Plowing Food Plot with Box Blade

[HRS]

Now that you've got the bug, you'll never turn back! I agree, there is a lot of fun to be had in working a piece of ground. Also, there is nothing like walking up on your green spot in winter when everything else is dead and brown. Just looking at the hundreds of tracts through it will make you smile. Really feels good knowing that you are giving back and not just taking from nature.

Your effort is admirable. That is the way to do it. Work with what you've got. Sure, you'll add to your implements as time goes by, but why wait. I can tell you that you're going to be surprised. With a little rain, you are going to be blown away with the results.

Just remember to give it something to eat if you really want it to look good. Since you have it nice and smooth, and are working with an acre, you could easily do this with nothing more that a lawn spreader purchased from any hardware store for around $30, just pull it along instead of pushing. Have it fed in no time. Let it come up a few inches and give it a shot of fertilizer.

Also, post some follow up pictures after it gets going. I'd like to see the results.

 

[GuglioLS]

Hey Rob,

Your Farming operation in the Mountains of CA is just too cool, that's some mighty fine realestate.

I was wondering about how much annual rainfall you get there?


And that souped up BoxBlade is by far the best mod I have ever seen.

Please keep us up to date on all your endeavors.

 

[3RRL]

Thank you guys for taking the time to comment. This area only gets about 18" to 22" annual rainfall so it is pretty dry right now. It started to sprinkle when we left but we went back up this weekend after the granddaughter's birthday party and it had not rained any more. Maybe next week? Plowing with the boxblade was great and I got a lot of self satisfaction from working the land, like you say. Maybe I'll be able to get a plow before too long.

That box blade sure has been good. I've gotten my money's worth in as much as I use it for everything. I'll have to put a little fertilizer on the field next time up. We are really looking forward to seeing the results too. It was a great day...72° and slightly cooler in the evening....just great weather.
Only need the rain to come now.
Thank you,
Rob-

 

[jinman]

Rob, I planted a fall garden of turnips, beans, and peas last weekend (10/1) and this weekend the bean sprouts are already 1" or more tall and the peas are breaking the surface. The turmips are also tiny green sprouts. When you get a little water, your seed should sprout right up. In my case, I may have to do a little protection from frost if I want to get any produce from my garden by the end of November. We'll see...

 

[Captinjack]

Rob

Archery starts 10/14 and my food plots are bringing in the deer! Too bad I may have to be stuck in FL working on a job.

I know what you are going through with the food plots. I've struggled with a small plot with a small 3.5 HP walk behind at first and now have graduated to a like yours Kama 554. WOW! Improvements sure are appreciated. Now 4 years later, the efforts are bearing fruit.

Fertilizer and proper ph are the first of 2 essential ingredients. The next two are rain and weed control. Weeds are the worst enemy and must be controled by spraying with a selective herbicide unless you have the time to till, wait till the weeds/grass grows again, kill, weeds/grass grows again ad infinatum. It's a real struggle especially on ground that hasn't been under cultivation for decades.

Persist! In reading your posts, I relate to what you are feeling and going through. What a pleasure to see you own property and watch all kinds of good thing happen from the first turkey seen to actually killing enough doves for a meal. Drugs are not as powerful as this and I know you know what I mean.

Good luck to you and your Kama machine. I so enjoy your posts with the solar project and your family. Please don't stop. I wish you the best of luck and wish I had 10% of your talent.

 

[Cottonhawk]

Rob,
Thanks for sharing your experience. Nice pics and excellent job. It must took you many hours to do the whole two acres. We have also opened up a field of two acres and turn the brush and blackberry into a tree studed open meadow. It's been a lot of work but we're going to seed pasture grass this week.

 

[Highbeam]

You'd better hurry up Cotton, we had our first frost this morning in WA. I even had to scrape ice off of the windshield.

 

[Cottonhawk]

Thanks Joe...
I did my spreading grass seed today total 150 lbs.
You must be in East Wa as we are still in the high 40s at night and 70s during the day. Now I am looking for some rain.

 

[Highbeam]

No I'm on the west side near the cascade foothills just beneath Mt. Rainier. Oregon has always been a little warmer. We are pretty regularly into the 30s overnight and 60s during the day now. Pretty perfect for most things.

 

[3RRL]

In 3R it's still in the low 50's highs of 80°. You guys in Oregon and Washington, is it normal to be dipping that low already this time of year?

I see Stumpfield got rain in Mariposa already. Weather report shows high in 3R is going to be around 72° this weekend with rain. Exactly what I need to get the plot going. I'm going up Thursday to fertilize.

Another thing is with all that area open, there are tons of ground squirrels out there!! I tried getting them with my m-1 jungle carbine but I missed several 100 yard shots with it. Open peep sights and I am a crappy shot anymore. I'm bringing up my .240 Weatherby with 4 x 16 Tasco scope to do some plinking this time.. If I miss with that, I'll quit!