Plot Soybeans – What to use?

For the other food plotters out there who are planting soybeans, what varieties are you using? It’s important to note that I’ll be broadcast planting them as I don’t have a row planter.

Obviously, I’ll want Roundup ready beans, but what’s the go-to variety. There are so many variations out there for different conditions and maturity dates, but they are all tuned to maximize ag yields, not for food plotting. And the seed prices! Yikes!

What’s the go to variety for both effectiveness and cost efficiency?

Grouse

Grouse,
I’ve gone into our local co-op and simply asked for the cheapest RR soybeans they had. Always had great results with the lessor cost stuff (can’t call it cheap!)

I also do a lot with this place
Chet’s Feed And Seed Inc
373 West 6th St
Richland Center, WI 53581 –
Phone: (608) 647-8833

He’s a real no BS type guy. If your making a mistake – he’s quick to tell you. He also has a great selection of CHEAP sunflower seeds if you need food and cover.
Check your Ph – 6.0-6.8 is best

As you have already found out, $200 a bag is not uncommon. Boadcasting like I did a couple times is 150# to 175#/acre, Crop planting with a planter is usually around 60#-65#/acre.

Planting depth is 1 to 1.5″.

For my remote spots, I took a piece of threaded rod through the hitch (removed the ball) and set the depth for about 4″. Drove back and forth scratching lines that averaged a couple inches deep. Being careful not to drive over the previous line. Then I walked along dropping seed in the line and kicking/scraping the others into the lines. Attached a cyclone fence section on the back of the wheeler and dragged it to cover seed. More time, but cut my seeds in almost half. Plus it kept the turkeys from eating 90% of them before they germinated.
The decomposed soybean plants are great for the land. Don’t remove if you can avoid it.

I bought RR beans from Albert Lea Seed House this year.

$40 a bag.

If I had to pay $200 a bag…I’d be planting something else and buy beef !

haleysgold wrote:

I bought RR beans from Albert Lea Seed House this year.

$40 a bag.

If I had to pay $200 a bag…I’d be planting something else and buy beef !

I assume you’re talking about little bags. The containers I bought last were about 350ish pounds. Or if you look at broadcast rates of 165/acre and your doing 1.5 acres, your getting into needing 4 to 5 – 50# bags at around 40/bag

I thought the bag said it would plant 3 acres but I’ll have to look at see what if that’s true and the broadcast rate.

It very well could have been a 50# bag.
I’ll check and post back.

I’ve been using forage beans the last couple years. Round up ready. I ask for last year’s supply to get the best pricing. I don’t have the contact info with me today but I’ll look it up and get it to you.