I agree with your plan!

Thanks Ryan!

David - Congratulations! Crops grown on healthy soils are very resilient!

He has a number of videos explaining his hidey hole plots from start to finish. He also has some where they just cut down some trees, spray, clear and plant. Do a search for growing deer hidey hole food plot

@@smellygoatacres I do those already. In fact, there are 2 does feeding in a 1/16 acre plot behind my house as I reply to you. I normally put in 3 of these micro plots with hand implements every year. However, 3.5 acres is a bit too large do all by hand in one food plot. I normally till and drag, sow seeds, then drag again and put down fertilizer. But I would love to use the release system.

Hey Nathan I’m in NC and surrounded by pines as well. I broadcast the seed blends before a good rain with each planting and have good results. I have made my own ATV pull behind crimper but you can make a great foot crimper with a 2x6, 2 pieces of angle iron screwed to the bottom, and a rope. I also have one of those but it’s a heck of a workout. You don’t necessarily need a no-till drill. Just have to broadcast a bit more seed. I’m about 3 years into this and do 3 cover crop rotations/year for food plots. The results are absolutely insane. These plots are deer magnets. It seems like the deer actually prefer my plots to any other food source in the area. I’m guessing it’s because my crops are better for them nutritionally and they know it. It does take a year or so to get things rolling where the crops start to grow really well and green with absolutely 0 fertilizer but it’s definitely worth it.

Nathan - I'm glad you are considering improving the soil's health! See can be broadcast into a standing crop and a food crimper can be easily made. This requires more work but can produce good results. I started with hand tools. You are wise to start with this process and do what you can!

If the stand is thick some action will be needed to ensure the seeds reach the soil. Herbicide can be used or a small prescribed fire. Fire leaves a great seedbed and terminates any current weeds. It's best to broadcast the seed just before a 1/2" or better rain!

Or roller crimp it

Doug - Brassicas as part of a quality blend will be good and can be planted every year. I don't suggest putting your eggs in the brassicas basket (or any forage group). Blends provide the ability to have forage that attracts deer during the early, middle, and late season and does much more to improve the soil's health can any single class of forage species. Once the ag crops are harvested, having a good forage crop will be a big attraction for deer!

He does that or drills it… then uses cover crops and crimping and then decomposition

@@donald6427 and rinse and repeat.

Jordan - If the soil is bare, then yes, broadcast seed appropriate for that time of year just before a rain. It's very important to broadcast just before a rain so the seed makes better contact with the soil and there's ample soil moisture for the seed to germinate and start growing!

As microbes break down the vegetation, the pH will be neutralized - if there's a good blend of plants. If only legumes are planted, the soil can become acidic.

Michael - It's on this channel!

Yes - some have! I'm not anti herbicide, but I certainly wish to use the least amount necessary for many reasons. One example is that glyphosate binds several minerals and makes them unavailable to plants and reduces the nutritional quality.

@@GrowingDeerTV I’m experimenting up in Northern MN. Will be posting results. I’m trying to totally avoid glyphosate. Working on seed rates this spring to hopefully tackle the elusive weed control problem. Thanks for the content and response.

Keith gave a similar talk a few years ago.

Yes!

The comments regarding modern ag practices impact on climate change are very profound!

Streams, rivers, etc. It usually carries pollution such as insecticides, synthetic fertilizer, etc. This is a huge issue for safe drinking water.

Tyler - I don't understand your comment?

Matt - Thanks for watching. You didn't notice a huge difference in the color of the dirt being blown? There's lots of studyings about declining organic matter crop land soils.

@@GrowingDeerTV I did, but the photo was much darker in general. All your research is well founded and great. I just didn't like the photo comparison. Was probably silly of me to comment, but I had a weak moment.