No more mowing, sheep eat my grass!

Sheep Eat My Grass Part 1 I don't like mowing.  With more than 10 acres of property to mow, the job takes way too much time.  But if we didn't mow, the weeds would grow, sometimes out-competing the grasses.  And then there was the fire danger and defensible space to consider.  The long grass dries out at the end of summer and is a fire hazard.  After countless hours of mowing over the years, my wife and I figured we could stop mowing and turn the grass into a resource instead of a problem.  We decided to run a few head of sheep on the property to keep the grasses down and potentially have wool, animals or meat to sell.  The first problem to overcome was a lack of fencing.  We had none.  After doing a bit of research, we decided on woven wire and "T" posts for the perimeter fencing.  We chose woven wire rather than welded wire because of the strength and durability.  We decided on portable, solar powered electric net fencing to delineate the pastures inside the perimeter. There are several brands and styles to choose from depending on the intended application.  The advantage of using the portable electric fencing is in the flexibility of being able to move the animals frequently in a rotational grazing system without the expense of permanent fencing and being able to use the perimeter fencing as one side of the enclosure.  It not only keeps the livestock contained but keeps the coyotes out as well.  Depending on your pasture situation, the type of grazing being done can be simple or labor intensive.  Continuous grazing on one large pasture may work, but in our case with several small pastures mixed with timber scattered throughout the property, a rotational grazing system is necessary.  Sheep can also be used in prescribed grazing situations on your own property and for hire for controlling weeds and reducing fire hazard.  There are lots of resources on-line to help.   http://www.spokane-county.wsu.edu/Rural%20Living/index.html http://www.sheep101.info/201/grazingsystems.html Simple shelters that can be dismantled and moved fairly easily may be constructed out of straw bales and plywood in minutes, providing both shade and cover from rain and snow.  We have 75 gallon heavy-duty plastic tubs for water that are light and easy to move. Compared to the amount of money spent on the purchase of a tractor and the maintenance and fuel for it, (not to mention the hours mowing) setting up a sheep operation was relatively inexpensive and easy.  For more information and advice on starting a small livestock operation, contact Pat Munts, small farm program coordinator at the District. pat-munts@sccd.org or Walt Edelen, Water Resources and Livestock and Land program manager. walt-edelen@sccd.org  or visit  www.sccd.org  And be sure to put September 28-29 on your calendar for the Inland Northwest Small Farmers Conference at the Fairgrounds in Spokane.  If you are interested in home  gardening, having chickens or raising livestock, you won't want to miss it.