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2 acre bean food plot

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dreambig@84

Member
Just trying to figure out if 2 acres planted in beans would be big enough here in Central Iowa for a food plot that is surrounded by ag fields.
My plan was to plant 2 acres in beans here soon and then seed rye,brassicas and clover into it.
I know alot of guys would say 2 acres worth of beans would need to be fenced but I was hoping I could get away without fencing and the beans would still be fine since it's surrounded by ag. Thoughts?
 
Impossible for anyone to answer. Your local deer numbers dictate that. Try it! Worst case they don't make it this year and you turn it into a green plot in August. No harm not foul

I have several in the 2-3ac range but am in the prairie with very few deer and most disperse for the summer. Summer browse is a non issue for me.
 
Bucksnbears said:
Deer numbers will dictate that.
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He ain't lying. ^^ :) Just FWIW, an unprotected 2 acre bean plot would have been smoked by the deer before the season even started at our place...up until last summer, that is, when we had a significant die off due to EHD. For the first time in forever, we actually had food leftover at the END of the hunting season this year. Enough "mouths" were killed that the food stretched for an extra 3+ months.

I agree with the idea of trying it and seeing for yourself...bearing in mind that as your population grows and deer become accustomed to getting good groceries at your place becomes set, what is true now, may not hold in the future.
 
Snail3496 said:
Try it! Worst case they don't make it this year and you turn it into a green plot in August. No harm not foul
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Agree!

As another option, I've gone to mixing soybeans and grain sorghum mix in smaller 1-2 acre plots. Gives them summer food along with a great stand of milo for fall/winter. Anything leftover from the beans are just a bonus.

Got this idea from Dbltree in the milo plot thread. Although I don't fence mine.
 
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IowaBowHunter1983 said:
Surrounded by ag.... they will be completly fine growing.

How long they last once surrounding crops are out is the real question. Agree, depends on deer numbers
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I just did 3 acres in Minnesota. Deer numbers are average. I anticipate the beans will be solid (rain permitting) until around late November.

Then the deer will move in once the other crops around it are harvested. We went a little heavy on the beans per acre .
 
Bassattackr said:
Agree!

As another option, I've gone to mixing soybeans and grain sorghum mix in smaller 1-2 acre plots. Gives them summer food along with a great stand of milo for fall/winter. Anything leftover from the beans are just a bonus.

Got this idea from Dbltree in the milo plot thread. Although I don't fence mine.
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Glad to have read this. Our farm ag is all beans this year, and I was thinking how to get some corn in the plots. But my largest plot is less than acres. Last night I had just decided to do 70% milo (grain sorgham) and 30% soy bean mix in our two largest plots. I’ll probably also sow some WR in the fall.


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I've heard if you double back and plant beans on a diamond pattern, if you get lucky the deer won't like walking down the rows once they get a little height, therefore pressuring the plot somewhat less.
 
chadw said:
Glad to have read this. Our farm ag is all beans this year, and I was thinking how to get some corn in the plots. But my largest plot is less than acres. Last night I had just decided to do 70% milo (grain sorgham) and 30% soy bean mix in our two largest plots. I’ll probably also sow some WR in the fall.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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Don't go too heavy on the grain sorghum. 10-12# / acre max if broadcast. I wouldn't go heavier than 10# / acre drilled.

When I mix with GS, I still go 75#+ per acre of beans in this mix.
 
Bassattackr said:
Don't go too heavy on the grain sorghum. 10-12# / acre max if broadcast. I wouldn't go heavier than 10# / acre drilled.

When I mix with GS, I still go 75#+ per acre of beans in this mix.
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Thanks! I was planning on drilling:
* 8lbs GS (per ac)
* 27lbs soy beans
* 5 lbs cow peas (some left overs)

All of this would be last year's seed. Here is my math for one food-lot that is in the QuailSafe CRP program. I used a 1.5 multiplier since it was last year's seed. Input welcome! :)

1715175510717.png
 
cchadww said:
Thanks! I was planning on drilling:
* 8lbs GS (per ac)
* 27lbs soy beans
* 5 lbs cow peas (some left overs)

All of this would be last year's seed. Here is my math for one food-lot that is in the QuailSafe CRP program. I used a 1.5 multiplier since it was last year's seed. Input welcome! :)

View attachment 127349
Click to expand...

GS quantity is perfect. I wouldn't be afraid to go up to 40-50# on soybeans.
 
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