"Hey Richard,
That's the ecological trajectory I've taken. Natives are recovering quickly, and I'm holding off on seeding anything else until livestock (and maximizing their production) becomes an immediate reality.
Y'all better…"
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Ben Harris
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- Benjamin Harris
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Shade-tolerant forage seed species and sources?
Started this discussion. Last reply by Ben Harris Sep 29, 2020. 14 Replies 0 Likes
As I thin some woods and open up some edge lines, I'm hoping to seed some perennial shade-tolerant forages. I'm mainly focused on wildlife at this point (I don't yet own livestock), and hope to get…Continue
Searching for tree seeds
Started this discussion. Last reply by L kas Sep 1, 2023. 1 Reply 0 Likes
Hey y'all,I'm in search of tree seeds - fruits, nuts, fodder, N fixers, etc. Do you have favorite seed/nut sources or cultivars? I'm looking for production and vigor. Disease resistance will reveal…Continue
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"If wildlife rather than grazing areas for domestic animals is your focus, you need to focus on native biomass rather than non-native biomass, most of which is not usable, or not efficiently usable by wildlife. What wildlife you intend to support…"
"I would agree with Brett, this is pretty impressive Ben. Thank you for sharing your journey.
Brett, I totally agree with you on trefoil and i have observed the same things here in Michigan, Trefoil is only growing out in the full sun areas of…"
"Impressive, Ben - and clear that you're carefully thinking it all through"
"That's great!
Thanks for the feedback Ben!"
"Hi Sienna,
I haven't planted anything, just created the opportunity for the seed bank to express itself. This area is in a floodplain along a riverbank that usually floods at least once/year, often 2-3 times per year. A few years ago, this was…"
"Hey Ben,
Your forest looks great so far after your selective tree thinning! Were those grasses that you currently have already present when you thinned or did you plant them?
We have a few goats and have been selectively thinning our woods and using…"
"Yeah, lots of understory trees, for sure; I've tried not to open things up too fast. A good portion of them are shell bark hickory and pawpaw, which I like for the wildlife value (and, for myself...pawpaws are delicious). Many are other…"
"Ben,
From the photo, it appears that your nice trees are well-spaced for silvopasture, but that there are still a significant number of small-diameter stems - most or all of which are probably non-commercial species and/or suppressed shade-tolerant…"
"Thanks, Brett!
Unfortunately, stilt grass is growing in the sunnier spots right now. BUT in sections of the woods that I selectively thinned 1-2 years ago, the same stilt grass has given way to a much more diverse mix of cool and warm season grasses…"
"Limited shade tolerance studies indicate that Reed Canary, Orchardgrass and Tall Fescue and Bluegrass are amongst the most shade-tolerant cool season grasses, roughly in that order. However, varieties within species seem to matter.
The…"
"Again, I am not sure where you are located, but in my regular pastures in central MI, i have a fair amount of trefoil, which i like. I wonder how that would perform in a silvopasture. If any on this forum can weigh in, i would like to learn about…"
"Thanks, Kable. I've looked at orchard grass, and it's towards the top of my list. If only it spread more prolifically... That it's so deep-rooting is appealing, for sure."
"Hi Benjamin, here is MI, our forage specialist recommended Orchard Grass as one of the grass species. Not sure what you would plant in your area. Good Luck! "
Shade-tolerant forage seed species and sources?
As I thin some woods and open up some edge lines, I'm hoping to seed some perennial shade-tolerant forages. I'm mainly focused on wildlife at this point (I don't yet own livestock), and hope to get perennial or re-seeding annuals with substantial root mass to break up heavy clay North Carolina soils. Recommendations for species / mixes / seed sources? I've done some preliminary research, but am hesitant to buy mixes without specific input from silvopasture practitioners.See More
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- Benjamin Harris
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- North Carolina
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- Durham
- What is your occupation relative to silvopasture? (for example, owner/producer, extension specialist, agency specialist, etc.)
- learner, prospective practitioner
- Please describe, with two or three sentences, why you are interested in silvopasture. Your answer helps us ensure that only those people truly interested in silvopasture are added as members.
- I'm the director of a nature-based children's summer camp on a 96-acre property, interested in environmental education and ethics.
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Forum
How to measure average amount of sun light hitting silvopasture floor?
Started by Joanne Vaughn. Last reply by Tom Ward Feb 25. 5 Replies 0 Likes
What is a good simple way to estimate the average amount of sunlight hitting the pasture part of the silvopasture over an area of say 10 acres? The goal is to determine if further thinning may be…Continue
Hi! Newbie here...
Started by Lolly Winne Clough Jun 18, 2025. 0 Replies 0 Likes
Hello everyone! I'm Lolly and I'm new here. 👋 I was just wondering if there's an organization in Chenango County that will assess your land and assist with a silvopasture plan? I have about 4 acres…Continue
Silvopasture article in Modern Farmer
Started by Brett Chedzoy May 27, 2025. 0 Replies 1 Like
Nice overview of silvopasturinghttps://modernfarmer.com/2025/05/silvopasture/Continue
overwintering sheep in the woods
Started by Gabe Smith. Last reply by Brett Chedzoy Feb 5, 2025. 1 Reply 0 Likes
Is there a reasonable way to manage grazing in the woods during winter or using it as an overwintering site in place of a barn (there is no current barn)? The woods are shruby with multiflora rose,…Continue
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