Hey Mark Mike here from Ontario. Great job on the plots Thank you for sharing and bringing us along on your food-plot experiments. Alway great full. Best of luck on the hunt this year.
Looks great Mark. My son and I planted Rye, oats and Radish into winter peas and soy beans yesterday. Changed all the sd cards and fresh batteries. We are also done on the property. I pray my plots turn out as nice as yours. Do well hunting...The Ryan family.
Mark, the videos are great. I appreciate that you openly share your thoughts and experiences. I faced the same dilemma this year so I broadcast half with fall mix and drilled half. I can broadcast 30’ with the spreader mounted on the bucket, not much gets knocked down. But, I’m sure the drilled will germinate much better. Experimenting is half the fun. We’ll see how the two approaches worked next spring.
Looks great Mark. Good luck this year. I have to make at least 1 more trip to my property to wrap a few things up before the season starts. Thanks for all of the videos, I enjoy watching someone in my own state not to far away with the same type of soil, or shall I say sand.
Another fantastic video. Wonderful accidental demo of what weeds can do to the seeds we plant for wildlife. I guess we have to resign to having to eliminate weeds either chemically or mechanically once in a while. Good luck with your hunt!!
Thanks David. Darn weeds just mess up all our perfect plans for foodplotting. Yes, I have capitulated and will now be focused, very focused, on weed control from here forward. Ugh. Good luck this season.
Always great work! Looking good. The mowing of sorghum can have a great root response as well - which will help with your soil health goals in that spot!! Good luck this season!
Thanks Albert. My buddy told me the same thing about mowing sorghum a few years ago, which I had completely forgotten until your comment. Thank you! Good luck to you this season, too.
Hey Kurt, thank you. Are you planting it in the fall, or spring? Didn't think it would have enough time to get tall enough if planted in the fall, but if it does, I really like this idea? Best of luck to you this season.
Wow Mark very impressive. I have not been successful without spraying for weeds, excellent proof with the weed path find. We have had a terribly dry year but the plots look okay. I’m really surprised you were able to get your fall mix set up for one pass in the large bin with the planter. I’m recovering from spine surgery and had nerve complications. I may not be able to hunt this year, we will have to see how far PT can take me. God bless and good luck this year. Bob
Hey Bob, thanks. Was wondering how your surgery went. I'm sure I speak for everyone on this channel wishing you a speedy recovery, and God willing, getting in a few hunts THIS season. All the best to you.
Mark, really enjoyed this one. I’ve been trying to solve the weed problem too. Your video has made a profound impact on my decisions going forward. I’m shocked at the affect of herbicide on ultimate weed control. I too want to minimize herbicide, but I now believe I will need some herbicide until I get over the hump and produce enough cereal rye and other “mulch” to take care of the weeds. Thanks!
Hey Curt, it is disappointing that we have to use herbicide, but at least we are moving toward a time when we won't need it anymore. Keep at it! Hope you have a great season.
Mark, I enjoy your videos, we have the same type of property, mine is in northern Wisconsin, sand soil, but you are way ahead of me with your results this year. Tar river should pay you a commission, I bought one this summer, your videos cemented my decision to go ahead with that purchase, and It worked well, no more broadcast seeding on sandy soil for this guy. I love the idea you had for height, and the results you had after some rain, I am excited to try that mix and plan next year. Not sure about your plan to drill over the top of that beautiful plot you created, but looks like it turned out.....still not sure I would do that lol.. keep up the great videos, I am learning from your experiments! Good luck this fall!! Tom
Hey Tom, thanks for the kind words. It seems like the structure that is still out in the plots is enough that it has created more daytime movement already this year, but this is based on very very very limited and probably biased observations from the family. But I'm still 50/50 at this point if it was the right decision to drill over it. Hopefully one of us gets a buck on the ground soon so I have an excuse to get out on a plot to get a close look. Best of luck to you this season.
@@theback40 Mark, I took a little time this weekend while planting and created a couple videos to share a little info I have learned. I emailed them to you. Hopefully you receive them intact and find something useful.
@@riversmeetdeercamp Hey Tom, yes, I did get them and am very thankful you took the time to share, I got confirmation that we can spray gly within a few days after planting seed. All the best to you.
We are in central Ga and still a couple of weeks away from fall planting. I’ve got the same dilemma…only it’s grain sorghum. I think I’m going to drill strips and broadcast under sorghum…but it’s a debate! You gained a sub!
Thanks, hope we can figure this thing out together. Let us know how it turns out, and which way you would do it next time after you see the results. Best of luck to you this season.
Hey Mark, enjoying your video’s. I haven’t watched them all but I like how your food plots turn out with the seed drill. How many acres do you plant on the Back 40? Thanks for the informative information!
