food plot prep

[Code-Man]

what weeds are present in your clover plot? One thing that I was shown by a person who was picky about his gardens was he didnt' want to spray the whole garden but wanted obviously the weeds sprayed. He would dip a brush into a 50/50 chemical/water mixture and would dip a paint brush in and coat the leaves. Worked wonders for him. Might be an option if hte weeds get too high. I guess it's hard to recomend the spray without knowing the weeds and crop(s). If you have any questions send an email and I can try helping you out further. I will only be checking in once a day or so because work is going full bore.

[Scott K]

I didnt fertilize, or spray. I planted last weekend, and I have clover growing that is about a half an inch tall so far. I am just going to try it naturally this year I guess. Weed it by hand when needed.

[treeguyus]

I spoke with a long time farmer this morning who told me to disc my food plots throughout the summer. Preferably after a rain. Then Mid-August fertilize and plant. He said by leaving the plots black through the summer will kill alot of weed roots. He reccomended once you see weeds disc them again. He also reccomended mixing legumes like orchard grass with clover. Because the root system on orchard grass is very complex and then keep cutting to keep fresh shoots coming.

[Nova]

the corn plot and the sunflower plots are both in up north and 2 more plots are disced up and ready for a mid August plant. 2 more to get ready at home this week and hopefully get the seed in the ground before opening of fishing. Here is the newest plot up north planted in corn. This will be a great spot if the corn comes up good.

[BLACKJACK]

I was at BLB's place last night up north of Brandon and hes not kidding when he talks about broken down tractors!!! Him and his dad were working on reattaching the front end to one of them!!! I guess a tree jumped out at him!!! Then when he was giving me a tour with the Gator, he managed to start a fire in the Gator housing!!! Don’t let BLB near any of your power equipment!!!!! BLB did show me some real sweet food plots in the woods!!! I can't wait to see the trail cam pictures!!

[BLACKJACK]

Codeman, I went thru Elrosa last night and was able to pick up some 9-23-30 in 67 pound bags, thats what I'll use on my clover spots.

[roosterslayer]

The weeds are getting sprayed today, and all the plots will be plowed and disked this weekend, and i will be putting in lime and pot ash in and disking that under, then on Memorial weekend i am hoping to get all three plots planted, and then i will put two more in, in August.

[bigbucks]

Code-Man, maybe I've asked you this before, but do I know you? If you work with the coop you probably know someone who now works with me that used to work their, depending on how long you've worked with them.

Here's a question for you or other guys. I've got about a 20 acre hayfield next to my woods, which is about 25 acres counting my neighbors. I've got several logging trails that I've made in the woods. I'd like to plant some of them, if not all of them eventually into something that would be more of an attractant than alfalfa, there's a lot of hayfields near me. I was thinking about tilling it up in June & working it over the summer & then planting oats for fall, but I'm not sure how well that would grow in the woods. It's high ground, that's well drained & pretty sandy. The trails are anywhere from 7-15' even 20' wide in some places.

[Code-Man]

I just moved to town here. Only been here since Jan. If your looking for possible something to fill up those logging trails we carry all of the Antler King Products and they make some big bags which save a lot of money per acre then the little ones. We have a 3 acre bag 25 lbs I think. It has 6 differnt seeds in it 5 are perenials at our Coop. If there is a product on Antler King's HSOforum you like we are an official dealer and if you order through us you wont be charged for shipping and handeling. If your looking for something to fill the trails your probable not going to be able to get something like Corn/Beans established but you might be able to get clover/grasses mixture and get it established and see what you want to do. If you want to chit chat with me I'm in the office 60% of the time now and I'd be willing to chit chat with you as long as you don't get discouraged because of my age. Had some customers come in and see how old I am and then left. But we do have some products that would work for you but I think a clover/grass mixes that would be your best bet depending on what things look like. Again if you want to chit chat with me come in to the Coop and ask for Cody.

Thanks

Code-Man

[Nova]

Question about round up ready corn. How often can you spray it with round up and when is the best time to spray it. I was thinking mid june for the first spraying, but would like to hit it once more if necessary. Is it ok to spray it more than once if needed?

[BLACKJACK]

I'm going to have the local cenex spray mine and the guy said to call him when the corn hits 8 inches tall.

Several years ago I had some round-up ready corn and because of rain and bigger customers they didn't get to my place until the corn was close to waist high and the weeds were a foot taller, once they sprayed the weeds they didn't die but they were set back so bad that the corn took off and it ended up being a great food plot. That RR corn is great stuff!!!

[iffwalleyes]

Code-Man what do you have for fertilizer at the Coop without Nitrogen need some for my plots? I might have to have my dad swing in there and get some from ya some day.

