The NFC B-Day Chat Thread

[ShrekDawg]

Deer will regulate their selves, but they will eat the ryegrass and winter peas very readily and frequent the area quite often. You can throw the ryegrass out on top of other grasses and it will grow during winter and spring....it dies in hot temps and doesn't reseed, so it isn't like planting regular grass....it has to be sown each year for it to grow.

Thanks again for all the info! So what do you lile best or can you buy a mix?

I always rake the area to rough up the soil and spread some manure over top. Just about anything requires effort to do it correctly, dear. And if you fail to cover the seed, birds may eat it.

Thanks for the tip, that's a good idea! And I hadn't thought about birds eating it though I should have known because my chickens love grass seed hah if I have to rake it up or put some manure or something down, I don't mind. Sure, not quite as easy as just tossing it but not too difficult either and I don't want to waste my money. I guess I more just don't really want to mess with a bunch of trays and an indoor set up.

Awww, Gator is gorgeous! Love the photos! Sounds like he just needs a moment to collect his thoughts before heading for home. Funny boy.

Thank you! He's definitely a funny boy! Smart too. Yesterday we went down this new little trail thing we've only been down once and he turned into the parking lot cause that's what we did last time (plus I think he smelled something) so I had to turn him back cause I was gonna let him go down the trail haha and it's not really a trail per se. There's this new neighborhood and usually we just walk to the beginning of it and turn around but lately I've been letting him walk down to their mailbox shed thing and a little bit past it to sniff the plants and rocks. Anyway, normally we then turn back and walk along the road for a sec and turn into the parking lot next door and walk all around that. Very large parking lot. Orthopedic/PT place and idk what else. We know the owner/main doctor. Plus we go at night after close. So anyway, we normally walk back out to the road to get to it. Well the other day I discovered this trail (he knew about it but I wouldn't let him cause I didn't know it was a trail) that connects from behind the mail shed in the new neighborhood to the rear parking lot of this place. It goes a little bit further, parallel to the parking lot, then turns right and that's where we stop because it then goes past houses and I don't want to look creepy and walk past houses at 9 or 10 at night. So anyway, very long story short, we now just go down that trail cause A. It's a shorter, more direct route to the parking lot, and B. It's kind of wooded and more fun for him. But anyway, he turned into the parking lot. I'm like Gator, buddy, we're going this way. I mean, good boy for figuring out what I wanted? Or what he THOUGHT I wanted? But I want to let him have fun hah but hopefully now if we do it enough he will figure out that I'm going to let him go all the way down first before turning around. But it's like gravel so maybe a drainage thing? Or the landscapers dump stuff there.

I need alot more time collect my thoughts than a moment. I'm still collecting mine from last month.

You ever feel like this DMC?
View attachment 1202643

That happens to me sometimes. But usually mostly people I knew as a kid. Except one time this guy, probably my age or slightly younger, was SO excited to see me in the grocery store and I had NO clue who he was

Sunny at the moment, 47 degrees. Supposed to rain between 4 and 5 and keep raining for hours. We can use it.
To do today, seal 3 signs to send to Canada, plant more bulbs and spread mulch, sweep up pet hair and the usual animal chores. I got this!

Sweeping up pet hair is a constant chore.

I remember too...when we lived in Winter Harbor, Maine...we had to walk past an open bay to get to school and the wind would come whipping across the water....man, was it Cold. We moved there from Hawaii and talking about a rude awakening....that first year it got down to -22° with 20' drifts of snow....that was back in '64....looong before there was anything called windchill or feels like temperature. I'll never forget those days as long as I live, I tell ya.....

I thought this said bar harbor for a second. I love that place.

Nope, and no loaners either!


Maybe not up here, nothing grows in the winter here. Could be a thing to plant at the end of summer though. I know the state is trying to improve water quality (ie less fertilizer runoff from lawns and farms) and some farmers are using winter cover crops to keep the soil down and slow any water movement. Also "no till" bands along waterways and drainage ditches for the same purpose. Get the water to go down into the ground.

