food plot and soil improvement.

[AaronS]

That is the debate point. To till or Not to till that is the question. The notill organic farmers use a lot of hand labor and the commercial no till farmers use a lot of chemicals. Some are now using cover crops with less chemicals with good results. I don't see rolling in a green manure crop as harmful tillage but purist would disagree.

And I'm no purist. I still use my tiller to incorporate lime and fertilizer at times, and to turn under green manure like you mention. I do wonder though how much it adversely affects earth worms when I do it. I try to till as shallow as possible.

 

[Thomas]

When you get chance check out this site.
Quality Deer Management Association

 

[vtsnowedin]

And I'm no purist. I still use my tiller to incorporate lime and fertilizer at times, and to turn under green manure like you mention. I do wonder though how much it adversely affects earth worms when I do it. I try to till as shallow as possible.

That is something to consider. Think about a two bottom plow turning over its furrows. Tough luck if your the worm that is crossing the edge of the furrow but for all your buddies and the fungi and bacteria what really happened other then your world turned upside down and you now have a lot of vegetable mater to eat that can't see the sun and resit you.

 

[vtsnowedin]

When you get chance check out this site.
Quality Deer Management Association

I will . Thanks.

 

[vtsnowedin]

Look into Biochar if the plan is long term. Results tend not to be in the first season or two but then seem to much better and longer lasting according to current research. As usual more fibre and humus in the soil encourages microbes and worms, which in turn aids the roots to take up the nutrients. Your green manure idea makes a lot of sense provided you chop it before it seeds. Something like comfry is long lasting as a green manure and goes deep to retrieve nutrients, maybe a strip at the side and spread the foliage once cut.

As I'm not putting in a cash crop after I won't mind if the manure crop goes to seed especially the red clover. The soybeans and turnips will just have a little competition and the deer will have a smorgasbord.
I will have to guard it with my rifle in November through December to keep the bucks from stealing the does and fawns feed.

 

[vtsnowedin]

You really need to contact your Ag Extension and get some soil sample sacks and send them in for analysis. In my area, the soil tends to be acidic and require anywhere from half a ton of lime per acre, to 2 tons per acre. You will put on the form what you plan to grow, and they will tell you what to mix of fertilizer to use and how much.

In my case, it takes several months for the results to show. I amend my soil this time of the year to get a good food plot in the fall.

It occurred to me that the guys wanting to plant ginseng in my woods opposite this field had taken a soil test. It wouldn't be the same of course as this is standing hard woods that has never seen a plow but I looked back into my old E-mails and found it. Not a complete report as they have no interest in changing N.P or K, but they report calcium at 472 lbs/acre which is very low. Soil ph of 5.4 which is what I expect here in acid rain land. Organic matter of 8.57% base saturation Ca of 49.82 and total exchange capacity of 4.74.
It will be interesting to see where I'm starting at in my old cornfield/pasture.

 

[vtsnowedin]

The kids gave me two books on the subject for my birthday. The first "Advancing biological farming" by Gary F. Zimmer is by a farmer / fertilizer salesman who is into trace minerals and calcium levels. He does use cover crops and green manures but is not above using roundup when he thinks it's needed.
The second "The soul of the Soil" forth edition by Grace Gershuny &Joe Smillie looks to be total organic gardening but I haven't started reading it yet. The authors both live in Vermont so it maybe very region specific where the first books author lives and farms in Iowa and thinks soil PH of 7.2 is normal everywhere.:yuck:
Both worth reading while I wait for the snow to melt.

 

[dave1949]

"The Soul of the Soil" fourth edition by Grace Gershuny &Joe Smillie

Sounds interesting so I ordered a copy. Thanks.

There is an old book I would like to read but haven't tracked down. A History of Maine Agriculture 1604-1860; Clarence Alpert Day, 1954

 

[Thomas]

"The soybeans and turnips "
Sunflowers that grow waist high and purple top turnips well keep the deer interest that you can count on.

 

[vtsnowedin]

"The soybeans and turnips "
Sunflowers that grow waist high and purple top turnips well keep the deer interest that you can count on.

I've heard and read that, but one contact that has tried a lot of things says if offered a choice between soybeans and red clover the deer eat the clover first. I plan on letting them see which they like for themselves and observe through a seven power scope.