My FAVORITE plot posts!

[WTNUT]

I have been thinking about this for a few days, but J-Bird's post in my no-till drill thread reminded me of it again and I have a few minutes so here it is. My favorite posts are the ones that remind everyone that plotting is a hobby to be pursued with disposable income and NOT a necessity. For those of you starting out with a family, a new house or whatever, please keep it all in perspective. We all need hobbies and activities to relieve stress, to enjoy and to share with friends and families. Always keep in mind that throw and go is fun, a few 1/4 acre plots hand seeded and worked in with an ATV is fun, and larger operations are fun. But, always remember you can enjoy the outdoors without doing any of that. Spend the money on family and family events first and then if there is a small amount that is truly disposable till it into the ground so to speak. I really enjoy it when people remind everyone to keep it reasonable. There are a lot of folks with good advise and common sense on here. AND, THAT AIN'T EASY TO FIND ON THE INTERNET!


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[yoderjac]

I have been thinking about this for a few days, but J-Bird's post in my no-till drill thread reminded me of it again and I have a few minutes so here it is. My favorite posts are the ones that remind everyone that plotting is a hobby to be pursued with disposable income and NOT a necessity. For those of you starting out with a family, a new house or whatever, please keep it all in perspective. We all need hobbies and activities to relieve stress, to enjoy and to share with friends and families. Always keep in mind that throw and go is fun, a few 1/4 acre plots hand seeded and worked in with an ATV is fun, and larger operations are fun. But, always remember you can enjoy the outdoors without doing any of that. Spend the money on family and family events first and then if there is a small amount that is truly disposable till it into the ground so to speak. I really enjoy it when people remind everyone to keep it reasonable. There are a lot of folks with good advise and common sense on here. AND, THAT AIN'T EASY TO FIND ON THE INTERNET!


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That is a great point and why I stress the importance of developing realistic goals before you start. There are folks who have the time and resources to manage deer and other wildlife at scale, but for most, creating small food plots for attraction and improving habitat for the purpose of improving the hunting on a small parcel. There can be overlap and folks from each group can learn from one another, but when goals are different, strategies and techniques can also be different.

While I'm trying to manage at scale, some of the threads I enjoy the most are Crimson N Camo's throw and grow type threads. I can remember when someone coined the term Thirt on the other site. Whether one is using a $30,000 drill or using a chest mount seeder doing throw and grow, the underlying principles of maintaining and improving soil health are at play.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[John-W-WI]

Well said WTNUT - We do this for fun. Keep it that way.

Recently I saw a post (here or FB, don't remember) showing a plot they cleared with a scythe (or something similar). I thought to myself "that guy should be more proud of that plot than any I've ever created".

As I've evolved in my habitat management I've backed off a bit. Sure, I like to get lots done and do it well. But I'm getting more and more comfortable with a good effort and not sweating the result. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't.

Either way, Family is way more important!

-John

 

[TreeDaddy]

Ditto

i always get a kick following the "jake" threads

bill

 

[Ben Glantz]

Exactly- I like food plotting, it is a fun thing to do with my family. My son who is 3, is with me when I do 95% of the work. The only time I leave him home is when I am spraying. Each time we work on the plots, he has a baggy or little bucket of seed that he plants. He loves it and in a few weeks time, we can see his little 'rows' and designs he makes in the plots.

When I look at my equipment list, I like the fact that most of it came from craigslist, all of it is used and some of it is repurposed. My first 'drag' was a pallet, I upgraded that to 8ft of chain link I got from a fence installer for free. Then I moved up to real spiked tooth drag I picked up for 50$. My roller is a lawn roller, my mower is my Toro that cuts my yard. Yes it takes 3 hours to mow the clover but I love every minute of it. I mow, and my son looks for toads and frogs and sometimes he comes running to me when saw a 'bear' in the woods.

The best part thou is sitting in the tree over looking the plot. I like to remember when it all began as a weed infested field, a logging trail or select cut. Then to look at the plot now with all of the work, sweat and blood- feeding the critters from rabbits to deer.

 

[WTNUT]

Ben,

I am soooooo with you. In the early 90s I NEVER thought I would ever have a farm. By about 1996, I was able to hunt and work a friends. I pulled my VERY used ATV on a trailer behind a Mazda Protege. My drag was a pallet too. I then went to the chain link fence. I broadcast with the worst hand seeder ever! By 2002, I had a pretty good farm (my second at that point), but I had NO EQUIPMENT. I too got everything out of the "AD PAD" used, and really it was and still is the best way to find plotting equipment in my opinion. Fast forward to today, and I have some nicer toys and lots more acreage - BUT I DO NOT HAVE A BIT MORE FUN TODAY THAN I DID BACK THEN. I only have one daughter and she likes the farm a lot, but she isn't going to do any plotting just yet. But, she is almost big enough to learn to mow and she is going to do that like it or not. I want her to know how even if she never does much of it when she owns it all. I am a big believer in teaching my daughter everything I would teach a son and she should be prepared to give any guy who comes into her future a run for his money. Right now she is a fishing, horse riding, ATV driving machine!


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[H20fwler]

Good post WTNUT, spot on.