Shade

[ClinchValley86]

I am severely shade poor here at the farm. What are some solutions yall have devised?

I'm gonna start planting trees but thay doesn't help me now. Box elders, walnut, and weeping willow are my plan there.

Thinking a couple 4-8 post open sheds or something. But don't much like the idea. Gotta do something though. Need place or two to stash small groups during summer.

 

[kenny thomas]

Movable shade structures

 

[Mountaintown Creek Ranch]

For permanent Bury some 6x6 or 8x8 posts. Unless you got access to schedule 40 black steel pipe then I would use 6 in if possible. Then you can purchase the shade sails.
They let the rain through but provide pretty good shade.
The wind doesn't seem to tear up too much, if you're in a real windy area then you can put those short heavy duty bungees at the eye rings.
But as Kenny said the portable is really nice because you can keep them from killing one area.

 

[ClinchValley86]

Movable shade structures

The ones I see for sale cost Morristown than a used pickup truck. But that sort of thing has caught my interest.

Got an old homebuilt gooseneck trailer frame. Considered building one out of it. Got a friend that's good with metal.

I do like portable.

 

[ClinchValley86]

For permanent Bury some 6x6 or 8x8 posts. Unless you got access to schedule 40 black steel pipe then I would use 6 in if possible. Then you can purchase the shade sails.
They let the rain through but provide pretty good shade.
The wind doesn't seem to tear up too much, if you're in a real windy area then you can put those short heavy duty bungees at the eye rings.
But as Kenny said the portable is really nice because you can keep them from killing one area.

It is pretty dang windy in our valley. But... I think it could be overbuilt to work. Neighbor tried some type of shade cloth material on 4 posts and it didn't last long at all. Barely a month.

 

[4hfarms]

Time for a new hay barn?

I also like the idea of a moveable shade structure on skids.
One can hook the minerals right to it and move them all at once.....

 

[cowman82]

I have a big field I was going to start putting cows in.. but not much shade.

I'm going to make a portable shade mobile with a old hay wagon frame I have laying around. I was going to use a shade material from premier 1.

 

[Texas G@l]

Some friends park their pot size trailer in the pasture for shade.

 

[Mountaintown Creek Ranch]

It is pretty dang windy in our valley. But... I think it could be overbuilt to work. Neighbor tried some type of shade cloth material on 4 posts and it didn't last long at all. Barely a month.

Heavy duty

 

[Dave]

I realize things are different down there. Humidity and the resulting heat index. Thousand and thousands of cows here without a speck of shade except maybe a tall sage.

 

[Brute 23]

Heavy duty

View attachment 59659

Saw a guy online talking about those for cow shade. I think a company was actually making them for that. The ones he had were huge.

Not sure what they cost but it's probably the most economical.

 

[Texas G@l]

I realize things are different down there. Humidity and the resulting heat index. Thousand and thousands of cows here without a speck of shade except maybe a tall sage.

Yes, sir, the heat index makes a huge differnce. It's currently 92 and 46% humidity ..... heat index is 99. 92 for the last day of June is actually cooler than normal here.

 

[Dave]

Yes, sir, the heat index makes a huge differnce. It's currently 92 and 46% humidity ..... heat index is 99. 92 for the last day of June is actually cooler than normal here.

It is 98 here today but the humidity is 19%. Still too darn hot for me. As I have said many times there is nothing about my Scandinavian ancestor or being raised on the north Washington coast that prepares me for hot weather.

Our extended forecast is hot today, hot tomorrow, and hot for the next 2 or 3 months.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Not sure I've ever seen humidity as low as 19%. Haha

Today was 79° with 63% humidity. Ha

 

[Travlr]

I am severely shade poor here at the farm. What are some solutions yall have devised?

I'm gonna start planting trees but thay doesn't help me now. Box elders, walnut, and weeping willow are my plan there.

Thinking a couple 4-8 post open sheds or something. But don't much like the idea. Gotta do something though. Need place or two to stash small groups during summer.

Ground water is important for young trees and a lot of them take a lot of it. I've used locust trees because they are drought tolerant, take root quickly, and an article I saw said they give more cooling than most trees due to the transpiration rates of having such small leaves in great quantity.

 

[sstterry]

It is pretty dang windy in our valley. But... I think it could be overbuilt to work. Neighbor tried some type of shade cloth material on 4 posts and it didn't last long at all. Barely a month.

You can make them, and then remove the cloth or whatever it may be at the middle or end of September. (This is for our area only)

 

[Ouachita]

My cows certainly utilize the shade this time of year; mid summer when the humidity is rank. Later in summer our humidity is lower, and although the temps are higher, it's more comfortable.
My place is about half meadow and half woods. Thick younger growth with a near solid canopy. The cows have well worn trails and resting areas so it's easy to walk through in many areas. Just last afternoon we had some pop-up showers and afterward it was like walking in a soup bowl. I followed those trails into the shade along the creek and I could instantly feel the difference.

 

[mwj]

Did you feel deer flies when you hit the shade?

 

[Ouachita]

Did you feel deer flies when you hit the shade?

Feel them? No, I didn't notice any.

 

[mwj]

That is a good thing.They usually take out a ''divot'' and leave a blood spot.

I always found them and horseflies liked the edge of the shade where it is cooler.