Buffalo system quesitons

[Binney59]

I recently watched a video posted here about how Grant Woods has switched over to Green Cover Seeds and in the video it seems to imply that he is moving away from a bean monoculture in the spring to a spring mix. Is this the case and if so, has he released how he plans on terminating the crop before planting his fall blends?

I was just wrapping my head around his buffalo system and now it seems like he threw a curve ball our way. I gravitate more towards a blend because even though I have a genesis drill and can plant beans, the spacing and browse pressure of beans opens the door for weeds.

I realize that there are no shortages of "land management gurus" and "experts" to follow but I decided that the regenerative ag practices he promotes align best with me so I would like to continue following his guidance. Plus it takes a lot of the thinking and experimenting headaches away!

Is anyone on here switching from spring soybeans? What blends are you looking at for spring vs summer? Do you plan on terminating the spring planting?

Thanks a ton!

 

[PatinPA]

I believe he just uses a roller crimper to terminate it. If you have one I'd try it but I'd also be prepared to spray also or some may pop back up. I think I'm going to try and build one of those board crimpers he shows on his deep woods plots. My plots are small though so if it doesn't work I'll just weed whack what pops back up.

 

[Bassattackr]

From watching his videos for some time, it seems he kept weeds at bay, even with his bean plantings. This may be due to the sheer number of plots however. His heavy browse pressure plots may have had some however.

I'm planning on trying this system next spring. No til soybeans into green rye plot.

 

[DavidHunter2001]

I recently watched a video posted here about how Grant Woods has switched over to Green Cover Seeds and in the video it seems to imply that he is moving away from a bean monoculture in the spring to a spring mix. Is this the case and if so, has he released how he plans on terminating the crop before planting his fall blends?

I was just wrapping my head around his buffalo system and now it seems like he threw a curve ball our way. I gravitate more towards a blend because even though I have a genesis drill and can plant beans, the spacing and browse pressure of beans opens the door for weeds.

I realize that there are no shortages of "land management gurus" and "experts" to follow but I decided that the regenerative ag practices he promotes align best with me so I would like to continue following his guidance. Plus it takes a lot of the thinking and experimenting headaches away!

Is anyone on here switching from spring soybeans? What blends are you looking at for spring vs summer? Do you plan on terminating the spring planting?

Thanks a ton!

I have been doing the Buffalo system and switched to the Summer release this spring after speaking with Dr woods. I planted 30 acres of Eagle beans last year and did not end up with any pods. The deer mowed them all down before they could make pods. Not sure how I will plant this fall. Kind of depends on how much biomass I get but if it is a lot I will plant green and then crimp same as in the spring. So far the deer and turkeys really like the Summer release.

 

[DavidHunter2001]

I planted the Buffalo blend in my home garden last fall and planted my garden thru it this spring, crimped and I have to say it doesn't look pretty but I have not had better vegetables and corn than with the crimped rye and I have not weeded it once so far. Planted tomatoes after it was crimped and the plants are doing amazing. I am thinking this is going to be the way I plant from now on.

 

[Bassattackr]

Curious if he actually created those blends at Green Cover or is he just endorsing them (?)..

 

[DavidHunter2001]

I believe he created them.

 

[Tree Spud]

I recently watched a video posted here about how Grant Woods has switched over to Green Cover Seeds and in the video it seems to imply that he is moving away from a bean monoculture in the spring to a spring mix. Is this the case and if so, has he released how he plans on terminating the crop before planting his fall blends?

I was just wrapping my head around his buffalo system and now it seems like he threw a curve ball our way. I gravitate more towards a blend because even though I have a genesis drill and can plant beans, the spacing and browse pressure of beans opens the door for weeds.

I realize that there are no shortages of "land management gurus" and "experts" to follow but I decided that the regenerative ag practices he promotes align best with me so I would like to continue following his guidance. Plus it takes a lot of the thinking and experimenting headaches away!

Is anyone on here switching from spring soybeans? What blends are you looking at for spring vs summer? Do you plan on terminating the spring planting?

Thanks a ton!

Not clear on what you mean by "spring soybeans"? Beans normally have a planting timing based on your zone.

I fall seed WR & red clover so I ample food & cover crop in emerging mid April. I can terminate the WR in early to mid May once the weed head develops and then seed the beans in.

This gives the soil added organic matter and the clover will rebound as the beans are growing. I can also overseed with brassicas in July for emerging fall food.

