Silvopasture: Can livestock production really coexist with trees?

Silvopasture is not a new concept. However, our methods of implementing it have changed. There are indeed ways that cattle can coexist with timber management, but there are significant limitations. We touch on some of those concepts, but if you want to get mooving, we recommend digging deeper by checking out: https://smallfarms.cornell.edu/2018/07/six-key-principles-for-a-successful-silvopasture-2/ and joining some great groups like: https://www.appalachianforestfarmers.org/.

In the last epsisode we reviewed the importance in identifying the weed you are trying to control. This time we will focus more on the variety of control methods available. It is important to use multiple techniques or an integrated approach. This will help prevent your weed problem from getting worse while also protecting the environment and your pocketbook. 

Weeds are a challenge regardless of whether you are growing a lawn, flowers, pasture, or row crops. The broad variety of weeds means we need to have a variety of treatment methods. Integrated Weed Management is the combination of multiple activities to gain better control of those pesky weeds. This segment discusses how the differences in weeds can be used to help improve your results.

Planning for the future is hard enough without thinking of your own mortality. However, it is critical to make a sound, legal, plan for just that. Will the farm stay a farm after you are gone is a critical question to discuss with your family, one that doesn't have a lot of easy answers. More questions to ask include planning for retirement and long-term care. We recommend working through this fact sheet series with your family: https://ohioline.osu.edu/tags/basic-estate-planning regardless of your age or well being, plan ahead. 

In this second to last installment of our business planning series, we talk about how to know if you business is making money. While you may be showing positive income on your balance sheet, that's not always the whole picture. There are many factors to consider. We dive into enterprise budgeting to help you see which aspects of your farm are making money and where you are losing money. 

Starting or expanding a business requires you to take stock from personal, economic, and physical perspectives. Agricultural businesses are no different. One must examine regulations, possibilities, probabilities, and of course, abilities. To help sort all these steps in your mind, we recommend conducting a SWOT analysis. 

When starting any kind of business, it is essential to know why you are putting in the effort. By working with your family, sit down and talk about what values are most important and how this venture could support or hinder them. 

If you want an annual source of food for your family a fruit tree is a wonderful option. However, buying the first tree you see and putting it in any old spot is a recipe for disaster. Healthy fruit trees take planning and effort. If you avoid either of these you will be unhappy with the results. Save yourself the extra work down the road and make the right choices up front, from soil drainage to selecting the right variety.

Quick tips to help you prepare for the upcoming single digits!

Just because you can't see it doesn't mean it can't hurt you. That is why it is so important to call 811 before you dig. We talk about why, when, and how to get your underground utilities marked before taking on big or small digging projects.