Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["Greg and April" <gregandapril@earthlink.net>]

A thought might be to plant vetch very thickly.    Crown Vetch, and more so
Hairy Vetch has a reputation for being a sun lover and smothering weeds, as
long as they get enough water.    It can take a few years to get
established, but, once established, it grow fairly fast when conditions are
right, and will spread by underground stolens - it's a slow spreader, that
is why you should plant thickly.

A companion plant for the vetch, would be red clover or perhaps alfalfa if
there is enough water.    Between the Johnson grass, clover ( or alfalfa ),
and the vetch, you could end up with some very nice pasture.

Chicken tractor or pig tractor, will gain you meat, and they will scratch
and root up every last bit of Johnson grass if you work it right.

My preference ( depending on the water situation ) would probably be to
block of the field into smaller areas for a rotational system.    Mow short
in the fall then inter plant, vetch and a legume ( clover or alfalfa ) and
perhaps buckwheat, very early in the spring ( late winter if the conditions
are right, before the grass has a chance to start to grow ), don't forget to
inoculate everything.

After one full year of growth, interplant chicory, mandrels ( fodder 
beets ), and other forbs, once they have started to grow, rotate cattle ( 
low numbers ), the next year hogs ( to pig tractor ), the next year put in 
vegetables, that fall plant rye or other quick grower and the fallowing 
spring chicken tractor.    Then start over replant to grass, buckwheat, 
vetch, ect...    This would put it on a 6-7 year rotation.

Strips protected by fence so they will not ever be ever be touched other 
than what grows through/pass the fence, and plant forage trees like honey 
locust, mulberries, paw-paws, persimmon and willow on the strips inside the 
fence.    Any fruit not picked will provide more food for the animals, while 
the leaves and stems of the willow that make it over will be eaten directly, 
and all the trees will provide wind and some sun shelter for the animals 
once grown.

Greg H.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Terry Boyne" <>
To: <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Sunday, July 16, 2006 11:20
Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] A No Till Question for Larger Fields


> "How large are the fields and what is the climate?
>
> I have an idea, but, it may or may not be in your budget."
>
> Greg H.
>
>
> Greg,
>
> The fields would be in sizes of 5 to 20 acres and are located in NE
> Oklahoma.
>
> Thanks,
> Terry
>
>
>
>
>
> --
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