I started watching this video and all of a sudden just a couple of minutes later the video was over , I looked at the time bar and it said 24:42 , it didn't seem like a half hour video , it seemed like a short few minutes . They say time flies when you're enjoying something and it grates along when you're not , Great video , I could have sat through some more of that , Good Job Gents .
Great video! We bought a Genesis drill last February and have started down this regenerative road. Are soils are pretty depleted because of years of abuse and neglect. We are in North Central Missouri, so it was a tough year to start with the lack of rain we had last summer, but am excited to continue this journey.
I started a few years ago turning my cows into my food plots to clean them up after the season. It is no surprise my plots keep improving ever year. We plant tons of forage for deer that realistically they only use a small percentage of. This is an missed opportunity to feed your livestock. We know domestic animals have a place in land management. Id love to see a video on how to balance cattle with wildlife to create better habitat.
I bought a neglected timber property a year ago and have been carefully watching your videos to improve my soil which is mostly red clay with little top soil, excited to see how the release process will work to improve food plots
Thanks for this video Grant! We're doing this on a small farm in West Central Texas. My goals are to improve our soil to yield benefits in growing deer, cattle, sheep, and chickens! Moving all those animals (other than the deer) around the property. The only thing we're removing from the property is the livestock as they mature. All their manure and urine go right back to fertilize and build carbon in the soil and support the biome.
Great information guys. Over the past four years, I’ve planted the Early Start Release or the Summer Release in the spring. I’ve followed these with a fall planting of the Green Cover Seeds Fall Blend of Cereal grains; Brassicas; Lentils; clover. Do I need to change blends in either the spring or fall to aid in both improving the soil and deer day time activity? This is a three quarter acre plot next to ninety acres of ag fields. Thank you both for all the important information.
You'd be better to plant the Summer Release and Fall release - in your rotation the Early Start Release blend doesn't seem to fit. Deer will likely hit the ag fields while they are standing but will likely use your plots as a staging area. Daylight activity has much to do with hunting pressure and location - distance from a bedding area.
Found an old soil tests from 2019. Just planted 12 acres of Fall Release last fall. Will be curious to see if there is incremental improvement or marked improvement on this years soils tests.
Hi Grant, Great video, as always! Thank you. I have followed your advice for years, as you know. I have a question though....the Green Cover Summer Release food plot mixes contain various seeds of different sizes, and through the last three years of utilizing the Summer Release Blend, I have never obtained a 'good stand'...somethings grow, some don't. Though I'm located in NW WI, I wonder if the different seed sizes, particularly, the small seeds don't germinate as well because they are planted too deep since we typically plant at 1-1.5 inches with the Summer Blend, based on recommendations. My soil results are good (good pH, nutrients, OM). Thank you for your thoughts in advance, and I'm trusting this finds you well. Patrick Wolf
Patrick - if the soil includes clay or packs or crust over easily, then you are likely correct that the seeds may have been planted a bit deep. Small-sized seeds have limited onboard energy and can starve before they push through the soil and make leaves to photosynthesize.
I have been using the no till methods for a year now, and just don't seem to be able to get a good stand. I have terrible problems with grass competition even though I have a farmer friend who sprayed my food plots with roundup to try and control it.
Roundup only controls living plants - it needs leaf contact to be effective. If grasses are too mature, herbicides aren't as effective. It is best to start without weeds before planting a blend.
I’m planning to relocate in the south. Where can I get information and recommendations for cover crops. I want to work full time building the soil for 5-7 years.
Brian - There's a bunch of good information at GreenCover.com. They also have good webcast and eblast with current information about cover crop practices!
Most areas in the North half of the country do not need to be a food source in the summer for deer. They have plenty of options. It is the late fall and winter where deer need food and other options (ag crops, summer weeds) are gone. I am on board with cover crops and regenerative ag. I just don't want a doe farm year round. Are there blends that can accomplish year round cover without being a major attractant in the summer? And can still be terminated with a crimper, no chemicals?
I've yet to see a "doe farm." Have you - or just areas where hunters didn't harvest enough does and did harvest to many bucks. Iowa is all food and no one complains about not having bucks - that passes young bucks and harvest does. Let's stick to the biology!
