Need crop suggestion

[willow bottom]

I wonder if the turnips generate new growth after being grazed or once they clip the tops off that's it?

They can but my experience once they figure out there is a root the pull it up.

Probably right. A brassica combo might be a good option as well. Rape, Turnip, 7 Top Turnip, Daikon Radish to name a few. If nothing else it'd be a heck of a food plot for the deer

 

[Allenw]

I planted 100 acres of turnips at the rate of 4 pounds per acre. I broadcast them into standing corn stalks late last August. I have wintered 60 cows on them for less than .20$ per day. And the cows are in phenomenal condition going into calving season. I plan to plant about 500 acres the same way next fall. Not sure on your climate, but it warked great here. On a small pasture like you are talking, I would highly recommend strip grazing it to maximize the utilization. I strip grazed mine till about jan 1 then I started calving. Week old calves must be immune to shock, the fence was tore down every day

This may be great advice BUT we don't have a clue what kind of climate you have because you don't put where you are from.
I have thought about turnips but don't know that it would work where I live we had 5 deg. a couple weeks ago and they are saying 62 tomorrow and 25 Saturday.

It helps when people put at the least what state you are from ????

I think turnips would work as an added component to wheat or rye pasture. They would make a lot of early pasture. They will freeze back when it gets cold enough like canola does. Canola would work good too and survive the winter.

It's been traditional to plant turnips with alfalfa here when planting a new stand so I have a general idea of how they grow. They're going to need to be planted early in the fall to get maximum growth.

 

[Tbrake]

About jan 1 the green on top of the turnip turned completely white/yellow and most fell off of the bulb. The cows have now eaten 98% of the bulbs and are now grazing on the turnip leaves that fell off, and the remainder of the corn leaves. They are still getting enough protein as their poop is still runny and splatters. (Not near like when they were eating the bulbs) all they are getting is some 8% oat silage hay free choice, but 60 cows only eat 2 bales in about a week. About half of them are milking, and the rest are springers. They are holding condition very well. I think I have found the magic ticket for my area. With turnips I don't have to spray to kill like I do wheat. I can run the ripper across it and be ready to plant it to beans by jun 1 easily. I have debated on no-tilling the beans, but I'm afraid of the compaction issues from the cows being on it all winter.

 

[callmefence]

I'm looking into this. I think turnips might be perfect.

Thanks
Dustin

How are turnips perfect?
Can perennial grasses be seeded along with the turnips so that you'll have a usable pasture the following year?

Plow, till, throw, cows harvest.

You telling me to plant trees is like going into a gunshop and the guy sells me ice cream. Your suggestion was off base with elitist attitude.

Sometimes butch will serve you ice cream in the gun shop to help you see the light. I don't think he means any harm.

 

[coyotefur]

About jan 1 the green on top of the turnip turned completely white/yellow and most fell off of the bulb. The cows have now eaten 98% of the bulbs and are now grazing on the turnip leaves that fell off, and the remainder of the corn leaves. They are still getting enough protein as their poop is still runny and splatters. (Not near like when they were eating the bulbs) all they are getting is some 8% oat silage hay free choice, but 60 cows only eat 2 bales in about a week. About half of them are milking, and the rest are springers. They are holding condition very well. I think I have found the magic ticket for my area. With turnips I don't have to spray to kill like I do wheat. I can run the ripper across it and be ready to plant it to beans by jun 1 easily. I have debated on no-tilling the beans, but I'm afraid of the compaction issues from the cows being on it all winter.

Do you strip graze or is it free for all?

 

[coyotefur]

How are turnips perfect?
Can perennial grasses be seeded along with the turnips so that you'll have a usable pasture the following year?

Plow, till, throw, cows harvest.

You telling me to plant trees is like going into a gunshop and the guy sells me ice cream. Your suggestion was off base with elitist attitude.

Sometimes butch will serve you ice cream in the gun shop to help you see the light. I don't think he means any harm.

