Foodplotting in Quarantine

dogghr

Well-Known Member
I’m sure if someone reads this in years to come they will prob be wondering why the heck was I on lockdown.
Made it to farm. Been a cold, rainy , snowy spring. It was 35 and snowing here this morning on the mountain tops. Plots look decent but really need some warm weather to spunk them.
I mowed the alfalfa plot thinking it had played out after 7 years and I’d let it transition to clover/ chicory on this ridge top. But when I went to move my exclusion cage , there was foot tall alfalfa within it. This is the only plot I still use cages on as it’s impossible to judge alfalfa growth since deer keep it browsed out of sight.
So guess I’ll throw some 0-20-20 and Boron/ Borax on it soon. I need lime bad but this year been too wet for access as was last spring. And then most you know my life was in turmoil thru the fall to even consider the farm. Below is alfalfa field and out of sight to the right is annual WW / brassica/ RC field.
Yes you can mow alfalfa. No you don’t need to bale or remove it. Yea it will thrive as deer keep it mowed. No it’s not the drama to grow like some suggest. Yea just don’t do monoculture and add WC and Chicory. And no the clover doesn’t take over/ see above comments.
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Want some clover with those turnips?? Just plant your brassica , WW , and RC all in one mix. This is all throw and mow. I haven’t tilled for 5+ years and never ever have bare dirt at any given time. Something always present. Builds soil, prevents wind and water erosion , controls soil temps , promotes micro and macro organisms and saves time , money , and sweat. Why make it complicated?? I used to!
A few natures planting of Red Dead Nettle mixed in for fun. Cattle like that stuff.
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Poor pic but here is an untubed Silky I was referring to on my cage thread. Look close and you can see all the bush like sprouts that were being hidden and abused by the tube past 3 yrs. Say NO to tubes.
WC /chicory plot in background. 8 years old. Do not, do not redo clover plot because you think it’s needed. They will last longer than you.
Between tree and clover is a swamp drainage I allow grow into a thicket each year. Free stuff right there.
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My Hazelnut trees are planted in dry/ poor soil and they have progressed slow. Like the Silkies I’m trashing the tubes and putting cages on them. Just takes me a while to fix stupid. I’m a slow learner.
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Fallow fields surround all I’ve shown and they too have been neglected. I’ll show them and my methods in their establishment and maintenance in the future. Hint... let nature teach you. She been doing this for a long time. Don’t fight her. Peace.

“A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise.” —— Aldo Leopold


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Well nonstop rain sure makes clover grow. 3in rain jst this week. Mowed this 5 wks ago but clover over foot tall. Some WR that I usually just let go but I’m hoping to spray grasses this week. As I’ve often said I spread WR early fall each year into my perennials. The WW/ RC fields I won’t mow to allow fawning cover.
Hopefully can get week of dry weather soon to get lime truck into fields. Been 11 years since last application and ph has stayed 6.5 + until recently. Not big deal for clover but need to keep up for the ridgetop alfalfa.
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Still too waterlogged to mow much of the place bit got good bit done around my high dollar barn.

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I didn’t want to derail Mennoniteman thread but show an app some might find I interesting. It’s pretty accurate based on my past spraying using my own calculations. And it will measure ur speed if wanted. I don’t really use it much but like to play w it. And the clicking sound is addictive.
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I don’t keep my land thread active any more so figured here is good place to post some thots.
Headed to farm today on Harley to ck a few things. These are 2 of my favorite relaxing rides.
Notice the thicket growing in my creek bed. A lot of native flowers , cattails , and Black Elm. It’s a small form wet land that is filtering for clean water that will eventually supply the Gulf.

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3 wks ago sprayed couple plots. This first , a new alfalfa clover plot done T&M 2 yrs ago was having some issues. I had some Imox left over and used it. Got good kill of unwanted weeds and some hurt on the grasses. It works good but doubt I buy it again. Lousy pics but you can see dead unwanted and there is about third alfalfa and 2/3s clover coming along well across the 1 ac plot. The chicory was set back some by the Imox and cropoil but it will recover.
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Now the 7 yo clover plot needed some love. Used my preferred spray of Cleth , 8oz Gly , crop oil. It looks ugly but there is WC coming on strong and it will be thick in another couple wks. Middistant left is WW dying off from last years brassica. It is thick w RC.

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WR is dying off. Clovers left behind. Some chicory here also.
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Here a fallow field I’ve managed to improve soils. Ten years ago it was a barren slope w shale and lime gravel soils growing almost nothing. With time it has filled w native grasses and shrubs in addition to a few Hazzlenut and Pear tree plantings. No lime. No fert. Just mow in fall every few years. Nature at work.

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Traveled to Otter Creek Wilderness area in WV this past wk to hike part of the 300 mile Allegheny Trail.
Don’t let people lie and tell you mature timber and a thick understory can’t coexist. Bull crap. I make it happen at my farm and it happened precolonial forests and it happens where allowed today. Watch and observe. There is Fake news involving a lot of different things including land management.

“I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.” —-John Muir

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Traveled to Otter Creek Wilderness area in WV this past wk to hike part of the 300 mile Allegheny Trail.
Don’t let people lie and tell you mature timber and a thick understory can’t coexist. Bull crap. I make it happen at my farm and it happened precolonial forests and it happens where allowed today. Watch and observe. There is Fake news involving a lot of different things including land management.

