food plot costs

[Cheesehead]

My in-laws have 5 tillable acres in rural NW Wisconsin. I am considering some type of food plot but am completely unfamiliar with the concept. I have looked at the Buckforage product. Also have considered other crops like oats or beans. The property is surrounded by a blend of farm land, hardwoods swamp and creeks. Deer are numerous and at times very large bucks are seen, mostly on the neighbors property. I would like to attract these deer to the 5 acre plot. How much can I expect to pay for seed per acre, and planting per acre? Thanks for any info.

Cheese

[Hunter Mann]

Five acres is a big plot. That's awesome. If I had 5 acres, I would break it up into 4 different plots. Deer like a variety, and that would give you the ability to try a host of things to find out what they like best.

Has the land been farmed/tilled before? If so, then the soil might be right. If not, it might require more nutrients or lime. GET A SOIL SAMPLE -- sorry for screaming, but that gets missed by so many people. They then grow junk and say to themselves, "guess I'm no farmer."

First step, decide what you want to plant. I would try a clover plot (this is a perennial, and it will come back with a little maintenance), winter wheat and rye plot, a brassica plot (rape and turnip), and a then I'd pick an experimental plot. The second step is to take the soil sample. If you are growing 4 different varieties, you need 4 samples (one from each plot). On this sample, you will need to tell them what you plan to grow. When you get the soil sample back, it will tell you exactly what you need to add.

You can't really determine the cost until you figure out what you want to plant and what needs to be added to the soil in order to plant it.

Hope this helps.

[Suds1957]

 Cheesehead, by all means do yourself a favor and get the SOIL TEST>>>>>.Hunter Mann is correct,to many people don't do it, and its ends up a mess,a big failure. Here in Indinana the NRCS[Natural Res.Conservaion service]will help.They are the renamed Farm Service..They sent a Agent out to the place,and after talking over what I wanted to do,and they giving me some of their professional knowhow,[what types work and grow best in those soils].We chose the best food plots not just for Deer,but serveral types of animals [upland birds].Pick low maintenance types,consider if your going to have to mow it,do you own a mower, or are you going to have to rent or hire someone to mow it...Just something to think about.......You also ask how much money to plant? Around here, its about 50.00 to 75.00 per acre to disk and plant,thats not including any spraying or chemicals. hopes this helps and good LUCK.