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A year in the life of a farm

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    #46
    Awesome stuff. Do you drill into the elbon rye thatch?

    Have you planted Alyce clover before? What's your opinion on it versus Durana or Dutch White?

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      #47
      Originally posted by unclefish View Post
      Awesome stuff. Do you drill into the elbon rye thatch?

      Have you planted Alyce clover before? What's your opinion on it versus Durana or Dutch White?
      I use a no till drill directly thru the rye thatch. Still experimenting with this as the thatch can be quite thick. Yesterday I experimented raising the bush hog 5-6" high. Seemed to smooth out the thatch better and I'm not worried about stubble height.Last yr I had no problems but didnt plant the rye as thick as this year.

      I've used Alyce clover for years mostly mixed with Joint vetch. They are very compatible though like slightly different soil conditions. Deer clearly prefer the vetch over Alyce but consume both. Both are planted in the spring and in La. if big enough field planted will drop seed which resprouts the following spring. I had a vetch field reseed for 15 yrs before just this fall reworked to plant anew this spring. Of the two I prefer vetch. Lastly both Alyce and vetch have great late summer early fall growth and tend to be where deer are concentrated after the brutal La. summers.

      I love Durano. Have planted both Durano and white dutch. Unequivocally Durano does better here. I usually plant Durano with a red clover mix in fall. By year 2 the Durano has taken over. Both are fall planted clovers with different growth characteristics than Alyce or vetch. I'm planting the vetch/Alyce combo in to Crimson as it will have seeded out by early May dieing shortly and the combo will grow thru the thatch.

      If I had to choose between Alyce or clover Durano would be unquestioned option. One value to vetch or Alyce over clover is it sometimes can be more available late summer in droughty conditions if clover goes dormant.

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        #48
        I should add that my soils tend towards heavy loam even some red clay. I dont think Durano or vetch will do as well in sandy soils. Alyce better option in sandier soils.

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          #49
          This is an awesome thread. I will be following it avidly

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            #50
            Following.

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              #51
              Originally posted by elgato View Post
              I use a no till drill directly thru the rye thatch. Still experimenting with this as the thatch can be quite thick. Yesterday I experimented raising the bush hog 5-6" high. Seemed to smooth out the thatch better and I'm not worried about stubble height.Last yr I had no problems but didnt plant the rye as thick as this year.

              I've used Alyce clover for years mostly mixed with Joint vetch. They are very compatible though like slightly different soil conditions. Deer clearly prefer the vetch over Alyce but consume both. Both are planted in the spring and in La. if big enough field planted will drop seed which resprouts the following spring. I had a vetch field reseed for 15 yrs before just this fall reworked to plant anew this spring. Of the two I prefer vetch. Lastly both Alyce and vetch have great late summer early fall growth and tend to be where deer are concentrated after the brutal La. summers.

              I love Durano. Have planted both Durano and white dutch. Unequivocally Durano does better here. I usually plant Durano with a red clover mix in fall. By year 2 the Durano has taken over. Both are fall planted clovers with different growth characteristics than Alyce or vetch. I'm planting the vetch/Alyce combo in to Crimson as it will have seeded out by early May dieing shortly and the combo will grow thru the thatch.

              If I had to choose between Alyce or clover Durano would be unquestioned option. One value to vetch or Alyce over clover is it sometimes can be more available late summer in droughty conditions if clover goes dormant.
              I don't own a drill so I'm trying a new method of planting this year by just broadcasting cow peas and milo into the standing Rye and then mowing over it. Some guys on the QDMA site have had great success planting small seeds like this but haven't tried cow peas. I know I will have to double the seeding rate but I think it will work.

              I love Durana as well. This is my third season with it and the deer absolutely love it. It goes dormant about mid-June if we get no rain but starts popping out again in Sept when it rains and cools off. I did try some Whitetail Institute white clover last year and its been impressive too but haven't gone through a summer with it yet.

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                #52
                That should work. One thing I've noticed with my mower...16' bat wing... is that it tends to 'row up' the grass especially if I mow low. It's why I've been experimenting raising the deck higher. If yours does that could effect success though cow peas and certainly milo may come up just sitting on top of the ground if you get lucky with rain.

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                  #53
                  Here is a close up pic of last falls planting. Easy to see the crimson and small grains. Also can pic out the round leafed winter peas. Harder to see the radishes but they survived in this field and are going to seed. Will be curious to see if they come back...and when. ..summer or fall. This is a 13 acre field to be planted in straight sunflowers for doves.
                  Attached Files

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                    #54
                    Here are some of the radishes picked from same field. This was my first year to plant them and I think they are great. I've never seen deer jump on a new plant as fast as the radishes. Plus the surviving radishes do a great job of penetrating deep in to the soil loosening it and sequestering nutrients for the subsequent crop
                    Attached Files

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                      #55
                      Bees have finally arrived. Been trying to start bees for several years and couldnt find anyone to be a beekeeper. My son has volunteered , the bees have arrived, honey and pollenation to follow. If all goes as planned will have hives scattered throughout the farm.
                      Attached Files

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                        #56
                        That's awesome

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                          #57
                          Originally posted by elgato View Post
                          Bees have finally arrived. Been trying to start bees for several years and couldnt find anyone to be a beekeeper. My son has volunteered , the bees have arrived, honey and pollenation to follow. If all goes as planned will have hives scattered throughout the farm.
                          I've never heard of this. Learn something new everyday.

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                            #58
                            THought I would post some pics of the better sheds we found this yr. THis is a 101" shed from a 5 yr old. G-2 17", G-3 13", G-4 10". Great mass but curiously only 23" mainbeam.Believe the other side to be closer to 90" making him ~ 210". Impressive for basically a clean 10 pt.
                            Attached Files

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                              #59
                              This is a 7 yr old 8 pt. Has 16" G-2. I have never seen this deer on the hoof. Has been ~ 170 with only 16" spread for last couple years.
                              Attached Files

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                                #60
                                This from a beautiful 4 yr old 10 pt with matching 3 kickers on each side. The side we found has an additional 3" kicker on his base and scores 90". Figure the other side at 87" and he score ~ 195"
                                Attached Files

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