Thistles

[Clurickeen]

Question from novice farmer here. Have closed off about 20 acres for round bales. Grass growing nicely and should be ready to cut during next dry spell of weather. This is my first year to do this so it's all very new. One thing I notice is the huge amount of thistles in the field, they are literally everywhere. From reading online I think nettles are OK in bales but what about thistles?
I plan to sell the bales so don't want to sell them if they're bad quality or does the presence of thistles affect the quality.
Thanks!

[CelticRambler]

Can't say from first-hand experience, but in these parts we landowners have a legal obligation to take all reasonable measures, from 1st May to 31st October, to destroy them for the sake of the region's farmers.

They are, however, a relatively good nutitional supplement for cattle, sheep and horses, so if you're keeping the bales for your own livestock, it should be grand. If you're selling it, I think it'd be sensible to declare their presence in the bales before you shake hands on the deal - not so much for the problems it might cause any animals that eat them, but if the seed heads somehow get spread on someone else's pristine pasture, you might be subjected to the evil eye.

As for clearing them off my own land ... I may have missed a few.

[Clurickeen]

Can't say from first-hand experience, but in these parts we landowners have a legal obligation to take all reasonable measures, from 1st May to 31st October, to destroy them for the sake of the region's farmers.

They are, however, a relatively good nutitional supplement for cattle, sheep and horses, so if you're keeping the bales for your own livestock, it should be grand. If you're selling it, I think it'd be sensible to declare their presence in the bales before you shake hands on the deal - not so much for the problems it might cause any animals that eat them, but if the seed heads somehow get spread on someone else's pristine pasture, you might be subjected to the evil eye.

As for clearing them off my own land ... I may have missed a few.

Thanks so much for the reply, I literally had no clue whether they were a problem or not. I have already had someone ask me would I be interested in selling bales so maybe I might let him know he's welcome to have a look at the grass and thistles before it's cut and baled. I could say nothing but wouldn't like to do that to another farmer, as you say I could get the evil eye and wouldn't like it done to me.
Thanks again!

[Buford T. Justice VI]

Cutting them for bales will be grand, they won't affect the preservation of the bales, cutting and baling them fulfils your requirements for control and they will be left in front of the cattle after the silage is eaten.
I'd definitely show the buyer the field but, unless there was huge quantities of them there, they shouldn't reduce the value of the bales.
Gather them up and add to a dung heap and spread next year as dung.
You'll find you have much less of them the more you cut them.

[765489]

Cutting them for bales will be grand, they won't affect the preservation of the bales, cutting and baling them fulfils your requirements for control and they will be left in front of the cattle after the silage is eaten.
I'd definitely show the buyer the field but, unless there was huge quantities of them there, they shouldn't reduce the value of the bales.
Gather them up and add to a dung heap and spread next year as dung.
You'll find you have much less of them the more you cut them.

feck ME PINK! I nearly threw up my coffee when I saw your name Buford! Welcome and good to see you back in action.

[Buford T. Justice VI]

I've been busy elsewhere for a while but got a DM from an old buddy telling me this had started so I said there would surely be a few lads I know on here.
Some good folk on Boards that I missed, good to be back in the game again.
How're you keeping anyway?

[765489]

Clurickeen tried to sell me them dodgy bales yesterday but I didn't fall for it :p

I'm find thanks. I'm enjoying this place. People are sound, nice old school bulletin board. The farming ideas I had are basically gone out the window. Too much capital needed for little margin... so I'm just doing a couple of odd jobs for the neighbour, I'm charged with looking after his cattle and horses for 2 days. I just wander around and look in at them, count the cattle, make sure there's none wandering around fields that they shouldn't be... I'm planning to put in a very small commercial orchard and work from there. Something that suits me part time.

[Buford T. Justice VI]

Clurickeen tried to sell me them dodgy bales yesterday but I didn't fall for it :p

I'm find thanks. I'm enjoying this place. People are sound, nice old school bulletin board. The farming ideas I had are basically gone out the window. Too much capital needed for little margin... so I'm just doing a couple of odd jobs for the neighbour, I'm charged with looking after his cattle and horses for 2 days. I just wander around and look in at them, count the cattle, make sure there's none wandering around fields that they shouldn't be... I'm planning to put in a very small commercial orchard and work from there. Something that suits me part time.

That's common across the industry unfortunately.

Good to hear about the orchard, your location would be great if you were thinking of going into value added and direct selling. If you're on twitter, there's a good few lads doing similar and posting warts and all accounts of what they're at.

[Clurickeen]

Cutting them for bales will be grand, they won't affect the preservation of the bales, cutting and baling them fulfils your requirements for control and they will be left in front of the cattle after the silage is eaten.
I'd definitely show the buyer the field but, unless there was huge quantities of them there, they shouldn't reduce the value of the bales.
Gather them up and add to a dung heap and spread next year as dung.
You'll find you have much less of them the more you cut them.

Thanks Budford. Will show the interested party the field and let him decide but from what you say it looks like he won't have a huge issue.

[Clurickeen]

Clurickeen tried to sell me them dodgy bales yesterday but I didn't fall for it :p