planted some forage

[borrowed time]

just got back from planting some plots, thought I would stop in with my thoughts. Planted one small plot with clover, nice and level, easy to mow, if need be. I sold my weed sprayer, too much trouble and expensive, plus I didn't care to put a toxic substance in the woods. Bought a disk from Fleet-farm and it does a great job. I have planted winter wheat in the fall other years, it seems to brown out rather early. Winter rye grain is much better in our area, winters over and gives game something to eat in the spring. Rape and turnips I planted this year in one plot, and I am trying a pea-oats mixture this year. I am trying to get a good summer plot going, rather than wait till September and try to get the deer to move in at the time. Rape seems to work well after frost,  looking for something other than the clovers for summer, any thoughts?

[Land_Owner]

Can't say what would be best for you.  Where are you planting?  Any soil moisture?  Outlook for rain?

Here, in FL, there is a long term drought in progress.  I use herbicide, Glyphosate, to prepare my plots for discing.  Don't know what toxic substance there is in that?  None according to the Mfg's label and the on-line MSDS.

The plots sit and wait on  soil moisture and an outlook for rain prior to planting.  The deer are eating some supplemental corn, but a sparingly small quantity and less than five hand fulls maximum, for all deer, spread in a day.  That isn't much.

[borrowed time]

I should have stated northern Wisconsin, woods loam, the soil type that is the best in the state for growing hard maple. I recovered from liver cancer, whether a product states it is safe to use or not does not concern me, I just don't use it. The rain has not fallen since I planted my plots, just my luck. Going to try chickory if conditions warrant it.

[borrowed time]

Everything seems to be growing very well, the deer seem to really like to lie in the clover. Wondering when deer start to eat forage peas, maybe here in northern Wi they have too much choice in food, but it is hard to tell if they started to browse it. The oats seem to have disappeared, though.

[Land_Owner]

I bush hogged Sunday afternoon; at least I made a good start on 4 acres.  There are still green weeds all over.  I need to herbicide again then disc.

I have a mountain of seeds to plant, certainly more than are minimally requried.  Some recently purchased iron and clay peas have weevles in them.  Guess they were old to start with.  I called the seed dealer.  She gave me a replacement bag and also the weevel infested seed to spread.  We shall see if there is any life left in those seeds that the weevels didn't eat.

It is late to be planting a Summer crop but the rains have only now begun to provide consistent soil moisture.  If planted in April, May or June the same seeds would now be dead from a lack of moisture.