Good animal for clearing brushy meadow?

[meganwf]

I'm not sure what category to put this question under and I'm usually hanging out on the poultry forum.

We have a little less than one acre of meadow-like land that we took a scythe to last fall and has been mowed once or twice since we have been here for 5 years (it was mowed before that regularly and horse pasture before that). It is fenced w/ split rail, has trees around it and a small stand in the middle. Neighbors to the right, state park to back and left and small seasonal creek in front. We harvest lots of black/raspberry canes that are prolific, have some bluebird houses and when we can make trails in it have picnics with the kids.

I'd like to turn it into something a little more productive with fruit trees and extra veggies from the main garden. Also plan on doing some meat birds out there this spring under deep bedding. But there are lots of small saplings (sassafras, oak) etc. cut off at sharp angles. We don't have any machinery and getting anything across the rickety bridge is an issue. That's why we did the scythe.

Is there an animal anyone would recommend for clearing this area down some to make it easier for grass/trees/garden or more succulent somethings?

[melina]

goats, followed by pigs. But you'll need good fencing. Portable electric would get the job done if done right. Everything you mentioned growing out there, goats LOVE. The pigs then would root the sapling stumps up as they rototill.

[bill not in oh]

Goats and/or Highland cattle will browse on the saplings. They will also clear the berry canes, though and they'll be anxiously awaiting for those fruit trees A split rail fence will not hold either in the pasture reliably.

[Janis Sauncy]

Goats are good, but they also need some kind of shelter so they can get out of the weather. And, ditto on the good fencing. Once they have the desired area cleared, they're going to be looking past that at the state park's and neighbor's. You'd be surprised at their escape ability. And, please, don't tie them out. (I know some people will disagree with that, but there's too much potential for damage to the animals with tangling, predators, etc. Besides, how would you like to be at the end of a twelve-foot chain?)

[jerzeygurl]

jersey cows

[OkieDavid]

Goats.....two would clean the area nicely in a full year. Ditto the comments about giving the protected space and fencing- good rule of thumb on suitable goat fencing "if you can see or spray water through the fence, it ain't goat proof"..... Said with tongue planted firmly in cheek.

David

[thaiblue12]

I also say goats. Cows are far more expensive and their poo mushy. Goats are easier to handle and their poo is pellets.
I have mine in the evening in a pen with a goat house. But during the day they are fenceless. Goats are smart and we taught them with fear and a paintball gun to "stay at home". This requires some effort on your part. We had to do it around 4 times till they learned. So if you want to fence it but not go through the expense of electric and etc. Then some teaching will be required.
We also got them for brush and they can clear an acre fairly well. Get 2 or 3 females and/or wether.

[fantasymaker]

Finn sheep.
Much more productive than nonmilking goats and a heck of a lot easyer to containand care for.
besides they will eat a lot wider range of stuff than a goat.

[fantasymaker]

opps done said it!

[ajaxlucy]

Shetland sheep will also eat brush/saplings and mine LOVE blackberry canes; they can easily live on that with no additional feed. They almost never seek shelter from the weather, except for looking for shade when it's hot and sunny. They'll need fencing, too, but not as escape-proof as for goats.

[RedneckPete]

I had an area about a half acre that was covered with coarse brush and scrub about five or six feet tall. Raspberries, dogwood, goldenrod underneath and other various shrubs with the occasional one inch diameter tree. The area was completely impassable by any human being taller then four feet and not willing to crawl around on their hands and knees.

I literally slashed a four foot wide trail around the outside with a brush blade on a weed-eater and a chainsaw for the bigger bits. I then installed a two strand electric fence in this open path, and released two 30 pound piglets.

By the time the first batch of pigs was ready for me to eat (one April - November season) the area was quite clear. There was still the odd clump of shrub and a swath across the middle where the pigs had uncovered an old wire fence laying flat on the ground, which prevented them from rooting there.

I spent a couple hours with a pair of wire cutters and cleaned up the old fence. The next spring I threw in two more pigs. By the end of that season there was NOTHING growing the the pen taller then four inches, and VAST areas had been turned into bare dirt. What remained was wild grasses and low weeds.

Even the small trees dissappeared. I can only conclude that the pigs ate them or else broke them up and tilled them into the soil.

Pigs are the way to go. They worked great for me and are far tastier then goats.

Pete

[uncle Will in In.]