Do you think I come here to be enlightend? He told me to plant walnuts when I have 150 acres of trees.

In addition to his other comments, we call him a tall cool bottle of summers eve.

 

[Son of Butch]

Plow, till, throw, cows harvest.

You telling me to plant trees is like going into a gunshop and the guy sells me ice cream. Your suggestion was off base with elitist attitude.

Sometimes butch will serve you ice cream in the gun shop to help you see the light. I don't think he means any harm.

Do you think I come here to be enlightend? He told me to plant walnuts when I have 150 acres of trees.
In addition to his other comments, we call him a tall cool bottle of summers eve.

Get it right.

I told you to plant Coconut trees and winter your calves on Coconut Milk.
(an inspired thinking outside the box suggestion, if there ever was one)

 

[Son of Butch]

3 acres of zucchini would be fun/not

Coconut milk 14 oz can 99 cents... there you go... 3 acres of coconut trees and winter your calves on coconut milk.

$113 cwt better than milking cows

 

[ChrisB]

Well, when I originally read your first post I also ASSUMED that when you "feed" and "lack of harvest equipment", you were talking about a crop that you would store and would feed in bunks or something. Probably a regional thing, but I don't know if I've ever heard what cows are grazing referred to as feed, whether grasses, stalks, or a cover crop. I don't know where the fascination with trees came from, but if it was a 3 acre field that couldn't be grazed, it might have been something to consider.

 

[coyotefur]

3 acres of zucchini would be fun/not
3 acres of black walnut trees, but would take a few decades to harvest and buy feed with the proceeds
Coconut milk 14 oz can 99 cents... there you go... 3 acres of coconut trees and winter your calves on coconut milk.

You said plant walnut trees and buy milk with proceeds. Remember? Get it right.

 

[callmefence]

Plow, till, throw, cows harvest.

You telling me to plant trees is like going into a gunshop and the guy sells me ice cream. Your suggestion was off base with elitist attitude.

Sometimes butch will serve you ice cream in the gun shop to help you see the light. I don't think he means any harm.

Do you think I come here to be enlightend? He told me to plant walnuts when I have 150 acres of trees.

In addition to his other comments, we call him a tall cool bottle of summers eve.

It's becoming obvious growing nuts might benefit you.

 

[coyotefur]

Sometimes butch will serve you ice cream in the gun shop to help you see the light. I don't think he means any harm.

Do you think I come here to be enlightend? He told me to plant walnuts when I have 150 acres of trees.

In addition to his other comments, we call him a tall cool bottle of summers eve.

It's becoming obvious growing nuts might benefit you.

I think it's becoming apparent and a direct correlation between the number of post you have and how much farming you actually do....

Ive plotted the points and I'm making the bar graph with my hands. My middle finger is slightly in the upright position.

 

[callmefence]

Do you think I come here to be enlightend? He told me to plant walnuts when I have 150 acres of trees.

In addition to his other comments, we call him a tall cool bottle of summers eve.

It's becoming obvious growing nuts might benefit you.

I think it's becoming apparent and a direct correlation between the number of post you have and how much farming you actually do....

Ive plotted the points and I'm making the bar graph with my hands. My middle finger is slightly in the upright position.

I do no farming, I raise cattle. Although I do have about half your tree acres in oats this year. It's not a crop it's forage. :dunce:
And I was trying to help.

 

[coyotefur]

It's becoming obvious growing nuts might benefit you.

I think it's becoming apparent and a direct correlation between the number of post you have and how much farming you actually do....

Ive plotted the points and I'm making the bar graph with my hands. My middle finger is slightly in the upright position.

I do no farming, I raise cattle. Although I do have about half your tree acres in oats this year. It's not a crop it's forage. :dunce:
And I was trying to help.

