I have no formal training in habitat, conservation etc. I am a prolific reader and experimenter. My first food plot was in 1995-96, but I consider myself at the beginning of a long learning curve.
My farm is only 120 acres, split about evenly between mature timber and tillable. It has a 3 acre 16' deep pond. It lays north to south 3/4 mile long and 1/4 mile wide. It is upland, clayish soil with a tendency to dry out. The timber is on the outside all the way around, the tillable is in native grasses with a 7 acre plus continuos food plot that winds through almost the entire length. Fertilized, limed with both annuals and perennials. It is designed to create movement through the property.
I remember discussing a couple of times the effect Gly has on clover and I stated it does not kill it. Here is a picture of the perimeter plot sprayed 2 weeks ago with a 2% ratio of Gly to water. It is generic 41% Gly with surfactant. Notice the clover not harmed. It. Rained 48 hours after application. In clover plots I reduce this Gly/water ratio to 1.5%. I think the chances of creating Gly resistant weeds with small scale habitat work is minimal.
Better picture of the small shed.
I will mow this after the grains fully mature. With proper moisture 15-20% of the grains will germinate this fall keeping the plot more attractive over a longer period of time.
I do not kill all the weeds as I think they make the plot more attractive to wildlife.
Finding the balance between yields for winter food and number of weeds is a challenge. When the beans begin to yellow I will broadcast rye grain in for more food, and soil stabilization and nutrient building. Since the soil was chiseled before planting it is normally still soft enough to germinate significant grain this way.
My farm was cash rented for 40 years, basically abused. So, I do intense crop rotations to build nutrients and bio-mass as well as attract wildlife. I try and always have a year round food supply, hence the annuals and perennials. I am in agriculture country so I try and have more winter food such as cereal grains, brassicas including radishes and winter bulbs as well as winter peas. There is abundant other food nearby throughout the summer.
The edges have all been feathered, and I practice TSI eliminating sub-standard trees such as locust and hedge to release my mast bearing trees and encourage greater productivity.
The narrow plot I chiseled today will have the brassicas, radishes etc. The chisel was a 7 shank, but with only 75hp I removed two chisels which allows me to really get deep. It is from Buckeye equipment, and they may still customize if needed. I have owned it for 10 years at least and it is my go to tool when I need to turn hard, compacted soil. This happens easily with the clay I have.
FWIW, Robin and I have owned the farm for 10 years. Per soil tests we are making measurable progress. The plots had 14 tons of lime spread this past winter, and my ph is above 6.5.
Hope that answers your questions but feel free to ask additional ones. Again, I recognize what works for me may not work for everyone. A lot of what I do is from reading and talking to a guy named Paul who went by LickCreek on the former QDMA web site, which is no defunct so I think it is OK to say that. I am in MO and we also have a Private Land Consultant for every 2 counties, and ours is excellent! I also have learned a lot from the farmers I have traded sweat labor for the opportunity to bow hunt.
Thanks again. Good luck on your projects!
Edit: Need to add that Paul has since passed away but left a legacy available on the replacement web site.
I keep two plots on my 217 acres in clover and usually plant the others in iron clay peas in spring and wheat/Austrian winter peas in the fall. No ag around me, mostly timber, so I don't have to offer them something unique, but just offer them something they will eat. I have quite a bit of honeysuckle, greenbriar, mulberries, blackberries, and other natural browse also. I don't have a super-high deer density at this point, so I think they are being well fed.
Dry Creek, I might like your situation better, especially the areage! I have a lot of competitive food sources in my area. And, plots might only work late season this year as mast production is looking superb. Here is a giant white oak that the deer and turkey love on my farm.
By planting this last fall, planting beans last month, and then planting brassicas in July gives some insurance against unusual weather. 'Some' being the key word.
By planting this last fall, planting beans last month, and then planting brassicas in July gives some insurance against unusual weather. 'Some' being the key word.
By planting this last fall, planting beans last month, and then planting brassicas in July gives some insurance against unusual weather. 'Some' being the key word.
Hard to keep up with a nearby farm. This approximately 8 acres is in the second year of former crop land being converted to native prairie. Grasses take at least three years to be widely distributed. Until then native forbs, aka wild flowers dominate. It is beautiful, the picture does not do it justice.
The "Paul" you are referring to....is it Paul Knox from SE IA?
Mark
50 gallon tank, 1quart Remedy Ultra (less expensive than Pasture Guard) and 1 pint of surfactant. A little over 4 acres this method with each tank.
It is in soybeans. 4 years of farming it should qualify it for CRP next time, assuming the program still exists.
Glad we pulled out of the Paris Accord, yet still convinced we have climate change.
Gobblers still singing this morning. Doesn't get much better than that!
One of my favorite stories to share is when Robin first came to see the farm in April of 2007. We had purchased it in February.