@@GrowingDeerTV I am actually talking about biology (deer). Does/Fawns are much more predictable than mature bucks. They have a much smaller range and frankly, are easy to hunt. If we provide year-round food, they will camp out and stay/bed close to the food. Mature does are the bullys of the deer woods and outside of the rut, mature bucks want nothing to do with them. This correlates with where mature bucks bed--and subsequent visible daylight movement. The farther away they bed, the less likely you will see them during daylight/legal shooting hours. Having a year-round "doe farm" is not because you shoot young bucks but because it is dominated by established, resident doe family groups. I absolutely want to have the most attractive property in later fall and early winter when all other food sources are drastically reduced. Not only do they not need "our food" during the summer, we inadvertently tell mature bucks they need to avoid the area. A tell-tale sign of a good property is daylight pictures of bucks. Night pictures of mature bucks may be fun to look at, but does nothing for legal harvesting. I want to do more than depend on the rut to have a mature buck cruise through---because he will do the same at my neighbors. I would rather have the big boy(s) see my property as a option for bedding --if I have year-round doe pressure/bedding close I am telling mature bucks they aren't welcome here.
Folks do grow cover crops in sandy soil! They aren't as productive the first year or two as in better soils, but if the principles of soil health are applied - no tillage, always covered, etc., the soils will heal!
I had the same problem. I didn't want to buy expensive farm equipment for two or three acres of plots, so I developed a food plot system that follows soil health principles and is cheap and simple.
We pay a neighbor with a drill to do it for us. The downside is the cost but the upside is no big outlay of cash to buy the equipment, no calibration, no storage...
Regenerative Ag and deer habitat management is a match made in Heaven!
It is a great match!
Y’all 2 as a team is something we need to see more of!
I started watching this video and all of a sudden just a couple of minutes later the video was over , I looked at the time bar and it said 24:42 , it didn't seem like a half hour video , it seemed like a short few minutes . They say time flies when you're enjoying something and it grates along when you're not , Great video , I could have sat through some more of that , Good Job Gents .
Thanks William!
Great video! We bought a Genesis drill last February and have started down this regenerative road. Are soils are pretty depleted because of years of abuse and neglect. We are in North Central Missouri, so it was a tough year to start with the lack of rain we had last summer, but am excited to continue this journey.
I started a few years ago turning my cows into my food plots to clean them up after the season. It is no surprise my plots keep improving ever year. We plant tons of forage for deer that realistically they only use a small percentage of. This is an missed opportunity to feed your livestock.
We know domestic animals have a place in land management. Id love to see a video on how to balance cattle with wildlife to create better habitat.
Chris - Thanks for sharing. Most of us don't have cattle or fences to manage cattle. I agree that cows can be a great tool!
I bought a neglected timber property a year ago and have been carefully watching your videos to improve my soil which is mostly red clay with little top soil, excited to see how the release process will work to improve food plots
Excellent! Have fun and keep me posted!
Thanks for this video Grant! We're doing this on a small farm in West Central Texas. My goals are to improve our soil to yield benefits in growing deer, cattle, sheep, and chickens! Moving all those animals (other than the deer) around the property. The only thing we're removing from the property is the livestock as they mature. All their manure and urine go right back to fertilize and build carbon in the soil and support the biome.
Excellent!
Great video and info! Keep ‘em coming!
Very informative Grant a lot of great information sir, thank you
Great information guys. Over the past four years, I’ve planted the Early Start Release or the Summer Release in the spring. I’ve followed these with a fall planting of the Green Cover Seeds Fall Blend of Cereal grains; Brassicas; Lentils; clover. Do I need to change blends in either the spring or fall to aid in both improving the soil and deer day time activity? This is a three quarter acre plot next to ninety acres of ag fields. Thank you both for all the important information.
Are broadcasting and then crimping over top?
You'd be better to plant the Summer Release and Fall release - in your rotation the Early Start Release blend doesn't seem to fit. Deer will likely hit the ag fields while they are standing but will likely use your plots as a staging area. Daylight activity has much to do with hunting pressure and location - distance from a bedding area.
Found an old soil tests from 2019. Just planted 12 acres of Fall Release last fall. Will be curious to see if there is incremental improvement or marked improvement on this years soils tests.
Very cool! Let me know!
