Pasture improvement help

[jdcopkid]

I’ve spent the last couple hours trying to find companies, people, contractors, whatever, that will spread lime and fertilizer on 30 acres and help with pasture improvement. I’m near Fort Worth.. first question, what should I even search for when trying to find places that do these things? I’m coming up empty

 

[Mat Man]

Some of our local CoOps do custom spreading
Check with them or your places that sale fertilizer and lime

 

[Brute 23]

Search for a real feed store or co-op. Ask them if they do it or if they know who does. A local auction barn could probably also help.

 

[4hfarms]

First time years back took me a bit, but I had used a 4wheeler, with bags on the back rack and a ramp to a push fertilizer, backwards and pulled behind the atv. I was at the point of trying anything within my means. (No equipment)

Being used by animals and unrolling hay were the largest improvements to my pastures, year over year. It takes time.

 

[bird dog]

Look for a feed store close to your land. You won't find much in Ft. Worth but you might in Weatherford or Springtown Fertilizer shouldn't be difficult, lime will be. Where is your land at that you are wanting done?

 

[Farmgirl]

To the OP. How far is your pasture from Hillsboro? Producers Cooperative has a location or two up that way.

 

[BC]

How do you know you need lime or how much lime do you need? Call the Extension office in the county your place is located and they should be able to tell you several fertilizer dealers that work in your area.

 

[Walking W]

I've spent the last couple hours trying to find companies, people, contractors, whatever, that will spread lime and fertilizer on 30 acres and help with pasture improvement. I'm near Fort Worth.. first question, what should I even search for when trying to find places that do these things? I'm coming up empty

Try Bridgeport Feed. They offer to spread my fertilizer. Once, when I pulled their spreader with my own truck, the driveshaft went out right in the middle of spreading. Their guy came out with their truck and finished the job and hauled the spreader back.

 

[Mrcopier]

I wouldn’t fertilize this year wait till may or so, the rest of the guys are spot on with finding it

 

[Texas G@l]

I’ve spent the last couple hours trying to find companies, people, contractors, whatever, that will spread lime and fertilizer on 30 acres and help with pasture improvement. I’m near Fort Worth.. first question, what should I even search for when trying to find places that do these things? I’m coming up empty

Have you done a soil test to know what exactly your pasture needs? If not, contact your extension agent; most extension offices have sample bags and a sample probe you can borrow to collect the soil samples. Then you can mail the sample to TAMU soil testing, https://soiltesting.tamu.edu .

A soil test is money well spent.

 

[jdcopkid]

Look for a feed store close to your land. You won't find much in Ft. Worth but you might in Weatherford or Springtown Fertilizer shouldn't be difficult, lime will be. Where is your land at that you are wanting done?

Located in Sanger. I’ve found a couple leads, nothing too promising yet

 

[jdcopkid]

Have you done a soil test to know what exactly your pasture needs? If not, contact your extension agent; most extension offices have sample bags and a sample probe you can borrow to collect the soil samples. Then you can mail the sample to TAMU soil testing, https://soiltesting.tamu.edu .

A soil test is money well spent.

Haven’t done the soil test yet, but definitely will

 

[jdcopkid]

Try Bridgeport Feed. They offer to spread my fertilizer. Once, when I pulled their spreader with my own truck, the driveshaft went out right in the middle of spreading. Their guy came out with their truck and finished the job and hauled the spreader back.

Thank you, I haven’t heard of this one before. I was going to contact Justin Feed this week and check with them

 

[jdcopkid]

To the OP. How far is your pasture from Hillsboro? Producers Cooperative has a location or two up that way.

Pretty far, I’m about 20 min north of denton

 

[Texas G@l]

Located in Sanger. I’ve found a couple leads, nothing too promising yet

Off the top of my head, Red River coop in Gainesville , Paddack fertilizet in Krum and Helena in Era come to mind. They're not too far from Sanger.

 

[kenny thomas]

I've spent the last couple hours trying to find companies, people, contractors, whatever, that will spread lime and fertilizer on 30 acres and help with pasture improvement. I'm near Fort Worth.. first question, what should I even search for when trying to find places that do these things? I'm coming up empty

Glad to see you are going to lime and fertilize instead of just planting seed. But as stated you need a soil test before you know whats needed. Most times the soil test recommends different than what you would buy normally.

 

[CharleyCap]

I've spent the last couple hours trying to find companies, people, contractors, whatever, that will spread lime and fertilizer on 30 acres and help with pasture improvement. I'm near Fort Worth.. first question, what should I even search for when trying to find places that do these things? I'm coming up empty

I have had hell finding people to do anything on my little bit of acreage. Your best bet might be to go look for business cards left at your local coffee shops where the old men hang out at daybreak. Another idea, while we are still so bone dry, you might be able to use a 4x4 pick up truck to spread fertilizer, rye seed, lime etc. I use these little buggies from Simplot, but I see other feed stores that have them too. Might be worth throwing a few sacks of some rye seed in there too if you got hungry cattle on it right now. That's exactly on my agenda this week or next

 

[Mark Reynolds]

Get your ducks in a row. You need to find out first if you even need lime. That is of course a soil test. You want to have this in hand when trying to find someone to spread your lime from the aspect you might stumble across someone who can do this and they might ass immediately, "how much lime do you need, when do you need it, and where are you?" You might want to be prepared for that.

As for the timing of the spreading of lime, lime usually takes time to incorporate itself into the soil, as in 6 months. It's not like fertilizer. That said, the lime type will have a big effect on how fast it is 'assimilated' into the soil. You can literally apply lime at any time. Fertilizer needs to be a bit more time sensitive.

Another point. All lime is not created equal. Familiarize yourself with "Calcium Carbonate Equivalents". A ton of Ag Lime is going to have a different effectiveness level than a ton of lime coming from your water treatment plant.

Never apply more than 2 physical tons of lime per acre at a time regardless of the effectiveness equivalent.

 

[gixxerr750]

Located in Sanger. I've found a couple leads, nothing too promising yet

I sell Texas Pasture Plus fertilizer. We have a liquid organic and liquid calcium that would help you get your soil healthy and I also spray. Unless you are planting winter grass I would wait until March/April. Can also spray herbicide if needed as well.

 

[simme]

I sell Texas Pasture Plus fertilizer. We have a liquid organic and liquid calcium that would help you get your soil healthy and I also spray. Unless you are planting winter grass I would wait until March/April. Can also spray herbicide if needed as well. View attachment 50902

Help me to understand the application rate. If a soil test indicates a need for 45 pounds of N, 30 pounds of P and 15 pounds of K, that would require 300 pounds per acre of a 15-10-5 liquid fertilizer. Normally fertilizer analysis of 15-10-5 would indicate that the liquid purchased is 15% nitrogen by weight, 10% P by weight and 5% K by weight. The website states that a normal application is 32 oz per acre which cost $15/acre for the product.

Product is 11 pounds per gallon which is 2.75 #/quart. That would require 109 applications to get the required 45 pounds of N, 30 pounds of P, and 15 pounds of K. I must be missing something.