Walden Woods Project - Day 10

We're probably 3-5 days away from finishing this project.  Tonight, we met with a representative of the HOA to discuss avoiding newly germinated wildflowers.  We are happy to accommodate his request; however, it will reduce the acreage we treat while adding to our work (we'll need to move fences more frequently and fence areas that are more difficult).

We find that many people view grazing like they view other vegetation management techniques (like herbicide application).  There is a perception that grazing kills plants.  As I've discussed in earlier posts, grazing can be managed to do a variety of things.  Properly managed grazing can promote the growth of some plants while limiting the growth of others.  Established wildflowers can survive grazing; some wildflowers even need grazing or other types of management to thrive.  Newly established stands, on the other hand, may need protection from grazing.

Here's a video of the animals moving onto fresh feed.  We added about half an acre of new forage to this paddock.  The animals will have consumed this feed by tomorrow afternoon!