"We started farming this land in 2007. Livestock currently diversified, including goats, pigs, chickens, ducks, guineas, a horse and pony (considering more). Pastures in transition to organic (unregistered, but no pesticides for over 10 years), row crops previously rented - options being researched actively. Interested in testing intensive multi-species rotations. Grazing and mowing and hand burning thistle has had limited success using goats and horses. Considering row crops this coming season."

The Fennell Farm is an integrated crops/livestock farm

Production approach: Sustainable (low chemical use)
Rotations: Pasture, corn, oats/pasture (2 or 3 years)
Cover crops: Rye
IPM used: None
Tillage: Plow, disk, cultipacker, drag harrow
Soil amendment program: Manure, rotational grazing, soil-testing at Midwest Bio-Ag,
Soil tests: Click HERE.

Field was visited 5/12/09. Soils were wet in low areas. Canada and bull thistle were observed on the farm. Alan has already disked twice the largest patch of Canada thistle at the low end of a field going into corn this year. He will plant corn and wait for the thistle to re-emerge, at which time he will disk the patch again and plant sudangrass. Alan will then proceed with the following plan:

1. Till multiple times. A disk will be used 2-3x before planting sudangrass.

2. Plant sudangrass. Seed will be located and sudangrass will be planted in early June at a recommended rate of 55 lbs/acres in area tilled.

3. Mow sudan at 4-6', just as thistles are starting to flower.

4. Sudan will be mowed again. A second mowing will prevent any thistle from flowering and help build up a thick layer of biomass to smother thistle.

5. Sudan will be tilled under in Fall or following Spring.

The farm was visited again on August 31. Below are pictures taken during the second visit. Alan let the thistle in this corn field grow until early August, at which time it was reportedly very tall and about to flower. On August 2 and 3, two Canada thistle patches were mowed and rototilled. On August 5, sudangrass was planted (broadcast). Three and a half weeks later the sudangrass had emerged, but had not put on much growth (see pics below).


Late planted sudangrass fails to choke out emerging thistle.

This is consistent with what has been observed at other locations, and seems to indicate a very important component of the system: sudangrass really needs to be planted no later than mid-June, for optimum growth to choke out thistle struggling to recover after mowing and tillage.


Two large C. thistle patches were treated in the corn.

Though the plan stated above indicated that sudangrass would be planted in early June, Fennell decided to wait until the thistle was just flowering before mowing and tilling the weed. The cool, wet summer and competition with the corn really slowed the thistle growth. Mowing at this time prevented the thistle from flowering and then rejuvinating the roots, but did not give the sudangrass enough time to choke out re-emerging thistle sprouts. On August 31, thistle had sprouted heavily and sudangrass was just getting started. In theory, the thistle should be weakened.

It will be interesting to see how the thistle returns next Spring.