Though I’d post an update on my food plot progress in 2019.
Some of you know that I own Midwest Monster Whitetail Products, so this report is for the property we call the Midwest Monster Home Farm near Hinckley, Minnesota.
This first update will be short because as of today (6/5/19), well, I haven’t gotten much done.
First, it was wet, wet, wet and didn’t dry up enough to even THINK about getting a tractor in the plots to start turning dirt until last week.
I did manage to get some clethodim sprayed on the clover plots and did a pass with gly on the future soybean plot. I also spread 1 ton of lime on one plot back in early May.
On 6/1 I finally had dry enough ground to start working so the first priority was to get the Eagle Forage Soybeans planted. Well as they say, everything was going great until… With about 80% of the 2.5-acre soybean plot worked up with the disc, we had a little tractor breakdown. See picture below. That’s the rear steering pivot block from my John Deere. It’s about a 15-pound block of cast iron and she done busted. Steering came apart and only the loader saved us from having the front end hit the ground. Bad, yes, but could have been worse.
Game over! There’s no workaround for that, so I’m dead in the water until parts get here sometime tomorrow. I got the replacement block, but now I need bushings and other parts.
If the weather holds, we’ll hopefully have everything back together by the weekend and be planted.
BTW, some might wonder is it too late to plant Eagle Forage Soybeans? No! I’ve had customers who have planted beans as late as the last week in June in MN and WI and have reported an excellent plot even with a late planting. The main thing that matters is getting timely rains and good growing weather.
Here’s hoping I have all the parts I need to get seed in the ground.
Finally, a huge thanks to forum member Sticker for
a) Again growing the Midwest Monster test plots this year. We’re testing both Eagle Forage Soybeans and our brand new plot blend, AlfalfaMAX at Sticker’s place this year. Stay tuned for reports.
b) His generous lending to me of a giant off-road jack to help fix my ol’ tractor. As you may have gathered, my mechanical experience is mostly with small engines and outboards, so my workshop has lots of tools for this size equipment. Working on stuff where the weight is best expressed in tons and the bolt sizes often require wrenches bigger than 3/4 inch is pretty new to me. Thanks Sticker!
Grouse
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