# Sweet gum, hickory, and oaks oh my: or building a browsing area.



## Scooby308 (Oct 20, 2015)

Been thinking about buck pens and browse in general. The plan is rotational grazing of hayfields with access to browse. Toying with the idea of the buck and a few whethers to move around the farm to clear those rough spots.

This farm was established well over 100 years ago. It has seen tobacco and cattle, and most recently used for hay. I have pretty much reclaimed about 2 acres of woody growth and converted it to pasture. But being on top of a ridge, there are places a tractor can't go...but a goat can.

I stepped off a wooded area today totaling about an acre. I think by adding an acre of pasture, I can divide it into paddocks for rotational grazing for the does.


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## Scooby308 (Oct 20, 2015)

Some one explain why my pics are sideways. I tried to submit as thumbs andvthen I got full and thumbs...all sideways


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## Latestarter (Oct 20, 2015)

Sideways is sometimes a result from phone posting. Not sure how to fix it. Those areas look like goat heaven!


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## Scooby308 (Oct 20, 2015)

Latestarter said:


> Sideways is sometimes a result from phone posting. Not sure how to fix it. Those areas look like goat heaven!



I think it will be nice. Plenty of shag bark hickories with red, white, and black oaks, and a mix of scrub honey locust and sweet gums. There's also lots of black berry briers. The property line slopes down and is pretty rocky so maybe less hoof trimming. I am tying in an acre of reclaimed pasture. It's not grade A, but I think it will do. 

The old fence from the last owner cuts about 30 feet off of the farm. I intend to use every inch I can. I found the old fence line from waaaaay back in the day swallowed by oaks you can't get your arms around. The good thing is the previous owner was lazy so pulling all his barbed wire is an easy job and he put T posts every 6-8 feet. Lots of good 6 foot T posts.


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## Baymule (Oct 20, 2015)

Oaks! Hey, rake up the acorns and feed them to those pot bellied pigs you don't want!


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## Scooby308 (Oct 20, 2015)

@Baymule ummm...no. Lol.


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## babsbag (Oct 21, 2015)

My goats adore acorns, it is candy to them. Fortunately they don't all fall at once and I have a lot of goats, don't have to worry about them over indulging on them.


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## sadieml (Oct 22, 2015)

Our 2 pygmy babies can eat a young sweet gum in 2 days or less!  And they love dried oak leaves.  They don't like them fresh since they're a bit waxy, but let those bad boys shrivel and watch out!  They aren't particularly interested in acorns, yet, but that's probably just because we have sooo many sweet gums...but not for long!  I have to run some temporary fence around a patch of woods adjacent to their pen, since we want to make it into a pen for the girls we'll be getting by March.  Then we can let them clear where I want to start an orchard.  These guys sure can mow through some brush for 2 little fellas.  I do love my little goaties!


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## Michael & Donna (Oct 22, 2015)

If you have some big sweet gums cut them down and take to a sawmill.... Some of the most beautiful wood grain you've ever seen!  Only good thing about a sweet gum


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## Hens and Roos (Oct 22, 2015)

We have the regular maple trees(no red maple) and they are starting to drop leaves....our goats love picking and choosing which ones to eat!


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## babsbag (Oct 22, 2015)

Mine love the dry oak leaves...and it is a good thing...dry is about all there is in California right now.


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