clover as a crop/foodplot?

[Mike Bolin]

Hello! Sorry for the length of this post, but I want to lay out what I have done and what I plan to do and hope to get some feed back from you all here. I am doing some habitat improvement/foodplots on my brother in law's 72 acres. It is mostly hill and hollers with the exception of a 2.5 acre field that had been being cut for grass hay for a few years. Along with this 2.5 acre patch there is another 3 acres that used to be horse pasture, but is now pretty overgrown with tulip poplar and sycamore that are anywhere from 2" to 8" in diameter at chest level. I have cleared .75 of an acre of the overgrown part over the past few years and planted a clover/winter rye mix that is doing very well. This clearing is at the south end of the 3 acres that is overgrown and the 2.5 field is at the north end. Approximately 200 yards between the field and my plot.

The wooded part of the property was logged 2 winters ago and the 2.5 acre was rutted badly and covered with bark and cut-offs. The farmer that had been cutting the grass hay wouldn't touch the field last summer, or even get to it for that matter. The skidder also had rutted the access road so badly that it took me 6 weekends to get it to where it was usable.
This spring I brush hogged the 2.5 acres, then I sprayed in early May and then hit what I needed to the first of this month. Last weekend I took the grader box and smoothed out/broke up the entire 2.5 acres. The spraying has taken care of about 95% of the weeds and fescue and I plan to disc it this weekend and spread my lime. Wife is picking up my soil sample results tomorrow so I will know what I need to do as far as fertilizer.

Now then, what I am thinking is to plant the 2.5 acres in medium red clover sometime in August, then frost seed some type of white clover into it in late winter. I am hoping to end up with a decent stand of clover that can be baled and I can get a little bit of income to supplement my plotting addiction and help feed the local critters as well! I have two farmers that are interested in the hay.
If the clover field takes off, I plan to phase out my small clover plot and replace it with chicory and some brassica mixes. Also plan to plant a few Keefer Pears and Dolgo Crabs and maybe some American Plum as I clear a bit more on the south end. Also working on the Tulip Poplar and Sycamores as far as thinning them back around what few oak and wild cherry saplings that are mixed in there to give them a chance to grow. The logger took way more oaks off this property than what he said he was going to. I figure the fruit trees will help make up for the loss of hard mast. Brother in law made some money so he is happy, but the property was left in a mess!

So I am asking, is this a viable plan? Can anyone give me and idea as to what would be a fair split as far as the hay is concerned? I have done the dirt work and will do the planting and fertilizing. The farmer will do the cutting and baling.
Any and all input is appreciated.
Thanks, Mike

 

[bueller]

First off, that sounds like the type of logger that I would NOT want on my property. Took more oaks than planned and left ruts and other mess to deal with.

I have no experience with planting clover for hay. But if the farmer will do the cutting and bailing maybe it would be wise to have him plant and fertilize as well. I'd wager that you will receive more cash in the end (with less work) as a farmer planted and grown field would likely far outproduce a field planted by us food plotters.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I agree with Bueller 100%. Any future logging - I'd mark all the trees you want to be left standing with surveyor's tape tied around the trunk. We did that at my camp and the loggers didn't touch any of them. Also put in your contract that the logger has to return the land to usable condition with no ruts left anywhere.

As for the split - talk to the farmer. You may be able to get some $$ out of the baled hay, or maybe just have him let some portion of the plot stand for the food it provides you. I had a relative do that with a neighboring farmer, and our state Game Commission does that with farmers here in Pa. Farmers can plant cash crops on the Game Lands, but must let some stand for food / cover for the critters.

 

[Mike Bolin]

Thanks for the feedback! I had no control over the logging of the property as it belongs to my brother in law. He purchased it several years ago as an investment and was planning on subdividing it. After the purchase he learned that the new waterline was stopping a mile short of his land and that the local ordinances dealing with roads with in a subdivision had changed and that his plans weren't feasible. Bad luck for him but a good deal for me. He has actually recovered his original investment between the recent power line easement and the logging, so I guess we are both happy.