Planting the Future: Seeds for New Pastures at Mission Farmstead

This April brought more rain than I’ve ever seen on these 77 acres in Ohio. That’s a problem when I'm trying to seed a new pasture. I could not get into the fields to till the land one last time.

I had hoped to plant a cocktail of cool and warm-season grasses earlier in April this year, but the weather had other plans. It rained nonstop. I couldn’t risk planting all the new seed I had purchased. Instead, I decided to wait until this coming August and September, when the nighttime temperatures stay below 70 degrees Fahrenheit—an ideal climate for my cool-season seed species.

This year is about laying a foundation for future pastures. These fields were row-cropped for nearly eight decades, I'm told. The soil's organic matter content is 1.9%, the pH levels are at 5.2, and there is heavy soil compaction below the top 1 to 3 inches. To rebuild it, we need roots—lots of them.

Here’s what I plan to sow:

Perennials:

• Orchard grass – Cool-season. Can go in spring or fall.
• Little bluestem – Warm-season native to Ohio. Great deep roots.
• White Dutch clover – Cool-season legume. Excellent nitrogen fixer.
• Birdsfoot trefoil – Cool-season perennial with good nutrient content and a strong root system.
• Chickory – Taproot plant that breaks through compaction and helps with soil structure.
• Medium red clover – Cool-season. Nitrogen-fixing legume.
• Boston plantain – Hardy perennial that works well as groundcover.

Annuals:

• Cereal rye – Cold-season grain. Dense fibrous roots help hold soil and feed microbes.
• Iron clay cowpea – Warm-tolerant cover crop. Helps protect soil and fix nitrogen when planted later.

Orchard grass, white Dutch clover, birdsfoot trefoil, medium red clover, and plantain can be planted once the nighttime temperatures remain above 70 degrees. That usually happens in April or late August to early September here. But little bluestem is a true warm-season species. It needs warm soil, above 70 degrees, and early summer conditions to take hold.

The rainy spring we had means we won't have any warm-season seeds this year. I'll plant them in with my mix of cool-season perennials to watch them take off next summer. The cereal rye will prevent erosion after I till the land and kickstart the underground biology.

Roots on a Regenerative Farm

The goal is healthy soil. Here is why root systems matter so much on a regenerative farm:

1. Soil structure – Deep roots from grasses and taproots from chickory break up compaction and allow microbes to thrive.
2. Carbon storage – Roots store carbon below ground and feed fungi and bacteria after they decay.
3. Nitrogen fixation – Legumes like clover and trefoil host nitrogen-fixing bacteria, which improve fertility naturally.
4. Erosion control – Roots keeps soil in place during heavy rain.
5. Resilience – A diverse root system helps the pasture recover after grazing or drought.

These fields needed a jumpstart. My seed mix combines plants that work together underground and above ground. Perennials stay year after year. Annuals like rye are a nurse crop that sprouts fast and becomes green manure next summer.

What to Expect This Year

Right now, in the middle of summer, I'm letting the pasture breathe. Natural grasses, such as Johnson Grass, have grown and are giving the soil a much needed break after years of overuse in row cropping..

In the fall, I’ll add high-calcium agricultural lime and chisel plow the fields to create a seedbed for the nine seed species mentioned above.

Next spring, I’ll check the soil again. Once I begin to see deep roots taking hold, I'll start adding pasture-raised cornish cross meat chickens or cattle.

What You Can Learn from This

If you’re working on your own homestead or small farm setup, here are a few clear takeaways:

• Wait for the right temperature before planting warm-season grass. 70 degrees at night is the low bar for safe seeding.
  
• Utilize warm-season natives, such as native little bluestem, for deep root penetration.
• I choose to do 30% legumes for natural nitrogen fixation.
• If you're starting a new pasture like me, and you plan to till up your fields, be sure to use Iron Clay Peas for a spring and summer nurse crop or Cereal Rye for a fall and winter nurse crop.

Next Steps at Mission Farmstead

After the seeds have been planted and start to grow, the next step is to set up the blueprint for pasture fencing. I hope to begin our rotational grazing plan in 2027, possibly 2028.