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Post by HuntMeister on Apr 3, 2016 8:42:28 GMT -5
Since the 2015 food plot thread was so active, I thought we could get another one going for this year. Please post up what you are doing this year plot wise. I made a trip out to my lease to check cameras yesterday earlier before the crazy winds started. I am simply amazed at how well the fall plots we put in are doing right now. The clover and winter rye are taking off. I need to put in a couple of exclusion cages to gauge usage. Cameras showing steady use by the deer and in the last couple of days some turkeys are starting to show up. I didn't think to take a photo of the entire plot but did snap a close up. If you look closely you can see some deer hair in the pic. Excited to watch the progress of our plots this year!  |
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Post by jimstc on Apr 12, 2016 14:42:23 GMT -5
That looks exceptionally good!! The clover is huge this early.
I haven't got started yet. My back field looks good with last year's clover, residual alfalfa, rapeseed and cereal rye.
Middle field has got a winter cover crop on it. Rye and rapeseed.
Probably will put corn on the middle field and add clover to the back field. Had radishes back there last year, but those seeds are expensive. Need to win the lottery. Better start playing..... LOL!
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Post by nfalls116 on Apr 12, 2016 14:43:18 GMT -5
That looks exceptionally good!! The clover is huge this early. I haven't got started yet. My back field looks good with last year's clover, residual alfalfa, rapeseed and cereal rye. Middle field has got a winter cover crop on it. Rye and rapeseed. Probably will put corn on the middle field and add clover to the back field. Had radishes back there last year, but those seeds are expensive. Need to win the lottery. Better start playing..... LOL! I figured they were ponds right now |
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Post by jimstc on Apr 12, 2016 14:44:59 GMT -5
That looks exceptionally good!! The clover is huge this early. I haven't got started yet. My back field looks good with last year's clover, residual alfalfa, rapeseed and cereal rye. Middle field has got a winter cover crop on it. Rye and rapeseed. Probably will put corn on the middle field and add clover to the back field. Had radishes back there last year, but those seeds are expensive. Need to win the lottery. Better start playing..... LOL! I figured they were ponds right now About 20% are! Better than last year. The cover crops are breaking up the compaction. |
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Post by iceman10 on Apr 12, 2016 16:52:10 GMT -5
Plan on discing all my spring & summer plans this weekend . I rotated a clover chicory plot last year so plan on planting the same in that spot this year . I got a one acre bag of Frigid forage Monster Magnet for a second plot . The third plot will be all sunflowers , planted a 1/2 acre last year & never saw a flower , plan on a full acre this year .
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Post by steiny on Apr 13, 2016 10:33:58 GMT -5
I planted a bunch of clover over three weeks ago and the cool weather snap kind of stalled it. Checked it out last evening and it's just starting to sprout finally. With good weather forecast, it should take right off.
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Post by HuntMeister on Apr 13, 2016 11:17:09 GMT -5
Got back out to the lease last weekend and remembered to take a photo of the plot. This is one of three ~1/4 acre plots. LO has now given control of cutting weeds between plots to us so we will have weeds all around each plot throughout season. Think we are going to plant some sorghum-Sudan mix as a screen around the plots to help the deer feel more secluded while in each plot. Also planning to add a fourth 1/4 acre plot.  |
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Post by esshup on Apr 14, 2016 23:46:32 GMT -5
I will be putting in slightly more than 1/4 acre of Chuffa in the next few weeks, depending on soil moisture. I have 1/2 acre of sunflowers to plant too, along with freshening up a few plots.
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Post by boonechaser on Apr 15, 2016 8:43:59 GMT -5
Warmer temps have finally arrived. 3 acres alfalfa going in this weekend. Have 3 acres of imperial whitetail clover to plant next week. Mid May have 3 acres of Imperial Whitetail Power Plant and 3 acres of field corn to plant, then time to set back and watch them grow. Also going to work on coyote reduction this spring and throughout the summer.
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Post by boonechaser on Apr 22, 2016 12:15:32 GMT -5
Alfalfa already coming up. This Sunday gonna plant clover and go ahead with the Whitetail Institute Power Plant as ground temp's are warm enough for germination.
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Post by Jamie Brooks 1John5:13 on Apr 22, 2016 20:50:22 GMT -5
I have a big plot this year and starting in the spring. I've been working hard on preparing the ground. I did get the clover, chicory and alfalfa in just before the rain. Planting sugar beets on Sunday.
The Power Plant, chufa and sunflowers will probably go in after turkey season. The ground has been worked good, so it won't be hard to prep it for planting. Man, it was a job breaking up the new area. I think I need a tractor.
