Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[realfood@wonderfulfarm.com]

I remember someone on the grazersedge list saying that while he got good results from MIG, the biggest improvements he saw were from the fields that he had to mow because the grass got away from them.  Apparently the actual grass going back into the cycle had more of an impact then the animals.

Just interesting I think.

Blessings,

Aliza


“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” Howard Thurman

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] Prof: Grazing a mixed bag
From: mdnagel@verizon.net
Date: Fri, July 17, 2009 1:54 pm
To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org

I don't have a high degree of confidence that they performed the best tests available or that they measured things properly.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand the benefits of livestock on the land stimulating healthier plant/grass growth and depositing fertilizer.

It DOES, however, make a big difference how much the plants (yes, grass is a "plant") are grazed.  Also, from what I've read in The Stockman Grass Farmer (TSGF), mob grazing is very productive: animals are packed more tightly (to stimulate them into eating more quickly so that they can then more quickly get on with the process digesting what they consume) into smaller areas of land and moved off sooner.  Grass is never allowed to be taken down too far.

As suggested in this article, and stated in TSGF as well, proper grazing results in increased root mass growth.  More root mass growth means more biomass available for all the microbes.  Healthier soil!  TSGF has been increasingly viewing grazier's real focus as soil farmers.

Also consider that, unlike crop production, livestock production results in far less loss of nutrients from the land.  The reason being is that livestock leaving the land is less mass than crops leaving the land.

I don't see how there can even be any doubts on all of this.  Joel Salitin's operation is living proof.


Mark Nagel
Everett, WA


Jul 17, 2009 10:39:56 AM, livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org wrote:

Prof: Grazing a mixed bag
http://www.azdailysun.com/articles/2009/07/15/news/20090715_front_199915.txt

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