The Farm w/ No Name - Habitat Projects
- Thread starter bowhunter1023
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After all that, a dramatic, yet anticlimactic result. All things considered, this is the worst failure in my 19 years of planting food plots. A beautiful plot of smartweed with a few random beans and brassica, with a few other random weeds. Admittedly, I skipped a couple steps like the soil science stuff, sorry @at1010
, so I deserve some blame, and I used an expired innoculant, which may or may not have contributed to the failure. I'm pinned down by weather and my wife's schedule for a few days, but my tractor is finally fixed and I have all weekend next weekend to implement the next strategy. Live and learn!
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Don’t throw in the towel yet. Hit it with glyphosate. Eagle beans are roundup ready. After spraying it and observing the die-back, you might find that you have more beans in there than you think. Worst case… broadcast some brassicas and/or cereal grains into the remaining beans and pray for more rain. LolAfter all that, a dramatic, yet anticlimactic result. All things considered, this is the worst failure in my 19 years of planting food plots. A beautiful plot of smartweed with a few random beans and brassica, with a few other random weeds. Admittedly, I skipped a couple steps like the soil science stuff, sorry @at1010
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Praying for rain is praying for it to stop down here! @Spencie attest, but we live in a temperate rainforest right now! It's crazy how much rain we've had and keep getting. Definitely going to roundup, then overseed with a classic fall blend. Great seed bed waiting to drink something up, so it should all work out in the end 
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Broke a cotter pin that allowed a nut to come off in the front drive shaft/differential assembly. It sounded like a set of dozer tracks when it happened. Well beyond my mechanical aptitude to even attempt to pinpoint the issue. Cost me $135 to have the pros fix it. They also topped off the antifreeze and cleaned the radiator since I notice it getting hot the last time I ran it. Turns out I need to remove the battery to really get it cleaned properly. Good as gold now.
We are in the same line and I can't remember a July that wet. Not in the 10 years we have owned this house. I'm pretty sure we have gotten rain every day this month too.
Spencie
Senior Member
I can't get my fields mowed because of Mother Natures attitude.
We "should" be spared the dreaded EHD outbreak with all this rain but I remember a few years back a wet summer and there was an outbreak. I then read that too much rain creates more mud for the midges to breed.
Spent the afternoon knocking a few tasks off a growing list of chores at the farm. Grabbed some soil samples from 3 of the 6 plots I'll plant this year, retrieved all my cameras, and did some saw work. I ran two tanks out of the 291 and will feel it tomorrow!
The first task was opening up 100 yards of briar choked fence row. This fence jump drops them at the intersection of a N/S trail that parallels the fence (the one I opened back up) and the main E/W trail that they use to access the creek bottom below. I see a lot of deer in this general location, so having that trail open back up should only increase traffic right here.
Hard to tell, but I dropped 4 good sized trees on the south end of the Corner Pocket plot. This will help that area thicken up, which will help cover any movement to/from the stand. It'll allow more sunlight to hit the plot and it'll cut down on leaf litter. I'm increasing the plot by 15-20% this year and will start from scratch with a clover/chicory/alfalfa blend.
This area is one of my pride and joys. It used to be mowed pasture. The last mower to hit it was 2008 and it's paid off big time! I used the saw to hinge cut 8 yellow poplars that were forearm to thigh big. Ended up with two spots that will make solid "buck beds" for a buck so inclined to lay there.
Here's a little walk through of the second best area in this 2 acre thicket. There's another spot that's pretty damned incredible if I do say so myself.
Still lots to do, but I'm well on my way. I also did some cutting where Kaydence killed her buck this year in anticipation of placing a blind there. I reopened a trail, cut a nice lane across the creek and opened the canopy so I can plant a little "throw and grow" plot in that opening. Felt damn good to be outside today!
The first task was opening up 100 yards of briar choked fence row. This fence jump drops them at the intersection of a N/S trail that parallels the fence (the one I opened back up) and the main E/W trail that they use to access the creek bottom below. I see a lot of deer in this general location, so having that trail open back up should only increase traffic right here.
Hard to tell, but I dropped 4 good sized trees on the south end of the Corner Pocket plot. This will help that area thicken up, which will help cover any movement to/from the stand. It'll allow more sunlight to hit the plot and it'll cut down on leaf litter. I'm increasing the plot by 15-20% this year and will start from scratch with a clover/chicory/alfalfa blend.