2/3 of the Organic matter comes from the root systems correct?
Yes - most of the organic matter is root exudates and the roots themselves - and the biology or microorganisms they feed.
Hi Grant, Great video, as always! Thank you. I have followed your advice for years, as you know. I have a question though....the Green Cover Summer Release food plot mixes contain various seeds of different sizes, and through the last three years of utilizing the Summer Release Blend, I have never obtained a 'good stand'...somethings grow, some don't. Though I'm located in NW WI, I wonder if the different seed sizes, particularly, the small seeds don't germinate as well because they are planted too deep since we typically plant at 1-1.5 inches with the Summer Blend, based on recommendations. My soil results are good (good pH, nutrients, OM). Thank you for your thoughts in advance, and I'm trusting this finds you well. Patrick Wolf
Patrick - if the soil includes clay or packs or crust over easily, then you are likely correct that the seeds may have been planted a bit deep. Small-sized seeds have limited onboard energy and can starve before they push through the soil and make leaves to photosynthesize.
I have been using the no till methods for a year now, and just don't seem to be able to get a good stand. I have terrible problems with grass competition even though I have a farmer friend who sprayed my food plots with roundup to try and control it.
Roundup only controls living plants - it needs leaf contact to be effective. If grasses are too mature, herbicides aren't as effective. It is best to start without weeds before planting a blend.
I’m planning to relocate in the south. Where can I get information and recommendations for cover crops. I want to work full time building the soil for 5-7 years.
Brian - There's a bunch of good information at GreenCover.com. They also have good webcast and eblast with current information about cover crop practices!
Most areas in the North half of the country do not need to be a food source in the summer for deer. They have plenty of options. It is the late fall and winter where deer need food and other options (ag crops, summer weeds) are gone. I am on board with cover crops and regenerative ag. I just don't want a doe farm year round. Are there blends that can accomplish year round cover without being a major attractant in the summer? And can still be terminated with a crimper, no chemicals?
I've yet to see a "doe farm." Have you - or just areas where hunters didn't harvest enough does and did harvest to many bucks. Iowa is all food and no one complains about not having bucks - that passes young bucks and harvest does. Let's stick to the biology!
@@GrowingDeerTV I am actually talking about biology (deer). Does/Fawns are much more predictable than mature bucks. They have a much smaller range and frankly, are easy to hunt. If we provide year-round food, they will camp out and stay/bed close to the food. Mature does are the bullys of the deer woods and outside of the rut, mature bucks want nothing to do with them. This correlates with where mature bucks bed--and subsequent visible daylight movement. The farther away they bed, the less likely you will see them during daylight/legal shooting hours. Having a year-round "doe farm" is not because you shoot young bucks but because it is dominated by established, resident doe family groups. I absolutely want to have the most attractive property in later fall and early winter when all other food sources are drastically reduced. Not only do they not need "our food" during the summer, we inadvertently tell mature bucks they need to avoid the area. A tell-tale sign of a good property is daylight pictures of bucks. Night pictures of mature bucks may be fun to look at, but does nothing for legal harvesting. I want to do more than depend on the rut to have a mature buck cruise through---because he will do the same at my neighbors. I would rather have the big boy(s) see my property as a option for bedding --if I have year-round doe pressure/bedding close I am telling mature bucks they aren't welcome here.
Is a cover crop like that recommend in a place that only grows jackpine and blueberry? It’s quite literally sand.
Folks do grow cover crops in sandy soil! They aren't as productive the first year or two as in better soils, but if the principles of soil health are applied - no tillage, always covered, etc., the soils will heal!
I’m sold and want to start doing it, but I don’t have the money to buy a drill and I don’t have a place to rent one. Any suggestions
Same here..I’m going the cultipacker route on my rye plots. I’m doing summer release.
I had the same problem. I didn't want to buy expensive farm equipment for two or three acres of plots, so I developed a food plot system that follows soil health principles and is cheap and simple.
We pay a neighbor with a drill to do it for us. The downside is the cost but the upside is no big outlay of cash to buy the equipment, no calibration, no storage...
We have several videos about using hand tools, fire, etc., The progress won't be as quick, but we've had good results!
Great video hope to see some turkey hunting soon
Late next week! I'm excited!