Oaks Have Brilliant Colors

Scarlet Oak

Many oaks still have brilliant fall colors late into November.  We are always observing the oaks on our property in the fall, because we want to know what the acorn crop will be for the year.  The red oaks, such as this Scarlet Oak, produce acorns that are more bitter due to the greater amount of tannic acid in the acorns.  White oaks are more popular with the deer, because the acorns that they produce have less tannic acid and are thus sweeter.  Acorns are a preferred food for the deer due to the protein that the nuts provide.

What Just 1/2 Inch of Rain Will Do

Finally we had a good rain.  Although it lasted for hours the rain gauge only measured 1/2 inch of rain.  But that made a difference as these "before" and "after" photos show:  Fertilizer and lime are important elements for improving the soil, but water is the magic ingredient that is necessary in order for the seed to develop into an edible crop.


After the Rain



Before the Rain























Food Plots Planted - Now Need Rain

We planted a mixture of rye, wheat, oats, rape, and crimson clover in our fields in September.  We were encouraged by some rain that fell almost immediately after the planting; however, after that little bit of moisture it has been 6 weeks with no rain.  Between the drought and various birds eating the seed, our plots look quite anemic, as this photo shows:

Enclosures Reveal Success or Failure of Crops

It is imperative to use an enclosure such as a small circular fence in a planted field to understand the effectiveness of the planting.  We were so disappointed when we first planted some plots, using lime, fertilizer, and seed and working diligently to plant the seed properly.  It appeared that the crop was a failure.  Then we decided to use an enclosure.  The result was surprising:



Enclosure that revealed a successful crop and much browsing activity

As this picture shows, the vegetation in the field outside of the enclosure is very sparse.  If it weren't for this enclosure we would have determined that this crop was a failure.  Instead, by using an enclosure we were able to determine not only that the crop was successful but also that there was tremendous browsing activity in the field.  We now use enclosures in every field that we plant.

Rancher with Plotmaster

Getting to some of our fields is difficult due to the terrain and vegetation.  An ideal solution is to use an ATV with a Plotmaster, a very effective combination that works well in small fields in the woods to break up the soil for planting and then smoothing the soil over the seed bed.  Various attachments can be added that will spread the fertilizer and seed automatically.  For our small plots we find it easier to use a manual spreader. 

The Plotmaster has various adjustments that allow for various depths for plowing and angles for discing, depending on the type of soil and depth needed for planting.

Planting During the Drought

It is a difficult decision to spend money on fertilizer, lime, and seed during a prolonged drought.  The cost of fertilizer has increased 400% since we began planting for the wildlife less than 10 years ago.  But, as the weather cools and the woods don their fall colors, human nature dictates that the crops must be planted.  This fall, surely, the rains will come.  So the decision is not whether to plant but what to plant.  The most reliable combination of seeds seems to be one that is mixed for the local area and sold at a local nursery and is appropriately called Wildlife Mix.  That mix plus the minimum amount of fertilizer calculated to produce a decent crop, and a schedule that would have the seed and fertilizer in the ground in time for cooler and, hopefully, wetter weather became our game plan.

Bringing Back the Long Leaf Pine

Long Leaf Pine Seedling

We planted 50 long leaf pine seedlings last winter as an experiment.  This entire southeastern area of the country had originally been covered in long leaf pines which are lovely tall trees.  They grow in sandy poor soil and are fire resistant.  They can live for up to 300 years.  With our poor soil we would like to increase our acreage in long leaf pines; however, with this continuing drought the seedlings might not survive.