Partnership Spotlight: Silvopasture

Building successful silvopasture pairings to support farmer education in North Carolina

Jeff Byrd/ Byrd Family Trust- Broadway, NC

Project size: 18 acres

Harnett County, NC

Type of operation: Cattle

Objective 1: Establish silvopasture at a scheduled mature pine thinning.

Objective 2: Plant seeding pines and established forage on a clear cutted area.

Step by step:

  • Fall 2018: Learned of interested farmer and land opportunity through area Extension livestock agent after conducting project outreach.
  • Fall 2018: Worked with area Extension livestock agent and Forestry agent in addition to NC Choices team. Assessed mature pine, thinning ratio (marking trees to remove and keep), and value of pines with support. Thinning was planned to maximize tractor and equipment maneuvering, limb and debri removal, grazing and water lines.  See sample infrastructure layouts.
  • May 2019: Thinned timber ~10 acres and clear cut.
  • Fall 2019: Applied lime, fertilizer, and seeded fescue. Apply 600 pounds of 10-10-10 fertilizer at establishment and or follow soil test recommendations for starter fertilizer.  Plant Fescue at 20 lbs per acre at a seeding depth of ¼” to ½ “ inch depth.
  • Fall 2019: Planted pine seedings in clear cut ~5 acres.
  • March 2020: Installed fencing and water lines (see water plan)
  • Dec. 2020: Moved cattle on property
  • March 2021: Installed electric fencing for cattle within permanent fence

Summary:

Byrd is a beginning farmer who was leasing land from other family members. Byrd worked with NC Choices and his county livestock agent to have his site serve as a demonstration training site for other farmers in the county and surrounding area.  The county agent secured ~$8,000 of additional grant funds from state programs to support infrastructure costs in addition to project support from USDA. Byrd’s property was primed for implementing a silvopasture with established Bermuda grass, pines ready to thin, an established water source, infrastructure that can take years to establish. However, he needed the capital, planning, and technical assistance to develop the project to completion. Following the above steps and with technical assistance, grazing, watering, and infrastructure planning, Byrd completed the thinning and now has a showcase site equipped with grazing cattle.  The livestock agent plans to hold workshops in partnership with Byrd in the coming years.

Early site visit

Three men in a winter season forest
Two men on either side of the photo. They are in a forest where the ground is covered in brown leaves
A man talking and pointing off to the side. He is in a forest
Three men walking away from the camera in a fall season forest
Three men walking away from the camera in a fall season forest
A man looking off to the side. He is in a forest with thin trees and brown leaves on the floor

Clearing Pictures

Large tractor clearing trees to make a less dense area of trees
Large tractor on the left of the image, moving into a less dense forested area
Picture depicts an area with sparse tall pine trees and on the ground are recently cleared trees from the area
Tall trees distant from one another allowing sunlight through the trees

Forage establishment

Down the center of the image, a white wire fence following along a dirt path. Behind the fence is open green space with trees in the background
White fence with wooden stakes cutting through the middle of the photo. On both sides of the fence is open green space. Encircling the open space behind the fence is forest
White fence with wooden stakes in the foreground with green plants in front of the fence. Behind the fence are spaced tall pine trees
White fence with wooden stakes in foreground with grass and tall pines trees behind the fence
White fence with wooden stakes in foreground. Behind the fence on the left of the photo are tall trees, to the right are open grass space
Fence with wooden stakes in the foreground. Behind the fence is open grass space. On the right of the photo behind the fence are tall trees and these tall trees encircle the grass space

Cattle on site

In the foreground there is a wire fence. Behind the fence are around 6 cattle grazing between trees that are far apart. In the background is a forest
In the foreground there is a wire fence. Behind the fence are around 5 cattle grazing between trees that are far apart. In the background is a forest