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The
Watson Farm
 The
Watson Farm is an historic property owned by Historic New
England and operated by farm managers, Don and Heather
Minto. The farm is located in Jamestown, RI and is a resource
for demonstrating pasture management and grass-based livestock
production. The Mintos graze both cattle and sheep.
Visit
the Historic
New England website for more information about
the farm's revival of a heritage breed of cattle.
Pasture
Management: cattle and sheep
 Cattle: Don
Minto discusses portable electric fencing which is important
for creating multiple pasture paddocks that can be grazed
at the proper heights and then rested for regrowth while
the cattle graze another paddock.
There
are various forms of portable fence posts - usually constructed
out of plastic or fiberglass that can string electric polywire
as shown above. In some varieties, insulators are separate
and others have a built-in area to place and secure the
wire.
 Don
Minto demonstrates a reel of electric polywire and fencing
a new paddock.
 This
pasture paddock was recently grazed and is now being rested
to allow for regrowth.
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 Sheep: Heather
Minto uses portable electranet fencing to provide multiple
paddocks and rotational grazing for sheep. Sheep are being
moved to a new strip of grass. The fence that is being
removed will be used to start a new strip ahead of the
existing one. Back fencing is also used to prevent the
sheep from re-grazing recent strips.
A
battery powered fence charger is being used to power the
electric fence.
For
more information about pasture managment
Livestock
Pastures, Fencing, and Watering on Small Acreages: Protecting
Water Resources and Health, Fact
Sheet 3 of our small
acreage livestock series
USDA
Natural Resources Conservation Service; Warwick, RI office,
(401) 828-1300
The
Northeast Grazing Guide -- Northeast Pasture Research
and Extension Consortium
The
University of Vermont Center for Sustainable Agriculture Vermont
Pasture Network
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