When I said "isn't it beautiful?", She responded how quiet it was, there were no birds even.
The tillable had been put into fescue because the ground could not even grow soybeans any longer due to being abused. The fescue butted right up to the mature hardwoods.
Today, we own a noisy farm! All kinds of birds, yotes etc. Habitat improvements made our farm so much more attractive to all kinds of wildlife. The transformation has to be seen to be believed.
Thanks.
The beans are coming in!
The beans are coming in!
All of the restored prairie should definitely include forbs (wild flowers) and all in my area that I am aware of or have participated in do.
I will try and mow the clover Monday if it is dry enough. The 1 acre of brassicas and beets will be planted some time in July. I will broadcast rye grain into my beans in early September, and also broadcast some into the bean crop field after it is harvested, weather permitting.
But, as you can see one can get solid results with broadcasting. So, I would rather have more horse power with a tractor because I have heavy Missouri clay gumbo. I have broadcasted about everything, and with a proper drag and packer it almost always works out fine. Yes, I use more seed, but it would take a lot of that and even the more fuel used before it would pay to have a drill. So, given my circumstances I would opt for more power and spend my money there. If I do spray RU, yes I will crush more plants than if I had planted in rows. But, if I have a good clean seed bed and get quick enough growth this is usually not a problem. I am also not looking for yields, so some weeds are variety deer and other critters find acceptable.
I wanted to document some of this because some times I read posts that are just the opposite of my experience. When I was first beginning, I would take most of it as gospel. Now, it seems results vary widely because of so many different variables. Thanks.
Yes, I do broadcast into yellowing beans. The timing is more about making sure enough sunlight gets through.
I will green manure the rye early next spring as I need to still build the soil. So I still have to turn ground.
Best wishes and very nice results!
Some seed might get too deep to make it, so I seed heavy. The different depths usually cause a longer time for the plants to germinate but my experience is this keeps the beans more attractive over a slightly longer time period.
Tri-Star Seed has a chart available that gives seeding rates for broadcast and drill.
Good luck!
BTW, your stuff is looking good HW!
I am sure you have better results in IA;)
I just finished mowing the clover. At least 20 rabbits squirted out. Deer beds and major browsing real evident from the tractor seat.
Tons of grasshoppers which explains all of the turkey tracks going into the clover.
Even kicked up a nice velvet buck, 3 points each side. Stood there and looked at me for 10 seconds or so. Probably wondering why I was destroying his sanctuary. Made my day though!
Unloaded remaining fertilizer needed, 4500 lbs total waiting to be broadcasted.
I used to strive for magazine picture quality plots until I realized deer are like most humans. They prefer a buffet over a single food item.
Disced, fertilized and drug the brassica, radish, sugar beet plot today. Will hand broadcast tomorrow and pack. The rain in the forecast has been taken out.
Clean bed to plant in. Turned 3 times and sprayed once. This is the narrow, long plot that drops down to the broadcasted beans. Hope the pictures are OK.
The picture above (sorry about the quadruple post!) is soil turned 2 times, waiting a few weeks, then turned again and planted immediately. When I have done this with an aggressive growing leafy plant like brassica I have had minimal weed competition.
I have always thought the multiple turns exposed and then killed most of the seed. The turning was a disc first to get the new growth in early spring. About 1 month later I chiseled it. Then sprayed after a few weeks, then disced again a few weeks after that and planted.
I like to chisel and have always felt cutting the soil deep allows for quicker root development of plants since the soil is easier to grow through? Also helps get moisture down deeper instead of running off. (With no till the dead root channels accomplish this.) I think I am getting solid results but wonder now based on what some of you are saying.
Yes, it does take extra fuel, but I find it relaxing as well. Please share your thoughts, thanks.
Praying for rain.
Praying for rain.
Another thing I'm gonna do this fall is throw and mow in a couple pea plots that are still green and leafy. Probably gonna do it around the first of September so if I don't get germination I'll have time to punt. This will be my first attempt at no till, so wish me luck !
I think you will wonder why you waited on a packer. Mine has saved me numerous times when an unusually dry period occurred.
Best wishes!
FYI, we received 12" at home. Lots of damage at some of our neighbors and some live-stock lost! No human fatalities, thank God!
Standing by my big lone oak tree, which is dropping acorns already. Several Turks came walking right through the tall NG right up to me. No doubt to feed on the mast.
It started raining as I left today, and it might have been a soaker. We need more!
Thanks and good luck!
Happy Labor Day all.
I wonder if a guy putting out corn feels the same way I do after a long, unusually hot and dry spell?
Took time from hunting to do this.
In light of lack of rain, your brassicas turned out fantastic!
The bulb size is impressive!
Good luck on that big guy!
Mark
