Reclaiming the hillside

The southwest corner of our farm was once cleared pasture land, but over many years, through neglect, this rolling hillside became overgrown with scrubs, brush and trees. 

Same area, different angle. Where the little pond sits there used to be a large, ugly dump, where previous residents tossed all their trash and broken stuff. It is gone, so now its time to reclaim this area as pasture land. The same friend I hired to work on our stream bed and banks brought his big bull dozer up here, and...

...got to work. I love the way he opened it all up by removing the cedar trees and heavy brush while leaving plenty of big trees to give beauty and shade.

The boys and I seeded this entire area with fescue and orchard grass, and some clover. I have to brush hog it frequently to beat the sumac and weeds back until the grass gets strong enough. It has given us several more acres for grass. Unfortunately, the tractor broke a few weeks ago,  and the two tractor repair shops in town are backed up due to haying season. I hope to borrow a neighbor's tractor this week in order to mow.

To the west, our newly opened pasture flows into the boundary line of the farm. This shady area was bull dozed last August so we could put up a good fence.

To the east, the "new" pasture flows into the existing hill pasture that we have been trying to reclaim with frequent mowing. The bush hog is not the right piece of equipment since it is designed for cutting brush and small tree saplings. I need to buy a "mower" which cuts closer to the ground. Or, I could go back to my original idea of putting a flock of meat goats up here - the only problem is keeping the water gap over the stream secure, so the goats don't escape. Cheaper to buy a mower...if I can get the tractor fixed!