[Mays]

One of my fields is becoming fairly redundant, we have taken hay off it the last three years and it is very fertile, but we are trying to think of what else we could plant to make use of it rather than us mowing it or mob grazing, we are cutting down the flock for the next 2 years so the grass is going to go to waste.
 
Any suggestions, (not more sheep! )

[Brucklay]

OK not more sheep for you - but more sheep for me .............. ok only jelous of the more spare ground you have than I have in total 

[Rosemary]

Cattle. Shetland cattle or some other native breed. You'll get hooked.

[YorkshireLass]

Forest garden 

[FiB]

What is your goal? Less work? more money? Woodfuel?  If you want less work and more money, Id just rent it out!  We've put some of our unworkable pockets over to biomas production (willow) and orchards in other pockets - but that is definitely more work than hay in terms of establishing the trees and then harvesting and processing.  Lots of options for 7 acres, but depends what you want (why you want to change)...?

[bangbang]

How about a runway.... just kidding!!!

[lachlanandmarcus]

Plant oats. Lots of horses need something palatable that is less high energy than grass or hay. Oat straw in small bales goes like hot cakes for laminitics and ponies. And you can sell the oats too, either as is, or bruised as animal feed. And it copes better with the UK climates than other cereals.
I am planning to plant some once I get the kit, have the plough so far.

[SallyintNorth]

Please don't plant trees on ground that makes good hay!    (Off to request a begging emoticon, and a hand-wringing one.  )

[SteveHants]

Somebody will graze it down for you, I would have thought - its how I got started mine was 5 ac summer and the rest (15ac) hay aftermaths on a smallholding. I used to give them a lamb every year and fix the odd fence as it probably isn't worth paying money for that small amount of sheep grazing  - improved their hay into the bargain.

[oink]

Please don't plant hay on ground that makes good trees!

[Mays]

hey thanks for all the replies guys 
I want to change as I do another 20 acres of hay/haylage already, dont have enough (or want more) sheep to keep it grazed and thought I could grow a useful crop instead.
Oats... now there is an idea!
I dont want to plant trees as I have planted a huge amount already and dont want to live in a forest 
I  do not want to let the grass for grazing for reasons I do not want to go in too.
 
 

[lachlanandmarcus]

Have just seen your location area - we are in Deeside so not far! Might even buy some oat straw if ours gets squashed (we are quite exposed facing onto the mootins!! or OH doesnt get round to it!
If you do grow them then one good place to advertise free locally the produce (apart from the Marketplace on here of course!!!!) would be Horseystuffforsalein Scotland Facebook page - as its used by a lot of local horsey people in the Aberdeen area. Plus cards up in Towns and Carnie etc - the feed places. There is also a Horseystuffforsalein Aberdeenshire page altho thats more localised. The mart at Thainstone do sell fodder tho Ive never seen oat straw there only barley and wheat - usually big bales but sometimes small, but theres no reason why oat straw couldnt go in the fodder auction too.

[denmylne]

if you plant pear trees around the edges of the field, full standard pyrus communis rootstock, they will eventually be big enough that sheep and cattle will no longer be a problem, the old orchard i was in yesterday had horses in it. new trees need protected for the 1st few years but once established are bomb proof and require little or no pruning

you can then use the rest of the field for any other purpose you wish

http://denmylne.wordpress.com/