Mark, nice to see your success with no-til. You’ve mentioned that your in sandy soil in WMI. I was wondering how your DLR072 does cutting through the vegetation and getting into the soil. I recently acquired a used Saya-507. We have heavier soil. The drill cut the vegetation fine but struggled to go more than 1/4” into moist soil, even with the down pressure maxed.
Hey Doug, so far there has been no problem cutting through vegetation, and getting to the set depth. It doesn't surprise me that in heavier soil it is having a difficult time getting to the depth you want. Only suggestion is to double and triple check that the depth setting are right. The users manual I received with my Tar River had the adjustment directions backward. There's a video on this channel on how to adjust the Tar River in case you want to double check your method. All the best to you.
@@theback40 mark, I watched your video on setting the DLR depth and calibration. The both tar River grain drill and the no-till drills have the same driver bar so the ‘math’ in your spreadsheet (lbs/acre by 60) save my brother and I a bunch of farting around. The no-till drill has front coulters so you have to set those as well as the driver basket up the depth that you want. The opening discs are the same on both the no-till and regular drill, it the no till has a very different follower mechanism, tailing links and heavier cast housing. There didn’t seem to be a depth limiting device unless the opener housing reached the end of their downward travel, which doesn’t make for much down pressure to cut through the vegetation and soil. At the end of the day, even a tiny groove with the seeds laying in them is better than broadcasting and hoping that the seeds hit the ground. I’ll know in a few weeks 😬. Good luck this year. Hopefully your wife lets you shoot a couple this year. 😂
@@dougzittel9440 Ah, got it. Agree, you just need the seed to touch the soil, it doesn't have to look perfect to us, just to be effective. Hope it works, you'll know soon enough. Wife already has her eye on a nice 10 hanging around, but I have bow season to try to get him before her, LOL. All the best to you Doug.
Hey Mark, this is Bill in W. Michigan, can you talk about the spring vs. fall seeds you plant? where you get them? the local farm store or do you order a blend from someone who specializes in making food plot blends? Thanks, love the videos, very helpful.
You're usimg the DRL072, yes? Do you have optional items on that or do they come standard with those roller items on the back? One looks almost like a wanna-be crimper and then a mini cultipacker.
Hey Mark, yes, the DRL-072. No optional items, they all came with it. Your "wanna be" statement is spot on, the mini cultipacker does work somewhat, but is very light and is nothing like a true cultipacker (it's plastic). The roll cage is not intended at all to be a roller crimper, it is just the drive mechanism for the seeder, they did not intend on it crimping anything. All the best to you.
Gol Mark watching this was a little depressing! just was out tonight broadcast rye to try and salvage my burned up foodplots as they are promissing a chance of rain tonight🙏 good luck to you this fall....got any pictures?
Hey thanks Mark for the possitive feedback but it was yet another swing and a MISS with the rain last evening....but at least the turkeys will have plenty of rye seeds to eat the next few days!!😂😂
A few videos back you were contemplating with putting an irrigation system on your food plots. If you were doing that, why don’t you get a dedicated consultant to help you on your plot mixes? I have seen you mention and referenced a couple people that actually have a consulting service ( they both own) that can help and teach you on your Re-gen practices. They can help on creating the correct C:N ratio that you mentioned a few videos back, and they will “cherry pick” the best varieties and seeding rates of seed for your specific needs regarding to your specific soil tests. With all the “Carbon” you planted this past summer and the rye you planted this fall, you shouldn’t need to plant as much “Carbon” this coming spring. The deer aren’t going to eat those grasses anyway. Spending a little bit more money on the front end could save way more money in the long run. A few extra grand and you could save 5+ years of failed/unsatisfactory results and money. I didn’t mention the consulting group because you can find it if you look for it, but I didn’t want it to seem like I was advertising their name. The one I personally use ( on 125 acres) isn’t the only one out there, but they are who I decided to go with. They consult globally, and I honestly trust them because they don’t have their own equipment and seed companies. They don’t even care where you buy the seed from.