[Code-Man]

Hopefully this post makes sense. It's 9:40 and I just got home...was there at work from 6 am till now. Fertilizer without Nitrogen. On hand were limited...don't waste your trip over here. I can get anyone anything bagged as long as it's a decent amount .5 ton or more. Have to get it bagged in Elrosa but can get it done if a big enough amount is needed. We have some products on hand I think a 10-10-28 or 38...LONG DAY. Otherwise depending on how much you need we can do bulk. We put 1/2 to 1 ton in gravity box or you can usually get 5 gallon buckets also for small amounts. We usually have 40 lb bags of potash in stock but were out I believe. We will be ordering more but we do have a few mixtures and I wish I could remember them because each bag 67lbs is 14 bucks a bag and one has a higher nitrogen and one with higher potash numbers. I know I really am mumbling but depending on how much you need I can try to do some bags otherwise we do have some mixtures on hand but everything but the bagged potash (10 bucks). We'll be ordering more in shortly but just a matter of time. But if there is something special you want blended or can handle bulk which is the cheapest 20-30 bucks cheaper per ton. I did have some customers this year that were doing food plots that had a tractor with a PTO shaft rent our pull behind spreaders. 1.50 an acre rental and we put bulk in the back. so might be an option.

[Cooter]

Talk about perfect timing! Planted a small in-woods plot on Sat and early Sun morning the area got .75" of rain. Good chance for some more today and tonight. Had tilled up about half of the plot, rye planted last fall, a week and half ago. No weeds, what a miracle! Tilled up the other half Sat, that rye was a foot tall. Put in some pea patch which has peas, beans, plus sunflowers for the peas to grow on - hope it turns out, good start so far!

On the other hand deer have been nibbling my apple trees plus one of them had a big nest of those darn tent caterpillars Got rid of them with minimal leaf damage.

[Nova]

Finally the two plots at home are in making 6 plots total...I should have been a farmer Time to concentrate on fishing now and let mother nature take care of things. I could use some rain though

[roosterslayer]

Heres one for you guys. I have all the plots ready to go and will be planting on Memorial weekend. I owners of the property recieved a letter from Pope county saying that they have banned all perennial food plots. so now i am stuck, I was going to plant two perennial plots and two annual plots. now all four have to be annual, this is going to make for alot more work in the future replanting every year and is some what disappointing.

[Mark Christianson]

What the heck is that about???

But farmers can plant perrenials?

Wow. Thats just odd.

[BLACKJACK]

Quote:

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Pope county saying that they have banned all perennial food plots

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I'm guessing that these are food plots on CRP acres or other goverment subsidized acres. They wouldn't have any control over regular farm ground or spots that guys are tilling up in the woods. It would be nice to hear their reasoning why they're banning perenial plots??! I feel your pain, annual spots do get to be a lot more expensive and time consumming!

[Mark Christianson]

I checked the Pope County HSOforum, and I found nothing at all in regards to food plot restrictions. Not that it would be there for sure, but there is something more to this I think, as Blackjack mentioned.

[roosterslayer]

I think it does have to do with the CRP, they also said that we can have no more then 3 acres of food plots.

[Code-Man]

Some counties are trying to crack down on the enforecment of Food plots in CRP. First the government is paying the farmer to put natural grasses in and they pay for the seed to a partial and then you dig it up and plant something that isn't a natural perenial...kinda defeats the purpose of having the natural grasses. People start arguing and well they are paying you to keep it in grass...either quit being paid for and put your food plots in or follow the rules that you signed up for. Sorry if I seem harsh but when the govt is paying for seed and application in some instances and then they are paying you a fixed income without you putting any inputs into it and tax write offs are available I think the govt can put some regulations down. Just getting really tired of farmers getting all these govt checks and then whinning when they can't do what they want.

[BFT]

It sounds like one big bait station to me , something that draws animals to a certain spot , and have it come down to a routine , and then harvest them while their coming like a trained monkey , and their griping about a pail of apples ?

I'll hunt the way my father , and grandfather hunted , the fair chase way !! Just my 2 cents worth !!

BFT

[Nova]

when you say hunt like your father and grandfather, do you mean next to a corn or bean feild or in the oak trees when the acorns are falling. Difference is these plots are left year around for the animals not harvested.

[roosterslayer]

Nova, thats just what i was going to say, I suppose in order to hunt the fair chase way that means not hunting around any food sources at all, or trails. Cause trails the deer use all the time and sitting trails would be unethical. Now maybe someone can teach me to hunt the fair chase way cause without hunting food sources, how do you hunt deer??

[Mark Christianson]

I hope anyone that is hunting like their grandfather is also using an old British 303 with iron sights too.

Nova and Rooster hit exactly the point I always try to make.

Just because I plant corn with intentions of wildlife to eat it, makes it wrong? Yet the guy next door that has corn, alfalfa, beans, etc intentionally planted for harvest/profit, he is completely ethical to hunt over his candy?

Not one bit of difference between the two at all in my eyes.

PS - my great grandfather hunted this same land that I do today, and happened to sit on the corner of the field out behind the barn. My stand is within yards of his historical stand location according to my grandfather.

So I like to think I am hunting like my father, grandfather AND great grandfather.