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Post by danf on Sept 8, 2006 22:37:01 GMT -5
Here's my recipe from this year: Take a woods:  Do a little bit of tree cutting and some mowing:   -This tree was actually leaning the opposite way from which it fell, look at the trunk. It's amazing what you can do with a sledgehammer and a wedge:  Oh, I almost forgot!! Look out for this, it makes me and a lot of people might itchy!! Here it is:  Once you've got the trees all cut and the firewood out of the way, it takes a little excavator action to finish the clearing:  Add some fire to the brush pile.......  .....and let it burn down:  Use one of these to work the ground a little:  |
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Post by danf on Sept 8, 2006 22:44:54 GMT -5
Once the ground is worked, it's time to finish the recipe! Add some oats (50 pounds for $7 at the feed mill):  Some peas (leftovers from work and our garden):  Some clover (2 pounds for $2.20/pound at the local co-op):  Some turnips (on the left, between $6-10 between work and a local greenhouse), some radish's (on the right, cleaned us out at work, ~50 cents), and some sawdust filler (middle):  Some brassica/rape (used 2-3 pounds, $2.50/pound at local co-op), mixed with more sawdust filler and the clover:  Using the above seeds, seed the plot. I then used a roller to help with the seed-to-soil contact issue, but hope to have a disc for my tractor by next year:  And there you have it. My recipe for a food plot. Now all it has to do is RAIN!! |
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Post by lugnutz on Sept 8, 2006 23:08:06 GMT -5
Please show the progress of your project!
Lug
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Post by danf on Sept 8, 2006 23:34:36 GMT -5
As soon as it starts to grow, I'll get some more pics up. I'm hoping that the ground was moist enough last weekend to start the germination process with some of the smaller seeded stuff (turnips, radish, rape, clover), but I wish we'd get some rain!
If I'd had it in a week earlier it'd be green by now, but I had to wait until Labor Day weekend to get the mini-ex....
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Post by hornharvester on Sept 9, 2006 6:58:12 GMT -5
dan,
looks like you have a good smörgåsbord of food for the deer. how big is it? nice pictures. h.h.
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Post by danf on Sept 9, 2006 7:12:32 GMT -5
As I stepped it off, it's around 45' by 50'. Not huge, but it's about all I could manage this fall. There's a smallish patch of chicory on the uphill side that I planted last year with BFO. There is un-planted space on the downhill side of this new patch. Plans are to next spring plow *everything* under and replant. I want to put out some corn and soybeans for a late season attractant, in addition to a good, full patch of chicory and clover. I'll leave room for a fall patch of oats, peas, turnips, etc. They are forecasting rain for tomorrow night and all day Monday.  It can't get here soon enough! |
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Post by Woody Williams on Sept 9, 2006 8:03:49 GMT -5
A regular deer buffet.
Thanks for sharing..
Keep us posted..
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Post by danf on Sept 12, 2006 19:54:39 GMT -5
Was back there on Sunday mowing, and walked back this afternoon to check on it. Sunday, the south 1/2 had germinated since it was holding a little more moisture from the shade being on it. More of it had germinated today, and the rain we've gotten since last night will finish it off.
I may try to hit it with a bag of 12-12-12 if it looks like conditions will suit it. Otherwise I'll let it go.
Didn't take the camera with me today as it was a quick in-and-out.
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Post by danf on Sept 18, 2006 16:41:52 GMT -5
Walked back today and retreived the trail camera. There wasn't anything on it worth posting here; the same doe and yearling I've been seeing. Wish I'd get pics of deer other than those two.  Think I'm going to move the camera to a trail, rather than the food plot. Anyway, I took some pictures of the new food plot while I was back there. An overall:  The oats, sweet peas, radish and turnips:  And the oats, rape and clover:  I wish I'd gotten some triple 12 on it sometime in the last two days. The rain last night and today would have helped it a bunch! I'll have to try to watch the forecast and see when the next rain is coming.... |
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Post by hornharvester on Sept 18, 2006 21:21:39 GMT -5
looks good! i think you will like the results of your effort. h.h.
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Post by Decatur on Sept 19, 2006 6:24:11 GMT -5
Nice food plot! Youdefinately put some time into that. Good luck!
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It can't get here soon enough!
Think I'm going to move the camera to a trail, rather than the food plot.