Finally got some seed in the new plots.

A big milestone this weekend. After spending significant time (and $) getting two large new food plots cleared on my property, I finally got some seed in the ground this weekend. I planted a clover blend of my own creation and then sowed a nurse crop of oats on top to provide cover while the clover gets established.

The main holdup this year has been that with a crazy work schedule, I have not been able to take a day off since February. So I’ve been doing what I can on weekends and my father has done a ton of work out there as well, but right now I’d say we are 10-15% done with prepping the new plots for planting.

The biggest single task has been picking rock and unfortunately we have a significant amount of rock, so we are clearing something like 30-40 ATV trailer loads full of rock per acre. Ug! If anyone needs landscaping rock for a small project like building your own full-scale replica of the Great Wall of China, just let me know. I wish a full size tractor/loader was in the budget, but not for this year I’m afraid. Have to keep on keeping on with what I’ve got for now.

I did the first planting on Saturday. We had about 25% of my South Plot cleared of rock and worked up. I got up to the property early and got to work by 8:00, so with dad with me, we did some final rock picking and then got the disc working. Once the soil was turned up a final time, I ran the drag around to smooth it over and then we planted.

Planting clover requires great faith! I’ll just say that. Because I was in a hurry, I did not use the hand broadcaster that I tell everyone else to use. I filled up the full size tow-behind broadcaster and off I went. The problem with the big tow-behind broadcaster is that you cannot for love nor money SEE the clover seed you’re spreading. It’s like throwing a handful of pepper in the air and trying to watch where it lands.

So with dad following behind where he could get the light and the viewing angle right, we got the pace and the width figured out on the first pass, but still from the seat of the ATV I was thinking, “Dang, I hope this is working…” But I came to the last lap and looked back and there was about 2 cups of seed left in the hopper. Must have done something right.

The oats were a lot easier because you can see them fly off the broadcaster and see them hit the ground, so that part was completely enjoyable. Dad had mentioned that we had not seen either of the flocks of wild turkeys that inhabit my property for quite some time. Well, I said, with an acre of oats seeded, we’ll certainly see them now! It’ll probably take them an hour to figure out we just spread oats all over this part of the plot.

Between Saturday night and Sunday, we got almost 3 inches of rain on the property, so hopefully all the seed isn’t on its way to New Orleans right now. It’s hard to get the rain to come just right, it always seems to be too much or too little.

Pictures soon and I put up a browse exclusion cage on this part of the plot. Let’s see how things grow.

Hopefully I’ll still have time to get more rock picked and get some additional crops in the ground in July, but if not I just have to remind myself I’m doing this for fun.

Grouse

At least you are making progress. I bought the Earthway hand seeder and absolutely love it. The only thing I would maybe use my pull behind for now is oats and even then I used the hand seeder this time. When I seeded I put out a 50 pound bag of feed oats for the animals. I thought that would help take the hurt off of my plots.
DT

You have come a long way Grouse, but your last sentence is the most important. You have to remember this is supposed to be fun. Keep at it and do what you can, it will get there.

Sticker, you make a good point.
When I stop having a little fun with it…I’ll throw in the towel.

I plant small seed in the grass box of a grain drill. I have somewhat of the same problem except I know exactly how wide I’m getting it(6 ft drill) but I can’t see how much I’m dumping out. Yes, I have the slide thingy that controls how much but I’m not very good using it.
1 trick I learned is to lift it off the ground(mine is ground driven just like your tow behind seeder) and I can turn the wheel. I measured the circumference of the tire in feet and then compare to how much seed is on the ground with 1 revolution of the tire. By the way, this worked very good for when I calibrated planting seed corn in the large grain box.
Anyhow, that will give you an “idea” of how much is coming out. It should be the same concept with your tow behind seeder.
Maybe you already did that?

Grouse – Enjoy having your Dad around to help you…and it sounds like you do! My Pop passed away a couple years ago now. I sure miss his company. He was my mechanic when I broke down too.

Update: Having several inches of rain over the few days after I planted was a blessing. The clover has sprouted nicely and there was green everywhere in the plot after 6 days.

I was surprised that the oats are as slow as they are. On the smallest sprouts were visible, but they are starting. I would very much like to get more planted, but I’m afraid the rock picking has slowed me down such that I’ll run out of summer growing season before I get back to it.

The heavy rain obviously had “migrated” some of the clover seed into any low spots. I wasn’t surprised give the fact that 2-3 inches of rain over a couple of hours would have filled most of these low spots and therefore floated the seed and then settled it into the center. A culti-packer would be very desirable to pack the seed bed better and provide ridges to prevent seed from washing around, but as everyone knows you have to use the equipment you have not the equipment you wish you had.

As an interesting side note, we now have striped gophers out in the plots. Considering where we are, I found this very amusing as these must be the only two “woodland” striped gophers in Minnesota. I almost feel sorry for them as there is almost nothing in the woods that ISN’T trying to eat them.

To Haley, yes I am very fortunate to have my dad around and being my partner in crime on this little experiment. He’s doing it for his grandsons so they can have the access to the sport that he’s enjoyed most.

Grouse

Pics from yesterday. 2 weeks after planting.

Dad spread fertilizer yesterday as well so we should see som real growth now.

Grouse

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Looks like it’s getting going pretty good. You have a nice seed bed there, it should do very well!