The Land of Milk and Honey

[T-Max]

Sounds like you're doing all you can. Where you have the high spots in yellow and blue of post #7 would be a good spot for apples. Turkey Creek probably has some good ones for your area.

I like the idea with the high spots getting less frost, but unfortunately this whole bottom gets quite a bit colder than the slopes just above. This fall I am going to plant plum thickets on the slopes and hopefully chestnuts just on top near my original old foodplot. Maybe that whole old foodplot will become an orchard someday. I have worked to improve the soil for several years up there by bringing in literal tons of composted manure and doing minimal tillage to incorporate it.


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[T-Max]

I’m staggering my seed spreading due to the continued drought. Looks like the clover will get spread this weekend. Pretty good chances for precip coming up. Will hold off a couple more weeks on the rye maybe just to spread my risk. I was able to still find a few brassica seeds untouched in my field. They have laid there for about a month I think…


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[Catscratch]

I’m staggering my seed spreading due to the continued drought. Looks like the clover will get spread this weekend. Pretty good chances for precip coming up. Will hold off a couple more weeks on the rye maybe just to spread my risk. I was able to still find a few brassica seeds untouched in my field. They have laid there for about a month I think…


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I haven't even bought fall seed. It's hard to get too excited when It feels like a hot July outside. Hope you get that rain next week!

 

[omicron1792]

This spring I started the transition of one of our bottom fields from brome to something more useful. It’s a little hard to tell, but I mowed the outline of the future plot.

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That’s a pretty plot of land. I think you can do great things there.

 

[T-Max]

Took the drone up this morning for a better view of the mowed buffer strip. Most of the deer come from the right (South). Should be a nice look when it’s done.

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[T-Max]

Here is a look at my OG foodplot with respect to the new bean field. Here you can see the new bean field, another bottom field I would like to do some work on in the future, my brushy hillside and the old foodplot above. The upper right corner of the old foodplot is where I plan to plant some more mast trees. Where the road cuts it off.

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[omicron1792]

That’s cool stuff my man. Thanks!

 

[T-Max]

Here is a look at my OG foodplot with respect to the new bean field. Here you can see the new bean field, another bottom field I would like to do some work on in the future, my brushy hillside and the old foodplot above. The upper right corner of the old foodplot is where I plan to plant some more mast trees. Where the road cuts it off.

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Something I hadn't noticed in the bottom right. That is an area of creek bottom that was HEAVILY canopied with elm and hackberry. It looks like the big old elm finally fell. It was far too big for my chainsaw so I girdled it and hit it with Tordon. I love this drone.... :)

 

[T-Max]

Took advantage of the cool day, and the fact I am sick to install a scrape post by my Redneck blind. The old man ran the auger and we got it just right so far as I can tell. 30 yards from the blind. It will be fun to see how it works.

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[T-Max]

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[Catscratch]

Beautiful plot!!! That post with the licking branch will draw attention right off the bat!

 

[T-Max]

I robbed the branch from another scrape nearby. I thought it would already have some scent and take away a distraction so they focus on mine.


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[Bill]

I robbed the branch from another scrape nearby. I thought it would already have some scent and take away a distraction so they focus on mine.


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Oh that works. We do it every year.

 

[T-Max]

I have begun the process of ordering trees to turn the original food plot into an orchard of sorts. The different lines represent different tree species. I am thinking orange is persimmon (as I already have a few planted and they are even producing!), red is apples and blue is chestnut. With good spacing allowance I can still fit 25 persimmon, 15 apple, and 15 chestnuts. The long plan is to transition the area just North of this to better bedding. You can see part of it was farmed in a previous generation and needs to be replanted back to natives. My hope is it becomes better for deer and the orchard and brushy hillside below will become a good transition down to my food plots in the bottoms.

 

[T-Max]

Slightly zoomed in...

 

[Telemark]

Two things :

1. I think you should consider crabapples and pears in your orchard. (in addition to the persimmons, apples, and chestnuts)

2. Would it not be better to put the bedding south of the orchard and a big food plot north of the orchard?

 

[T-Max]

Two things :

1. I think you should consider crabapples and pears in your orchard. (in addition to the persimmons, apples, and chestnuts)

2. Would it not be better to put the bedding south of the orchard and a big food plot north of the orchard?

The apples I have ordered include crabapple varieties. Pears are something I forgot about actually. Good call! As far as layout, I am very limited in my options. I don't have completely free reign on the place as it is my dad's. Currently there are cattle North of the orchard and I can't do anything there. The food plots are a new thing for me here and the fields as they exist are the best place to get them to grow. I do not own or have access to any of the ground South of the big bottoms. Currently that is the bedding (on the neighbors) and I am trying to draw them off of there for feed.

 

[T-Max]

A bit late, but I put down 300 lbs of rye and a clover mix on the food plot. Couple of chances of rain coming up. Bean pods look surprisingly good. Probably 2 acres of the 3-1/2 I planted ended up producing good pods.brassicas were a complete failure. We’ll see what happens!


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[buckdeer1]

Looks good and I agree,even this years when apples and pears were few my crab apples produced some.I only have a few chestnuts as it seems they are hard to keep alive.I also planted a 30 tree orchard this year and so far all alive with irrigation system.Be sure and plant them far enough apart and leave a gap where you might want to see through the trees someday.

 

[Catscratch]

I'll second considering the pears. Pears out produce my apples and crabs by quite a bit, and are way more consistent too. My chestnuts struggle just like buckdeer's. Some stay live but haven't grown much. Sawtooths are a much better tree on my place.

Looks like a good plan. What's your predominant wind direction during season? I get more south east days than anything else. Especially when fruit is producing.