I wonder if MA is doing that

The problem up there would be the smothering snow and the frozen ground....it would probably grow there from ground thaw to the heavier snows of winter. It does tolerate some heat, so though ya get a few days of that each year it shouldn't be enough to kill it. I can send ya some if ya wish to give it a try....

Yup, snow.

Here I've planted as late as 15 December and get a really nice stand by spring.

Wow that's late

Good, i just bought a bag of winter wheat.

I've been mixing mine with varied levels of success. 50lbs wheat, 50lbs rye, 10lbs alfalfa and 5lbs red clover. The birds really seem to like it and it'll stay around until the spring and summer grasses come in. But I still have a ton of work to do on these pastures.

I sowed some red clover about 3yrs ago and it reseeds if ya don't cut it until the bloom is spent. I used rye grain a couple of yrs ago, but didn't care for that and the goats would eat some, but not much of it. Then I switched to austrian winter peas and they really like it pretty good. So now I sow 50# of rye grass, 10# of winter peas and the clover comes back on its own. The rye grass variety that I sowed this year is a different variety than I have used in the past....it is Big Boss....and it is suppose to reseed and better grazing. So, giving it a try to see how it does. We also have about 3 different varieties of vetch and all kinds of winter weeds for the goats to eat, along with the birds.

No real pastures here. But i can grow some in the garden and down in the picnic area. Plus in the chicken yard and hoop coop area.

This is all very interesting. So what type is best and when is the best time to plant it?

 

[ShrekDawg]

Brought his bed down. Jumps on couch. He was sound asleep until my parents came home.

 

[CntryBoy777]

There are some considerations ya have to make @KDOGG331 , first off, what grows in your area...there is quite a difference twixt here and there....and for what animals....ya said deer....so, we'll use that as an example. The forage for deer, there will be much different than here, because tho some plants may exist in both places, many will not. The growing seasons will be very different....where we can grow some crops thru the winter time because of very little snow or temps below the 20s except on occassion...ya have deep snows and single digits too often and for too long a period of time. So, my best suggestion is to check with a local feed company and ask them for a good mix for deer and when do they suggest on planting or sowing it.....here, I don't rake, cover, or fertilize...I use a spreader for the rye grass and hand toss the winter peas....I figured the birds would get some and they have, but I have over an acre inside a fence and they don't roam over it all....the goats do....but, only 3 goats can't eat all that I sow and end up cutting it fairly often come Spring, so I'll be able to get them some. Next year, I'll block off their end until it starts growing better and then open it up to them....

 

[CapricornFarm]

I am planting now but earlier is better. I had a hard time finding the seed i wanted here. They sell commercially made mixes but it is cheaper to make your own if you are doing a big area.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Yippee! It's warming up outside...it's all the way up to 19* now View attachment 1202710

We have finally cooled off. I was getting sick of the warmer weather. Now it freezing up, and a few flakes are flying. Now maybe I get settle in and get winter going.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Beds planted and mulched, fire burned.

I sowed some red clover about 3yrs ago and it reseeds if ya don't cut it until the bloom is spent. I used rye grain a couple of yrs ago, but didn't care for that and the goats would eat some, but not much of it. Then I switched to austrian winter peas and they really like it pretty good. So now I sow 50# of rye grass, 10# of winter peas and the clover comes back on its own. The rye grass variety that I sowed this year is a different variety than I have used in the past....it is Big Boss....and it is suppose to reseed and better grazing. So, giving it a try to see how it does. We also have about 3 different varieties of vetch and all kinds of winter weeds for the goats to eat, along with the birds.

Your goats eat birds?