Ohh the burn

 

[Tbrake]

I strip grazed while I could. This field was almost a half mile in all directions, so it was a major pain. It is well worth doing if conditions allow. This year I have 3 separate 80's that are going to corn. They are perfect rectangles so they will be a breeze to strip graze the turnips

 

[Son of Butch]

3 acres of zucchini would be fun/not
3 acres of black walnut trees, but would take a few decades to harvest and buy feed with the proceeds
Coconut milk 14 oz can 99 cents... there you go... 3 acres of coconut trees and winter your calves on coconut milk.

You said plant walnut trees and buy milk with proceeds. Remember? Get it right.

Sorry, but there it is highlighted for you.

Zucchini refers to old posting by fellow saying when he was a kid his father had 'bright' idea to get rich by planting
acres of zucchini and selling them at a farmer's market. (What a way to learn the meaning of supply and demand)

Clean 15" standing black walnut trees with over 9' logs in them bring a hefty price, if over 18' log the money's huge.
Feeding coconut milk to calves from coconut trees is just inspired genius run amuck.

Re: we call him a tall cool bottle of summers eve.
I acknowledge the wit :tiphat: and appreciate a clever reference. There might be hope for you yet.

p.s.
Life is too short to take seriously.

 

[TexasBred]

3 acres of zucchini would be fun/not
3 acres of black walnut trees, but would take a few decades to harvest and buy feed with the proceeds
Coconut milk 14 oz can 99 cents... there you go... 3 acres of coconut trees and winter your calves on coconut milk.

You said plant walnut trees and buy milk with proceeds. Remember? Get it right.

Coyotefur. Make a note....ignore Butch. He don't know shyt so he tries to cover his weakness with numbers and BS.

 

[TexasBred]

If you have a few acres that won't get damaged by cattle, why not a few black walnut trees or hardwood tree
of your choice along perimeter for future generation?
3 acres is awfully small for any type of field cropping.

Maybe in Minnesota but the young man is using what he has to work with and iirc he has less than 10 cows so 3 acres is actually a decent rotation field . Turnips or kale or any winter forage works well in the south and middle. Why are you degrading him because he only has small operation.

As one fella said "That's just the kind of sob he is".

 

[TexasBred]

About jan 1 the green on top of the turnip turned completely white/yellow and most fell off of the bulb. The cows have now eaten 98% of the bulbs and are now grazing on the turnip leaves that fell off, and the remainder of the corn leaves. They are still getting enough protein as their poop is still runny and splatters. (Not near like when they were eating the bulbs) all they are getting is some 8% oat silage hay free choice, but 60 cows only eat 2 bales in about a week. About half of them are milking, and the rest are springers. They are holding condition very well. I think I have found the magic ticket for my area. With turnips I don't have to spray to kill like I do wheat. I can run the ripper across it and be ready to plant it to beans by jun 1 easily. I have debated on no-tilling the beans, but I'm afraid of the compaction issues from the cows being on it all winter.

Do you strip graze or is it free for all?

Whatever you end up doing I hope it works great for you young man......no thanks to the stupid SOB who thinks walnut trees are a great investment for "next year"....or was that coconut palms. :lol2: :lol2:

 

[coyotefur]

About jan 1 the green on top of the turnip turned completely white/yellow and most fell off of the bulb. The cows have now eaten 98% of the bulbs and are now grazing on the turnip leaves that fell off, and the remainder of the corn leaves. They are still getting enough protein as their poop is still runny and splatters. (Not near like when they were eating the bulbs) all they are getting is some 8% oat silage hay free choice, but 60 cows only eat 2 bales in about a week. About half of them are milking, and the rest are springers. They are holding condition very well. I think I have found the magic ticket for my area. With turnips I don't have to spray to kill like I do wheat. I can run the ripper across it and be ready to plant it to beans by jun 1 easily. I have debated on no-tilling the beans, but I'm afraid of the compaction issues from the cows being on it all winter.

Do you strip graze or is it free for all?

Whatever you end up doing I hope it works great for you young man......no thanks to the stupid SOB who thinks walnut trees are a great investment for "next year"....or was that coconut palms. :lol2: :lol2:

Thanks I'm looking at turnips mixed with oats of some sort. Thanks for the info.