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Farm set up question. Alfalfa field vs traditional food plots

Hawk32

Hawk32

PMA Member
I am taking 2 fields out of crops and putting into CRP next spring. One bottom field approx 10 acres and one hill top field approx 15 acres. I also have a 4.5 acre field that is crops now but for whatever reason isn't eligible for the CRP plan. In this 4.5 acre field I have left 1 acre of crops standing each year for a grain plot. there is a blind there and has decent amount of deer that come to that field. My question is should I leave this 4.5 acres for a grain/brassica plot or put into alfalfa and retain a little income. vs spending money on plots. Would the alfalfa still be a good enough attractant? I do have someone interested in making big bales off 2 cuttings. So the rest of the farm will have approx 2-2.5 acres of beans, couple different 1/4 acres brassicas, 3 different 1/4 acre clover plots.

Thought?


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Personally headed to more clover/chicory plots. Do use RR alfalfa if need to clean up weeds in an area. Have 7 food plots that range from 3/4 acre to 1/8 acre. One large plot is about 1/3 clover and 2/3 beans. One other 1/4 acre plot is beans. Other 5 plots from 1/8 to 1/3 acre clover/chicory or fall greens of radish and cereal rye
 
Don’t do all alfalfa. 1-2 acres is PLENTY for deer. Like, I’d maybe do 1 acre alfalfa, 1 acre clover & the rest “something else”…. Something else could be a fenced in grain plot or do the Dbltree mix/brassicas. I for sure would do multiple things.
By definition… “3 things” is easy because 1 & 2: alfalfa and clover - u do at same time & just maintain it (easy) & then adding at least one more thing is still pretty easy to do in a year. My 2 cents :)
 
Hawk32 said:
I am taking 2 fields out of crops and putting into CRP next spring. One bottom field approx 10 acres and one hill top field approx 15 acres. I also have a 4.5 acre field that is crops now but for whatever reason isn't eligible for the CRP plan. In this 4.5 acre field I have left 1 acre of crops standing each year for a grain plot. there is a blind there and has decent amount of deer that come to that field. My question is should I leave this 4.5 acres for a grain/brassica plot or put into alfalfa and retain a little income. vs spending money on plots. Would the alfalfa still be a good enough attractant? I do have someone interested in making big bales off 2 cuttings. So the rest of the farm will have approx 2-2.5 acres of beans, couple different 1/4 acres brassicas, 3 different 1/4 acre clover plots.

Thought?


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if I'm reading right, you'll have over 6 acres of other plots with grains, brassicas etc. In that case, if you have someone willing to bale and maintain the alfalfa, I'd let them put the whole field in. Alfalfa is a great plot until late season, then you need grains. I would not go with 100% alfalfa if that is your only plot.
 
Thanks for suggestions.
Hopefully should have plenty of grains/brassicas elsewhere. Was leaning towards alfalfa for a little income vs spending more on another plot if it would be worth it. Not much experience with it. Other than the millions of small squares I stacked growing up.
 
Keep in mind with your acres being enrolled into CRP your 2 - 2.5 acres of beans will likely have much more browse pressure, so you may want to overseed with brassica's or winter rye after leave's yellow for additional attraction & deer food.

I'd just seed the entire 4.5 acres into alfalfa for a cash crop & if you find your short of late season food attraction after the first year, then convert some of the alfalfa acres into a split plot of brassica's & winter rye w/ 5 lbs tillage radish.

If they only take two cuttings of alfalfa, be sure that the second cutting is taken no later than Sept 1 that way you'll have some regrowth going into fall hunting season for attraction until the first hard frost.
 
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