Berniez

Rule of thumb is that every ton of lime spread per acre raises the pH up about 0.2 (pH is a logrithmic scale). Spreading more than 2 tons per acre at one time is a waste of time (chemistry can work only so fast and sometimes takes time) . BTW Egyption wheat grows about to 10 feet tall and needs to be planted in WARM soil (65-70+)[rabbits and pheasants LOVE the stuff] . Good luck trying to get anything such as turnips, radish or beets growing under it.

I would say enough snow has gone to allow frost seeding. There is still snow in the woods. However, the south facing field slopes are 90% clear. The flats (valley floors) have a thin layer but you can seed right over it. The melting snow will send it to the ground quite nicely without issue. This is probably the easiest time to do that seeding now then when the ground thaws leaving you in mud. Doing it now before mud season allows you to get this part of your planting done before you make yourself crazy on weekends during the height of spring planting season. good luck

Years ago I hunted with the locals in Decorah Iowa (( that's in Northeast Iowa). What a place for deer and small game. Tall rolling hills, wide valleys, water and enough woods and agriculture to satisfy all your hunting needs. Now there are a lot fewer pheasants but it is still a nice quiet place to live and hunt. That has become my second choice So 35 years ago I found a house, barn, trout stream and 100 acres in Otsego county and have turned it into my little slice of heaven. I raise pheasants, have enough water for really good jump shooting on ducks not to mention a trout stream that produces lots of brown trout in the 20 inch plus range. My neighbors have no issue with me using their lake holding great bass and bream for fun summer evenings. Fall comes and I have over 1000 acres to chase deer around. I still farm the property so Deer and turkey are always around. It took 30+ years of hard work to bring the farm and its diverse habitat back to life but it was worth it. I have been lucky enough to be living my dream everyday of the year and wish I had another 40 years to enjoy all the laughs this place continues to give me. given me.

A lot melted today but there was at least 20 inches on the ground last weekend. The snow settles quickly and it turns into a snow cone like consistency (# 6 shot) where my 90 hp tractor does not touch the ground. The dogs hate this as snow gets between their paws and turns into ice. With any luck it will settle down to less than a foot in a day or so. Then we worry about flooding.

Wet sloppy meltdown is fine. The snow melts taking the seed to the ground. Then the freeze thaw cycle works so the seed makes firm contact with the soil and increasing germination.. So you can put it down anytime from now on. The only caveat is if there is a flood which would take the seed out of the field. Others may differ but it seems to work for me. BTW The deer are having some issues. Here the snow is deep enough to cause real issues (the snow is up to the fawns bellies) They are really starting to hit my soybean field hard (2.5 acres) that I left standing. The top beans are all gone and they have to paw through the snow to get to the rest of the beans. If a really hard crust forms......they will expend a lot of energy getting to the food. At the current rate they are hitting the field, the food will all be gone by mid March. That's cutting it close but those that make it to the field will do fine. Let's hope we get a slow thaw without a flood or heavy crusting which would allow the coyotes to ability to reek havoc on the fawns.

NO chemicals? You just chopped it down? I never had much success doing it that way. Keep it mowed under 6 inches that will stop a lot of the braodleafs but the grasses may overwhelm the clover. You can frost seed very soon and in early MAY(as soon as the grass starts growing and before you mow for the first time.... try Poast plus at 1.5 pints per acre. This herbicide will kill grasses but not broadleafs.... Before the braodleafs get over 3 inches apply 2,4 D B (make sure it is NOT 2,4-D as that will kill clover) Whatever you do.....Go to your local ag store and ask a lot of questions. read the labels and be safe. Nothing you do is worth getting hurt over. Good luck

good people will answer your questions http://www.ernstseed.com/products/price-list/ http://www.outsidepride.com/seed/clover-seed/ a little more expensive but offer a good quality product too I have used both and have been pleased

Everyplace and every forage works in one place and not another. I have tried and have had no real success (for deer) with: the brassicas-you name the type and I have tried them. Sorghum beets radishes (little deer use but I have a local restaurant buying them from me) millets (pheasants, turkeys and rabbits love it) Egyptian wheat (pheasants, turkeys and rabbits love it) Products I have tried and the deer in my area seem to like it. Corn (Leave min of 3 acres stranding for feed and winter cover) beans (it took 2 years for them to really go after them but they are in there from June 15 to June1 (again leave a few acres standing and they are in there every night) Clovers- white (again in there all year long) mixing with chicory seems to make no difference Oats Barley (deer are in there when snow covers everything else) Rye winter wheat Buckwheat (deer and bees love it but little food or cover after the first frost) Apple trees ( deer like the saplings too much, unless you protect them from the deer they are just a waste of money) One of the best summer forages I ever planted was Canadian Field peas and triticale. I had a 6 pointer in August chewing its cud 40 yards from the barn at 11AM. He got up, still chewing, watched me and when I went back into the barn he sat down. That crop draws deer into October. The peas make a great sttir fry when young... too.

