What We're Planting for Our Pastures This Year: A Plan for Sustainable Growth
As we gear up for another farming season, one of the key focuses this year is improving the quality and diversity of our pastures. Healthy pastures are essential for rotational grazing, which we rely on to manage our livestock and maintain the land’s productivity. In this post, we'll share what we plan to plant for our pastures this year and how it ties into our overall land management strategy.
Why We’re Planting New Pasture Crops
A diverse pasture is vital for the health of our soil and livestock. By introducing different grasses, legumes and cover crops, we’re aiming to:
Improve the quality and quantity of forage for our sheep and goats
Increase soil fertility and promote healthy soil structure
Reduce the need for supplemental feed
Enhance pasture biodiversity, benefiting the local ecosystem
Support our rotational grazing system (read more about this in our Rotational Grazing blog)
This year, we’re focusing on creating a blend of grasses and legumes that will provide year-round grazing options for our livestock while improving the long-term sustainability of our land.
What We’re Planting
To ensure our pastures are as resilient and productive as possible, we’ve chosen a mix of plants that will thrive in our sandy loam soil and Mediterranean climate. Here’s a breakdown of the species we’re planting this year:
Species:
Annual Ryegrass
Rate (kg/acre): 15–18 kg/acre
Notes: Quick establishment, provides winter growthForage Oats
Rate (kg/acre): 20–25 kg/acre
Notes: Early biomass production, supports vetch growthCommon Vetch
Rate (kg/acre): 5–10 kg/acre
Notes: Nitrogen-fixing, high protein for livestockBalansa Clover
Rate (kg/acre): 2–3 kg/acre
Notes: Winter-active, improves soil structureArrowleaf Clover
Rate (kg/acre): 1–2 kg/acre
Notes: Late-season feed boost, extends grazing into autumnTillage Radish
Rate (kg/acre): 2–3 kg/acre
Notes: Soil conditioning, deep-rooting for better soil health
How This Fits into Our Rotational Grazing System
The new pasture mix is designed to support our rotational grazing strategy. By planting a variety of grasses and legumes, we can ensure that there’s always fresh, nutritious forage for our livestock, no matter the season. As we rotate the animals between paddocks, different plant species will thrive in their respective areas, giving the land time to recover and regenerate.
Incorporating perennial plants like ryegrass and clover ensures we have long-lasting pastures that will continue to improve over the years. We’re also introducing cover crops like oats and vetch to help with soil regeneration during the off-season. Together, these plants will enhance our pasture’s productivity and resilience, all while supporting the health of our livestock.
Looking Ahead
This year’s pasture planting is part of a larger plan to improve the sustainability of our farm. We’re committed to making the most of our land and resources, and this new pasture mix will play a key role in achieving that goal. By investing in diverse, high-quality pasture plants, we’re not only benefiting our sheep and goats, but also supporting the long-term health of the land.
If you want to learn more about how we manage our pastures and grazing system, check out our Rotational Grazing blog for a deeper dive into the benefits of this farming practice.