Hey Alan, thank you for challenging my thought process, I do truly appreciate you taking the time out of your day to write this. Debates like this force us to really dig into how we are thinking to make sure we are not missing something, or to check ourselves to see if we are just following what the outdoor industry marketing machine is telling us we must do. Two initial thoughts (I'll be processing this further in my mind, trust me, this is how I'm wired, and may change my mind...): 1) I do it because I like the process of learning via real world experiments, I'm talking boots on the ground on my specific property and habitat and how the deer are reacting to it, with the ever valuable immediate feedback loop for improvements, and 2) I'm having a hard time convincing myself that someone is going to understand all the variables that go into my personal decisions, soil type, hunting goals, observation goals, how deer actually use my property (not theoretically) etc. I feel like it would be very tough for them to get to the level of detail I am getting to on my own. Although there is certainly merit to paying up front to get advice, which I am willing to do (evidenced by previous consultant visits), I think they can only go so far as they are limited by time and specific experiences on THIS ground. And I am always on the lookout for conflict of interest, do they have a vested interest in steering you to a particular blend, because they make money if you do. But I did hear you say I could go to guys without this conflict, so I just need to make my mind settle on doing this. I gotta think this through a bit more. Thank you again, wish you all the best this season.
2-3 weeks after planting, go back over and broadcast rye @100lbs/acre Trust me, this will be the best 30 dollars you will ever spend to help suppress weeds. I've followed your channel for a while now. We have the same issues with our land in the U.P. That extra planting of Rye after a few weeks after drilling will make a huge difference in the Spring.
Hey Mark
Mike here from Ontario.
Great job on the plots
Thank you for sharing and bringing us along on your food-plot experiments. Alway great full. Best of luck on the hunt this year.
Hey Mike, hope your property is coming around, and ready for this season. Thanks and best of luck to you, too.
Looks great Mark. My son and I planted Rye, oats and Radish into winter peas and soy beans yesterday. Changed all the sd cards and fresh batteries. We are also done on the property. I pray my plots turn out as nice as yours. Do well hunting...The Ryan family.
Thank you. What a great way to spend time with your family, I wish you guys all the best this season.
Love your videos!! Typically answers a ton of questions running through my head. I am only one year in to building my 58 acre hunting property
Hey Rob, congrats on your property! All the best to you.
Mark, the videos are great. I appreciate that you openly share your thoughts and experiences. I faced the same dilemma this year so I broadcast half with fall mix and drilled half. I can broadcast 30’ with the spreader mounted on the bucket, not much gets knocked down. But, I’m sure the drilled will germinate much better. Experimenting is half the fun. We’ll see how the two approaches worked next spring.
Hey Greg, that's a great experiment. Keep us updated please. Good luck this season!
Looks great Mark. Good luck this year. I have to make at least 1 more trip to my property to wrap a few things up before the season starts. Thanks for all of the videos, I enjoy watching someone in my own state not to far away with the same type of soil, or shall I say sand.
Hey Randy, thanks. We'll turn our sand to soil eventually. Good luck this year.
Another fantastic video. Wonderful accidental demo of what weeds can do to the seeds we plant for wildlife. I guess we have to resign to having to eliminate weeds either chemically or mechanically once in a while. Good luck with your hunt!!
Thanks David. Darn weeds just mess up all our perfect plans for foodplotting. Yes, I have capitulated and will now be focused, very focused, on weed control from here forward. Ugh. Good luck this season.
Always great work! Looking good. The mowing of sorghum can have a great root response as well - which will help with your soil health goals in that spot!! Good luck this season!
Thanks Albert. My buddy told me the same thing about mowing sorghum a few years ago, which I had completely forgotten until your comment. Thank you! Good luck to you this season, too.
Looking really good Mark. Good luck this year.
Thanks Sean, you too.
So happy for you that the sorghum popped back up. I plant a half rate of multiple sorghums in my Fall plots for structure.
Hey Kurt, thank you. Are you planting it in the fall, or spring? Didn't think it would have enough time to get tall enough if planted in the fall, but if it does, I really like this idea? Best of luck to you this season.
Good luck this fall Kurtis...hope you have some good ones
I drilled it in late July with my winter peas, crimson clover, tillage radish and dwarf essex rape. It's about 4' right now.
@@theback40
You too Brad.@@bradbrockhaus633
Dang! That's pretty good, only need about 4'-5' to be a good screen and provide edge. Thanks for the feedback.
Wow Mark very impressive. I have not been successful without spraying for weeds, excellent proof with the weed path find. We have had a terribly dry year but the plots look okay. I’m really surprised you were able to get your fall mix set up for one pass in the large bin with the planter. I’m recovering from spine surgery and had nerve complications. I may not be able to hunt this year, we will have to see how far PT can take me. God bless and good luck this year. Bob
Hey Bob, thanks. Was wondering how your surgery went. I'm sure I speak for everyone on this channel wishing you a speedy recovery, and God willing, getting in a few hunts THIS season. All the best to you.
Mark, really enjoyed this one. I’ve been trying to solve the weed problem too. Your video has made a profound impact on my decisions going forward. I’m shocked at the affect of herbicide on ultimate weed control. I too want to minimize herbicide, but I now believe I will need some herbicide until I get over the hump and produce enough cereal rye and other “mulch” to take care of the weeds. Thanks!
