Our 2013 Plots

[Lunker]

In the late winter/spring of 2012 my brother purchased an 80 acre farm in North central WI as our new get-away/deer camp. Myself, my brother, and 2 friends purchased the adjacent 80. We have done a lot of work in the first 2 years improving the buildings and working on the existing fields/making new plots but it will be an on-going project of course. my bro has done the majority of the planting but figured i would share some pics of the results. These pics were taken shortly after the drought this summer finally ended and everything sprung back really well with the rain. They continued growing and many of the turnips on the north turnip plots were the size of softballs by hunting season and everything was taller by the end.

Clover Plot with apple trees

Trail Plot, clover with some brassicus/winter wheat farther down

A tiny brassicus/rape plot

Turnip/Brassicus/Rape Plot with apple trees

[Lunker]

Large Turnip/Rape Plot that did great this year

Same plot from where different spot

Close up turnips before they really got big

Turnip/Rape plot surrounded by clover/chicory mix

[Lunker]

1 acre clover/chicory plot on the edge of an alfalfa field

close up clover/chicory

[Lunker]

Not pictured are a couple of larger alfalfa fields we have and one that we just turned over and left lay for the year. also a plot that was planted during the drought and didn't do well. The depressing part of the story is we were very excited about how they turned out this year especially as it was only year 2 of owning the property. Had lots of deer on camera through the summer/early fall. After the second week of bow season the deer basically disappeared. From then until half way through gun season we saw as many wolves as deer on the property. Half way through gun season the deer started appearing again and now are hitting the winter plots really hard. Bad timing for a pack to be around...

[LABS4ME]

Lunker,

Plots look great. It's awesome to see so many guys get passionate about their property and do extensive habitat work. I actually enjoy the work through the growing season as much as hunting now!

One thing to keep in the back of your mind is coming up with a rotation crop for your brassica (turnis, rape, radishes, kale etc)... You should rotate something else in every third year. After two subsequent seasons you run the risk of in soil diseases taking down any brassica on that plot. Think winter wheat, beans, winter peas, crimson clover etc. just a tip I learned over the years.... We always have plots planted in them, but eac individual plot rotates out either every other or every third year. By rotating out you break the disease cycle...

Our radish/ turnip plots are being hammered right now. Surprisingly more so than the standing corn!

Good luck!

Ken

[Lunker]

Thanks, and yes we realize we need to rotate, my bro went a little overboard with the turnip plots this year! We want to have more early season plots as well as a better rotation, which is in the plans for the future.

[East Rush Rules]

Wow Lunk, all the plots look awesome! What a bummer that the wolves moved in and disrupted your hunting, next year it hopefully is better! It will be good to have food there this winter to keep them hanging around. Just wanted to throw this tip out there. I noticed in the first pic with the apple orchards. Try to get those limbs trained outward with some wire, etc. and make sure each tree has only one central leader! Keeping those puppies properly pruned will make them produce faster/be healthier more productive trees in the future!

[Lunker]

Thanks for the advice East Rush, those apple trees in the first pic were put in just this spring so we are still learning!