Iowa 25

[williams111]

6-9-25 Update
I have purchased 9 acres from the neighbor. This consists of a 5-6 acre field that he just let grow into a really nice stand of scattered Red Cedars that are 2-5 feet tall. Sparse cedar seems to be the most preferred bedding in this area when the weather begins to turn cold. I plan on planting some apple/pear/persimmon/chestnut/oak/redosier dogwood in the cedar patch as well in groups just to break it up a bit and to provide some food within the bedding. My FIL is installing a pond as well, hopefully it will hold water.

Some of my female persimmons have been getting destroyed by coon once the fruit begins to turn. I have seen other people utilize ductwork to keep coon off the trees and to keep deer from rubbing them. I am hoping this will help and I will actually get to see some fruit make it to maturity.


This is my first attempt at grafting over some male persimmons over to female. These are scions I got from Cliff England. Deer Candy and Deer Magnet.






This was one of the few opportunities I got out shed hunting this winter/spring. It was my daughters first shed hunt, and we did well!

I seeded in some Cave In Rock switch last year into the previous year's corn stubble. This was my first attempt at planting it. When I was out there yesterday, I noticed it is really showing up this year.

 

[Brian662]

Congrats on the new land acquisition!

 

[bwoods11]

That sounds like a fun project !!

 

[cbw]

Congratulations on the new parcel! Little by little…


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[williams111]

The dike of the pond is getting close to being done. In this picture it's right at 17' from the bottom of the pond to the top of the dike. The dike height is projected to be 23' with water depth roughly 20'. The dike is pure clay, hopefully we don't run into any rock the rest of the way. My FIL is building it and is hopeful it will hold water.



All of the persimmon grafts are looking good so far...


I finally filled up the water tanks. Not sure I'll keep these in if the pond holds water.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

Tell me more about that pond plan - that looks really cool. How long did it take to build that dam and do you know approximately how much that cost?

I'm always looking into pond options and building one with a scraper like that seems like a really efficient method.

 

[williams111]

It has taken a month or 2 to get to this point. He had to clear some trees first. It is a slow process building and packing the dike. I have never seen it done so it has been interesting to watch the process. My father-in-law is putting in the pond, so we are getting the family discount. I have no idea what it would cost.

I am trying to educate myself on things to plant around the pond for filtration and fish habitat. I have a bunch of scrap conduit that I plan on using to make some artificial structure.

He said the scraper was necessary since we are pulling the clay off the hillside up hill from the pond. The dike isn't real long, just high. He drops the clay on the dike then takes the dozer and packs it in and pushes some over the edge to get the correct slope. I believe it needs to be at least 2 to1. The other day we were out there when he was working on it and he had to pack the slopes of the dike. It was crazy to see the slope that the dozer could hold.

 

[williams111]

We got 3 + inches of rain last week and the pond came up quite a bit. The problem is, it’s not complete. It will be pumped out to finish. Hopefully it’s a good sign it will collect and hold enough water to fill it once we’re done. I started working on some artificial structure as well. I plan on drilling holes in the uprights and running some more tubing through them to act like branches to increase the cover. Hopefully we can use the excavator to stack this old foundation in a few spots as well.

 

[williams111]

Photo Dump 11/18/25


Pond Structure



Overflow Installation,



My Sons first deer, a memory I will never forget.



Persimmons and Chestnuts on Novemer 1st.



A buck tore the cage off and rubbed one of my best norways, hopefully it will make it.



First bobcat for me.

 

[williams111]

Finally caught up with a buck, not on my property but it was a buck I have lots of history with on a permission piece.
My son decided he wanted to try and get a buck so I got him a late muzzleloader tag. We had another very memorable hunt and he connected on his first buck!



I always struggle getting deer here to eat turnips during season. This year I went for more of a candy crop in my green plots and used liberty instead of gly. I was able to establish a great plot of late planted soybeans, peas, and radish. The deer hit it hard this fall and I plan on using this mix again. Hoping to get the beans planted even earlier next year to see if they will produce pods.