You locate an old horse that is a cribber, and it will clear you patch of everything before next spring. A cribber is a horse that eats the bark off the trees, and the siding right off your barn. It's hard to find one because no one wants to admit their horse does that. Don't pay over $200 dollars for one because now that they are outlawing the slaughter of horses, you won't be able to give it away next year.

[YuccaFlatsRanch]

DR Field and Brush Mower.

[Tiffin]

Goats, but fenced in real good, which is expensive. We had 5' hog panels for them. I think 2 goats would have that down in no time. People are right, do not tie them out unless you stay with them. They get tangled up. Free range won't work, they wander too far. And they want you right with them. They are very sociable animals. We sold our goats and are getting a brush mower to get rid of outlying multiflora rose bushes to extend the pasture. Cheaper in the long run, only need to feed when being used. Ha, ha.

[meganwf]

Wish I lived in CA where you can actually rent a goat to clear an area! I tossed the idea to my husband and he think I'm crazy as he is a bigger fan of "gadgets" to get things done (he loves the brush mower idea! especially if we can rent one) and I love to add more animals into the mix. I really like the no-gas, permaculture idea of using an animal especially if it means that they do two jobs at once like clearing and providing milk or meat as well. Sigh. Maybe between our scythes and some chickens we can make the area more productive and at least make room for some fruit trees. The deer should love that.

Thanks for all of your suggestions! Now I just need to see if I can convince someone...

[sue currin]

30 horses pulling a bush hog

[Janis Sauncy]

If you do decide "goat," please don't get only one. They are herd animals and really, really need a companion. I won't sell a single goat to someone unless they already have at least one.

Janis

[meganwf]

Well we used our own muscle power, loper cutters, scythes and the lasagna garden method along with a section of electric fence and hoop coop to turn part of the meadow into more than just weeds. I have 9 fruit trees, small pumpkin and corn patch planted plus 23 cornish x chickens almost ready to go to the butcher. But I'm sure as soon as the chickens are gone the area will quickly grow back up unless we can stay on top of it.

RedneckPete: I like the pig idea. Will electric netting work for two pigs? Also, how do you all get pig from home to the butcher's?

I also might have found someone who would rent two goats--could they overnight in a hoop coop? Thanks all for letting me revive this old thread!

[Janis Sauncy]

I can't speak for butchers in other areas, but around here (Washington state), they come to the pig/cow/etc. I used to be a meat wrapper for a farm slaughtering place and the truck was called "the slaughter truck."

You make the arrangements, they come and kill at your place. Some butchers in this state are licensed to kill on their own property (but they have to have a special "on-site" license) for those people who prefer for some reason or another to bring the animal(s) in.

You're given a choice on how you want your meat "cut and wrapped" and when it is ready to be picked up, you will be notified. And, just a "heads up" for first timers, the hanging weight is NOT the actual weight of the meat you will get. The hanging weight is before it's boned, fat trimmed, etc. (although it is the weight after the guts, head, etc. are removed). Some people who aren't aware of this going in tend to think they've been "ripped off" if they go home and start weighing out their meat and find they don't have the 200 pounds of meat the "hanging weight" indicated. And, you will be paying the processing fee based on the "hanging weight" (such as 55 cents per pound, or whatever it is now and in your location).

Janis

[mink]

Originally Posted by Janis Sauncy

I can't speak for butchers in other areas, but around here (Washington state), they come to the pig/cow/etc. I used to be a meat wrapper for a farm slaughtering place and the truck was called "the slaughter truck."

You make the arrangements, they come and kill at your place. Some butchers in this state are licensed to kill on their own property (but they have to have a special "on-site" license) for those people who prefer for some reason or another to bring the animal(s) in.

You're given a choice on how you want your meat "cut and wrapped" and when it is ready to be picked up, you will be notified. And, just a "heads up" for first timers, the hanging weight is NOT the actual weight of the meat you will get. The hanging weight is before it's boned, fat trimmed, etc. (although it is the weight after the guts, head, etc. are removed). Some people who aren't aware of this going in tend to think they've been "ripped off" if they go home and start weighing out their meat and find they don't have the 200 pounds of meat the "hanging weight" indicated. And, you will be paying the processing fee based on the "hanging weight" (such as 55 cents per pound, or whatever it is now and in your location).

Janis

dont forget that hanging weight and the final product will vary according to trim and bone loss......mink