Soil School: Rotational grazing with Aaron Bowman

Soil health, in a rotational grazing and cattle operation sense, starts with ground cover and consistently adding organic matter that will eventually become sequestered carbon. Logistics-wise and from a management stand-point, how is improved soil health achieved in a cattle operation?

In this Soil School episode, Bernard Tobin is in the field with Aaron Bowman, at Hampton, Ont. to check out his rotationally grazed pasture system.

#SoilSchool #CoverCrops #RotationalGrazing #Soil Health #Livestock

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[korganrivera]

I think I remember in one of Greg Judy's videos that he had cattle traverse back to the water supply by themselves so that way the manure gets spread out. That would save a lot of money with irrigation I imagine. Also, this is the first time I've seen this type of fence before: the tumble wheel fence. That's a really clever idea. Do they ever tip over to the side though? And can you have more than one wire passing through them, on the end of one of the stems for example?

[andrewm]

I work in software, a world that is supposedly filled with "the smartest" people. One thing that always strikes me when I listen to farmers and ranchers talk is just how much more practical intelligence they have then the people I spend my time around who know a bunch of abstract principles regarding computers but would die in a week if they had to rely on the natural world for their needs.

[jarredpharris]

I believe Mr Greg Judy states that tilling the soil is equivalent to a tornado coming through a town; the residents will rebuild after a tornado and stay in the town. However after multiple “tornadoes” come through, eventually the “residents”, (in this example, the soil’s typical environment is filled with lots of red worms and organisms in which help break down and fertilize the soil) will not inhabit the area and foresee more stable environments…. I believe this is a fair assessment of tillage to soil. What are your comments to this?

[gsp]

As a hunter, do you think there is a way to make pheasant habitat from your farm? Pheasants nest in grass 6-12 inches in height so your pastures would definitely work for that but they would also require some taller, CRP typ native grasses for cover. Have you ever tried rotational grazing on that sort of grass? Rotational grazing through native grasses seems much like how the bison would have done it back in the day and there were sharptail grouse like crazy back then, pheasant would thrive in that as well. Rotational grazing on natives seems like it could be the perfect way to give pheasants a lot of habitat on your farm and still make a living...would the cattle eat well on native grasses?

[brady]

Could I get a link or company you bought the supplies for the wire and fencing?

[MrMawnster]

What was the ballpark cost for the water piping/ header installation? I had been making them walk back to the yard for water, using an e fence alley but tried using a water tank this year so they stay put. Seemed to be better

[peterclark]

That bare soil around his corn crop with no sign of companion species tells me he needs to catch up with Gabe Brown and the Regenerative Ag crew. To simplify it, Organic is the bureaucratic definition of good farm practise. Regen is when the customer's needs drive farming decisions. In particular Nutritional Density.