decided not to do summer plots this year, gearing up to hit em hard late summer.

[mikmaze]

Between lower fund levels, property in jeopardy of going away, and lack of help I didn't put a seed in the ground this spring. I do have a fair amount sitting ready to go in, gotta order more. I have been busy with a no spray approach to weed control, about 6 acres worth in 7 plots have been turned, and disked a couple times. I Have 2 and a half more acres that are in crim clover ready to turn under as well as a plot that was winter wheat last year. I know that winter wheat plot is going to be a trial area for a high sugar grass, and med red clover mix, I say trial as I will let it go for 2 years and see how it takes care of itself. The two plots with crim clover will get put back into a blend of PTT, GHR, and CC again. I have 10 lbs of blue lupine that will go in with crimson clover, and posibly HSG, and will let that go and see if I can get a stand of lupine, might add more variety to it see if I can get a nice wildflower meadow/ plot. One of the plts has a much sandier soil than the rest of the property, going to go on a limb and try a forage alfalfa. Three other plots that kind of join each other will get a med red clover, jumbo ladino, maybe a touch of brasica blend. I think that leaves me 2 plots to play with, possible sweet yellow clover, or go at them both with winter wheat, touch of PTT/GHR. can't think of anything else to hit em with, I should have don at least one with sun hemp again this spring, but wasnt able to. hmmmm, just rememberered, failed sainfoin plot needs something, as I flipped that failure under as well. That might be the spot for the sweet yellow........ decisions decisions, I need to chat with a supplier and feel out the ideas, availability and pricing.

wow, looked at my aerial plot map location pic, I have one more plot that was ptt, cc that needs a flip and re seed. my other 2 plots numbered 8 and 9 need cleth.

 

[SD51555]

Sorry to hear about the situation. Hope something comes together for ya soon. If nothing else, it looks like you've got all kinds of food plots across the road in the neighbors yards.

 

[mikmaze]

yeah, I swear I am going to landscape around my tower blind and post me as an armed guard.

 

[mikmaze]

spoke to pethchers seed, interested in one of their pigeon peas, but the one they have that deer like is sold out, may go with a 50 50 blend of a sun hemp, and a quail soybean for one of the acres.

 

[mikmaze]

well I have 100 lbs of seed on the way from Welters, they are alive and well, and taking orders without trouble over the phone, great people out there, took time to go over what my needs are, and helped decide on a few items. They had trouble with their website, viral, so it had to be taken down to be re worked. Now to wait for the big brown truck. sample of what is on it's way: sweet yellow clover, Crimson clover, vernal alfalfa, Jumbo ladino clover, Medium red clover, Purple top, ground hog, and a High sugar grass blend. This is to supplement the seed stock I have on hand, and is on its way from other sources.

 

[scott44]

well I have 100 lbs of seed on the way from Welters, they are alive and well, and taking orders without trouble over the phone, great people out there, took time to go over what my needs are, and helped decide on a few items. They had trouble with their website, viral, so it had to be taken down to be re worked. Now to wait for the big brown truck. sample of what is on it's way: sweet yellow clover, Crimson clover, vernal alfalfa, Jumbo ladino clover, Medium red clover, Purple top, ground hog, and a High sugar grass blend. This is to supplement the seed stock I have on hand, and is on its way from other sources.

Let us know how the high sugar grass blend goes, I'm curious about this.

 

[mikmaze]

yeah, it is a new try for me, going to blend in a bit of med red with it in an attempt at a plot that only needs to be mowed to maintain for a couple years, deer are supposed to like it, shall see, and report back.

 

[mikmaze]

so, I found my storage tote today with last years seed in it, didn't realize how much PTT I had left from last year, it will all get used no worries there, also found leftover cow peas, and sunflower, I think I will put them in with the winter wheat patch just to watch them, and then fall back on the wheat when the others get eaten, or try a few bags of milorganite to see if that keeps the deer off long enough to establish plants that can rebound from browse.

updated layout of plots, blue lined is a new one, dark blue lines are creeks, yellow ones to the right of the power line cut are clover that just need cleth. the three yellow on the left were clover, that has run its course.

