Following a Field from Hayfield to Food Plot

[Bowsnbucks]

Derek -
We don't have weed / grass-free food plots either, but I've never seen a deer turn up its nose and refuse to eat what IS growing in our plots!!! Some weeds are good food for deer, and they happily chomp away. Deer will pick and choose what they want to eat as it is - even if we have no weeds at all, and only a mix of "commercial crops" in our plots. They'll eat a bit of clover, then some chicory, then some rye / some turnips / some radishes ........... as their moods / needs change. IMO - having a "menu" of choices is the best approach to food plotting. I think your local deer will be happy to visit your plots.

 

[Derek Reese 29]

Derek -
We don't have weed / grass-free food plots either, but I've never seen a deer turn up its nose and refuse to eat what IS growing in our plots!!! Some weeds are good food for deer, and they happily chomp away. Deer will pick and choose what they want to eat as it is - even if we have no weeds at all, and only a mix of "commercial crops" in our plots. They'll eat a bit of clover, then some chicory, then some rye / some turnips / some radishes ........... as their moods / needs change. IMO - having a "menu" of choices is the best approach to food plotting. I think your local deer will be happy to visit your plots.

That’s the goal..to have something edible year round and to have a good variety of annuals, biannuals and perennials to keep things growing for years to come also a variety of different species (clover, brassicas, grains) to keep things interesting.. the 31 fruit trees (with more planned) should make that 1+ acre little plot a destination for years to come…

 

[Derek Reese 29]

Couple more less than a week updates:
Pretty much in any kind of open spot, of which there are many, the brassicas are starting to pop..may be wishing I had a few more open spots..cue the weed whacker since a tractor would crush all those new seedlings…

 

[Derek Reese 29]

Doing an experiment due to the missed mowing…weedwhacked about 1/3 of the field down to about 3” or less and left the other 2/3 as is ..gonna see which section of the field the deer use more (have a camera and a stand right there) and how the higher clover affects the brassica growth (guessing negatively but time will tell)…
Before weed whacking

After weed whacking

More brassica growth at 9 days since planting

 

[Derek Reese 29]

Stand view of the cut strips you can also see the higher strip of grass on the left (which is about the middle of that plot) that I missed when spraying cleth so I just left it..the 1/2 acre “high” clover and rye plot (soon to be seeded with brassicas and mowed) is to the right and an early successional ~1 acre field is to the left

 

[PatinPA]

Stand view of the cut strips you can also see the higher strip of grass on the left (which is about the middle of that plot) that I missed when spraying cleth so I just left it..the 1/2 acre “high” clover and rye plot (soon to be seeded with brassicas and mowed) is to the right and an early successional ~1 acre field is to the left
View attachment 55152

Looks good. What direction do the deer come from in that set up?

 

[TreeDaddy]

Stand view of the cut strips you can also see the higher strip of grass on the left (which is about the middle of that plot) that I missed when spraying cleth so I just left it..the 1/2 acre “high” clover and rye plot (soon to be seeded with brassicas and mowed) is to the right and an early successional ~1 acre field is to the left
View attachment 55152

Derek

You gotta stop the drinkin' and sprayin'

bill

 

[Derek Reese 29]

Derek

You gotta stop the drinkin' and sprayin'

bill

Don’t really drink anymore and only spray when I have to ;)

 

[Derek Reese 29]

Looks good. What direction do the deer come from in that set up?

From the right normally but have had then walk right along the field edge or come straight down over the top …field faces South so it’s good on a North/NW/NE wind but can hunt it on a W wind during the rut ..idea is to get them to bed the the Left (West) side and work their way over to the food but so far I’ve only really seen that during the rut when the bucks are bedding near the food to check out the does..

 

[Derek Reese 29]

So now here’s an age old question…to mow or not to mow..I want to put some WR in this plot this weekend as the brassica experiment failed (5 lbs seeded in 0.5 acre, 2 brassica plants found), probably due to the clover being too high and thick..I have planted WR into stands like this before with mediocre success, BUT based on my trail cam evidence, the deer are currently really liking the taller section of clover..we will be getting decent rain next week so I know it will bounce back and I want to have the best new growth and a good start for the WR for the beginning of archery in about a month..I’ll try to get some pics tonight of the plot as it stands but would like to hear some thoughts ahead of time..if it helps I’ll be using a big DR mower

 

[Derek Reese 29]

Pics of the field ..thick clover with some weeds (not real worried about them)..probably about 6-8” high
Leaning towards mowing it unless the assembled masses would suggest otherwise

 

[FarmerDan]

So which option gives the seed the best chance to germinate? And what seeding rate are you thinking? All rye, right? I'm asking because I don't know.

