find/build good storage for the alfalfa bales if you intend to sell it.

--->Paul

-- paul (ramblerplm@hotmail.com), April 03, 2002.

Alfalfa (lucerne to me) is deep rooting - roots will go down up to 30 feet). Doesn't sound to me like you'd accomodate that. Maybe you could consider one of the clovers? Talk to your local extension officer - you've already paid them (in taxes) - get your money's worth.

-- Don Armstrong (from Australia) (darmst@yahoo.com.au), April 03, 2002.

The hand broadcasting takes time but is very healthy. I was in re- hab last summer for a major injury to my entire left side and face. Broadcasting works both leg and arm. No barn means no cover for imlements. I have 2-row corn planter, field cultivators, disc, etc just hidden in the trees along the fence line out back. Plastic tarps are only so good.

Today, I think I have convinced a hungry ex-dairy farmer to harvest my hay. He does not have room for any more hay or straw. He is currently selling hay/straw at what I think is rock bottom prices. I paid $1.25 for straw bales and $1.95 for hay (he has both good alfafa and grass bales). That is delivered and unloaded in pickup truck 50+ bale loads. I promised to pick up the stones. The whole family participates in that fun activity.

Soil test being done by two different Ag suppliers will hopefully tell me if lime is needed. I am concerned about the deep roots of alfafa. Hopefully that helps them get thru dry spells but what if there is no room to grow down? A farmer grew alfafa on property next door but plowed under after one year. He stated it was not good enough so planted corn. He is subdividing his land now.

-- BossNass (chrisnass@hotmail.com), April 03, 2002.

If your neighbor is subdividing his land, it sounds like he wasn't able to make his land profitable. I would take the advice of a successful neighbor over an unsuccessful neighbor.

-- Terri (hooperterri@prodigy.net), April 04, 2002.

Have you seen what Barley Straw is selling for? They are using it to keep ponds clean.

-- Mel Kelly (melkelly@webtv.net), April 04, 2002.

Good point Terri. Unfortunately, there are very few sucessful farmers left in Southern Wisconsin. Dairy industry is hurting bad.

I will seed oats with what ever I plant. Can not afford to lose anymore topsoil while the grass getting established. Last year could not get anyone to harvest the 6 acres of oats. Finally found someone to bale them as straw at 60/40 with most of the oats falling on the ground. I was worried about the oat seeds coming up this spring and killing off my new grass. But an usually warm Fall made the oats sprout so they should not be a problem this spring.

ChrisNass in Wisconsin

-- BossNass (chrisnass@hotmail.com), April 04, 2002.