"Basically" Farming
| Helpful hints for new
\p I and existing farmers
PhNNSIAI b
College u! Agricultural Sciences
IB Cooperative Extension - Southeast Region
PLANNING AHEAD FOR
PASTURE CONVERSION
Mena Hautau
Berks County
Cooperative Extension
Producers are looking to con
vert select acres or whole farms
to pasture for intensive grazing,
horse production, or livestock
and exotic animal production.
Before any seed is sown or fence
built, here are some items for
consideration that should work
into a plan of action.
• Evaluate the soil types on
the farm. Get ahold of a USDA
Soil Survey for your county. Find
your farm on the soil map, identi
fy the soils and become aware of
the strengths and limitations of
your site. Avoid conversion of
wetlands to pastures. If the soils
are wet or droughty, plan for the
grasses and animal traffic pat
terns adapted to your soil type.
Once the total number of acres
devoted to pasture is known, the
stocking rate, especially the
upper limit, can be figured.
• Take a soil test and become
knowledgeable about what you
need to do to bring soil fertility to
optimum production. The need
for high soil fertility is relative in
the northeastern U.S. But in
southeast Pennsylvania, where
land values and animal stocking
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rates tend to be high, good fertili
ty is needed to have a productive
pasture. Soils that have been
farmed in rotation for a long time
with manure can have medium to
very high levels of fertility, espe
cially phosphorous and potassi
um. Cropland that has a history
of renting can have low pH and
low fertility. The soil test result
will help with the decision to add
soil amendments, especially lime,
before any seed is planted.
• Know the crop history. A
piece of land with an unknown
cropping history can hide limita
tions. If triazine herbicides have
been used for com production,
the field may not be able to be
seeded. If possible, try to obtain
knowledge about the pesticide
history from the former operator.
The Penn State Agronomy Guide
can assist with understanding
any herbicide restrictions. Anoth
er consideration is noxious,
woody or poisonous weeds. They
may need to be controlled one
year ahead of renovation, espe
cially where these weeds have
taken over rented crop ground or
old hay stands.
• Fencing and facilities. Plan
on paper for any facility and
fencing layout before anything is
built or rebuilt. Facilities should
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be placed away from any
streams, wetlands, or wet areas.
Manure should not be stored near
the well or streams. Home septic
mounds should be kept separate
from any of the pastured or fa
cility areas.
Lay out paddocks on paper
first, and then flag out your per
manent fencing lines and lane
ways to visually see where the
fencing and water lines should
go. (This also helps to control
costs by analyzing feet of fencing
or water lines needed.) Ideally,
each paddock should be about
one acre in size. Lanes should be
sized to fit machinery. Finally,
bam and fencing contractors
should use specific traffic lane
ways on the farm to prevent rut
ting or compacting pastures.
• Economics. Are you a
producer who is depending
on this conversion to in
crease profitability, or are
you a part-time producer
who has other income
sources? Establish goals
and figure out the cost to
make the change. Consider
dry matter output, winter
feed costs, infrastructure
costs such as fencing and
machinery, and variable
costs such as seed. Penn
State has several fact
sheets on Alternative Agri
culture Enterprises that
can help with understand
ing these costs.
Resources
• USDA Soils Survey:
contact your Natural Re
source Conservation Serv
ice office, Penn State ex
tension office, or county
conservation office on how
to access the survey.
• Penn State Agronomy
Guide: http://
agguide.agronomy.psu.ed
u/.
• Agronomy Fact Sheet
49: Successful Forage Crop
Establishment Go to:
http:/pubs.cas.psu.edu/
forage.html or contact
your local county extension
office for a copy.
• Alternative Ag Fact
Sheet Series: http://
agaltematives.aers.psu.ed
u/ or contact your loc,al
county extension office.
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