I hope you got rid of the weeds with a chemical burn off last year. If not roundup it twice this spring and summer waiting till late summer to plant the clover. No sense wasting money if the weeds are going to get it before the deer. A pH of 7 maximizes clover seed germination. Each ton of lime/acre raises pH 0.2 . (Applying more than 3 tons/acre at time is a waste of money no matter what the soil pH is). Lime takes months to work so:. 1. Apply your lime as soon as possible (over the snow is fine) Whatever you do.... get it on NOW, 2. Before you frost seed the clover in March mix the seed with lime. That will help assure that you get the max germination rate for the clover 3. Plant a white clover that sets deep roots. It will last longer and be drought resistant. 4. Keep it mowed under 6 inches 5. I have had good luck with Landino and New Zealand type white clovers. (I also had good luck with the Imperial brand clover but this is not a commercial.) 6. Do what you want. Just have a good time and let us know how it turns out .

“so maybe he should keep the city, we'll get the heck out and be NY state” WHAT A GREAT IDEA! If we all sent him registered letters telling him that if found on our property he would be arrested for criminal trespass. Silly as that sounds if all gun owners did that....eventually he would go to a restaurant/gas station/ a local store/for political reasons whose owner had sent him the warning letter. Then the owner calls the police and has him arrested for criminal trespass. He has been already warned and his conviction would be assured. Maybe Prince Andy will find out just how much of NY has no room for an Imperial Governor.

Southern Chenago or Otsego county along the Susquehanna. Good ducks geese and deer. There is still crop farming and rabbits actually live there. There are farms and wood available and if they Governor ever gets his head out of his butt.....a gas lease will take the sting out of the the purchase. There wil be money for large food plots. It's still close enough to make it a true weekend place. Good luck

An interesting question that HAS NO REAL answer. We hunt on 800acres of private land in 4F. Over 200 acres are in crops/fields. During the summer we had 18 different bucks on trail cameras. However the number of fawns were down 60% and we saw many does without fawns (Coyotes? Bobcats? ???) This year bow season saw little action or deer movement. There was almost no action in the crop fields and that was attributed to a good mast crop on the hills. Gun season saw the same results. No deer movement and action was slow. For the past 10 years we averaged 66% buck kill (8 for 12). This year the buck take as of 11/27 is the lowest on record (2 out of 12) The scariest part is the lack of does and fawns seen. So while there can be anomalies in the deer take and the weather has been too warm, the lack of deer is causing real concern. BTW in our area we have a genetic mutation where almost 80% of the bucks taken have NO brow tines but we still manage to average 6 pts./buck. Let’s hope the weather gets whatever deer out there moving.

Harassment??? LOL about 10 years ago before I moved upstate full time I got stopped driving to Jersey at 8pm on Rt 28 in Shandaken. I was dressed in regular clothes. The DEC guy asked how we did. I said “no luck.” Then he asked me for my hunting license. I told him that my license is at the farmhouse on my hunting clothes. As I only hunt on my property I have no need to have my license on me now. He told me the law says I am supposed to show it when asked. I said I do but I am driving on RT 28 not hunting. If I was hunting I need to have my license on me but I am not hunting. I am just driving on a public road following all the laws. NY has no laws requiring a hunting license to transport rifles and mine are cased, locked and in the trunk. He said I need to carry it on me at “ALL TIMES”. I said “So when your home in bed where do you carry yours? How do you keep it dry in the shower?” He said “that’s stupid show me your license”. Again I told him I am not hunting but driving and since I am driving, I would be glad to show you my driver’s license. You have no reason to suspect me of any wildlife infraction and I am answering all your questions. We did this dance for about 5 minutes. I asked him if he was married. He said yes. I asked to see his marriage license. I said you’re married all the time and by that logic you need to carry that license on your person. Again, he insisted he needed to see my hunting license. Finally I told him “Ok officer I’ll pull over and jump in your car. YOU can DRIVE me the 150 mile round trip to the farm. I am not wasting money on gas for something this stupid. Tell your supervisor you’ll be back in about 3 hours.” That stopped him in his tracks and after a few seconds he said, “Well you need to show an officer your license when asked.” “When you see me hunting you can and I will be glad to show you. Have a good evening.” and drove away. They have a job to stop wildlife infractions…..however allowing them to go beyond a certain line is just stupid. As Sam Adams said,” Those who would give up Essential Liberty ... deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”

