turning a farmed field into pasture (with plastic mulch to remove, ugh)

[ernkinz]

Closing on our little farm Friday. The previous owners were nice enough to bush hog a former pepper Field that we hope to use as pasture. I didn’t realize there was plastic mulch still in place but there was, oh well, have to figure out a way to remove it even if just by hand.

Its been several (5-10+) years since it was farmed. My question is, aside from pulling mulch and planting, does anyone have any idea about what’s in store for us? I will have the soil tested by our local extension so I’ll have an idea of amendments etc we might need to get it growing after that. I don’t think there will be any remaining fertilizers or the like in potentially harmful amounts because of the time, but please weigh in if you have thoughts. The rows are not too prominent after this amount of time so I don’t expect to do major regrading or anything (maybe just dragging?). tell me what else to consider.

What do you all plant in your pastures? I’m in upstate SC not far from Tryon, NC. I’ll be in touch with locals and the extension to get ideas too, just wanting to hear a variety of ideas.

[Guilherme]

Extension in this is not just your friend, it’s your Best Friend! What they tell you will be based upon fact and learned opinion for your area. Anything you get here, besides this advice, isn’t that!!!

Congratulations and best of luck.

G.

[clanter]

To rid the pasture of the plastic can you do a controlled burn of the pasture? Disk around the outside edges first.

If you look closely at the satellite view of our place you can see the contours of the water run off swells that were put in place in the 1940s

Since you are in North Carolina I would have some orchard grasses in the pastures. When we were in Kentucky it was commonly used where I was.