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[Robert Walton <waltonrp AT gmail.com>]

Here is a homestead type post that I need some help with.

I planted maybe 3/4 acre of pasture grass/clover mix last fall with Oats as
a nurse crop. (Orchard grass, Timothy, Brome, Blue Grass) Cold came on fast
and it didn't grow so great in the fall. It came up okay in the spring, the
oats did not come up so well.

It's grown okay and has not been mowed or grazed. I have not got fencing
around it and with all the rain so far this year, have pasture coming out my
ears. This ground is pretty poor, so don't want to take hay off the piece.
The grass is blooming right now. I'm thinking to cut it, but wait a bit so
some of the seed matures to help thicken the stand of grass. There are
weeds, but they have not seeded yet.

I figure a mowing now and a mowing in early fall would be in order. I'll try
to manure it this fall if I don't get animals in there to graze. My mowing
it once the seeds have set might get me a thickened stand this fall with out
having to buy seed.

By next spring, I can get animals on it to graze or cut some hay (especially
if I manure it). What do you all think?

I've been busy here, it's raining in June, too wet to get in the fields
right now. This is novel in June, given the last 2 or 3 years. I've planted
most of my fields that are in recovery to sudan grass/oats or sudan
grass/iron clay peas. If I can get into it, I'm going to plow up next years
garden extension too that also.

Rob - Va