Pasture conundrums in South Central PA

[fourfillies]

Preface: I’m likely overthinking this and I met with the PA Extension Agent.

Backstory: I planted 5 acres of higher end pasture mix in the fall (2 festolium hybrids, one warm season/one cool season and some annual rye for quick coverage) per recs of agronomist at the feed store. I have about 85% coverage. Weeds are starting to pop up in the poorly covered areas (including some crimson clover which I’m quite happy to keep). Looking to put horses on it (2 oldsters and a donkey) in August/Sept. I’ve been moving to 3 1/2 inches as I’m limited by the height of the riding mower. Must say, it looks gorgeous, for now.

Do I spray the weeds and lose the clover? Do I keep mowing (very nervous this is too low once it gets hot and dry)? Do I leave it alone and brush hog it before the horses come home?

I also want to plant for additional coverage in September. Ag agent was like “sounds good” to tall fescue or Kentucky blue. Said I could broadcast if I can’t find a farmer to drill. She said she’d stay away from orchard grass as I already have good cool season coverage and it doesn’t typically hold up to horses well even with low stocking rates. Thoughts on the blue vs fescue or another alternative?

My limitation is equipment and super busy local farmers. That is, I’m struggling to find someone interested in helping with “custom work” on 5 acres, which around here is planting anything other than orchard grass and spraying anything other than Round up. Vent over. I get it. Not worth their time despite my insistence I’m happy to be bilked. I’m still searching while trying to avoid being that overbearing non-farmer new lady stalker.

I’d prefer to avoid the purchase of a tractor this year (new house, plenty of $ already spent) but I’m close to thinking that’s may be my best option. This is a downsize for us and I was delusional enough to think we could get by with just the riding mower. But I’m missing a FEL too.

Sorry so long. TIA for any insights or creative solutions to any of the above.

[moving_to_dc]

Your garden tractor can serve you pretty well for spraying and spreading, you don’t need 3-pt implements for that. Your local feed store should have a large broadcast spreader (~$300) that can be pulled by a garden tractor. We have one that holds several hundred pounds of seed and we pull it with a zero turn Ferris. Same with a sprayer… you can find boom sprayers with on-board power that can be pulled by a garden tractor. Ours has fold out boom arms that cover a 12’ spray pattern. It was ~$400 years ago. Both are priceless on our smaller acreage, they easily fit thru gates and into nooks and crannies in the fields, and neither are so big that they tear the place up if the ground is a little wet.

[2DogsFarm]

If your total pasture acreage is 5ac you s/b fine with the riding mower.
Atrachments @moving to dc suggested sound perfect.
Wish I’d looked into those… Although I maintain pasture through benign neglect :uhoh:

First year I had the smaller of my two fields - ~1/2ac - drill-seeded, then used a manual spreader for the larger pasture - 2ac.
I know, bass-ackwards :o

Both had been leased for beans/corn the year before.
Honestly, the drilled seed didn’t do hugely better than the handspread.

I used a pasture mix from the local feedstore & 15yrs later I have mostly orchard grass & white clover. I feed hay year-round, but a LOT less when grass is in.
”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹
When I mowed, I set the deck to 6".
Last couple years, I just have a neighbor w/tractor bushhog for me in the Fall.
You could never call my pastures lush, but they are adequate for my 3 (horse, pony, mini) out 24/7/365.

[fourfillies]

Interesting about drilled vs broadcast. That’s essentially what the Ag agent said. Broadcast works, just have to seed at a higher rate. We had a lot more land at our other place and our pasture quality wasn’t great. That only meant I muzzled less. Here I feel like I need to be more proactive.

[Palm_Beach]

I maintain pastures with a used ATV and a swisher, and spent way less than the cost of a tractor. The ATV is useful for hauling the dump cart, plowing snow, and dragging the arena. I killed a riding mower trying to make it work like a tractor. I’d try not to mow below 4", though I understand your issue. I’m not sure if you can spray the weeds now, aren’t pre-emergent most effective?