There was a time that I thought it best to put my round bales in a metal ring or a hay net to "conserve" hay. Doing so did nothing but to conserve poor field fertility. Rolling out round bales, especially in winter, and most especially in pastures that are intentionally over stocked in order to maximize manure production, has done more to improve our soil than any other single step that we have taken in our soil and water conservation efforts.
The round bales weight 800-1000 pounds and this time of year we are using nearly 20 bales each week. It is a bit labor intensive to roll them out but it is worth it.
The horses do not loose as much neck and back muscle as they do standing still and eating a round bale at eye level. Eating a rolled out bale is more natural and mimics the muscles used in grazing grasses and forbs.
We end up with a light covering of organic material over nearly the entire surface of the area, leaving seed and a feast for microbes that the soil desperately needs.
No comments:
Post a Comment