Joel Salatin on Pasture Management and Keyline Design for Grassfed Cattle
Join Joel Salatin on the central coast of California for a ranch visit with Janina Pawlowski and Doniga and Erik Markegard form Markegard Family Grass-Fed. J…
18 Responses to Joel Salatin on Pasture Management and Keyline Design for Grassfed Cattle
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Many species of grass can continue to provide substantial nutritional value
as ‘standing hay’ in dry environments, in my understanding. We used to
graze ‘standing hay’ aka stockpiled forage, through the dry summers and
during the winter (in a somewhat similar but not the same region). The
stockpiled forage/ pasture won’t be as high in protein as lush spring or
fall growth, but cattle (and many other grazing animals) don’t always need
real high protein levels, but they always need energy. The geese, on the
other hand, always need a fresh, green, tender sward of grasses and forbs –
they are grazers but they don’t have rumens!
Jefferdaughter
February 8, 2015 at 4:01 pm
Interesting to note that Salatin, over the past few years, has moved toward
fewer and fewer non-grazing days on his farm in Virginia. My respect for
this man, which has always been high, has increased as I have seen him
continue to learn and evolve in his approach to eco-logical farming. The
ability to continue to observe conditions & results, and to continue to
adjust our own approach based on those observations, to tweak the fine
details of our systems – this is what separates the average from the
brilliant, imho. And keeps whatever we are doing interesting.
Jefferdaughter
February 8, 2015 at 4:20 pm
@tgf76 Whet is Yeomans methods and Keyline Design
Scott Maher
February 8, 2015 at 5:04 pm
Does anyone still teach Yeomans methods and Keyline Design?
tigerone1970
February 8, 2015 at 5:42 pm
agreed!
Dreamr OKelly
February 8, 2015 at 6:41 pm
Possibly because grazing on wet ground destroys ground cover.
Dreamr OKelly
February 8, 2015 at 6:44 pm
Why doesn’t Salatin graze year-round? If Greg Judy can do it in north MO
(USDFA Zone 5b) & Jim Gerrish near May, Idaho (Zone 5a), why can’t it be
done in Virgina? Even in the Shenandoah region (6a or 6b)? If snow depth is
a problem, Judy says sheep will open up enough area for the cattle to
graze. Gerrish says one horse will open up enough grazing for 10 beef cows.
Why put diesel fuel into machines that ‘rust, rot & depreciate’, as Salatin
says? Appreciate Salatin!!! Just wondering…
Jefferdaughter
February 8, 2015 at 7:32 pm
@tigerone1970 they sure do mate, Darren Doherty down here in Oz.
tgf76
February 8, 2015 at 7:39 pm
Yoemans is my father and I’m half Aboriginal. Nature is our way here and if
we need to move the land in a major way then we use a machine to do it.
Although, we have used a machine only twice in over 42 years on 4,080
Hectar of prime land here in the down under.
Aonexia
February 8, 2015 at 8:04 pm
Man, NONE OF US want to have regular jobs and a mortgage, we’re all trying
to figure out ways of getting rid of them
barkershill
February 8, 2015 at 8:16 pm
Yes, it can. But I have managed stock on wet pasture, on different soils.
There are ways to make it work. But I saw a more recent interview where
Salatin said he had hay feeding down to 30 or 40 days per year on his
place, so he is moving in that direction. Best to you!
Jefferdaughter
February 8, 2015 at 8:54 pm
@ThePhantomLash Yoemans was a farmer here in Australia he also invented the
Yoemans plough. What i’ve read is he didn’t practice standard agriculture
he cared for his land and soil in organic ways. do search on keyline design
on here and if your into looking after our planet and farming with nature
not against it you’ll love it.
tgf76
February 8, 2015 at 8:57 pm
Yes! It can be done. Cattle may need to adjust and/or be selected for
foraging ability. Sheep can help paw open crusted or deep snow for cattle.
Jim Gerrish says one horse will open enough snow to feed ~7 cattle. That
said, Salatin is a brilliant guy who has done much to encourage
sustainable, eco-friendly, agriculture. His passion to heal the land &
those eating ‘real’ food is inspiring.
Jefferdaughter
February 8, 2015 at 9:34 pm
This was an excellent video that had some opinions and commentary I hadn’t
heard from Joel before that wasn’t part of his usual presentations. Thanks
for sharing
Jeremy Connor
February 8, 2015 at 10:26 pm
Yes and yes! But 1st world economies are based on perceived scarcity,
exploitation & control of resources, & the creation of need where there
once was abundance – both real needs & artifical ones. Some are still in
the ‘man vs nature’ mode. Growing enough food has not been the problem-
distibution is. Mostly from an economic standpoint. This is, in part, why
small farms are often villified by Big Ag/Chem & the Alphabet Agencies. We
can still focus on the SOLUTIONS, eh? Keep on growing!
Jefferdaughter
February 8, 2015 at 10:46 pm
agree, it’s probably just he’s still stuck in a few old paradigms and
processes that it’s hard to get out of, even with all of his knowledge. I
was just watching a previous video that was showing 30″ of snow and the
cows pushed through the snow and iced cap to get to the green grass that
was underneath. look at this video /PIHDmlUQ-1o
MOTS411
February 8, 2015 at 11:17 pm
I agree he does inspire me too and countless others and I learn so much
from him every time he talks, I never grow tired of hearing Joel speak! I
also feel like if more of us were farming small permaculture farms we could
all produce plenty of food for ourselves and our neighbors.
MOTS411
February 9, 2015 at 12:01 am
Moved into the country this past April, several acres of Pasture, barn
etc.Best thing I ever did! Problem is I don’t want to go to regular work
anymore and I have a mortgage. Man was meant to live like this and not
crowded in cities.
Rich P
February 9, 2015 at 12:14 am