Options
1. Just seed it. If the existing biomass is mainly annuals that have completed their lifecycle it might work. If its perennials I don't know. What's there now could serve as a nurse crop. Frost-freeze will kill the annuals but it might not happen in time for your archery season.

2. Mow it and then seed it? How does the seed get thru all the biomass and into a position for adequate germination?

3. Seed (throw) and mow? We seem to have developed a liking for this. I'm not a big fan but of the options you are considering is this the best one? No rolling or cultipacking?

To me it's kinda' like betting on a horse race....You just pick your horse, put down your money and see who wins.

 

[Derek Reese 29]

So which option gives the seed the best chance to germinate? And what seeding rate are you thinking? All rye, right? I'm asking because I don't know.

Options
1. Just seed it. If the existing biomass is mainly annuals that have completed their lifecycle it might work. If its perennials I don't know. What's there now could serve as a nurse crop. Frost-freeze will kill the annuals but it might not happen in time for your archery season.

2. Mow it and then seed it? How does the seed get thru all the biomass and into a position for adequate germination?

3. Seed (throw) and mow? We seem to have developed a liking for this. I'm not a big fan but of the options you are considering is this the best one? No rolling or cultipacking?

To me it's kinda' like betting on a horse race....You just pick your horse, put down your money and see who wins.

Thanks for the great response..I’m leaning towards option 3, as this stuff is so thick I don’t know if those bigger rye seeds will be able to get much soil contact after mowing. I do have access to a cultipacker too and would certainly think about that, though I’ve had decent success not using one also..after 17” of rain in the past 2 months my greatest issue now may be a 10 day hot, dry stretch…

 

[FarmerDan]

Thanks for the great response..I’m leaning towards option 3, as this stuff is so thick I don’t know if those bigger rye seeds will be able to get much soil contact after mowing. I do have access to a cultipacker too and would certainly think about that, though I’ve had decent success not using one also..after 17” of rain in the past 2 months my greatest issue now may be a 10 day hot, dry stretch…

That rain prediction has about a zero percent chance of being correct. These forecasts change daily and apply generally and not to your specific location. This whole planting thing is a giant leap of faith. You know, Derek, I offer advice and observations like I know what I'm doing - and i do somewhat - but then I go look in the mirror and see the complexity of God and Mother Nature looking back at me ... and I feel small.

 

[Derek Reese 29]

Haha thanks for that insight..it’s very true..
Once when I was working at a place that had long intervals of down time, I tracked the weather forecast for a certain date (I think it was like the first day of archery and a day or two that I was taking off during the rut)..this was right when Accuweather came out with their 45 day forecast..my conclusion was that the temp and precipitation forecast were pretty accurate only to 5 days out, but the wind direction and speed almost never was! I’m thinking we will get some rain a lot sooner as we are supposed to have a heat wave with high humidity around Labor Day and those conditions will lead to some T storms!

 

[TreeDaddy]

That rain prediction has about a zero percent chance of being correct. These forecasts change daily and apply generally and not to your specific location. This whole planting thing is a giant leap of faith. You know, Derek, I offer advice and observations like I know what I'm doing - and i do somewhat - but then I go look in the mirror and see the complexity of God and Mother Nature looking back at me ... and I feel small.

Which is why I smile when I hear others speak of "bending Mother Nature"with planting strategies

we are successful when She allows us to be so

bill

 

[Derek Reese 29]

Here’s a couple pics of the mowed field that I broadcast a bushel of WR into..been dry for a few days so hoping it dries out the thatch then I get some decent growth from that WR once the rain starts up again later in the week..

 

[Derek Reese 29]

2 week post mowing..clover is thickening up and seeing some rye poke through..makes it hard for my little helper to walk through though…
I think it’s close to ready for archery season to open next weekend!

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Looks great!