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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 pasture management
and grass-based livestock production. The Mintos
graze cattle and sheep.
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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. |
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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.
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Don
Minto demonstrates a reel of electric polywire and
how to fence a new paddock.
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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 (401) 828-1300
Additional
Resources on Pasture Management
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