Clover/corn food plot
Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 11:42 am
Let me begin this new food plot thread by giving an actual accurate weather report. The accuracy is based on the fact that it has already happened and there are no projections about tomorrow from my point of view. But there are predictions of rain through Saturday and it's only Wednesday morning and it is now sprinkling.
Since January 1st, we have had 23 rain days. January totals were only 1". February had 15.15" total. March recieved 4.1" and we just finished April with 4.2". Total rainfall so far this year has been 24.45". May 1st and it's sprinkling, so needless to say some places are very wet on our farm.
I started working on the part for the clover back on the 9th of March. Was able to pull the off-set harrow through the corn stubble that had been mowed. Then made a few rounds with the bottom plows and it found it was way too wet to work. I was pulling the plows with the 4-wheel drive tractor and I've been stuck enough to know when to stop and let it dry a little.
Our home garden is on a different type of soil and we have some of it up and growing. I broke up some new ground back in March for the red corn that we're trying to develop and yesterday it was finally dry enough to run a harrow over it to prepare for planting. On next to the last round, the right side wheels were traveling in the "water furrow" left by the bottom plows, when we got in a slick spot and the tire pulled up some yellow clay. Time to stop before you get in any deeper! That was before dinner and had to wait till my wife got back from an appointment late in the afternoon to help me out of the field. This time it was the 2-wheel drive tractor that was stuck so it was easy enough to pull it out. Prior to getting stuck, I had double cut the clover spot without much problem, even though I was not able to bottom plow all of the plot. It needs to be level and smooth for the clover seed. We're about to run out of the recommended planting time for the clover, as it will not do well if it's too hot. If stays too wet and we don't get in planted, the seed will go in the freezer till next time. Still intend to plant the other half in the same corn we had last season.
Here's some pictures showing the wet progress of the Clover/corn food plot and the old Massey Ferguson waiting to be retrieved. Treefarmer
Since January 1st, we have had 23 rain days. January totals were only 1". February had 15.15" total. March recieved 4.1" and we just finished April with 4.2". Total rainfall so far this year has been 24.45". May 1st and it's sprinkling, so needless to say some places are very wet on our farm.
I started working on the part for the clover back on the 9th of March. Was able to pull the off-set harrow through the corn stubble that had been mowed. Then made a few rounds with the bottom plows and it found it was way too wet to work. I was pulling the plows with the 4-wheel drive tractor and I've been stuck enough to know when to stop and let it dry a little.
Our home garden is on a different type of soil and we have some of it up and growing. I broke up some new ground back in March for the red corn that we're trying to develop and yesterday it was finally dry enough to run a harrow over it to prepare for planting. On next to the last round, the right side wheels were traveling in the "water furrow" left by the bottom plows, when we got in a slick spot and the tire pulled up some yellow clay. Time to stop before you get in any deeper! That was before dinner and had to wait till my wife got back from an appointment late in the afternoon to help me out of the field. This time it was the 2-wheel drive tractor that was stuck so it was easy enough to pull it out. Prior to getting stuck, I had double cut the clover spot without much problem, even though I was not able to bottom plow all of the plot. It needs to be level and smooth for the clover seed. We're about to run out of the recommended planting time for the clover, as it will not do well if it's too hot. If stays too wet and we don't get in planted, the seed will go in the freezer till next time. Still intend to plant the other half in the same corn we had last season.
Here's some pictures showing the wet progress of the Clover/corn food plot and the old Massey Ferguson waiting to be retrieved. Treefarmer