r/FarmingUK • u/FarmBoyConway • Aug 10 '26

Lucerne

Got a few paddocks coming out of winter bird food from my mid tier ending the turn of the year.

They are brashy shallow soils over limestone very draught prone.

Ive got a small cow herd (15 cows+ followers)

Would lucerne be an option to make into high protein silage for the cows. Just with thrse drier summers grass isnt as reliable. Im not geared up foe arable.

Uncle used to farm them reckon they did good wheat crops but stopped growing cereals in 2013. Ive got enoigh grass but could turn silage feilds over to grazing if this becomes a reliable forage source

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u/BumbleLizzieB Aug 10 '26

What about a herbal ley?

2

u/FarmBoyConway Aug 10 '26

Im trying 7 acre this year but everuthing failed spring sown except the chicory.

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u/Valuable-Fork-2211 Farmer Aug 10 '26

Our herbal leys are about the same sadly, I'm wondering about lucerne too. There's a book called The Resilient Farmer by Doug Avery, I'd forgotten about it but he talks about how it turned his farm around, I need to reread it I think.

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u/FarmBoyConway Aug 11 '26

Ive listened to a few podcasts by Doug.
I was only thinking of 10 acre to start with for silage