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New farm need help

J

justP65H

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from a long time forum reader- first time poster. HELP! Looking for specific help with planting year round food plots. We have two 5-10 acre plots that are in brome grass now. Another 10 acre field is in alfalfa and is in its second year growth. I would like to plant something to last the winter and replant in early spring. Then replant in late summer etc. etc. Not sure what to plant and how it could be rotated to maximize nutrition and antler growth. Worried about making a mistake in rotation of forage crops. Any help is appreciated- pm's are welcome as well.
 
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I would like to plant something to last the winter and replant in early spring

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The most obvious thing that comes to my mind is corn.

All foodplot success and use depends on deer density but having said that...corn can last all the way until the following spring.

I provides not only food but cover as well. It is expensive but it's worth every penny in my book.

You already have alfalfa which combined with corn makes the ultimate in deer/wildlife cover and feed.

High protein and energy both being furnished.

Most other options from brassicas to fall grains (rye, wheat and oats) need to be planted in late summer and while most of them will provide some winter forage they can in no way compete with standing corn.

If corn is an option...that's my pick...if not then we'll discuss how some of the other options might work for you.
 
The alfalfa is a great start already. Lots of different ways to work the rest. Turnips and rye are my favorites for fall, beans in the spring. I was going to try field peas this spring but things got away from me.
 
Corn was the first thing came to my mind aswell. Assuming you have other feed sources around the area. 10 acres of corn in my area would be desmated before the snow fell.

Rye/Oats/Wheat in the fall grows fast and furious till the ground freezes. And will be the first thing to green up as it thaws in the spring.

Brassicas mean a huge tonage per acre but not as much as corn.

Not much competes with corn like dbltree said.

Another option I think I might try are turnips/brassicas underseeded in the corn after the RUP is sprayed in mid summer. This is a GREAT way to maximize your tonage per acre.

Just my .02 worth.

Dean
 
Low csr, don't think that corn is a good possiblity.
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Plots are on ridges with alot of clay. We also have a high deer density and think that corn would be leveled by fall.
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Would it be good to start overseeding the alfalfa with clover now?? We need to withstand heavy browse until we can harvest alot of does, not sure that will even keep the overall deer density in check. Will be great practice and fun to take them out. As I've been told by many- if you control the food you control the deer. The area has alot of pasture and hay ground. Not that much row crop in the area. Farm is in deep south central Iowa.
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Would it be good to start overseeding the alfalfa with clover now??

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It's getting pretty late to start trying to do much with clover.

Early in the spring you could no-till clover into the alfalfa or in late summer after mowing the alfalfa.

Better bet is to frost seed clover into it next winter.

Is the alfalfa stand getting thin? If it's wearing out then it may be time to plow it down and in late summer and plant brassicas that can use the nitrogen.

With high deer densities then brassicas and cereal grains planted in late summer would most likely be best.

Plant seperate clover and/or alfalfa plots by any of the methods mentioned in ongoing threads.

Alfalfa

Clover

Cereal Grains

Brassicas

I didn't include soybeans because if you don't think corn will last then soys don't have a prayer
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What should be our sequence of events to try to do this right? I took soil samples and set them in for testing to our local co-op, assuming we need to lime - could we burn and RUP in late July to plant an annual plot for this fall, and then frost seed perennials in spring? Just trying to figure out timing.
 
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What should be our sequence of events to try to do this right? I took soil samples and set them in for testing to our local co-op, assuming we need to lime - could we burn and RUP in late July to plant an annual plot for this fall, and then frost seed perennials in spring? Just trying to figure out timing.

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That sounds like a plan to me
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