Hey Dutch... what do i toss in ?

[fleroo]

I am in the process of clearing 3 fields (well former fields), that have reverted quite a bit. You can imagine the stuff that is sprinkled throughout. There is some greenage underneath it all though. That said. What can I overseed in them to get something up that is nutritional for the animals going into fall. I know it won't be lush, but I want to start the "healing" process. Heavy mowing will be the mode to start the process, with peoper soil enhancements in the future... next year or so.

[Dutch]

Winter rye!

[bawanajim]

Winter wheat.

[bushmaster]

Winter rye is a great choice. You could mix in a little turnip seed for this fall as well. I just planted some established plots with whitetail Clover, turnip, beet, and snow peas. I did one plot with a pasture mix. Timothy, trefoil, ladino clover, rye, and blue graas.

[dougell]

I bought some property about three years ago.When I bought it,it was all overgrown and brush hogged once a year.I have about a 6 acre field that I haven't decided what I'm going to do with.Last year I started mowing it about every week and this year it's been mowed just about every week.There's nothing planted in it but every night after dark,it's loaded with deer.There's no way to hunt this field so I thought about planting something there.Ultimately,I'd like to fence it in for the horses but my wife objects to that plan.Just the natural Forbes seems to be attracting the deer as soon as it greens up in the spring.

[bake545]

I second winter rye.

[Dutch]

Doug, you can frost seed clover into a field like that to bring up the clover component.

[dougell]

I thought about doing that just for the fun of it.There's already clover growing in spots.It wouldn't take much work to get something in there.I had the soil tested in my pastures and everything was optimum or above optimum for grasses and pasture.The PH was right at 6.0 SO I broadcast a ton and a half of pelletized lime/acre in those areas.I couldn't get anyone to come in with a bulk truck because of the wet spring.There was like a 3 month wait because they had to get all the farmers done first.I also thought about nuking a couple of acres near the bottom and plannting a clover sunflower mix just for the asthetics and it would benefit a variety of wildlife.There's no way to safely hunt this spot so I should probably do something with it other than mowing it.Plus,if I planted something it may be less mowing for me.If you're through this way again,I'll have you look at it.I live just off of rt 255 between Dubois and Penfield.I really want to fence it in but my wife doesn't like being surronded by horse fence.

[wentzler]

hey guys, what is winter rye?? I've been a 'farmer' for a good part of my life and never heard of winter rye? Use rye all the time as a soil bulder (along with copius amounts of buckwheat).

[Dutch]

Thats the one Ed. There is also an annual rye which is not good for food plots.

[wentzler]

So it just amounts to when ya plant it?? Thanks, Deutche You ain't bad fer a Dutchman