Ideas?

[Critter]

Looking ahead to next year a little bit I find myself torn as what to plant on our tillable ground. Right now it's in corn, about 18 acres, but the ground isn't the best and I'm afraid a poor year would barely break me even. I don't think this year will be an issue, but a dry year would definately put a hurtin' on this grounds yields. I like the thought of trying to put it in a program, but really the only thing I'd want to plant on it would be switchgrass and I'm not really sure I need the additional bedding areas. A monster clover field would be great, but no income........alfalfa would work well also, but each year the tillable ground surrounding it has row crops planted and getting in to cut it and bail would be an issue. Either I need to find a low cost deer attractant type of plant to grow, or I need to keep rotating the row crops and hope for good years. Anyone got any decent ideas, or thoughts besides an 18 acre lake?

 

[dbltree]

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I'm afraid a poor year would barely break me even.

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Ahhh...don't you know by now that when it comes to food plots...we don't count the costs!!

Soybeans are better suited for drought then corn and cheaper to put in but still better in a crop rotation.

If you need income then corn, beans or alfalfa are going to be hard to compete with.

Small grains like oats or wheat would have less income and still be difficult to get to with row crops in the way. They are low cost/input crops that allow you to harvest and then re-plant to fall plot crops like brassicas, AWP etc.

On a different note... I rent my crop ground out so good/bad years don't affect my income. Planting on shares has the potential for higher income but of course much greater risks...food(plot)for thought...