Land rehab/prep - building from scratch in old hay pasture

[anon55755751]

Fiance and I bought a 12 acre property about 18 months ago ,and have since built a house. The builder should be coming back out soon to do final grading. The property was an old hay field that has gotten weedy - mostly goldenrod and similar, not too many woody plants, as it was mowed by neighbors occasionally. We have a few questions about getting it back into shape for our uses, which will include horse facilities (small barn, dry lot with run-in, pasture(s), outdoor arena).

1. When it hasn’t been mowed, the grasses (and grassy weeds) have grown to 3’-4’ by the end of the year, then died. Over winter, the dead plants get knocked over and flattened, and new grasses grow over them. Now, I know what unmaintained paddocks with lots of old hay trampled into the mud look like, and I’m wondering if that’s effectively what we have here. It has been exceptionally wet this spring - portions of my property are under standing water, and we can’t mow much because it’s too easy to go from solid ground to mud and get stuck (using a ZTR for now). I’m assuming this old grassy debris is making the situation worse than it otherwise would be, but I don’t know. Should we try to break up this stuff? Let it decompose naturally and just mow once it dries out? If break it up…how? Till it? Terraforming?

2. The property is rather bumpy in many places - I don’t mean rolling terrain changes, but locally bumpy, making riding the ZTR jarring in places. Any way to flatten this out?

3. Any recommendations for lawn and pasture grass mixes for southern MI? (I will also be getting recommendations from the Extension office too, naturally.) We have timothy and orchardgrass out there now (among the weeds). If I keep that mowed, will it grow shorter (less stem, leaves closer to the ground)?

4. Suggestions on how to get the water moving without totally regrading 6 acres are very welcome. On one part of the property, there is a natural ditch that guides water away - could I extend that deeper into the center of the property? Maybe build myself some ditch jumps across it as well?

Thanks!

[Bluey]

I would first check with the local Natural Resources office, located in the USDA Farm Service agency in your locale.

They should have plenty of maps and the knowledge how to do whatever you want there, divert the water, clear the rough old grasses, what else to plant, etc.
They may even cost share some of that with you if they have some such programs to help manage your land as they do here, especially if the plans involve water.

When it comes time to sow grasses, they may also have drills to do that they loan, or know who can do that for you.

Those offices are our taxes at work.
See about using them, they are there to help people like you, that need that information.

They flagged a terrace for us to divert the water when we were planning our barn.
Works like a charm.

[anon55755751]

Thanks! I think I had come across some of their loan info before, but didn’t know about the rest of this. I’ll definitely give them a call!

[SashaBast]

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/sitenav/national/states/

What Bluey said. : )

You would fall into the “Begining Farmer” category.
There are state, local and federal programs. It can be fairly difficult to navigate and find the info.

Check also with your local Extension Office. They are a separate entity to the NRCS.

Congrats on your new home!