Spring food plot thread

[deer farmer]

Over the past four yrs or so food plots have grown to approx. 15 acres in 1 to 2 acre spots. I will grow and additional 2 acres this yr giving me 17 acres. I have tried several spring plantings varieties to see what does best at my place. This yr it will be Eagle Brand Soy beans, my favorite and the deers favorite (irrigated for best performance) and Iron Clay peas added with Sunn Hemp, a great combination if not overseeded hemp. Buckwheat will be added this yr because our bee colony's are growing and I want to see how the deer react to it. 3 to 4 acres of clover will be irrigated to carry it to this next fall.

[macoop]

Great that you have irrigation. Most of us only dream about irrigation

[bowtechbandit]

Anyone use evolved harvest seed? If so did it seem to be a superior product to the rest?

[deer farmer]

For me, after learning I could buy more seed for less money by purchasing specific seeds over buying name brand mixes. But for some it might be easier to buy the mixes like EH.

[Big Red 82]

Blackeye peas, soy beans and i surround my spring / summer plots with 8' wide harry vetch,

[deer farmer]

Great that you have irrigation. Most of us only dream about irrigation

I wish I could water all my spots, but I can water some of them. I have a water well, and some 2" rolled tubing and I also have a pond I use for watering. it's not as easy as it sounds but well worth the effort, especially when it comes to the Eagle Brand soybeans when were in a drought, like the last few years. And last year, it was trying to plant in the mud till June and then no rain till Oct. Food plotting not near as easy as it sounds some years.

[Sergio_III]

Anyone use evolved harvest seed? If so did it seem to be a superior product to the rest?

I have used it without any success but I think they could work better further up north then me.

As deer_farmer mentioned, it is cheaper to buy seeds separately but having to ship my seeds in it is cheaper for me to get 1 bag of the mix then 3 or 4 bags of the actual seeds.

[Sergio_III]

I wish I could water all my spots, but I can water some of them. I have a water well, and some 2" rolled tubing and I also have a pond I use for watering. it's not as easy as it sounds but well worth the effort, especially when it comes to the Eagle Brand soybeans when were in a drought, like the last few years. And last year, it was trying to plant in the mud till June and then no rain till Oct. Food plotting not near as easy as it sounds some years.

This video gave me ideas for a project to irrigate our food plots.
Garden Irrigation

[Dushon]

I have used it without any success but I think they could work better further up north then me.

As deer_farmer mentioned, it is cheaper to buy seeds separately but having to ship my seeds in it is cheaper for me to get 1 bag of the mix then 3 or 4 bags of the actual seeds.

Why do you have to ship your seeds in?

[Sergio_III]

Why do you have to ship your seeds in?

Unfortunately we don't have any local seed suppliers other than the ranch stores which only carry the name brands.

[gtsticker]

Burned some old grass and weeds that invaded the part of the plot I did not plant last year. Should add some pot ash to the soil. Got 1.77 of rain yesterday and got fertilized also. Getting ready to order some seeds since we do not have a good local place to buy them. I just hate paying shipping that is as much as the seed.

[Razrbk89]

I think we're going to plant about 15 acres of beans and ~10 acres of corn at deer camp. Our reclaimed pastures kept a good stand of clover this year and there's plenty of lezpedeza and chufa.

Not going to plant anything at the house until fall kale/turnips. Neighbor is doing a bean rotation in the field that butts up to us that had rice this year. Hoping it will give the bucks a decent boost this spring!

[Dushon]

I think we're going to plant about 15 acres of beans and ~10 acres of corn at deer camp. Our reclaimed pastures kept a good stand of clover this year and there's plenty of lezpedeza and chufa.

Not going to plant anything at the house until fall kale/turnips. Neighbor is doing a bean rotation in the field that butts up to us that had rice this year. Hoping it will give the bucks a decent boost this spring!

What a neighbor!

[LWolken]

I can't comment on the sunn hemp never even heard of it. I have grown lots of cow peas over the years. If you have never broken ground where you plan to plant I would do it now that spring germination has begun then wait about two weeks until second germination then plant your peas. It takes several years of disking to get the majority of weed seeds out of your plot. Your stand may not be great this year if you have lots of weed seed in the soil. Make sure you have fresh inoculant and apply per the instructions. After broadcasting the peas (90lbs per acre) I run the tiller over them lightly about 1-1.5 inches to cover then run a cultipacker over the entire plot. The deer love them and usually eat them down before deer season arrives so I normally plant more if needed just before bow season in a few rows for attraction then oats, barley, wheat in different areas or rows.

[Razrbk89]

What a neighbor!

It sure helps my little spot I have carved out to hunt there. Definitely have to consider what they're munching. My spots are going to be a little rice-y this year, so I'm glad he's switching. Going to have to move a stand to watch his field, for sure.

Interested to see how some of the blends mentioned above work out!