 

[ShrekDawg]

There are some considerations ya have to make @KDOGG331 , first off, what grows in your area...there is quite a difference twixt here and there....and for what animals....ya said deer....so, we'll use that as an example. The forage for deer, there will be much different than here, because tho some plants may exist in both places, many will not. The growing seasons will be very different....where we can grow some crops thru the winter time because of very little snow or temps below the 20s except on occassion...ya have deep snows and single digits too often and for too long a period of time. So, my best suggestion is to check with a local feed company and ask them for a good mix for deer and when do they suggest on planting or sowing it.....here, I don't rake, cover, or fertilize...I use a spreader for the rye grass and hand toss the winter peas....I figured the birds would get some and they have, but I have over an acre inside a fence and they don't roam over it all....the goats do....but, only 3 goats can't eat all that I sow and end up cutting it fairly often come Spring, so I'll be able to get them some. Next year, I'll block off their end until it starts growing better and then open it up to them....

I am planting now but earlier is better. I had a hard time finding the seed i wanted here. They sell commercially made mixes but it is cheaper to make your own if you are doing a big area.

Thanks!!

I think TSC sells deer mixes but it might be cheaper to make my own like you said. I'll have to ask around

Although I'm curious what you think of this

https://www.ufseeds.com/product/win...S7y-LNlqLiNXbESLj_Ao5qkFvwyUic8BoC03QQAvD_BwE

 

[bruceha2000]

I can send ya some if ya wish to give it a try....

Only if you'll take an XL dog mattress in return. Merlin had no interest in it.

Of course there are 2 extenuating circumstances:
- It would likely cost more for each of us to ship to the other than to just buy locally.
- As you mentioned to @KDOGG331, different locales have different needs

I wonder though if there are some grasses I could plant that would grow later into the late fall. The boys are really scrounging for something green out in their ~3/4 acre that surrounds the pond behind the barn. They do of course have as much hay in the barn as they want but now that it is cool/cold, they are outside most of the time. They hadn't touched the hay I put in their indoor feeder 3 days ago and their water bucket was still full. Even today when it was just above freezing with winds gusting over 40 MPH. They were standing out there like it was comfortable, I guess it is for THEM. I "made" them come in for their morning snacks. I had no intention of standing out in that wind hand feeding them. And that lack of desire will continue as it gets colder so they might as well get used to coming in to get their pellets.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Remember the hole in the barn and the rotted wood my dad was tearing apart? Well we hired the people the neighbor's had working (my dad went up and talked to them) and they came yesterday. Got all this done in one day. (Though my dad had already taken out the door and framed the window). Idk what time they got here but in the morning and stayed till at least 3 cause they were still here when I left for class. They even did that corner board too, though of course I think we will have to pay a tad more. Today they didn't get here till maybe noon or one but it is raining and there's not much work left. Or rather misty maybe, idk. They were going to paint but can't in the cold rainy weather.




There's plywood in front of it but old door. I'll get a better picture later. I want to save the door.



They work fast though. I'm thinking CF should have hired these guys instead

 

[ShrekDawg]

Only if you'll take an XL dog mattress in return. Merlin had no interest in it.

Of course there are 2 extenuating circumstances:
- It would likely cost more for each of us to ship to the other than to just buy locally.
- As you mentioned to @KDOGG331, different locales have different needs

I wonder though if there are some grasses I could plant that would grow later into the late fall. The boys are really scrounging for something green out in their ~3/4 acre that surrounds the pond behind the barn. They do of course have as much hay in the barn as they want but now that it is cool/cold, they are outside most of the time. They hadn't touched the hay I put in their indoor feeder 3 days ago and their water bucket was still full. Even today when it was just above freezing with winds gusting over 40 MPH. They were standing out there like it was comfortable, I guess it is for THEM. I "made" them come in for their morning snacks. I had no intention of standing out in that wind hand feeding them. And that lack of desire will continue as it gets colder so they might as well get used to coming in to get their pellets.

That's interesting they like to stay out so much. But then again Gator probably would too if I let him.

Is it possible to put the hay outside? Or too messy? And do they drink from the pond?