What to do with expiring CRP

[Bszweda]

My 40 acres of CRP contract is expiring in two years trying to get ideas on what next. Should I just let it go wild and get a bunch of AO in it?( Haven't mowed in two years so I need to figure if I should mow it this year or should I Try to enroll in a CRP tree planting, replace CRP with switch grass? Goal trying to get mature bucks to use it more. I'm surrounded by neighbors with mostly timber, but also a few large ag fields.

 

[Mortenson]

Is it HEL? 1 option - put in 40 acres of corn and let it stand all season.

 

[Bszweda]

Yes all HEL. I was thinking of putting 7 acres of corn in one of my fields. I don't think the pocket book can support doing 40 acres

 

[Bszweda]

Here are the fields. The 7 acres is in the center

 

[Electrodigical]

Looking at the photo... 9 hole golf course?

 

[bwoods11]

A farmer won’t rent the land ?

 

[somich]

My 40 acres of CRP contract is expiring in two years trying to get ideas on what next. Should I just let it go wild and get a bunch of AO in it?( Haven't mowed in two years so I need to figure if I should mow it this year or should I Try to enroll in a CRP tree planting, replace CRP with switch grass? Goal trying to get mature bucks to use it more. I'm surrounded by neighbors with mostly timber, but also a few large ag fields.

Are you going to have to repay the payments you received?

 

[Mortenson]

If they can reenroll your crp for a decent price, that'd help cover the cost of putting 7+ acre corn plot in. I'd only do that if they'd allow you to add an improved form of switch grass in the mix. If your deer densities are high, a 7 acre corn field might never see an ear to maturity.

 

[Bszweda]

Are you going to have to repay the payments you received?

No I'm waiting till it expires. Then I need to figure out what to do.

 

[swat1018]

What is it in now? My 60 ac tree planting is a deer mecca, but because I needed bedding. A tree planting can only be renewed once, then, no more. Many CRP programs like tree plantings allow 10% wildlife food plots within the plan acres, so if enrolled you could still do 4 ac of plots, most likely.

 

[Bszweda]

What is it in now? My 60 ac tree planting is a deer mecca, but because I needed bedding. A tree planting can only be renewed once, then, no more. Many CRP programs like tree plantings allow 10% wildlife food plots within the plan acres, so if enrolled you could still do 4 ac of plots, most likely.

It's just CRP grass. My problem is my neighbors have the majority of the timber, which is thick on both sides. My property right now is transitional, and I want to thicken it up. The CRP tree planting would get me the early successional habitat I'm looking for , but I'd also have to follow their program. I thought about spot spraying a bunch of pockets into fields to kill the grasses after it's expired to get broad leafs to start growing.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

Some CRP programs allow 10% of the acreage to be turned into food plots, so your property would qualify for those programs you could get paid to plant a couple acres of food plots.

I think a good combo on that property would be 20 acres of CRP, 10 acres of tillable rented to a neighboring farmer and 10 acres of plots left for the deer. Food plots are expensive, but they are a huge draw and can make a big impact.

 

[SD51555]

I wouldn't put it back into a program. It seems like most of your property is off limits to improvement. I'd let that expire and keep some land that you're able to do something on. If nothing else, flip it to rye/clover/chicory. You could pull a lot of sniffers into the woodlands downwind of your plot to the east.

 

[somich]

I don't know what plans they have where you're at but, where I'm at in MI I shifted from the nwsg grass type program. There are/were lots of plans that allow, yes it pisses me too, to improve natural habitat.

We planted 47 acres into a pheasant/pollinator program and most was the habitat I want and lots of bushes and plants that provide food year around.

I didn't need to plant Gray or silky dogwood as we have lots. My willow didn't need expansion so that was a given. We basically did the prescribed plan with some changes. We also received hazelnuts from one of the CDs nearby and got free, we paid shipping 4 types of milkweed that fit our property profile very well.

I did hedgerows to try to create division of field, natural cover and browse. Lots of crabs for pheas, turkey, deer and hopefully get quail back.

 

[swat1018]

I don't know what plans they have where you're at but, where I'm at in MI I shifted from the nwsg grass type program. There are/were lots of plans that allow, yes it pisses me too, to improve natural habitat.

We planted 47 acres into a pheasant/pollinator program and most was the habitat I want and lots of bushes and plants that provide food year around.

I didn't need to plant Gray or silky dogwood as we have lots. My willow didn't need expansion so that was a given. We basically did the prescribed plan with some changes. We also received hazelnuts from one of the CDs nearby and got free, we paid shipping 4 types of milkweed that fit our property profile very well.

I did hedgerows to try to create division of field, natural cover and browse. Lots of crabs for pheas, turkey, deer and hopefully get quail back.

You have pheasant in Michigan still?

 

[buckdeer1]

I had CRP tree programs and grass.I let everything expire. I was going to renew my wetland but I didn't have enough forbs. It was going to cost 400.00 for seed to plant in a wetland that either floods or has switch grass.I tried to explain that it's too thick for forbs and that everytime it floods it would kill them.They told me they would inspect every 2 years and that I would have to purchase seed out of pocket if there wasn't enough growing.Which was more than they were paying me.I had to pay 134.00 to pay back the 3 days I was signed up.I would start questioning them at least a year before expiration. I have 22 acres of CP33 expiring next year that paid 1000.00 a year and it's been great the last 20 years but I decided I'm not renewing it but leaving as is.Funny they say my CRP programs are some of the few that look like they are supposed to.

 

[b116757]

I’d rent it out to a row crop farmer at least the field's he can access easily any he can’t use I’d plant in whatever thick cover you like maybe a few fruit trees mixed into one of them also. In a few years you maybe able to re-enroll in CRP if this is something you’re interested in. One of the smaller fields you could likely work out a deal on the rent that he leaves standing until after deer season or until spring if this is what your prefer.

 

[Native Hunter]

Mine is expiring, and I'm doing nothing. I like my NWSG fields - with or without money.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Crp is handing over control of your property to the government…in my opinion of course.
You can still take their ideas but implement them as you desire

 

[somich]

You have pheasant in Michigan still?

Yes, absolutely. We only have 90 ac but two of the neighbors have fallow land and we're surrounded by ag. It kind of helps that we are clay subsoil and fertile nice topsoil with lots of pothole type swails. Pretty much every farmer around has low woods/brush and wet fence rows.

My property is much like a palm up hand, pretty flat, low in the middle. We're low shitty wet overgrown brushy crap with some open spots. Lots of willow