Comments on: A Startling Lesson In Pasture Farming

By: clew

clew — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:14:50 +0000

following up on ‘what weeds tell you’ — Crabgrass is a C4 plant, meaning that it’s better adapted to water stress than other (C3) grasses. (Corn is a C4 plant too.) I didn’t know it was good pasture, though.

By: Monica in Michigan

Monica in Michigan — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 03:22:37 +0000

Thanks for the book reference Kerri, and I’ve got the same spare time issue right now too. Yep Gene, I’ve got soil issues, that’s why I started looking around at what grows where on my property and how to understand what nature is telling me and how (if) she’s trying to correct it and methods I can use to help things along. I don’t think I have any giant rag weed, but we have a lot of work to do restoring this place after many years of abuse and neglect.

Monica

By: homebrewlibrarian

homebrewlibrarian — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:26:50 +0000

Actually, I think weeds are better indicators of poor soil than rich. Weeds can tell you what’s deficient in the soil, if there’s hardpan or not, clay vs. loam, etc. For instance, yarrow grows prolifically in soil with very little organic matter and not nearly so well or so tall in loam with good tilth.

On the other hand, chickweed will grow anywhere and thickly no matter the soil composition. So don’t decide to use chickweed to tell you anything (except, perhaps, that it’s time for some weeding).

An excellent book on the subject is _Weeds and what they tell_ by Ehrenfried Pfeiffer originally published in 1946 and then again starting in 1970. My only quibble is that the region he studied was, I believe, eastern Pennsylvania. Not all that helpful up here in Alaska beyond the common stuff like plantain, dandelion, chickweed, lambsquarter, pigweed and such. Nevertheless, I can now know that soils have different compositions/issues just by looking at what weeds grow on them. Don’t know what those compositions/issues are exactly, but should I ever examine and observe the soils more closely, I’m certain to gain the details. In my copious spare time, of course.

Kerri in AK

By: Gene Logsdon

Gene Logsdon — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:08:39 +0000

Monica, I doubt that purslane example very much, but what do I know?
I’ve never seen much advantage to looking at weeds as soil indicators. So my giant ragweeds grow taller than the corn. I’ve got rich soil no doubt about it. What’s the point. Should I look for some so poor giant ragweeds won’t grow in it? Gene

By: Monica in Michigan

Monica in Michigan — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 02:46:10 +0000

Gene,
My husband and I just bought 40 acres up here in mid-east Michigan and we’ve been reading your books repeatedly. Thanks for all the information!
Anyway, we’re going the grass-fed belted galloway route, and in one of those books, they discussed weeds as soil indicators. Researching on the internet, I found a site (http://journeytoforever.org/farm_library/weeds/WeedsToC.html#contents) for a book that talks about all the BENEFITS of weeds. I know it sounds a bit nuts, but the guy actually showed how purlsane growing in his corn crop improved the corn because of the greater depths the corn roots were able to reach and the increased water brought up by the roots.
Just wanted to share that,
Monica

By: Paul in NC

Paul in NC — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:46:01 +0000

Out of curiosity, how often do you get rejected lambs and do you bottle feed anymore? thanks. Paul

By: Gene Logsdon

Gene Logsdon — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 22:20:53 +0000

Paul, if the ewe is of good pedigree (out of a good ewe) I would keep her another year. Sometimes a new mother gets better with motherhood on the second time around. Otherwise, it’s a tossup. I surely agree that bottle lamhs are rarely worth the effort.