woolly lawnmower pics

[patandchickens]

As long as you have somewhere else to pasture them when the lawn needs a rest, and don't mind a certain amount of sheep poo amongst the grass (although our dog vacuums up a lot of that, sigh), they are both beautiful and labor-saving.

I really need another section or two of electronet, then I could do the *whole* side yard and probably much of the backyard as well (totalling probably almost 1/2 acre) to lighten mowing duties when the grass is growing fast.

The only knock against 'em IMO is that they are real hard on the clovers in the lawn, which I like and don't particularly want to exterminate. But, oh well, can't have everything.

Pat

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Looks great, Pat! The lambs are getting HUGE! What height is your electronet?

 

[patandchickens]

Well, they're 2 months old now, I'd HOPE they'd be growing LOL

The fence is from Premier, I *think* it's the 35" E'Stop but would have to look next time I'm out there to be sure. We have wind issues so the taller stuff seemed less-adviseable; you can't really see in the pics, but there IS an actual permanent wire mesh fence between the electronet and the road, so it is not the only thing keeping sheep in and dogs out.

Pat

 

[carolinagirl]

So how easy is it to set up a section of electronet fencing? I am beginning to see that sheep have a lot of potenitial to mow grass in other areas besides their pasture. so do they leave trees alone as long as they have plenty of grass to eat? I am so used to goats that would rather strip bark than eat the grass.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

It has already been 2 months?! Time flies!

 

[Lizzie098]

Awwww, so cute!!! Thats a great idea, I hate cutting the lawn!

 

[patandchickens]

So how easy is it to set up a section of electronet fencing?

Once the grass where the fence will go is zipped down to ground level, it is super easy. This is almost automatically the case on a lawn; moving electronet thru tall weedy pasture is a lot more nuisance unless you have previously determined exactly where the net will go and mowed along it.

All you do is detach it from the electrical connnection where it was, take out any step-in posts or tiebacks, then walk along the net picking up the posts. You let the net trail in folds between the posts, so you're just holding the ever-increasing number of posts with a ~8' train of folded net sections behind you. Then stick one end post in at the end of the new location, walk along zotting the posts into the ground as you go. Walk back along the fence, repositioning the posts to get them straight and taut, and adding step-ins or tiebacks (I use tentpegs attached to a loop of baler twine) as the situation requires, and when the fence is all straight and happy you reconnect the electric.

I am beginning to see that sheep have a lot of potenitial to mow grass in other areas besides their pasture.

Mine are also doing a great job of the real weedy or "rough-y" areas of the horse pastures (the parts where the horses have pooed so they won't graze there). And they're much lighter on soft ground than horses are.

so do they leave trees alone as long as they have plenty of grass to eat? I am so used to goats that would rather strip bark than eat the grass.

Yes well unfortunately they do browse more than one might necessarily wish. In the top picture, behind the dark-colored shetland, you will see a pussywillow bush they've pruned up, and next to it (not really visible) is a much smaller scrawnier specimen that I fear they may've killed. They are not restricted to jsut what they can reach up for, either -- some of mine have discovered that you can walk shrubs down, just barge into them and flatten them down under your chest, and one of the lambs actually rockets UP into the bush to access higher branches to flatten, as well.

Mine don't eat bark the way goats would, BUT the ram is real bad for rubbing the top of his head very vigorously on tree- and shrub trunks, and has mashed a lilac and damaged the bark on a few young (trash) trees.

I would suggest that if you'd be grazing them in an area with trees or shrubs you want to keep, put trunk protectors on the trees and run a couple strands of electric to keep them off the shrubs. I keep SAYING I'll do this to protect the pussywillows, I do *have* a battery powered charger AND a solar charger that could easily be used with a few step-ins and some electric rope or tape.... I just keep not DOING it

OTOH they do a reasonable job of cleaning small shrubs/saplings out of areas you WANT them removed from, such as horse pastures or weedy areas. So it's not entirely a bad thing.

Pat

 

[ksalvagno]

Lots of nice grass for them! They may as well earn their keep. Not to mention fertilizing your yard.