 

[DavidHunter2001]

Not clear on what you mean by "spring soybeans"? Beans normally have a planting timing based on your zone.

I fall seed WR & red clover so I ample food & cover crop in emerging mid April. I can terminate the WR in early to mid May once the weed head develops and then seed the beans in.

This gives the soil added organic matter and the clover will rebound as the beans are growing. I can also overseed with brassicas in July for emerging fall food.

By spring beans I mean I planted beans in the WR when it was in the dough stage and then the WR was terminated with a crimper. After soil temp was above 65F at 9:00am. It always comes out of the ground good but then the deer eat it to the ground and it just doesn't do well.

 

[Tree Spud]

By spring beans I mean I planted beans in the WR when it was in the dough stage and then the WR was terminated with a crimper. After soil temp was above 65F at 9:00am. It always comes out of the ground good but then the deer eat it to the ground and it just doesn't do well.

If they are eating 30 acres of beans to ground and before pods develop, some thoughts...
- You may be planting beans to early. We have heavy deer density and I wait to plant about 2-3 weeks after my farmer neighbors plant. They always plant as early as possible. That focuses the deer on their food source before mine.
- We have a high deer density of ~ 62 dpsm and our property is higher than that. In short, beans are heavily browed, but we still have pods. I have moved to forage beans which have more leaf production.
- Have you considered planting clover with the beans? That could take pressure off the beans.

I think you have more of a hunting problem, not enough deer are being shot

 

[DavidHunter2001]

My plots are surrounded by big forest with no AG for miles.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

I rely on spring planted beans for a winter food source. I intentionally didn't plant two of my plots into beans this year and am going heavily on a N seeking crop instead to consume all the free N in the soil. That excessive N will cause weed issues. I am going with a heavily seeded rotation of buckwheat, cereal grain, and brassica for a couple of years before rotating back to a throw and crimp rotation of soybeans.

 

[Tree Spud]

My plots are surrounded by big forest with no AG for miles.

So you have the all you can buffet in the area ... not a bad thing.

Consider regenerative items that regrow after browsing ... clover, winfred forage brassica, etc. and bulbs like turnips & radishes that sweeten as cold temps arrive.

 

[Binney59]

I have been doing the Buffalo system and switched to the Summer release this spring after speaking with Dr woods. I planted 30 acres of Eagle beans last year and did not end up with any pods. The deer mowed them all down before they could make pods. Not sure how I will plant this fall. Kind of depends on how much biomass I get but if it is a lot I will plant green and then crimp same as in the spring. So far the deer and turkeys really like the Summer release.

Can the summer release be terminated with a crimper? Also, is it completely replacing your bean planting?

It seems like it would be cheaper to plant a mix vs beans and may produce more biomass.

 

[DavidHunter2001]

I believe some of it can be terminated by crimping, but I may spray it after crimping (well at least most of the plots) to make sure. It is a lot cheaper than the Eagle beans and better for the soil.

 

[Binney59]

I have a 150 gallon sprayer so I’d probably just spray as it is cheaper than buying a crimper but I was curious as to how Grant would handle terminating the mix when RTP is a sponsor and obviously want to showcase the roller crimper. Will be interesting but in the mean time I think I will switch from beans next year and give the new blend a shot.

 

[Bassattackr]

My only concern with that summer release is hunting in the fall and trying to get a shot into it. You can shoot into ag beans, not so much sunflowers, grain sorghum and sunn hemp.

 

[PatinPA]

My only concern with that summer release is hunting in the fall and trying to get a shot into it. You can shoot into ag beans, not so much sunflowers, grain sorghum and sunn hemp.

I think you're supposed terminate that in the fall and plant your fall crop for hunting over. Could be wrong but I thought that's how it's supposed to work.

 

[DavidHunter2001]

I think you're supposed terminate that in the fall and plant your fall crop for hunting over. Could be wrong but I thought that's how it's supposed to work.

That is my understanding as well. The Summer release is a soil builder and food for the summer. Also supposed to create biomass on ground for weed control and time release nutrients for the fall crop. My summer release is just about the height of the deer's belly right now in some plots but its growing fast. Pics below are from the same plot. One with deer for scale.

 

[Bassattackr]

I think you're supposed terminate that in the fall and plant your fall crop for hunting over. Could be wrong but I thought that's how it's supposed to work.

You're right, good point..