Upstate Obsession

[Elkaddict]

We got some much needed rain and plots have popped. Here a a couple corn pics. It’s just starting to tassel.

 

[Elkaddict]

Here are Rutabagas/Winfred planted 4 weeks ago. In the plots that retained good moisture, leaves are 12+” in length. Overall, it’s behind a week or more.

 

[Elkaddict]

This is 1.5 acres of LC brassicas planted 2 weeks ago. The brown strip on the right will have alfalfa/triticale going in later in the month.

 

[Elkaddict]

This is my anti-starvation Plot (turnips) that went in 2 weeks ago. As is usually the case with me, too thin in part and too thick in others.

 

[Elkaddict]

Here are some obligatory critter pics:

 

[CTM1]

Year in year out your property always looks great!

 

[lakngolf]

Corn and pots looking good. Gonna keep some critters fed and happy!

 

[Elkaddict]

Some folks doubt brassica palatabilty until the first frosts. That has not been our experience with the Rutabaga/Winfred mix. Even with early use, they’ll still be knee to thigh high by October. By next March, they’ll be finishing the last of the bulbs and will chew the stalks to the ground.

 

[Bowhunter]

View attachment 13003 This is 1.5 acres of LC brassicas planted 2 weeks ago. The brown strip on the right will have alfalfa/triticale going in later in the month.

Your LC brassica plot looks 100 times better than both of the fields that I put in at the same time that you did. I must be doing something wrong. One field the brassicas are just barely popping up, and the other they are only about an inch tall.

Care to share your process and what you do for fertilizer on them?

 

[Elkaddict]

Nothing unusual, I disc in fertilizer, cultipack, broadcast and cultipack again. Cultipacking before and after greatly speeds up germination. I've seen it take a month for broadcast seeds to do anything on unprepared ground (when I have attempted throw and mow, I plant a couple weeks early to count for the slower germination). I don't think the fertilizer is impacting germination, just subsequent growth. I have experienced first hand that really low PH greatly slows down germination.

 

[farmhunter]

brassicas look great - next year I'll try rutabagas!!

 

[Triple C]

Always enjoyable catching up on your thread. Place looks fantastic! We won't be planting brassicas for another month or so down here and grains probably not till early October.

 

[Elkaddict]

Our plots exploded with all the rain. We’ve got corn that is 9’+. Literally 30” of growth the last couple weeks. I checked a few cams before the rains started and corn is not the only thing growing. I passed this buck a dozen or more times last year. I figure he’ll add 3” more growth. He’s a decent buck for this country.

 

[Elkaddict]

This bachelor group of 8 hit our mountain plot regularly:

 

[farmhunter]

same here corn as tall as I've ever had and beans like nothing is even eating them -
Your bucks are similar to ours - we aren't seeing anything yet over 100" - maybe you've got a few closer -

 

[Elkaddict]

Farmhunter, it’s interesting, our beans are weakest I’ve ever xperienced in several years (they’re mixed into the corn). Even on edges where they are not shaded out, they’re underperforming. Fortunately, the brassicas are as good as we’ve ever seen.

 

[farmhunter]

maybe too wet your way - we missed the real big rains here. Your brassica do look great!

 

[j-bird]

Looks like things have progressed well and the deer appreciate it! Sucks that your having stuff stolen. Trespassers and thieves are the worst part of property ownership.....people think they can just do whatever they want.

 

[Chainsaw]

Thank you so much Tom for showing me your deer hunting property or more correctly your deer Paradise and Deer Hunting Property. It is remarkable what you have accomplished in shaping your mountain top property into a Shangri-La for the deer. The deer's every need is met in outstanding fashion and your hunting setups are something else as well. Your thread pictures as beautiful and exciting as they are just begin tell the story. Your property's in the woods regrowth far exceeds any I have seen anywhere and those hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of natural grown oak seedlings and oak trees are just well, surreal. The size, shape and locations of your food plots combined with your "built" sanctuary areas are pure poetry as they just flow together so just right. I learned a lot on my visit to your place and really appreciate your taking the time to show it all to me.

 

[Elkaddict]

Dave, it was pleasure to have you. I learn something every time we get together. I really like seeing other habitat addicts’ properties. It’s like going to school! It would be great if we could set up group tours.

Let Dennis know I planted the last of his triticale today—used it as a cover crop for the alfalfa. Can’t wait to see how it produces. I’ll need to get another half dozen bags next year.