I live in north central BC and it is not agricultural land, mostly hay and beef pasture. Where my one food plot is in the bush, parallel to and above a creek ravine and pretty marginal soil, I've had a few fantastic crops of brassicas but then the clover takes over thick and that means too much spring/summer bear activity. It seems turnip, radish, beets and kale are the hot items, but that is fall and winter.
I have one end of my long skinny plot, about a third of the area, that grows nothing, after repeated tries. Some weeds come back and maybe two percent of the intended crop struggles along pathetically. Although I can't imagine the soil is much different than the other two thirds, I have to believe it is. That plot also gets the most sunshine.
We have little to no ag support services in the area. So I'm wondering if anyone has any insight on the soil test meters that are available from Amazon and the like. I do fertilize but will almost for sure not lime. But perhaps a rudimentary soil analysis could help with what to plant.
I'm also dealing almost entirely with bush mule deer and the does and fawns utilize the plots heavily as cold weather approaches and well into winter if we get enough snow before very cold temps. But I'd like to start a perennial crop that has some early spring benefit to the pregnant does and carry over fawns.
My wife says the way I already bitch about the weather, seed and fuel costs, I could be a farmer now!