This area is one of my pride and joys. It used to be mowed pasture. The last mower to hit it was 2008 and it's paid off big time! I used the saw to hinge cut 8 yellow poplars that were forearm to thigh big. Ended up with two spots that will make solid "buck beds" for a buck so inclined to lay there.
Here's a little walk through of the second best area in this 2 acre thicket. There's another spot that's pretty damned incredible if I do say so myself.
Still lots to do, but I'm well on my way. I also did some cutting where Kaydence killed her buck this year in anticipation of placing a blind there. I reopened a trail, cut a nice lane across the creek and opened the canopy so I can plant a little "throw and grow" plot in that opening. Felt damn good to be outside today!
Started my week off right with a TSI walk with our region's state service forester. Very knowledgeable young man that taught me a lot about our woods in very short order. I've got my hands full with Ailanthus removal. Combine that with the Johnsongrass, cockle burr, multiflora, bush honeysuckle, spice bush, and autumn olive, and we've got veritable quagmire of invasives/non-natives. He pointed out several commercially viable trees we can improve with cutting and generally, he was very insightful about general wildlife/habitat management activities. I look forward to receiving his report and getting to work on the Ailanthus!
at1010
*Supporting Member*
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Keystone pest solutions is your friend
Garlon 4 and diesel 50/50 - basal treat - wear PPE and use backpack sprayer to cover ground (as in move quickly - not spray on ground)
Garlon 3 and water 50/50 - hack/squirt - wear eye protection. Garlon 3 is dangerous if in eyes. Small pump sprayer will work wonders!
call when you get your plan if you have any questions. I’m happy to try to help.
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Well, I busted my ass all year (and for the last 18) to get this farm to a point that it would look this good! I love these big-picture views showing where we sit in context to the neighborhood.
This is the new plot that we created for Kaydence in the spot where she killed her buck last year. It's right at the intersection of the two main hollers.
This is the playground for food plot architecture! The Corner Pocket is tucked away in the NW corner, with all sorts of good structure and food around it. The big clover field doesn't look great from the air, but there's more food there than what it looks like. A strong frost seeding of clover and alfalfa will ensure things look a little better next year!
This is the pic that really makes me smile. Food, cover, water, edge habitat, all in one pic. This one is simply TOO good!
This video really shows off what's happening in and around the "Back Field" and the somewhat famed Corner Pocket. It really shows off the topography we're working with, too.
This is the new plot that we created for Kaydence in the spot where she killed her buck last year. It's right at the intersection of the two main hollers.
This is the playground for food plot architecture! The Corner Pocket is tucked away in the NW corner, with all sorts of good structure and food around it. The big clover field doesn't look great from the air, but there's more food there than what it looks like. A strong frost seeding of clover and alfalfa will ensure things look a little better next year!
This is the pic that really makes me smile. Food, cover, water, edge habitat, all in one pic. This one is simply TOO good!
This video really shows off what's happening in and around the "Back Field" and the somewhat famed Corner Pocket. It really shows off the topography we're working with, too.
Big_Holla
Senior Member
I freaking LOVE this!! Definitely on my To-Do list one of these days!! Was that all from the drone you bought?
No sir, a professional colleague has his own drone photography gig as a side hustle. I got to know him through a volunteer thing we both do and we got to talking about the farm one day. He wants to do more rural land photography, so I told him we had the perfect training ground! He came out Monday evening with DJI Mavic and took these. He offered to do it for free, but I slipped him a little $ and am making him some deer jerky. Was a fair deal for both of us!
Brian Stover Drone Photography
Brian Stover Drone Photography, Marietta, Ohio. 363 likes. FAA Part 107 Certified Drone Photographer based in Marietta, Ohio
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Looking pretty good. I don't even want to try and add up 18 years of hours and money
. Let's hope it all pays forwards and you and those girls have many years to live off what is built. 
. Let's hope it all pays forwards and you and those girls have many years to live off what is built. Excellent work! I hope mine looks like yours some day. Keep the updates coming.
Looks great! Perfect time of year to take the pics, really makes it pop with all the contrast. Well done.
Those videos are amazing, Jesse…. Has your dad seen them yet? I bet he was shocked as well as too the outcome…
Not yet. He's having trouble with Google at the moment
I sent him the stills, so he knows what's in the works! This video is super cool as well.
at1010
*Supporting Member*
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Amazing video - except the earth is flat, it lied! Hahaha joking.Not yet. He's having trouble with Google at the moment
I sent him the stills, so he knows what's in the works! This video is super cool as well.