Livesintrees
5 year old buck +
Where are you getting your seed from. I’ve used commercial blends with success. But mainly end up using welter seed bc of customer service and success with their products.
Seed companies.
- Thread starter Livesintrees
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FarmerDan
5 year old buck +
Support your local coop, or local feed and seed stores. We take their existence for granted, but nothing is certain. When they are gone, there's nothing to replace them. The cost structure is a little higher and you, perhaps, might pay a dollar or two more. With a few exceptions, the people working there are dedicated and knowledgeable about things that go into and come out of the ground. Their way of doing business might be a little different. Sometimes the little guy seems to be in the way of the big guys (think prime spring planting). But, typically, when there's time they will give it to you in amounts disproportionate to your level of purchase.
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
I buy where I can get the seed with the characteristics I want at the best price (shipping included). When total cost is close, I opt for local. Beyond just products, having a relationship with the manager at the local coop has proven very valuable to me. He is quite knowledgeable about farming in our area. He has been a great help at identifying specific weeds and recommending control methods. While I do use Welter and Keystone and such from time to time because they carry more than my local coop and have to order some things anyway, my coop is my primary. There are only a few cases where there is a significant price difference.
Thanks,
Jack
Thanks,
Jack
Bill
Administrator
Good to see you. You must be busy lately
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j-bird
Moderator
All good sources. I prefer to support a local supplier if I can find what I am looking for. This supports to local economy and saves on shipping and you get personal support and can typically get smaller amounts. Many local sources will generally carry "grazing" varieties and may or may not have a specific variety you are looking for. Some web sites will not break bags.... Like mentioned there are some very good websites out there as well, so there is nothing against using them also, or even a BOB product off the shelf at a local retailer if you have a small plot or need something quickly. BOB seed is fine it just tends to have some fill in it and may be be specifically what you want.....read the seed tag. BOB seed tends to be more expensive because of the company overhead costs associated with the product.
All different tools for similar jobs, just be aware you have a choice and use what best suits the situation.
All different tools for similar jobs, just be aware you have a choice and use what best suits the situation.
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
My camp uses both local seed sources and Welter's. Sometimes our local source doesn't have varieties we want to plant - certain clovers, brassicas, etc. But we get our corn, buckwheat, oats, WR, and WW from our local guy.
H20fwler
5 year old buck +
I do the same as a lot of you buying locally. Have a great seed company right here run by good friends that can get me about anything I need if they don’t already have it in stock from crop seed, brassicas, clovers, Native grasses to anything else I get in my head that I think I need to try.
Livesintrees
5 year old buck +
I’ve done some sourcing locally. They just don’t carry as much as where I assume a lot of you guys live. I’m in NJ so it is limited to what is available to me. My last experience local was the guy telling me why plant that, plant this instead. I said is was for deer not harvest. And he replied well who plants food for the deer anyway.
So as you can see I rank customer service as number one. If I come looking for a mix just sell it to me! Not many do habitat work here. A good portion of the state leases land and simply hunts what is available to them as they don’t have free Range to implement a habitat plan.
Either way I’m gonna look at Hancock’s site as well. Always nice to have options.
I appreciate All the feedback. And I’m sure I’ll be looking for fruit tree recommendations next winter for the spring. I have too many projects started now already!
So as you can see I rank customer service as number one. If I come looking for a mix just sell it to me! Not many do habitat work here. A good portion of the state leases land and simply hunts what is available to them as they don’t have free Range to implement a habitat plan.
Either way I’m gonna look at Hancock’s site as well. Always nice to have options.
I appreciate All the feedback. And I’m sure I’ll be looking for fruit tree recommendations next winter for the spring. I have too many projects started now already!
S.T.Fanatic
5 year old buck +
I almost always buy local unless they don’t have what I want. Luckily for me there are several choices in any direction I drive.
With that being said I order my local seed months in advance so they have time to wait to put it on a full truck so I don’t have to pay shipping.
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With that being said I order my local seed months in advance so they have time to wait to put it on a full truck so I don’t have to pay shipping.
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bbcoach
5 year old buck +
Check out Hancock Seed Co out of Florida. Their prices are pretty good on certain things and they have free shipping on some of their items. Shopping around is the best bet since most companies shipping charges will escalate the price per pound you pay tremendously. As others have said, check your local coops and buy from them if you can.
Bill
Administrator
North, central or south?
Livesintrees
5 year old buck +
North. Sussex county.
I use Deer Creek Seed Company in Windsor WI. For me it is an easy choice as they are only 20 miles from my house and on the way to Madison where I run errands. I can pick up in person avoiding any shipping charges. Great people to deal with and they are always willing to load their seed into my Suburban. Another bonus is that I have a farm exempt sales tax form on file with them so I do not have to pay the 5.5% WI sales tax. One of the only advantages I can see to being a farmer.
Bill
Administrator
Ok too far for me to make recommendations. Theres two pretty good local services in Salem county but that's at the bottom of the state.
Livesintrees
5 year old buck +
Yes sir south has more diverse AG. Up north it’s a lot of corn, hay, and alfalfa hay mixes. Whatever isn’t corn or hay has cattle and sheep it seems.
Tap
5 year old buck +
Green Cover Seed. Great website with a lot of user tools and tons of seed. Get ready to spend some time on their Smartmix calculator! They specialize in cover crops and soil health. Not enough of us worry about soil health. Develop and protect healthy soil and your plots will be better and costs will be less.
Welters. I've used them for years. Good people and lots of seed varieties.
Granpa Ray. Bought a few things fro them last year. Seems decent and they offer a few things that I haven't seen elsewhere.
Welters. I've used them for years. Good people and lots of seed varieties.
Granpa Ray. Bought a few things fro them last year. Seems decent and they offer a few things that I haven't seen elsewhere.
Livesintrees
5 year old buck +
Also I might mention. This property is newly acquired. Thus due to the layout as well as consulting with my forestor (also a hunter as are all of his employees) the majority of my planting will be sections of the logging trails, and I will open up two smaller plots as well next year. Both will be limited in size bc of terrain to about 1/2 acre. All said and done between logging roads and these small plots I will probably end up with 3-4 acres of food. Where the property is situated in comparison to others in proximity anything that I plant will get major attention. So a less then perfect foodplot will still have major impact. We got some rain today. My father stopped by and we were able to get about 3 hours in before the soaker ensued continuing the hinge cutting for bedding. Deer already bed predominately on the north side already along the entire border (series of benches). Some hinging to influence travel and side cover will go a long way in an otherwise mature forest. Plus they stare off for 300-500 yards into the neighbors property. Which means deer will hopefully not head that way while at the same time allowing me nearly foolproof access to the rest of the property.
It’s enjoyable to finally be able to do what I want with a property. A lot of work but enjoyable. I need to get some screening in along a east/west running low lying swamp (200x400 yards) next winter. Also need to check the opposing ridge line and most likely thicken it up should deer decide to bed there.
It’s enjoyable to finally be able to do what I want with a property. A lot of work but enjoyable. I need to get some screening in along a east/west running low lying swamp (200x400 yards) next winter. Also need to check the opposing ridge line and most likely thicken it up should deer decide to bed there.
