Alachua CSA/Dairy - pasture management

[Guest guest]

Dear Rabindranatha Prabhu,

 

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

You asked about the difficulty with southern soil. I'm posting a reply here in

hopes that the more professional farmers will pitch in with the answer. I only

know what I have heard.

 

>From what I understand, in many warm climates such as Florida, there is a

special

problem in maintaining soil fertility because soils tend to leech minerals,

etc.,

naturally becoming weaker over years of use. For some reason, this is not such

a

problem in northern areas like Wisconsin, Kansas, etc.

 

You asked where soil is good for cow herds. Some places it is easier to use,

some

places more challenging -- but that does not mean someone should not raise cows

in

places where it is more challenging. It just means that you need to really

know

what you are doing -- and for that you need good training.

 

For one thing, cow manure must be carefully managed so that all nutrients are

returned to the soil -- with a minimum of nitrogen products evaporating or

running

off.

 

But a good program of rotational grazing and stocking the pasture with a good

mix

of leguminous and other plants is also important to maintain -- and even build

up

-- the quality of the pasture.

 

I'm really just a librarian on this topic -- not an actual practitioner -- so I

hope others will speak up. At the bottom of this, I have posted the link

**[contact me if you don't see it]** to the Hare Krsna Rural Life articles on

Pasture Management -- including my interview with Professor of Biology Thomas

Settlemire, and early practitioner of pasture management in the Northeast. One

basic beginning text on this subject is "Greener Pastures on Your Side of the

Fence." Voisine is the founder of the whole pasture management movement (-- at

least in modern times, really Krsna and Balarama are the true Founders of

Pasture

Management).

 

your servant,

 

Hare Krsna dasi

 

*****************************

Rabindrantha Dasa Adhikari wrote:

 

Dear Mother Hare Krsna,

 

PAMHO AGTSP

 

You said that "Southern soil is a cow herd's challenge."

 

Why is this? And where is the soil good for the cow herds?

 

y.s.

 

 

Rabindrantha Dasa Adhikari

 

"Noma T. Petroff" wrote:

 

> The big missing point in this report is TRAINING.

>

> Naveen Krsna quotes Srila Prabhupada:

>

> "Lack of success is due to lack of training."

>

> Have you ordered subscriptions to Hoard's Dairyman and especially

> Stockman Grass Farmer http://www.stockmangrassfarmer.com/

>

> Call our office at 1-800-748-9808, or fill out our brief

> online form to receive a Free

> Sample Issue of The Stockman Grass Farmer. No strings

> attached. Really.

>

> Southern soil is a cow herd's challenge. Unless your cow herds have

excellent

> training in management intensive grazing techniques, you will not be able to

> make in on your own soil -- you'll have to buy from outside. The cost of

> outside hay and feed will become astronomical once the Iraq war and oil scare

> kicks in. Please factor this in.

>

> Get enought training so you can really be self sufficient.

>

> Who is going to a Grass Management workshop? Who is going to a Tiller's

> workshop?

>

> ***************

 

http://hkrl.com/pasturemanagement.html#thoughts