<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">this soil looks pretty packed and looks to have quite a bit of clay. </div></div>
Clay has great attributes in that it holds moisture compared to the complete opposite...sand. Like sand it still needs organic matter added to it and a means of allowing water into it rather then running off from it.
Some smaller areas I have hauled in rotted manure simply because it was available for free. I have the luxury of having a tractor and a trailer to haul it but sometimes that is an option to consider. There may be livestock producers in your area with manure piles or rotted hay bales etc. you may be able to get your hands on to "speed" up the process of improving your clay soils.
As for plantings clay top soil is not to bad to start with but clay subsoil (like some of mine) is terrible! Many areas eroded eons ago and still have barely recovered. These are real trouble spots and hopefully yours isn't quite that bad! /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crazy.gif
Buckwheat is a great one to start with since it will grow on almost anything, rye is a "survivor" and red clover likes heavy clay soil. Old timers used sweet clover but you need a plow to turn it under rather then a disc or tiller.
Alfalfa can put roots deep into the clay and there is plowdown alfalfa just for the purpose of improving soils.
Something I haven't tried but that I find interesting is the use of
Forage Radish for breaking up hardpan clay and subsoils.
You already mentioned lime and soil tests to find out where you stand and most likely it will require some lime and fertlizer imputs to get you started. After that it's just a simple matter of growing plants adapted to clay that will attract deer and improve your soil at the same time.
One other thing you might consider is checking with a local farmer about hiring then do break up the clay hardpan with a subsoiler. Since you won't be compacting the soil with heavy equipment this would be a one time expense.
So far I haven't found any spots that I couldn't grow Alice white clover but I have some really bad spots where erosion had exposed the subsoil that will barely grow red clover.
Those types of soils take years to recover what was lost most likely over night years ago from poor farming practices.
I can't say I really have had a "plan" but rather just take advantage of any free oppurtunities to add organic matter to my soil via manure, leaf and grass mulch and turned under cover crops.
I try to give plenty of ideas in the cereal grain/cover crop thread and Welter Seed has plenty of inexpensive cover crop seed for plowdowns.
Share some pictures of your property when you can as well as results of soil tests. Rye and red clover seed is a cheap way to start and hopefully you can lime this winter.
Keep us posted! /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif
