# soybeans to pasture



## doug in ohio

Hi all. Recently moved onto 20ac of rolling field in SW Ohio just east of Cincinnati. It's been cropped in soybean about every year for the last 10. The beans are due to be taken any time now. Would like to turn an 8ac field into pasture for future fencing and 4H type animals for the kids. What's the process from here? I'd like to plant something that's going to look good (for the wife) as well as be useful down the road. Probably won't have any grazers on it until at least 2011. Thanks.


----------



## CantonHayGuy

Doug,
It just so happens this is how my field started out; as a bean field. When I started talking to guys around here about the things I thought I should do before planting hay it was suggested to me to just seed the field as it was. Most will tell you using a seed drill will ensure better results; I agree.

If you are going to seed it this fall, fertilize it in the spring. I bought my acreage after harvest and had a local guy drill seed the field with a good horse pasture mix hay that same Fall. I didn't take soil samples to be analyzed prior to fertilizing and I just went with what the local Co-Op suggested. To ensure success and even keep from buying fertilizer or chemicals you might not need in the soil, I'd do the soil samples before ordering the fertilizer.

The following Spring when my grass started coming up, it seemed like more weeds were coming up than grass. I thought the guy who planted for me had given me a raw deal, but all the same guys I talked to before this venture told me not to worry; just keep the field mowed before the weeds "go to seed" and the grass would crowd out the weeds. I am here to tell you, it works! I just kept the mower deck set high enough to cut the weeds and not so much of the grass.

Not having animals on it 'til 2011 will be best, as the grass will have a good stand by then. Originally, I thought I was going to use a portion of the field for a pasture. I guess in hind sight I'd suggest you check the 8 acres for holes that might be dangerous for animals when covered up by grass. I didn't have any holes to begin with, but now the freakin' badgers have put good sized holes here and there.

If I had it to do again I would disc and drag the field before planting to level out the crop rows in the soil. It doesn't affect the animals, but it sure gets uncomfortable when it comes time to cut and rake for baling.


----------



## UpNorth

It you planted the field next spring to Italian ryegrass you should be able to get a fair amount of grazing in next year. It grows very quickly and will yield very well-a very high quality and palatiable grass if you graze/cut it before it heads out. It will out compete the early flush of broadleafed weeds if you have a hihger enough seeding rate. Up here in WI Italian ryegrass is an annual or weak perennial, but it probably will be more perennial down there. I'd mix some tall or meadow fescue in with the Italian ryegrass as they will definitely be perennials, yield very well and are very palatible--especially the meadow fescue.

A no-til drill should be fine to plant you pasture if you can rent one or have some come in and take care of it.

If you want to plant a legume, most people put one of the clovers (red or white) in a pasture, but alfalfa can fit well for the first planting of a pasture. Birdsfoot trefoil, sweet clover, and kura clover are used occasionally and can fit depending on how aggressively you're going to graze/cut the pasture.

As far as the fertilizer goes. I'd pull a soil test this fall. A co-op is in the business of trying to make money and I have a hard time believing a fella who gets paid more if he sells more will give an honest recommendation every time. I'd look over some of the local extension bulletins once you get your soil test back and fertilize next spring according to that.


----------



## Jake_NEIA

I did just this exact thing this spring. First make sure there is no carry over on the chemicals that were applied to the beans. I doubt there is, but ya never know.

I worked my ground because I was going to make hay on it the first year and didn't want bean straw in my hay. I field cultivated it twice, then broad cast seeded it with our gator, then ran a cattle panel over it to cover the seed. It worked very well. Defiantly not the cheapest way, but it is smooth. I got 2 cuttings off of it this year.

Any grass will look good for the wife if you keep it maintained. ie Keep it mowed so the weeds don't take over. When it first comes up there will be weeds. Mow it before the weeds seed out and the grass will regrow and shade out the weeds.

Most places say not to graze the first year, so the roots can get established.

Hope that helps...
Jake


----------



## swmnhay

One other thing you say it is rolley,will it be prone to erosion if you get a hard rain?Maybe you should have some sort of cover crop to hold the soil until the grass gets established.Oats,wheat,or ryegrass.

Maybe notill is another option.


----------



## doug in ohio

Thanks for the info to chew on. Knew I came to the right place. I'll give an update once I get a game plan worked out.


----------



## CantonHayGuy

Since you mentioned maybe having 4-H animals on the acreage, take precautions when planting fescue. Any fescue you plant should be endophyte free; endophytes..... not good for pregnant animals.


----------



## UpNorth

The older tall fescue varieties are the ones to watch out for like Kentucky 31, but the newer varieties are either endophyte free or a novel endophyte that should be fine for cattle. To my knowledge none of the meadow fescue varieties have shown to have negative effects on animals.


----------

