Grazing Wild Carrot - nature's cover crop

A cover crop is typically defined as ​plants that are used to cover the soil rather than for the purpose of being harvested. Cover crops manage soil erosion, soil fertility, soil quality, water, weeds, pests, diseases, biodiversity and wildlife in an agroecosystem.  

Frescoln Ranch Premium South Poll Wild Carrot crop

We defer grazing on a percentage of our paddocks in order to mitigate the risk of running short of forage or overgrazing due to lack of rain.  These paddocks get a chance to fully express themselves as you can clearly see from these images.  The cow pictured below is not laying down!

Frescoln Ranch Premium South Poll Wild Carrot Crop

Wild carrot, also known as Queen Anne's Lace, has a large root that is edible for humans if you catch it before it flowers.  Apparently the flower is nutritious as well, although I haven't tried it.

Ideally you can graze it at ultra-high stock density, trampling the sward to build topsoil and organic matter, or graze it rotationally and then mow it after grazing.  This will open the sward for later summer forage and fall cool season regrowth.

In the following short video, Allen Williams discusses some benefits of "weeds" including their primary nutrients, secondary metabolites and their effects on the health of animals and surrounding plants.  The video also features our good friends, Steve and Judy Freeman of Woods Fork Cattle Company in Hartville, MO, of whom renowned cattle manager Burke Teichert once said "Until somebody proves me different, I think Steve and Judy are as good-a-graziers as there are."  They have beautiful pastures and beautiful cattle as you'll see in the video.

How do you deal with "weeds" in your pastures? Do you mow, graze, spray or other methods?