If you want it green in early spring you can plant it just do not expect the buckwheat to last too long. If you plan to spray mow and futz with the ground then take your time and do it. Plan on planting the first or second week of June. All the field prep you plan to do is great and waiting to plant will give you time without rushing. This year I planted the switchgrass in the field at the exact time (May 17) to have it flood and stay underwater for over 2weeks. (result was a great field of weeds and no switchgrass) I once planted a 6 acres switchgrass field in early June (3 weeks later than recommended.) and it turned out great. You never know. All you can do is give it a shot and see what happens. I know everybody promotes THEIR seed. I usually mix my own. At the local seed store (Stamford) 50lbs of Buckwheat for $18 at the feed mill I get straight run oats at $7/ 50lbs I got the radishes at 3.30/LB. If you go on the net you can get essex rape is $1.30/lb. and White New Zealand st $3.60/lb. Some clovers are as little as $2/lb.. If you like the commercial food plot stuff go ahead and use it. I say plant whatever you want to try and see how it works. Each area is different and deer seem to take their time seeing what they like. (Deer took almost 3 years before they decided to eat soybeans from June to April. . Where I am rape and turnips are a waste of time and others claim it's narcotic type lure. I say take all the advice read it and then do what you want. This is all supposed to be fun. LOL Enjoy watching the field turn green. One thing I would say to everybody is do not plant any mixture with a grass in it. (Deer do not eat grass except by accident!!!!) These commercial mixes give you grass to keep that green color making you think your plot is wonderful. If it has any kind of fescue seed in it do not use. Wildlife, including deer, rabbits, quail, and some small mammals and songbirds are also known to be adversely affected by the fungus and exhibit many of the same symptoms. Past studies have shown that rabbits, feeding solely on infected fescue and its seed, exhibit high mortality rates within two weeks. I like to hunt rabbits too. Fescue spreads like cancer and adversely affects deer and other wildlife. Don't help it along. Don't pay for grass it just looks green.

BTW Buckwheat is totally unforgiving when it comes to frost. Any light frost will kill 90-100% the young buckwheat plants. Buckwheat is usually sown AFTER June 15. Its cheap enough and the deer like it but don;'t expect to seed it in early May like the others can be and have any reach maturity. Also buckwheat can tolerate "wet feet" as long as the land does not dry off and crust before the buckwheat emerges. Its a great crop, easy to grow,grows on really crappy soil, smothers weeds and both deer honeybees love it. If you are going to be able to mow the land plant lots of clovers. That stays green all year long, deer love it and it lives for a few years before you have to spend money to replace it. After 20 years of working on habitat you will learn to love those plantings that stick around for a few years saving you both time and money. This year I had my worst year farming I ever had. I picked the wrong days to plant my food plots. With all the spring rain, .....I basically lost 10 acres of corn, 5 acres of beans and a complete loss of a new seeding of switchgrass (now that's cover once established) Whats worse is I replanted the corn and managed to get it in the ground just before 8 days of rain and lost the second planting. What did come up the weeds got. Fortunately the other 60 acres of corn came up fine.but if we get a bad winter the deer are going to be sucking wind because those fields that failed are the ones I leave for them. They do have a 2 acre bean field I left standing and a clearcut that is loaded with young poplar, maples and brambles. THat makes digging in 3 ft of snow to get to the groceries a lot easier.

Figs in Otsego county need to be wrapped in the winter and even then survival is shaky. Figs taste too good to waste them. You may wish to reconsider red cedars. Deer certainly eat Red Cedar but is known as a "stuffing food". Meaning the deer eat it but has the browse has zero value as a winter food. White cedar is a great winter food source for deer but getting the trees large enough before the deer demolish them is the hard part. I once planted 200 white cedar in the spring....NONE survived till the following spring. Red cedar and apple trees are a bad combination because of "Cedar Apple Rust" (The disease is spread to apple trees after the fungus has spent approximately 18 months on the cedar tree. This fungus causes apple trees to have spotted leaves and the leaves drop off early. In wet seasons this can really hurt the apple trees) So if there are old apple trees around you risk their health as you probably have no idea of their resistance to this fungus. Deer get value from apple trees, red cedars are of dubious value in this area. There is other vegetation that offers deer cover without endangering your apple trees.

All shoot to kill beaver permits in CNY expire October 31 of every year.(Trapping season opens and why waste a pelt?) So if you want something done this year find a trapper. (Call your local DEC office for help or ask at a local sporting goods store for the Phone number of one). BTW Every year we get at least one weighing over 60 lbs (the size of a kindergarten kid wearing a fur coat) You can;t stop 'em so do what you can and maybe change your thoughts about what you are going to do there. I gave upon one spot of the farm and got federal funding to make one spot a 10 acre wetland. Five years later with some creative landscaping with brush the deer are still there (bedding on the high spots) and I have great duck hunting (This year if went from good to as good as it gets anywhere). For you????? A partially flooded woodlot will draw both ducks and deer. - good luck

Get a trapper and do it legal. I get a permit ( Local DEC supplies it)to shoot them from sunrise to 11pm because they are trying to turn my cornfield into a 5 acre wet spot and flooding roads on my property, If they flood your oak trees in the fall take up duck hunting and the deer still hang out there. I shoot 2 or 3 a year while the trapper gets 18-20. That's every year for the last 25 years. Learn to live with them..... you'll loss less hair,sleep and still have deer.

