re: Planted summer plots today

Big rains missed us again.

I may be cursed.

I’m late to this thread, but have become a regenerative ag disciple the last 2 years - building soil. I’ve planted 2 fall crops and 2 spring crops now. I’m seeing results.

Found Grant Woods, and really liked what he was saying. Then read “Dirt to Soil” by Gabe Brown, I was hooked. Ray Archuleta and Elaine Ingham explained the soil biology and importance of the right bacteria, fungi, nematodes, arthropods, etc. it all make so much sense when you compare to traditional tillage and hitting it with chemicals.

I took Agronomy at LSU in the 70s, and nobody ever mentioned mycorrhizal fungi. I don’t think they understood what the bugs all did back then.

I’ve always thrown some winter food plots together and we’ve probably attracted a few deer, but my last two years are completely different. I’m planting more and it’s producing more. Our last two fall food plots have been really successful, and I’m still not doing it right. I’m starting to find earthworms in the plots this summer tho.

I live an hour from my property, and have a 48 hp tractor. I rent a local drill, and I get fabulous germination with it. I’m struggling most with weed control. My spring planting was wiped out by drought last summer, this year it’s fighting weeds because I went without herbicide. Still I’m getting good forage and seeing lots of deer. Oh, and I haven’t had access to a crimper, but I think it’s a critical piece of the process.

We use Green Cover Seed blends and I like the inoculants - bacterial, fungal, and other. I’m committed to a 5 year experiment, and 40% in, I’m very pleased.

Prior to this program our largest deer was 137 lb. Now we have a 204 lb deer and we don’t shoot many, mostly does.