Ideas for easy maintenance of pasture until we get horses in a couple of years

[wyoDreamer]

we recently purchased some land that is currently in hay field and pasture. It is set up for horses, but we won't be getting horses for at least a couple of years, if we get horses at all. I would like to keep the pasture in good shape if possible, I am worried if we don't use it that it will degrade to weeds and woody vegetation. The field is fenced with the electric ribbon fencing.

Any ideas? Will mowing it work?

Although I kinda hate the thought of mowing 15 acres through the entire summer. We would have to mow it quite often since we would have to use a regular old riding mower.

 

[Firekin1]

we recently purchased some land that is currently in hay field and pasture. It is set up for horses, but we won't be getting horses for at least a couple of years, if we get horses at all. I would like to keep the pasture in good shape if possible, I am worried if we don't use it that it will degrade to weeds and woody vegetation. The field is fenced with the electric ribbon fencing.

Any ideas? Will mowing it work?

Although I kinda hate the thought of mowing 15 acres through the entire summer. We would have to mow it quite often since we would have to use a regular old riding mower.

you could hire someone to do it, some people may mow and bail for free if you let them keep it, and some will mow just for a small fee....another option would be goats...lots and lots of goats...lol

 

[wyoDreamer]

Not a huge fan of goats. Don't goats need pretty good fencing? The field just has a three strand electric.

Maybe a couple of bucket calves, or some sheep? I like beef and lamb.

DH just called, he may have made contact with someone who might help us out with haying and pasture maintenance. This neighbor is the one who has been haying the field for his horses. The field was growing up into willow brush when he talked the former owner into letting him make it back into a hayfield. He stored the hay in our hayloft even He also had his horses in the pasture area, it is probably his electric fencing and fence posts.

He warned us that the neighbor to the south would probably contact us and "offer" to put the hayfield into corn for us. Just like a good farmer, any land he can get into corn is a good thing in his mind.

 

[Firekin1]

Not a huge fan of goats. Don't goats need pretty good fencing? The field just has a three strand electric.

Maybe a couple of bucket calves, or some sheep? I like beef and lamb.

DH just called, he may have made contact with someone who might help us out with haying and pasture maintenance. This neighbor is the one who has been haying the field for his horses. The field was growing up into willow brush when he talked the former owner into letting him make it back into a hayfield. He stored the hay in our hayloft even He also had his horses in the pasture area, it is probably his electric fencing and fence posts.

He warned us that the neighbor to the south would probably contact us and "offer" to put the hayfield into corn for us. Just like a good farmer, any land he can get into corn is a good thing in his mind.

I just mentioned goats because they have a thing for eating everything, especially around here...lol...15 acres is quite a bit for just a few animals though, the grass would still grow, even with horses it would more than likely still have to be mowed occasionally...getting someone to do it would be your best bet unless you purchase your own farm equipment to do yourself....we have a 54 acre field next to our home that has had no animals in it for years, but it's mowed twice a year and still grows just the grass, no shrubs or bushes.

 

[Peaches Lee]

Options could be to "rent" the field for hay, or hire someone to mow it with a tractor and brush hog. Depending on your location you could probably get away with mowing it 3 times a year.

 

[cassie]

I have a neighbor turn his cattle into my field a few times a year. I could rent it to him but I don't because he does a lot for me.

 

[donrae]

I would definitely put beef and lambs on it. That's enough land to raise up enough to fill a lot of freezer, and sell for chicken feed and coop $

. Gotta feed the addiction somehow!