Keystone Krops

[Mennoniteman]

Rye is still feeding PA deer. That buck can't grow bigger antlers next year if he keeps his old ones.

 

[Mennoniteman]

Pennsylvania used to be a state that was anti-fire, and it was difficult to get a permit to burn, but now the PGC is getting onto the prescribed fire bandwagon. Here is a video clip of the Pennsylvania Game Commission biologists describing the benefits of prescribed fire

 

[George]

Pennsylvania used to be a state that was anti-fire, and it was difficult to get a permit to burn, but now the PGC is getting onto the prescribed fire bandwagon. Here is a video clip of the Pennsylvania Game Commission biologists describing the benefits of prescribed fire

I'm kind of a fire nerd, good conversation.

G

 

[Mennoniteman]

Prepping for notill corn. My local corn planting date is on tax day, so easy to remember for self employed people.

 

[Mennoniteman]

Chopping last year's cornfield, im going to try forage soybeans here this year, we'll see if the deer let them go long enough to establish a crop.

 

[Native Hunter]

That's a beautiful view in the background.

 

[Mennoniteman]

I planted 4 acres of notill deer corn into last years clover fieId. I always plant deer corn on tax day, not sure what the connection is but it's got the same feeling of independence to dumping that tea in the Boston Harbor.

 

[Drycreek]

How much success do you have planting deer corn and what is your objective. Maturity or…

 

[Mennoniteman]

How much success do you have planting deer corn and what is your objective. Maturity or…

My objective with growing corn is threefold; provide natural midwinter deer food when there's snow on the ground, get around the Game Commissions CWD area deer feeding ban, and to save money over buying deer corn.
Most years this endeavor is a big success, although I've had some crop failures due to drought and mismanagement. And the saving money part would only work if I'd use cheaper equipment.

 

[yoderjac]

My objective with growing corn is threefold; provide natural midwinter deer food when there's snow on the ground, get around the Game Commissions CWD area deer feeding ban, and to save money over buying deer corn.
Most years this endeavor is a big success, although I've had some crop failures due to drought and mismanagement. And the saving money part would only work if I'd use cheaper equipment.

I think this is a hugely better approach than using feeders with deer corn for winter support! The corn provides both food and cover for deer and other wildlife. It is not concentrated to help reduce disease transmission. It can be expensive, especially with the high N requirements of corn. Rotating to corn after a clover crops is a great idea to use the banked nitrogen.

I even saw a cool approach for planting direct into clover. There was a sprayer attached to the drill. Each spray head was a narrow spray directly on each planting row. The ended up with a beautiful clover field with small strips of dead clover where the corn was planted. The corn germinated and got above the clover before it filled in. The corn then helped shade the clover in the summer and the clover provided N for the corn. Seemed like a great idea to me for those planting corn.

 

[BenAllgood]

My objective with growing corn is threefold; provide natural midwinter deer food when there's snow on the ground, get around the Game Commissions CWD area deer feeding ban, and to save money over buying deer corn.
Most years this endeavor is a big success, although I've had some crop failures due to drought and mismanagement. And the saving money part would only work if I'd use cheaper equipment.

Are you cutting any of your corn during the season? Mine stays standing and is picked a little at a time during the season (farmer sells what is picked). But, I haven't been too impressed with the attraction of standing corn the last couple of years. It could be the location it's planted in though or something else.