Ag to Grasses

[Oleo]

Hi - I have a farmer that farms 15 acres for me. In the attached picture, he's doing 11 acres of bean/corn rotation at the top (yellow), and 3-4 acres of alfalfa in the middle of my property. I'm considering taking back a few acres from the bean/corn rotation to plant some form of native grass or bedding (in area #1 or #2 in my picture).

I think I have the opportunity to be some of the best cover in the neighborhood, with a couple bigger ag fields and hay fields around me. I have a lot of work to do with TSI and bedding cuts in my treed areas, but in the spirit of diversity, does it make sense to plant some grasses for additional bedding in area 1 or 2? Note the house placement in the middle of the property. This is a second residence that we visit once a week, so I often drive down that driveway right before hunting. Not sure if that would make the proposed areas undesirable for bedding.

Thanks!

 

[wooduck]

Taking back acres isnt going to sit well with said farmer ,, his overhead increases with less acres , travel to fields ect ,, once he gets there lot easier to farm more acres than less sounds like he is providing lots of food to draw the deer now ,, Ya got a good thing goining why ruin it

 

[BenA]

I think you can have plenty enough bedding if you make it in your timber. I wouldn't create a bedding area I'd have to drive through. I think the crops are a good thing. Do your bedding work in the timber, and you'll likely still have the best cover in the neighborhood without taking away food.

 

[Oleo]

Thanks for the replies. I'm certainly not looking to mess up a relationship with the farmer, so I'd be working with him on any changes I'd make. He farms adjacent properties and has a pretty good deal with me now.

I agree the drive-through bedding isn't great and I can gain a lot of ground focusing on the timbered areas. I was thinking the grass would be a good addition to the diversity for both deer and turkeys, and I don't have anywhere else to put it.

Any other tips on setting this place up? I'm just 18 months in, and I'm looking to make it the best I can.

 

[westonwhitetail]

Could you plant native grasses around your apple trees or move the apples elsewhere? That area seems like a good spot for switch as a bedding/staggjng area out of the woods towards your field and is farther from the road


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Mortenson]

Is that an 80? That's a really cool property. Looks like it's probably a corner, because I assume your driveway comes off a public road. I totally get wanting to add grasses/diversity. Might be splitting hairs on how much it really helps. If nothing else, I always like creating edges at least for deer enjoyment. You could add a block of switch in a portion of lower spot #1 to help enclose the apple orchard.

 

[omicron1792]

It’s your land. Plant native grasses if you want.

Check out @Native Hunter native grass areas. I like your plan.

 

[T-Max]

Take back a few acres, but use those acres to plant buffer strips on the edges. I think that would help you more than a big block of grass.

 

[Oleo]

Could you plant native grasses around your apple trees or move the apples elsewhere? That area seems like a good spot for switch as a bedding/staggjng area out of the woods towards your field and is farther from the road

I'm picking up the trees soon, so this is an option. I'll look for other spots for the apple trees to see if that works.

Is that an 80? That's a really cool property. Looks like it's probably a corner, because I assume your driveway comes off a public road. I totally get wanting to add grasses/diversity. Might be splitting hairs on how much it really helps. If nothing else, I always like creating edges at least for deer enjoyment. You could add a block of switch in a portion of lower spot #1 to help enclose the apple orchard.

Yes - 78 acres if I recall correctly.

Take back a few acres, but use those acres to plant buffer strips on the edges. I think that would help you more than a big block of grass.

Interesting idea - Initially I was thinking about having switchgrass along the road, but I think this could be a pain for the farmer. Were you talking about strips along the road, or more of a transition from the trees to the ag?

 

[T-Max]

I'm picking up the trees soon, so this is an option. I'll look for other spots for the apple trees to see if that works.

Yes - 78 acres if I recall correctly.

Interesting idea - Initially I was thinking about having switchgrass along the road, but I think this could be a pain for the farmer. Were you talking about strips along the road, or more of a transition from the trees to the ag?

Transition from trees to ag. Deer love them around here. Even a 20' strip is effective and with 20' wide strips you can do 2,178 linear feet and only eat up one acre. Lots of bang for the buck I think.

 

[omicron1792]

Transition from trees to ag. Deer love them around here. Even a 20' strip is effective and with 20' wide strips you can do 2,178 linear feet and only eat up one acre. Lots of bang for the buck I think.

Bang for the buck….i see what you did there.