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Amy Dunnington and David Borkman, Gilbert Stuart Road,
North Kingstown, RI
This
farm served as a demonstration site from 2003 - 2006 as
part of the initial Healthy
Landscapes Education Program.
Setting: The
farm currently raises between 6 to 10 sheep, four sheep dogs
(trained as working herd dogs), and 12 layer hens. The
farm contains about one acre of land, with about 1/3 acre
available for grazing. The farm also has access to about
4 acres of pasture land located one mile away and historically
used about 0.5 acre of neighboring land for additional pasture
until 2006.
The farm also has a
vegetable and flower garden (about 1,400
sq. ft.) which is planted to a winter rye cover crop in
the fall and receives chicken and sheep
manure
and bedding collected during winter months. The home is
served by a private
drinking water well.
Area 2: Livestock
yard management and
rain barrels
Goals:
November - March: As
the grazing season ends, the goal is to
begin moving the animals
off the pasture areas as needed to allow for an adequate
residue of at least four or more inches during the winter
months. The poultry will return to their original fenced
coop which lies south of the vegetable garden in a level
area. The manure will continue to be stacked and used in
the garden.
The
owners constructed a new barn in August 2003, in place
of the old barn,
and contains
a roofed overhang as a shelter area for the sheep during
the winter months. A small "sacrifice" paddock
or livestock yard was created with the electranet fencing
around the shelter area for the sheep to occupy during
winter months. In the fall of 2005, a permanent livestock
yard was fenced around the barn.
The main concern with barnyard and livestock yard areas
is to prevent "clean
runoff" from
roof areas and other upland areas from mixing and traveling over
areas that are heavily occupied by the animals. The
runoff
can become polluted with
nutrients and pathogens from the manure deposited in these areas. It is important
to direct runoff that does travel through livestock yards to well vegetated
areas that can settle and soak up that water to minimize potential pollution
risk to nearby water resources.
New
barn with roofed overhang, February 2004. Electranet
Fencing was used to create a small livestock yard around
the barn (fencing located above the dog).
Managing
the sheep in winter and runoff management
The roofed area can temporarily store manure and bedding during the winter months,
minimizing exposure to rain and snow. The roofed area is also a good location
for an outdoor feeding station.
The
manure
and
bedding
can
be
spread
thinly
and evenly on grasslands during the growing season, as well as the vegetable
and flower gardens according to soil test recommendations. If soil test results
reveal that additional nutrients (especially Phosphorus) are not needed anywhere
on the property, the manure should be taken to another location that can utilize
the nutrients, such as neighbors' gardens and the pasture that is available
1 mile away.
February 2004.
Runoff
traveling off of the winter sacrifice paddock enters
some level pasture area and the vegetable garden (beyond
the picket fence below) where there
is some opportunity for settling and infiltration before
reaching the buffer of trees along the property
edge. A roof gutter and downspout should
be installed to direct roof water away from the winter
livestock yard. This will prevent clean water from mixing
with the yard as well as reduce mud.
February
2004.
Water
leaving a livestock yard should not enter wells, water
resources, driveways or leave the property.
The
vegeatble garden is usually planted to a winter rye
cover crop each fall, which is just sprouting in this
photo. This will help to control soil erosion and provides
some vegetation to help in settling the runoff leaving
the livestock yard.
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Fall
2005: Permanent livestock yard, roof gutter and rain
barrels installed.
During
the fall of 2005, a permanently fenced livestock
yard was installed at the barn. The total area
of the livestock yard was based on information
provided within self-assessment
worksheet 1.
The
roofed overhang was also enclosed to provide
for additional
shelter.
A roof gutter and rain barrels were installed during
spring 2004 to capture runoff. During the growing
season, the owners use 3 to 4 rain barrels
linked in series to capture roof runoff and
use it for watering the vegetable
and flower gardens. This also prevents roof
runoff from entering the livestock yard.
Think
of this: This roof area (east side of the barn)
is 1,000 sq. ft. A 1/2 inch rainfall produces
325 gallons of runoff. With an average rainfall
of 40 inches per year, this roof would generate
26,000 gallons of runoff in a year.
What
about during the winter?
Typically,
rain barrells should be drained and stored away for
winter months to prevent
freezing and
cracking. An outlet will still be needed to direct
roof runoff away from the livestock yard during
winter months
if possible. Due to the location of the roof gutter
downspout an underground outlet may be needed.
Another option is
to leave the rain barrels connected and open to an
outlet hose that conveys the water away from
the livestock
yard. The barrels and hose could be damaged due to
ice, freezing and animal traffic, but careful monitoring
and repair as needed may be less expensive than an
underground outlet. This may also be unaffective
during certain rain / snow events.
More about the use of rain
barrels on this farm Conserving
water and reducing runoff during the grazing season,
April - October:
A
roof gutter and downspout was installed for the east
half of the barn during Spring 2004. Home
made rain barrels have been installed at this downspout
to collect rainwater for use in the vegetable garden.
Not only do the rain barrels conserve water, but they
also reduce stormwater runoff from entering the pasture
areas. An overflow hose can be directed away from animal
access areas.
These 3 rain barrels are linked in series at the base
with a garden hose. The two white barrels have a 1&1/2
inch PVC male barbed adapter inserted in the side near
the top to serve as overflow outlets. 1&1/2 inch
corrugated drain hose can be secured on the adapters
to direct overflow water where desired.
The red barrel contains a wood covering to prevent mosquitoes.
Insect
screening traps debris and prevents mosquitoes
A
fourth rain barrel sits downslope of the barn, at
the head of the vegetable garden, and is fed by a garden
hose from the other three
rain barrels, providing a total of about 200 gallons of water storage. Remember
- a 1/2 inch rainfall will fill all 4 barrels.
More
information about ready-made
rain barrels and home
made rain barrels.
For
more information about livestock yard managment
Livestock
Yards and Manure Storage Areas on Small Acreages: Protecting
Water Resources and Health, Fact
Sheet 2 of our small
acreage livestock series
USDA
Natural Resources Conservation Service - Warwick,
RI (401) 828-1300
Additional resources on livestock yard management
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View
examples of pasture management (sheep
and poultry) on this farm.
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