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Cereal Grains and cover crops

2 questions
1. Just bought 5 acres adjacent to a big timber stand. It is currently hay. We close on Sept 16th in Southern Iowa. Suggestions on what to plant and where I can get the seed with this late of notice. Just decided to buy it 2 weeks ago.

2. What are the options if I don't own a drill? Do people rent their drills or what other options are there? I have a disc and a plow so I can work the hay into dirt if needed but starting to read more about benefits of leaving the dirt alone.
 
HWC said:
2 questions
1. Just bought 5 acres adjacent to a big timber stand. It is currently hay. We close on Sept 16th in Southern Iowa. Suggestions on what to plant and where I can get the seed with this late of notice. Just decided to buy it 2 weeks ago.

2. What are the options if I don't own a drill? Do people rent their drills or what other options are there? I have a disc and a plow so I can work the hay into dirt if needed but starting to read more about benefits of leaving the dirt alone.
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Can you get early access to at least spray it?

If you can get it dead you can spread rye and clover on top without working ground if you don't have a drill.

I would go with the grain blends based on your planting timing.

Seed can be found at most local Co ops.

I (Midwest Habitat Company) also sell seed if it's helpful and convenient depending on your location.
 
IowaBowHunter1983 said:
Can you get early access to at least spray it?

If you can get it dead you can spread rye and clover on top without working ground if you don't have a drill.

I would go with the grain blends based on your planting timing.

Seed can be found at most local Co ops.

I (Midwest Habitat Company) also sell seed if it's helpful and convenient depending on your location.
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I won't be able to get in there early. Thinking I can spray on that Saturday. Could I still spread Rye and clover before spraying or do I need to let it die? If I sprayed Saturday, I could go down and plant on Tuesday, Wed, or Friday. It looks like you are quite a distance from me.

Edit: I do still have some RYE and clover from over a year ago. Would it still be ok to use?
 
HWC said:
I won't be able to get in there early. Thinking I can spray on that Saturday. Could I still spread Rye and clover before spraying or do I need to let it die? If I sprayed Saturday, I could go down and plant on Tuesday, Wed, or Friday. It looks like you are quite a distance from me.

Edit: I do still have some RYE and clover from over a year ago. Would it still be ok to use?
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Assuming they took a 3rd cutting the hay is probably pretty short.

I'd probably seed it and spray spray same day.
 
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IowaBowHunter1983 said:
Assuming they took a 3rd cutting the hay is probably pretty short.

I'd probably seed it and spray spray same day.
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That's what I was thinking. Especially with the drought this area has had. I expect it to be pretty thin. Would year old grain be ok to get by with? I know it's not ideal.
 
Do you guys know if Monroe, Wapello, Davis, Or Appanoose rent grain drills as part of the pheasants forever chapter or county board? The county I used to live in had that option at one time.

If not, where would you recommend looking for a good deal on one that can be pulled by 50 hp tractor?
 
HWC said:
Do you guys know if Monroe, Wapello, Davis, Or Appanoose rent grain drills as part of the pheasants forever chapter or county board? The county I used to live in had that option at one time.

If not, where would you recommend looking for a good deal on one that can be pulled by 50 hp tractor?
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Call the NRCS offices for those counties. I’m in a few different counties but all the counties I’m in will rent drills for $10-15/acre depending on county. Should have no issue & if they don’t have one- bet they know who will.
 
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Sligh1 said:
Call the NRCS offices for those counties. I’m in a few different counties but all the counties I’m in will rent drills for $10-15/acre depending on county. Should have no issue & if they don’t have one- bet they know who will.
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Appanoose county conservation board got back to me and they don't have any. Not sure if NRCS is different from that but I will contact the NRCS offices around here on Tuesday. Thanks!
 
Why mess with the oats? Why not double up on WR in the RT mix? It seems to me that the WR germinates much better.
 
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Planted the turnips and some big buck brassica 2 weeks ago. Never done turnips before. Can you tell what I have coming up in this pic? Thankfully we got just a little rain shortly after I planted.
20220904_111137.jpg
 
HWC said:
Planted the turnips and some big buck brassica 2 weeks ago. Never done turnips before. Can you tell what I have coming up in this pic? Thankfully we got just a little rain shortly after I planted. View attachment 123078
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Looks like turnips to me but tough to tell, the pic is too far away

Sent from my moto g power (2022) using Tapatalk
 
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A week after planting and 2+" of rain later....Oats, rye, Imperial Clover, Crimson clover and radish...should be a good plot

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Tried Dlbtree cereal Mix into beat up clover plot !! Sprayed IMOX and Cleth let her eat . Skip said it will work so I’ll try once first time I’ve drilled it so see what happens .
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Last year was my first year No-tilling my plots .. I am sure it takes several years to see the effects .. About 6 Months ago I had a new drive put in at that point I had to bring in top soil to level , seed and straw . This evening when I got home in the straw thatch and on my drive way there are 100"s of earth worms every where in the straw thatch and all over my driveway eating in the broken down straw .(solid Rain today ) . Never seen worms at my house before .. Just goes to show you how the thatch from rye and residual benefit the soil . I thought it was pretty cool to see the effects of just the thatch on the ground .. Worms are good and I'm excited to build soil on my farm with cereal mix.
 
Lack of rain in my area for last 2 weeks. Wondering I would have already planted my winter rye plots by now, and the forecast for next chance in Sunday 15% Monday 20%.
My question is should I go ahead and plant the Winter rye / Oats and skip the GHR in this mix?
 
iowathumper said:
Lack of rain in my area for last 2 weeks. Wondering I would have already planted my winter rye plots by now, and the forecast for next chance in Sunday 15% Monday 20%.
My question is should I go ahead and plant the Winter rye / Oats and skip the GHR in this mix?
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I'd definitely still plant radish. I get good growth out of mine when I've planted in the Dbltree mix around Labor day (central MO). Most other brassicas are getting a bit too late however, esp for Iowa.
 
Planted Radish here in extreme NE Iowa on labor day last year...got plenty of growth.... honestly think you have another couple weeks before too late to plant provided you get some much needed rain & have good fertility....we've got no more than 3 inches of rain here since mid May.
 
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