Logging is very personal and depends on what you want. Clear cutting opens the forest letting in light and browse,this makes in a couple of years terrific bedding. But it does not always look so good. Selective cutting takes the trees you want and leaves the rest. Thats the least intrusive but doesn't usually do stuff for the wildlife. Then you can have him take the wolf trees (firewood) and take only those trees 20"diameter and larger. That lets you get the biggest cash back and if you leave those 13-20" trees alone in 15-20 years you can log it again. If he takes all the tops the wildlife loses a lot of cover. If it looks like a park don;t expect many animals to hang out there. You decide what you want. A professional forestry guy is your best bet, Tell him what you want,ask a boatload of questions, decide what you want and do it. They fee you pay will be worth it. If you wait till a bit later in the season.....the sound of a chain saw cutting maples is a better lure than anything they sell at any sporting goods store. It brings in the does/fawns which lure the bucks in. If you've never seen deer come running into your woodlot when you start up a chain saw in the winter its a hoot. If the loggers are there you set up a stand about 150 yards away and see the deer sneak in for a bite.

Forget everything except for the contour of the bottom and watch how and where you step.. In marshes you can go from gravel to silt,muck. rotten logs and then the beaver runs (Beaver basically dig a channel from 3-5 ft deep about 3 feet wide to get around in deep water. No warning just a significant bath which can be quite invigorating when you have to walk a mile back to the barn when it's 5+) Some swamps are gravel/ soft mud, then you have the occasional underground springs which can be quite soft.(almost lost an excavator trying to enlarge that wet spot) Just be careful you will survive. A change of clothes in the car couldn't hurt.

The Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) with leftover permits will be: 1C 3M, 3R, 3S 7F, 7H, 7J 8A, 8F, 8G, 8H, 8J, 8N, 8R 9A, 9F

Strawberry Clover Palestine (Trifolium Fragiferum) - Strawberry clover is a perennial clover similar to white dutch clover in growth habit. Spreads by above ground stolons, similar to strawberries. Adapted to wet saline and alkaline soils and can tolerate a wide range of soils. Will tolerate flooding. It is principally a pasture plant that is somewhat drought resistant. Strawberry clover develops a good sod, and is very palatable.

Rabbits were all over the place till around Aug 17 then they seemed to have vanished. If there is anything to the amount of young I saw into August it should be a great year. The cover in Otsego county is still so thick it is virtually impossible to see them in the brush. So until we get some heavy frosts...they are pretty safe. There is nothing like a few well trained beagles running rabbits. Its a shame most beagles aren't trained to come when called.

Now thats a food plot. . IN the early spring lightly drag it and frost seed some clover. You be surprised just how much grazing the clover can withstand and it will replace the nitrogen you removed.

I am thinking I will hire this part out to a local farmer and maybe buy a utv to keep up with maintenance, Before do that.....make sure the local farmer will do what you want when you want. I was a city boy and found out that the farmer will do what he wants which is not always what you want. A tractor with a bucket and 4wd is a much better choice because you decide when, where and how. In the spring a farmer is really busy putting in his crops for a living...with you he thinks its a rich boys hobby and what does it matter when or where the plots goes? I have both utv (kubota diesel) and a tractor( 82 hp Belarus) the tractor does the majority of the heavy work but the Kubota lets me do some of the light work Rolling, dragging snow plowing around the house/barn and driving around looking at stuff with the dog. If it is a one or the other scenario and you are serious about food plots....a Tractor that is as big as you can afford and fits the size of your fields (large HP tractors have a large turning radius and on small fields its a pain if not impossible work the field when you are dragging equipment behind. For the most part Bigger tractors do the job faster with less strain on the equipment.(that means less repairs) You can do small plots with a utv. It all depends on just how nuts you want to go. (FYI- I started my food plots 24 years ago with a 100 x 300 ft food plot. Now I am up to over 40 acres with perennials (alfalfa,clovers and switchgrass (16 acres) and the rest in annuals.(Corn, beans, oats. barley, buckwheat, sunflowers and those miracle super special food plots that the deer will run through a mine field to eat except not so much on my property. LOL Lots of fun all year long.) Whatever you decide just do it and the heck with us