Alfalfa for hay/plot

[BenAllgood]

My farmer has been planting corn for the last two years on 4 acres. It's been a great draw. We have a deal worked out in which he keeps the corn and puts in a cover crop after harvest. The only drawback is that the cover crop gets in late and leaves a little too much time without much food for what I want. I asked him about maybe switching to something else. He suggested alfalfa. I've never dealt with alfalfa. I've assumed there's not much to eat in late November until spring, but I could be wrong. I do have maybe a half acre section right next to it that I can put in a different mixture of something for a plot. I really like the draw of a big field though, and feel that I'll have about 4 acres of nothing with a half acre kill plot instead of the bigger destination I'd like. There's not a lot of ag around my area, and the bigger plot has been a great draw to pull deer in the area into a reliable pattern. I'd like to hear thoughts/suggestions if you could.

 

[Native Hunter]

Ben, what about paying the farmer for some of the corn and leaving it standing?

I’ve planted WI alfalfa with good results, but it will go dormant at some point during winters here.

You might consider broadcasting some grain or other annuals before he picks the corn. That might give you a little head start. The harvesting of the corn would help get the seed in the ground.

 

[BenAllgood]

Those are some good ideas Steve. He's asked if I wanted any if it. I've told him no, but some standing for me might work out.

He's not combining it, or at least it wasn't last year. He is picking and bagging it as he goes I believe. Since he's picking it a little at a time, I might have him plant as he picks. I sent him all the seed for planting, so he might do that for me.

I'm kind of curious how alfalfa will work out.

 

[Native Hunter]

Those are some good ideas Steve. He's asked if I wanted any if it. I've told him no, but some standing for me might work out.

He's not combining it, or at least it wasn't last year. He is picking and bagging it as he goes I believe. Since he's picking it a little at a time, I might have him plant as he picks. I sent him all the seed for planting, so he might do that for me.

I'm kind of curious how alfalfa will work out.

Alfalfa is a good draw, but I'm not sure if it's any better than red clover and chicory. In past years when there have been mast crop failures, I have had trail camera pictures of deer pulling chicory up out of the ground and eating the roots in winter. That was before we started seeing so much cropping around me and before I started doing a lot of hinge cutting of maples, etc.... Not sure if they would still do that or not.

 

[BenAllgood]

He left some standing corn through the rifle season. But, I gave him the go ahead to do alfalfa. Lime going on today.

 

[buckdeer1]

Get him to add some clover or chicory as the alfalfa will turn brown.But while it's green theres not much better early season

 

[BenAllgood]

Get him to add some clover or chicory as the alfalfa will turn brown.But while it's green theres not much better early season

That won't affect him cutting it for hay?