The buck below was a 4yr old on my property I passed a couple times this year hoping he could make it one more year. He made a 25” jump from last year, unfortunately he got killed during the last weekend of our second shotgun season.


After that buck got shot I decided to move forward with converting a 4 acre ag field in the back to my property to bedding/cover. Planning on sparse switch, transplanted conifers and fruit/nut trees/shrubs mixed in. With a screen of thick switch and miscanthus on the west side blocking the neighbors and a level C road. I will maintain some trails throughout this field hopefully guiding deer near a future stand/blind location giving me an area to hunt with an east wind. Which I don’t currently have.

I have been looking for the best way to establish switch in last years corn stubble without a drill. There are so many conflicting theories on this. There is a fair amount of corn stubble left so I am hoping to mow the corn stubble and potentially run a rake over it while the ground is frozen to lift the leaf litter then frost seed. I have purchased RC Bigrock I need to do this. Thoughts? Suggestions?

 

[hillrunner]

"I have been looking for the best way to establish switch in last years corn stubble without a drill. There are so many conflicting theories on this. There is a fair amount of corn stubble left so I am hoping to mow the corn stubble and potentially run a rake over it while the ground is frozen to lift the leaf litter then frost seed. I have purchased RC Bigrock I need to do this. Thoughts? Suggestions?"

There is no advantage that I know of for frost seeding RC big rock. It does not need to stratify like other switchgrass varieties. I would wait until at least May if not later when the soil is warm enough for the RC to germinate quickly. That has worked better for me as it doesn't give the cool seasons time to re-establish.
As far as prepping the corn stubble, the easiest would be just run a disk over it to expose soil and then broadcast and pack. Else, if you have a livestock neighbor they might come and bale the stalks off. If the conditions are right, you may be able to burn the stubble off as well.

 

[bwoods11]

Wow, beautiful buck ! Congratulations

 

[Brian662]

Burn off the corn stubble and broadcast/cultipack in middle of May.

Congrats on the deer! How old is your boy?

 

[williams111]

"I have been looking for the best way to establish switch in last years corn stubble without a drill. There are so many conflicting theories on this. There is a fair amount of corn stubble left so I am hoping to mow the corn stubble and potentially run a rake over it while the ground is frozen to lift the leaf litter then frost seed. I have purchased RC Bigrock I need to do this. Thoughts? Suggestions?"

There is no advantage that I know of for frost seeding RC big rock. It does not need to stratify like other switchgrass varieties. I would wait until at least May if not later when the soil is warm enough for the RC to germinate quickly. That has worked better for me as it doesn't give the cool seasons time to re-establish.
As far as prepping the corn stubble, the easiest would be just run a disk over it to expose soil and then broadcast and pack. Else, if you have a livestock neighbor they might come and bale the stalks off. If the conditions are right, you may be able to burn the stubble off as well.

What is your spraying schedule when planting in May?

 

[williams111]

Burn off the corn stubble and broadcast/cultipack in middle of May.

Congrats on the deer! How old is your boy?

I didn't think about burning until hillrunner suggested it. Not sure if there is enough stubble to keep a fire going.

Thanks! He is 6.

 

[Brian662]

Burning will set back any new weed growth as well.
I would burn in late April/early May. Wait a couple weeks and spray gly/simazine on any regrowth. After a rain when the soil is moist-ish...broadcast the switch and cultipack. Will be 7' by year 2, take it to the bank. If you want it to be bedding, I wouldn't plant any thicker than 2-3#/acre, especially if you're incorporating other stuff at the same time (simazine could be a problem on establishing other plants).

 

[J B]

I frost seeded cave in the rock at the very end of winter into heavy corn stalks. It came in great the first year although short. It’s a great stand now 2 years later. Round up after planting but before germination. 2,4-D year two to clean it up some.

 

[williams111]

I frost seeded cave in the rock at the very end of winter into heavy corn stalks. It came in great the first year although short. It’s a great stand now 2 years later. Round up after planting but before germination. 2,4-D year two to clean it up some.

Good to know that’s an option. Thanks