 

[mikmaze]

phew, going to be planting ahead of the rains hopefully tomorrow, wish me luck, I'll wish for help, sure could use a hand kicking out the bigger rocks.

 

[mikmaze]

well I got up nice and early, hit the tractor seat at quarter to 8, not that early but it is almost an hour drive to get there. Sticking to my game plan, as per my list I put in three plots worth of seed before giving up do to rain. Planted au gold sun hemp and quail haven soybeans in one acre, 10 lbs each. In another acre I put in 5 lbs sweet yellow clover, final acre received 20 lbs vernal alfalfa. The sun hemp and soybean seeds are big enough for the turkeys to see and eat, so I opted to track them in with the tires, only good thing about fat turf tires is a wiiiiide contact patch.

.

 

[mikmaze]

after the rains we had last night I am glad I packed the plot down, seeds would have floated away! I gotta get a hold of the milorganite soon to get on this plot to keep the deer off for a bit and give it its best shot at making it to the point that it can withstand the browse. My plan worked perfectly on the other two plots, the alfalfa and yellow sweet seed should have gotten nicely incorporated into the fluff I left just right for a real good stand of each. That rake in my pic is one of the best tools I have, set of ripper teethto loosen, and rake to smooth leaves a seedbed you could plant a lawn with.

 

[Freeborn]

well I got up nice and early, hit the tractor seat at quarter to 8, not that early but it is almost an hour drive to get there. Sticking to my game plan, as per my list I put in three plots worth of seed before giving up do to rain. Planted au gold sun hemp and quail haven soybeans in one acre, 10 lbs each. In another acre I put in 5 lbs sweet yellow clover, final acre received 20 lbs vernal alfalfa. The sun hemp and soybean seeds are big enough for the turkeys to see and eat, so I opted to track them in with the tires, only good thing about fat turf tires is a wiiiiide contact patch.

.

Nice looking work. What make of ripper/rake is that? I have never seen anything like that but it looks slick. The ripper looks shallow.

 

[mikmaze]

I will have to look for a label on it, bought it used for 100 bux! rippers are on a crank down via cable, have a shaft with a pin hole to lock em down, or let em float. they rip down to about 5 inches.

 

[SD51555]

Why did you pick yellow sweet clover? Just curious.

 

[mikmaze]

I want a tall, biennial, that can fend for itself, and possibly re seed. I have seen it recently growing along dot sites and like that it gets as tall as it does. And oh lets face it, I am a sucker for trying something new to me.

 

[SD51555]

It's a fantastic plant that's for sure. When we're getting good rain in the dakotas, the pastures turn yellow with sweet clover in many places. As you go further west into the drier regions and they are getting good rain, the hills and valleys are covered in it. I've seen that three times now in about the last decade and it is amazing how all the critters move into it. Even saw my first elk in it out in Montana. I drove from Bismarck, ND to Medora, ND yesterday and it's happening again. YSC everywhere. Even saw a dandy 10 point buck eating it inbetween the onramp and the interstate at 9am.

http://www.sare.org/Learning-Center...Text-Version/Legume-Cover-Crops/Sweet-Clovers

 

[mikmaze]

ang, got info on a deal on canadian forage peas, 25 bux a 50 lb bag, but shipping is 36 bux. anyone know any better shippers? this was ups ground.

 

[scott44]

That's what I've found around me, prices aren't as low as I've seen other places and shipping will kill ya. I still buy local and pay a little more but not as much as the good price plus shipping.

 

[MoLandOwner]

We ship up to 1,000lbs for $20. Comes straight from Lacrosse Seed. Can't get much cheaper than that.

 

[mikmaze]

see, I'm in New Jersey, not exactly a farm state anymore....... not many feed/ seed mills around. but we do grow deer!



on edit, spoke to them on the phone and ordered 50 lbs, shipped it was 58 bux, not bad, and give me something else to grow in the one plot I was going to do boring ole wheat in.