How We Grow LUSCIOUS Pastures

This video is a summary of how we grow and maintain our pasture and hay fields, including:
-Climate, soil, seeding, and animals
-Field layout
-Soil fertility maintenance
-Grazing methods
-Forage management during a typical year
-Weed control and ecological succession
-Potential problems and solutions

-We do not offer farm tours or accept visitors
-We do not sell from the farm
-We do not ship our farm's products
-We do not sell live animals

Mailing Address (letters are welcome, but please do not send gifts):
Just a Few Acres Farm
PO Box 269
Lansing, NY 14882

[nathanokken]

You’ve been really pumping out some good content! I appreciate all the work you put into YouTube.

[exodusofficer]

Hi Pete, thanks again! I'm a soil scientist and can weigh in a bit on your soil types. You actually have three soil series mapped, it is just that Bath and Valois are lumped together into one map unit while Langford could be mapped separately. Bath and Valois must be difficult to tell apart from surface features, occuring as a mix, perhaps one as random patches in the other, like Swiss cheese. Langford and Bath soils both contain an interesting feature called a fragipan, which is a really dense and hard (when dry) feature in the soil that can restrict root growth and water movement. Depth varies, but if I had to guess, I'd say you would hit it within 1/2-1 m in depth if you started digging in the right spot. Fragipans vary in appearance too, but some can be quite beautiful, showing large scale color patterns and streaks if exposed along a trench wall.

I may show this video in my intro soils class, I really enjoyed this and appreciate the data that you put on screen. I also appreciate that you stress the need to improvise (I usually say adaptive management in class). People are looking for silver bullet solutions, and I'm always trying to stress that you have to understand the system you are managing because there are no such solutions. Things are complicated in the real world and every farmer or other land manager is going to have to learn from some trial and error no matter how well informed they are. Every production system is different.

[artsyweirdo]

I’m not a farmer or homesteader, but as a gardener I love and appreciate your sound advise on lawn care. This year I took some notes from you and just applied manure to my acidic compacted front yard and now my grass looks the best it ever has! Thank you!!

[matteolaborg]

I love Pete's deep dives into the science and technical aspects of farming. He has a very satisfyingly intelligent, practical, and empirical approach to his work.

[robert]

This a video I have looked for for years . We have a small farm 120 acres all grass, hay and woods. We have struggled for years to improve our pastures without a lot of success. I will be using a lot of your advice in the future to see how it works on our farm in Indiana . Thank you, it is nice to get some information that has been tried and tested telling the good and bad. Please keep them coming you are a great teacher. THANK YOU!!!

[vickyburton]

I love your philosophy of land management. Modern Farmers are ruining the land. Healthy land turns into healthy animals and healthy food! Blessings from Texas!❤️

[adamsharp]

Pete! I absolutely love the pasture videos. Something so satisfying about the whole process. Turning grass into protein for humans is such a neat science!!

[rickhall]

I love seeing dandelions in your fields! It's often the first opportunity for honey bees to forage after a long winter

[Zidlef]

Your honesty and your knowledge and not thinking that you have the ONE solution about anything. But sharing your experiences, your victories, your failures and how to mend those and move forward. Trying what is good for your environment, forecast, temperatures, soil compositions, trial and errors always makes you better. As my dad had told me : Try, fail or succeed, then try again!!! You will always be learning and experimenting as you grow older!!!! And he was right for me ;-) Pete thank you for sharing with all of us sir ;-) Have a nice day and summer with Hillary and the kids.

[cherrydowns]

Dandelions are a good source of nutrition. They send their roots deep and pull up minerals that the glaciers left behind. And the blossoms feed the bees when hardly anything is blooming.

[lorihodges]

We just started our dexter herd about a month ago with 2 little bottle calves. So excited to start this journey!

[vince]

Even though I don't have a farm, I still value this knowledge and learning this important information. Thanks again!

[rontiemens]

No one can argue with your results. Thank you for sharing your farm with others.

[matthiasherzog]

Mowing will promote grasses and grazing will promote clovers. Interchanging between mowing and grazing will do wonders to the balance of lush pastures.
Thanks for another great video from you Pete 👍

[learninghowtodothis]

You are absolutely right when you say that "one size does not fit all"-- when it comes to solving problems. That is also a good analogy for governmental edicts.

[oneoldtrucker]

"Fast food nation" is a good book . After covering our poor food choices. It covers solutions to redeeming our soils through micro farming. That's you, Peete . Great job, good videos .

[randyharaldson]

I think your stocking rate is key for your success. Most folks overstock their farm and no amount of inputs can bale you out after years of abuse. If you are one of those farmers, resting your farm will do wonders then lowering your stocking rate when you start back. Your place Pete is beautiful and healthy, thanks for sharing your wisdom with us.

[marjoriejohnson]

Spent my early childhood on a farm not to far from your place. I am hopefull that other farmers are watching and learning from you. I remember my father talking about taking care of the soil because the soil took care of the cows. Today when I drive past farms and look at the fields I don't see healthy fields often so I am hoping that this video will serve as a tutorial. Thank you.

[glennegan]

Hey Pete !
Love these videos !
In exactly 1 year my daughter graduates and I'll be moving the family out to the country to start farming !
I'm devouring ALL your videos like my life depends on it !
I watch all over the internet, but so far you do the best !!!!
Keep up the good work, and dont change anything !!!
Glenn

[CaribouOrange]

Hello Pete,
Despite having released similar videos in the past years,
You always manage to add new information to the topic.
It's what I love about the Just a Few Acres Farm channel.
Rigorous and compelling!
Thank you