Spring Forage

The fall planting of oats, winter peas and vetch did really well, especially where the soil was fertile.  Here are pictures of the mix in the weather station field that has not had chemical fertilizer, but additions of manure composted hay and earlier growths of ball clover.  It was grazed to 2 to 4 inches several times over the winter and let grow back this spring. 

Below is the mix growing in the west bahia field.   Here it was grazed a couple of times and seems to be growing well in the bahiagrass sod.  It gets started slower in the fall, growing out of the sod, but seems to be doing well.  This field did receive an application of chemical fertilizer. 

Ewe Flock

The third week in April, the oats are starting to finish and go to seed.  In areas where oats are planted over bahiagrass sod, the grass is starting to come on strong enough to supplement the the declining oats.  Here the ewe flock, with the rams, are sweeping across the south field eating the seed heads and tops of the oats.

Odin is in with the sheep doing a good job protecting and staying with the sheep.   The flies from the sheep go after Odin's ears and nose, the pink is "Swat" fly repellent.