What we really want to do with it is to reforest it and have it as a little oasis for the native critters, but that's a problem as it will attract snakes. Unfortunately, Tassie has more tiger snakes than anywhere else I've been, they are all over the place. So much so that the farmers kill them on sight, even though they shouldn't, but considering how aggressive tigers are here (they will actively chase you across a paddock so you need to be able to run) I can understand why they do. So, to provide a haven for the buggers is just not viable unless we can find a way to deter them.
As I write this, one of the neighbours is picking up about 50 bales he just cut and baled this week (he's the caretaker on a neighbouring farm that has every bit of equipment you could ever want, and the owner seems happy if he does odd jobs for neighbours), so we get the paddock cut and they get spare hay for their stock. Not as good as silage but a backup nonetheless.
Chip, the farmer across the road did spuds last year, the workers who were supposed to harvest them were 3 months late and so he missed 3 months of silage growth in that paddock. Seems that is not an uncommon prob here, so not sure relying on external workers is where we want to be. We had thought about fruit or nut trees but the same problem applies, and setting up is expensive.
Anyway, will have to keep thinking on this one, we simply don't have the spare cash to start farming something like flowers or whatever as it means ripping up the entire paddock to remove the "scary grass" and regular roundup spraying (evil stuff too, don't want to use it) to suppress new growth. The grass seed is all over the place, so I think we are stuck with using it for the moment.
So my current thinking is rescuing a critter or three. I was originally thinking sheep, but they do have a habit of walking through fences, including electrics, so a horse or two might be an option, and agistment might be too.
So that is our dilemma, we need something that won't be a time and money sink but that might be better use of the land than just growing grass.
Posted Sunday 29 Dec 2013 @ 8:40:56 am from IP
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