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Cost for beans

? For you guys who have tried the smaller plot with beans/corn. I have 7 acres of good bottom ground that has been planted in a corn/bean rotation for yrs. Next yr I want to plant all into food plot and leave standing as oposed to harvesting. This yr both neighbors to the north and south had beans planted and so I'm assuming corn for 2017. With corn being on both sides of me on n and s (mine is 80 acres running e and w), should I split my field up between half corn and half beans or do the oposite of neighbors and do all beans and switch to corn the following yr? P.s. I've only owned for 1 yr so I can't compare which the deer have preferred in the past. It is a fairly high deer density area.
Thanks in advance for any input!
for a yr
 
Just me.... I'd go all beans and reassess for following year. Either to corn or other crop such as brassicas and cereal grains

Why straight beans... My opinion

1. different than your neighbors
2. Easier to plant solid stand instead of switching setups for 3.5 acres of each corn and beans
3. cheaper input cost
4. Beans good early and late.... Cover bigger window
5. beans (protein) actually help deer
6. When it's late and nasty and COLD, deer seem to prefer beans over corn (although they will obviously gladly eat both)
 
The forage beans are an excellent option. More expensive up front, but they do grow through a fair amount of browse pressure and stay green deeper into the fall. I went away from them this year because we had access to some free soybean seed, but I'll go back to them this spring. Cheaper than e-fence for sure.

NWBuck
 
Lots of great comments here.
So many variables here that there is no "REAL ANSWER", just great tips like guys have provided. You might have a bumper bean crop if things like neighboring crops keep em off, do the beans right, etc. You just as easily could look back and go "holy crap, I got wiped out". But good news there, you'll likely know that by end of July/August if it looks like plants are doing well.... If not..... Go nuts with loading your destroyed beans with turnips/radish and then a rye mix like in dbltree's postings for rotations. In almost ANY case, I find the worst beans and turn those into brassicas or mix anyways. Edges or areas they hit hard.
For best success or CHANCE on beans....
This would be IDEAL. Not all of this is critical. Some of it is COSTLY so it's up to you. How much do you wanna spend. BUT, here's ideal, IMO...
-IMO - I'd plant heavier, 200k-250k
-Soil test and apply asap. Without I'd put down ACTUAL N-P-K & pelletized lime: 10-75-75 & 300 lbs of pelletized lime. PER ACRE. small amount of sulfur. ASAP so P&K can break down & be utilized. Worst case, if don't do soil test and PH is fine, your Pelletized lime will provide calcium.
-If not erodible.... I'd work ground up. Sure not necessary but it will help. Sod sucks, dead or dying. No till works great but on new sod, if not erodible & can do it, I like working up the 1st time a crop goes in.
-USE INEXPENSIVE INNOCULANT ON BEANS! have coop order or order online just before planting. New beans, this is a huge help - will help fix N where that bacteria to create is almost surely lacking in soil.
-SPRAY SPRAY! Kill that stuff deader than dead. Strongly suggest pre-emergents along with you typical post emergents, Pre's like Metolachlor, Prowl H20- I use both. Spray when weeds are small!!!
-I'd plant May or coordinate when other crops of neighbors go in. Don't plant too late, they will be destroyed. Both too early and too late have downsides & upsides... All said and done - I'd plant earlier VS later if had the choice & wanted the most pod production and best chance for success.

Back up plans sure are handy... If they get pummeled - brassicas and a rye mix later and you're gonna have a killer plot no matter. good luck.
 
Nice thing about planting spring crops is that if they fail, you can plant something else for the fall and winter. Not ideal, but atleast you still have a chance to provide food for fall hunting.
 
Forget beans unless fenced waste of time and money. If you say you have a med/high deer population they don't stand a chance. If anything plant corn and make the plot a little larger.
 
Thanks for all the advice! Much appreciated. After they combined the beans in mid October this yr, there is a grass growing in the field. It almost looks like a sod field. It's all 2-3 inches, green as alfalfa and the deer have been eating it often. Thoughts on what this may be? Don't know if it makes a difference where I'm at in the state as far as what it may be (I'm in wayne county/southern iowa). I just want to be ahead of the game when it comes to getting rid of this "grass".
Again thanks
 
4DABUCKS said:
Thanks for all the advice! Much appreciated. After they combined the beans in mid October this yr, there is a grass growing in the field. It almost looks like a sod field. It's all 2-3 inches, green as alfalfa and the deer have been eating it often. Thoughts on what this may be? Don't know if it makes a difference where I'm at in the state as far as what it may be (I'm in wayne county/southern iowa). I just want to be ahead of the game when it comes to getting rid of this "grass".
Again thanks
Click to expand...


Cover crop I'm guessing winter wheat probably.
 
chipterp said:
Cover crop I'm guessing winter wheat probably.
Click to expand...

Yep, either winter wheat or winter rye most likely. Both are cereal grains and are becoming more and more popular with farmers to use as cover crops over the winter, especially in bean fields. Believe it or not, some farmers will sow the WW/WR seed aerially in mid to late August. I have seen it myself in progress at least once.
 
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