Really close to 4 acres this year. I'm so happy that they'll have plenty of food to eat ...even if I don't harvest one there.
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Post by HuntMeister on Apr 23, 2016 6:29:00 GMT -5
How did the new quad and disc do Jon?
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Post by Jamie Brooks 1John5:13 on Apr 23, 2016 11:22:45 GMT -5
How did the new quad and disc do Jon? How did the new quad and disc do Jon? Well thank you for asking. The quad is my new donkey; it goes and doesn't overheat like the little fella. However, I had to add weight to the disk. The area that was worked in the fall seemed easier, but the new area was a job for sure. It was all more difficult than when I worked the plot in the fall/summer. The ground was much dryer then and maybe this is the difference??? For some reason when I turned right it would dig really well, so pretty much I made a few hundred right turns. No power steering on my quad. I didn't think I would need power steering, but it sure would have come in handy on the plot. I also get motion sickness easily, so I would go in a circle a few times and then have to work straight for a while. It took a few days, and really was more work than I should have been doing. One would think just riding a quad wouldn't be too hard on anyone. Once I had it all broken up, the rest was easy. I used my old Moto 350 to spray and spread; this was nice. Hey, I had to laugh at myself. I made a mistake and bought barn lime, the pulverized kind, and it would not spread in my spreader. I had to spread 1000 pounds of lime by hand. This took a few days too. I'll buy the granular next time. I just bought the cheapest stuff. It was all so very rewarding. I would do it even if I didn't hunt it. It warms my heart to see them have something to eat. I've been feeding them corn and oats in a tub outside my plot, and will do this until the crops are ready for them to eat. I'm not sure how much they like the oats, but something is eating it. I'll have to take some photos. |
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Post by HuntMeister on Apr 23, 2016 11:47:35 GMT -5
Had to be awesome getting the new plot toys out and using them! I am no farmer but would definitely make sense that the unworked ground could be more difficult to work. How deep would you say you ran the disc? MUST POST PHOTOS!  Lease partner (whitetail1) and I bought a pull behind mower so we can mow the plots and terrain getting to the plots. Never thought I would say this but I am chompin at the bit to get out and mow some!  |
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Post by Jamie Brooks 1John5:13 on Apr 23, 2016 12:02:23 GMT -5
Had to be awesome getting the new plot toys out and using them! I am no farmer but would definitely make sense that the unworked ground could be more difficult to work. How deep would you say you ran the disc? MUST POST PHOTOS! Lease partner (whitetail1) and I bought a pull behind mower so we can mow the plots and terrain getting to the plots. Never thought I would say this but I am chompin at the bit to get out and mow some! Oh the toys are fun! Hey, I'm interested in what mower you bought. I've been thinking that I'm going to need a rough cut pull behind. My little hustler zero turn did fine with the tall grass on the plot, but probably will not do the job cutting the sunflowers and Power Plant. I probably won't be able to get one this year, but maybe for next spring. My landowner has a big bush hog, but he doesn't have a tractor, just a big heavy track driven bobcat. I don't really want it on my plot. LOL ...listen to me talk; it's all his. He just let's me come and go and do what I will. He's a good friend to have. My daughter gave me a $100 gift card for Rural King, and it came in handy. I bought a big roller to roll in the clover and Whitetail Edge. If you need to use any of my equipment, you are more than welcome to it. |
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Post by HuntMeister on Apr 24, 2016 14:33:16 GMT -5
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Post by Jamie Brooks 1John5:13 on Apr 24, 2016 19:21:16 GMT -5
Man, that's a nice one. I knew they were expensive. I'll help you in any way that I can. |
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Post by boonechaser on Apr 25, 2016 8:55:55 GMT -5
2.5 acre's or so imperial whitetail clover done and 4 acres whitetail institute power plant done. Made for a long day but we got it finished. End May have 3 acre's of field corn to get out and then all finished for spring. Started early and saw several deer while working in the fields.
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Post by HuntMeister on Apr 25, 2016 9:35:02 GMT -5
Man, that's a nice one. I knew they were expensive. I'll help you in any way that I can. You can find them used for as low as $600.00 and over $900.00 depending on condition of course. |
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Post by henson59 on Apr 25, 2016 11:04:08 GMT -5
I am going to get down to our property this weekend. Hopefully I can get my turkey early on Friday so I have plenty of time to catch up on mowing and take care of some tree removal from some of our ATV paths. We are probably not going to plant anything this spring and just wait until early august to plant some fall/winter plots.
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