food plot prep

[Mark Christianson]

Just used the Lustran B116 plates I used for the corn. I think it went down a bit thick, but no big deal.

Last year they mowed a couple acres adjacent to the woods. Between that and the drought, the farmer said he made a crop insurance claim. They LOVED the beans. No question.

[Code-Man]

Don't get me in trouble here for mentioning names for brands of seed.

RR Soybeans are 30ish bucks a bag at most agronomy locations. Some will go up to 35 for the early maturities and some later ones will be 28-25 bucks. Last time I checked NK was the cheapest.

If your looking for CHEAP RR seed Corn talk to your agronomy location about Wensman Blends. They make 80 85 90 95 100 day blends. Best thing about this is that it's RR Corn and you don't have the expensive over head costs. A bag of W85RR we were selling for 99 bucks. Not a bad deal. A lot of the customers that came in looking for cheap corn were planting that. When you look at Croplan, Dekalb, NK RR Corn is 130-150 bucks a bag. Our Wensman's were either Flats or Rounds. Check early in the year because they can't return the blends so they don't bring in too much extras.

Code-Man

[roosterslayer]

Well BLB, I have ti hand it to you for the great seed that i have purchased from you. Last weekend we planted four plots, two with some corn and the rest was a mixture of things but mostly the MNDHA blends and after one week of rain and sun the property owners that i planted for called and and told me that everything is coming up and looking good. Except the corn but i know that will take a little longer. anyways i am excited to see the trail cam pics off some of these plots that are coming in so nice.

[Nova]

Great news, I went to the corn plot last night with plans to disc it up and replant and the rain did the trick. The whole plot is full of corn plants about 3-4" tall. I was very releaved. I gotta hit it with some round up this week, then fertalize soon after and it should be good to go.

[archerystud]

Hey BLB,

Everything of ours came up. Also tried some pumpkins for some early season bowhunting.

Hopefully the nice buck I was seeing last year is back, he should be a shooter this year.

[Cooter]

Well I ventured out Sat night to roam with the skeeters and ticks - spent WAY too much on fertilizer at Menard's but got my peas and beans done....now for some rain soon. They are coming up but look a little sparse - probably just cuz I'm used to rye in there. Also watered/fertilized apple and pear trees - all are doing well, I removed all but a couple apples on em. One in particular was cracked half way up a couple weeks ago - I tied it to a post and it looks like it healed up nicely. About half the small plum trees I planted are alive yet - most of the cranberries are looking good.

My uncle was hoping to get corn and beans in yesterday - a little late for beans but if they survive the mid-summer heat they should be greener much later in bowseason than other fields in the area. Deer are hitting the minerals hard.

Next project is to clear out another small in-woods plot and grab the shovel and deepen the water hole - blister time baby!

[UdeLakeTom]

Just got back from UP-NORT den tooo. The 1/2 acre I prepped for fall planting is looking good and the turnips and rutabaga seeds all took. Now we need a good growing season.

[Cooter]

Cripes, I see the forecast went from hot with rain to hot and dry At least you can sit and watch the corn grow.

[Northland Sportsman]

Has anybody looked into the Wildlife Habitat Improvement Programs that they have with the local NRCS or SWCD offices? I have been working with them in my area (Kanabec County) for the past couple of years. I made application and was approved for a plan on my property that includes tree planting(1000 white spruce over 10 yrs), two 1/2 ac food plots, a 4 ac native grass/forbes planting, and over 20 ac of woodland selective thinning. The NRCS office helped me put together the plan, and will reimburse me for some of the costs of implementing the plan. I am working on the 4 ac. planting project and have had the area plowed, disced, and it was sprayed on Tuesday w/ roundup. I am getting the seed thru the DNR and having the local PF chapter do the planting using the DNR seed and planter. PF will charge me a small fee to do the planting. I am just wondering if anybody else has tried to work with this program. It has been going good for me lately and helps keep me motiveated and on track to have a plan. The reimburement helps make this feasible by covering some of the costs. I just wanted to know if anybody else did this sort of thing or if everybody does it on their own. I am new to this type of stuff and looked for help wherever I could get it, and the NRCS and SWCD staff helped me get in contact with others that could help.

[Mark Christianson]

You betcha we have done that and still have stuff in progress.

We have almost completed the first 25 acres of the TSI(Timber Stand Improvement). After that we have another 20 acres to do. Log our times and keep receipts for chemicals and equipment we have to buy to do the work, and we get reimbursed for it. The levels of reimbursement are awfully lucritive.

We have had the USFWS come in with a dozer and plug up a couple ditches FREE OF CHARGE. Now we have additional wetlands that we didnt have just 2 years ago. One of them is a duck magnet now. EVERY time we go to the farm, there are ducks in it. Teal, woodies and Mallards. Very very exciting to see the work making a difference.

We put in 20+ acres in CRP last year in the CP22 Riparian buffer program. There were 3500 trees planted(90% cost share) and we get annual payments on those acres to stay idle. That aint a bad gig at all.

I have posted on here before about this info in hopes others catch on and realize there is help out there. A heckuva lot of help that most people have zero clue is available. Lots of people scream that we need help to improve habitat for a variety of plants/animals/birds, but they aren't even using whats already available....

[BLACKJACK]

Mark, is that Timber Stand Improvement thru the DNR or ASCS?

[Mark Christianson]

Both the DNR and NRCS/FSA.

Opportunities galore out there. Just gotta make some calls.

Cant scoff at getting paid to improve your habitat.

[Northland Sportsman]

I agree that these programs are great for helping improve habitat on private property. I have had the NRCS, DNR, FSA, SWCD, a forester, PF, and others involved in my project at some point in time. I good start is to get a Woodland Stewardship Plan done by the DNR. It helps you to qualify for other programs and they work with you to get what you want. It just seems that there aren't very many people taking advantage of these programs and I think it is mostly due to not being aware of them. If more people don't use these programs they could go away, and that would not be a good thing!

[Mark Christianson]

Couldnt agree any more!

We started with the Woodland Stewardship Program, and from there made a couple calls, those calls got me connected up with more people/agencies, and before I knew it we had more stuff to do, than we have time now.

And you are right. If they dont get utilized, they surely may get scrutinized in the government as a waste of time for them, and funds will get diverted to the Arts for some stupid thing........

You are one of the first people I have actually heard that knows about the variety of programs available. Great to hear you are putting them all to use in some fashion.

A lot of people seem to know about CRP and CREP, but not much beyond that.

Oh yeah, the one I really love is the USFWS wetland easement program. Its mainly targeted for western MN, but you permanently retire your wetlands and get a one time payment to do so. And it aint no chump change, let me tell you......

[Hotspotter]

I too started with the Woodland Stewardship Program (upon the recommendation of BLB), and have since enrolled some of our land into CREP, and the remaining into the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP).

Thus far, I've had primarily positive experiences; though it has taken some maneuvering.

Good to hear you're out there doing the same things, and doing what you can to put habitat first.

Joel

[Mark Christianson]

I will add that you have to have some patience when working with the government.....

I shouldn't paint the picture that this is just a breeze. There is a lot of work, and it does require some "prodding" to get some of the agencies to stay focused on what you are trying to do.

Happy Bday Joel!

[Nova]

Looks like I'll be needing more cold weather blend. Mother nature did not take kindly to my corn plot. It got just above knee high and then dried up badly. Plots at home are in good shape, but up at the cabin the corn plots is toast. Might even be too dry to plant the MDHA cold weather blend for a while.