“I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.” —-John Muir

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That cover looks just like a few places I hunt snowshoe hares in PA. I know there small pockets of them in WV too and I wouldn’t be surprised if you were close to some there.
 
That cover looks just like a few places I hunt snowshoe hares in PA. I know there small pockets of them in WV too and I wouldn’t be surprised if you were close to some there.

We do have decent numbers of Snowshoe here but they tend to be above 3000 ft. I see them but have never hunted. Funny how they are brown in summer and Snow White come winter.


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Spent some time spraying a few invasive and some plants mixed in w native regeneration that I didn’t want. Have really enjoyed having this sprayer and while I don’t spend al lot of time on chemical controls occasionally will spray plots and unwanted. Selective timing of mowing cures most ailments. Simply using gly mix here.
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17 year Cicadas came out this year. No they aren’t Locust. The American Locust has been extinct for nearly 100 yrs.
these things emerge from their sleep in the ground. Shed their exoskeleton. Then have unbridled bug sex for about 5 wks.
They then lay eggs in tree branch tips. Tips die. Fall to ground and the larvae buries into the ground to renew the process. Mature trees do well but it can kill young trees. I’ve lost 3 new Apple trees and a chestnut from them so far.
If you look close at these Pear you can see the dead tips. The entire forest will soon look like this.
Their mating buzz was deafening for 2 months. Bird and fish love them. Turkeys are happy.
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Regrowth in one of my Random Clusters. About 2 acres. Just enough opening of overstory to allow regeneration of native plants of all types from native flowers and grasses and shrubs to food including clovers. Of course this is ongoing as this ridgetop wants to be a Forest again.

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I won’t get a single Blackberry despite a bumper crop as the bear will just sit idly by plucking each one as they ripen.


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Mowed the two rotational fields of their wheat. Most fawns have been dropped but kept a careful eye fo any bedded. Beneath the WW is a decent crop of RC that was mixed w last years brassica. Pretty decent weed control w no chemicals don’t you think?
In couple wks I’ll broadcast a brassica mix. Sometimes I include the RC and grain and sometimes I spread them later in Sept- Nov.
At times I mow then plant then spray. Sometimes I plant, mow , spray. Or I will plant , no mow , no spray. Or a combination of any those. Each seems to give good results and in part depends on my mood , available time, and weather.
I mainly chose to do the mow this year as I’m bringing in the lime truck next wk.
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Also mowed the shoulder high WR from Ravine plot. No need to as I have pics of it loaded w deer and fawns. You think not much there but beneath is a nice carpet of WC. I’ll overseed this w WR and some brassica this fall. 11 yo clover plot.

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Moved the exclusion cage in the alfalfa clover plot. Outside cage everything mowed to ground by deer and struggle to fine the alfalfa. Look close and you can see the 2 ft tall alafalfa that was protected within the cage. Overseeded w WR each fall which you can see has headed out. Good plot for a hot ridge top. 7-8 years old.
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Got an old locust post fence along the riad that I’m taking down in a few wks. Would wait till winter but friend coming to visit and going to use free labor to put up new fence.
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Hope you guys had a great 4th. We are a lucky people even in The midst of turmoil. That has been and always will be a part of this life.
Watch those soils. Observe the pattern of nature’s plant management. And try your best to mimic her. Much less frustrating.


“In June as many as a dozen species may burst their buds on a single day. No man can heed all of these anniversaries; no man can ignore all of them.”——Aldo Leopold

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Few random pics from couple wks ago. We have had timely rains which makes T&M plantings simpler. Simple 3 seed brassica of PTT , Daikon , and Rape thrown over a WW/clover field that had been mowed early July. These pics are at 3 wks , now at 6 wks since planting. No need to spray. Clover coexist and I’ll overseed a grain late Oct.

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Lazy scrape making. Zip tie licking branch. Drop bush hog to scalp ground. Pee in scrape. Done each year on clover field edge. No camera yet but will place one and get my buck pics wo them paying any attention to camera. Sex drive can be a dangerous thing.

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Speaking of which.... said clover chicory and some self seeding recurring brassica in this plot. Plante 3 years ago T&M w WR. Again will overseed w WR in couple wks for weed control. Cheaper than any herbicide. Yes some grass and weeds present but they live peacefully together. If only humans could have the same tolerance.

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As good of deer food as any foodplot. Stump sprouts from hinge cutting.

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Some places I manage for cover. Others for my own walkabouts. Hard mast trees producing thousands of tons of deer food nearly every year. My last hunt here I passed 7 bucks and finally arrowed an 8 w the recurve. Majestic spot. Do nt feel that you need to chainsaw everything for deer. Propaganda.
A buck stands in the distance btw, well camouflaged.

“ To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent tinkering” - - -Aldo Leopold

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Looks like the brassica feast is coming on strong. How well do your deer like the brassicas?

Too well. Used to last thru most of winter but no more. Not sure why I still plant them. Seldom make it past late Sept but they I think help the soil , weed control , remove excess N helping to prevent grasses , and give me strata to broadast grain ,RC , and oats in to by then.


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