bueller's blotter

[wiscwhip]

bueller, can you get WI River Coop to come out and spread your lime in that powerline plot? Can they get a lime truck back in there? Although, that may be more lime than you need. I know they have a lime buggy that could be rented and pulled with a pickup, that would make super quick work of laying down 3,000#/ac of lime out there.

 

[bueller]

bueller, can you get WI River Coop to come out and spread your lime in that powerline plot? Can they get a lime truck back in there? Although, that may be more lime than you need. I know they have a lime buggy that could be rented and pulled with a pickup, that would make super quick work of laying down 3,000#/ac of lime out there.

Not sure on the coop truck or buggy. The main portion of the plot is only about a 1/2 acre. After taking the soil test, but before getting the results, I spread 940 lbs of lime on that portion. There is a narrow portion which measures close to a 1/4 acre that I did not spread any of the lime. Not quite 3,000/acre but almost 2,000 on the wide portion. 1,000 is about all I can safely haul in my trailer although I once did 1,600 when the guy loading me up dropped it in a hurry :eek:. I may or may not get another load this year before planting. At the minimum I'd like to get a trailer load down each year for the next 3 or so. Doing this every other year at the plot on my pop's land I have the ph up to 6.3 as of last spring.

 

[wiscwhip]

For future reference, the next time you are at the coop, you should inquire about the buggy.

 

[bueller]

For future reference, the next time you are at the coop, you should inquire about the buggy.

I will. Is this something that's loaded with lime at the coop and then towed by the customers vehicle to be spread.

 

[wiscwhip]

Yup, exactly that. You buy the load of lime, pay a small rental fee for the buggy, they fill it, you drive it to your land and spread it, and then return the buggy.

 

[bueller]

Yup, exactly that. You buy the load of lime, pay a small rental fee for the buggy, they fill it, you drive it to your land and spread it, and then return the buggy.

OK. As long as the rental is reasonable. It only cost me $20 for almost 1,000 lbs and I didn't have to make a return trip. Although I was limited to the 1,000 lbs. If I was plotting acres it would be a no brainer but I'm not so sure with my small plots.

 

[wiscwhip]

It may not be feasible on small areas, but this is what it looks like:

 

[bueller]

I got my screen planted on Saturday. The ground was nice and moist from the recent rains. Black plastic, 38 feet long and 10 feet wide. Four rows of cuttings. Front two rows dappled willows. Third row alternating dappled willows and hybrid poplars. Back row hybrid poplars. The poplars are a short term solution and will either be cut to the ground every year or two or eventually removed if the dappled willows grow into a good screen. The clearing widens into a foodplot behind where I'm standing when I took this photo. Just on the other side of the screen is my perimeter trail. If you look closely you can see the single strand cable marking the property border. After I finished planting I spoke with the neighbor on the other side of the cable and learned that he is hiring a logging crew to clear out 10 acres or so. He wants to grow grass and put black angus cattle in there :(. We only got sprinkled on last night and there is no rain in the immediate forecast. Hopefully the black plastic traps enough moisture to keep the cuttings from drying out while they await the next rainfall.

 

[SD51555]

Bueller, did you get a buffer pH from your soil test?

 

[bueller]

Bueller, did you get a buffer pH from your soil test?

Nope

 

[wiscwhip]

If that is your west neighbor, you will have some full time cover scent floating around your place.

 

[Freeborn]

It may not be feasible on small areas, but this is what it looks like:
View attachment 4572

Wiscwhip, how much weight do you have in that buggy and can you pull that with a 1/2 tom truck? Is that unit PTO driven? Looks like a small motor on the unit?

 

[wiscwhip]

Wiscwhip, how much weight do you have in that buggy and can you pull that with a 1/2 tom truck? Is that unit PTO driven? Looks like a small motor on the unit?

The one in the pic is a Willmar 600 and holds 5 tons+, and that one was driven by an 8 or 10 horse gas engine. You really have to check with your local coops, as they usually have multiple sizes with multiple drive setups from the small engine drive to 540 and 1000 rpm PTO's. Single spinners will throw like 50'-60' and double spinners models will throw 80'-100'. A Model 200 or 500 could likely be pulled with a half ton pickup, not so sure about the 600 or 800 though.

 

[bueller]

If that is your west neighbor, you will have some full time cover scent floating around your place.

North neighbor. We already catch the "cover scent" from his horses with a north/northeast wind. The new cattle scent will be carried onto my place with a north/northwest wind. What really "stinks" is the area he is clearing is a nice section of thick woods with lots of deer trails running back and forth between my place and his place. Currently this area has very little human disturbance. That's about to change. But hey it's his property to do what he wishes with it.

 

[bueller]

I love having neighbors with cattle...just makes my hunting that much better

Why is that? Is it open pasture or wooded?

 

[bueller]

A mix of both. The cattle keep his wooded acreage much more "open" due to grazing/browsing. Its pretty much impossible for the neighbors to access any stands without deer knowing...and where do they head? Right to my thicker woods where I don't pressure them.

10 acres of open pasture isn't going to support many black angus. He'll also find out how expensive it will be to supplement their food over the winter. My neighbor who runs cattle only does it from mid spring through September(ish), they aren't his cattle...somebody from the Dakotas hauls them here for the summer, then hauls them somewhere else for the winter.

Deer will adapt if he does turn it into cattle pasture, and you will have new, predictable deer patterns to hunt. I wouldn't worry about it too much ;)

My other neighbor told me that this same guy previously had some cows and they were always getting out because he wasn't taking care of them :confused:. It will be interesting to see what kind of fence he plans to install to keep these on his property.

 

[bueller]

At least I know that it's not just me, the other neighbors that live there year round will not tolerate his cattle roaming around. Time will tell.

 

[SD51555]

Time to start shopping for an extra freezer and make friends with someone that has a cattle trailer.

 

[dipper]

Bueller have you planted cuttings that way before? I have in sandy soil and my poplar cutting are 2' tall in 3 years.
Mayb you'll have better luck than me, I've never achieved the growth Most get with cuttings& plastic.

 

[bueller]

Bueller have you planted cuttings that way before? I have in sandy soil and my poplar cutting are 2' tall in 3 years.
Mayb you'll have better luck than me, I've never achieved the growth Most get with cuttings& plastic.

First time trying cuttings. Yours were in plastic?