Hey Curt, it is disappointing that we have to use herbicide, but at least we are moving toward a time when we won't need it anymore. Keep at it! Hope you have a great season.
Another great video...Good luck this fall!!...Keep the videos coming
Hey Brad, thank you. Wishing you all the best this season too. It's less than a month away!
If you enjoy trying to figure it out on your own, I understand and respect that also. I personally enjoy your videos.
Hey Alan, thanks. You gave me something to think about this weekend, lol!
Looks fantastic!
And you are getting rains!
Sooooo happy when it rains! Hope you are getting some, too. Good luck this season.
Mark, I enjoy your videos, we have the same type of property, mine is in northern Wisconsin, sand soil, but you are way ahead of me with your results this year. Tar river should pay you a commission, I bought one this summer, your videos cemented my decision to go ahead with that purchase, and It worked well, no more broadcast seeding on sandy soil for this guy. I love the idea you had for height, and the results you had after some rain, I am excited to try that mix and plan next year. Not sure about your plan to drill over the top of that beautiful plot you created, but looks like it turned out.....still not sure I would do that lol.. keep up the great videos, I am learning from your experiments! Good luck this fall!! Tom
Hey Tom, thanks for the kind words. It seems like the structure that is still out in the plots is enough that it has created more daytime movement already this year, but this is based on very very very limited and probably biased observations from the family. But I'm still 50/50 at this point if it was the right decision to drill over it. Hopefully one of us gets a buck on the ground soon so I have an excuse to get out on a plot to get a close look. Best of luck to you this season.
@@theback40 Mark,
I took a little time this weekend while planting and created a couple videos to share a little info I have learned. I emailed them to you. Hopefully you receive them intact and find something useful.
@@riversmeetdeercamp Hey Tom, yes, I did get them and am very thankful you took the time to share, I got confirmation that we can spray gly within a few days after planting seed. All the best to you.
We are in central Ga and still a couple of weeks away from fall planting. I’ve got the same dilemma…only it’s grain sorghum. I think I’m going to drill strips and broadcast under sorghum…but it’s a debate! You gained a sub!
Thanks, hope we can figure this thing out together. Let us know how it turns out, and which way you would do it next time after you see the results. Best of luck to you this season.
I struggle with the same issues. Should I knock it down Or not. Thank you for the videos and all the good advice!
Still not sure if this was the right decision, only time will tell. Hope you have a great season.
Great sharing
Thank you. Best of luck to you this season.
Hey Mark, enjoying your video’s. I haven’t watched them all but I like how your food plots turn out with the seed drill. How many acres do you plant on the Back 40?
Thanks for the informative information!
Hey Glen, thanks for the feedback. We have 4 acres of foodplots spread around the property. All the best to you.
Mark, nice to see your success with no-til. You’ve mentioned that your in sandy soil in WMI. I was wondering how your DLR072 does cutting through the vegetation and getting into the soil. I recently acquired a used Saya-507. We have heavier soil. The drill cut the vegetation fine but struggled to go more than 1/4” into moist soil, even with the down pressure maxed.
Hey Doug, so far there has been no problem cutting through vegetation, and getting to the set depth. It doesn't surprise me that in heavier soil it is having a difficult time getting to the depth you want. Only suggestion is to double and triple check that the depth setting are right. The users manual I received with my Tar River had the adjustment directions backward. There's a video on this channel on how to adjust the Tar River in case you want to double check your method. All the best to you.
@@theback40 mark, I watched your video on setting the DLR depth and calibration. The both tar River grain drill and the no-till drills have the same driver bar so the ‘math’ in your spreadsheet (lbs/acre by 60) save my brother and I a bunch of farting around. The no-till drill has front coulters so you have to set those as well as the driver basket up the depth that you want. The opening discs are the same on both the no-till and regular drill, it the no till has a very different follower mechanism, tailing links and heavier cast housing. There didn’t seem to be a depth limiting device unless the opener housing reached the end of their downward travel, which doesn’t make for much down pressure to cut through the vegetation and soil. At the end of the day, even a tiny groove with the seeds laying in them is better than broadcasting and hoping that the seeds hit the ground. I’ll know in a few weeks 😬. Good luck this year. Hopefully your wife lets you shoot a couple this year. 😂
@@dougzittel9440 Ah, got it. Agree, you just need the seed to touch the soil, it doesn't have to look perfect to us, just to be effective. Hope it works, you'll know soon enough. Wife already has her eye on a nice 10 hanging around, but I have bow season to try to get him before her, LOL. All the best to you Doug.
Hey Mark, this is Bill in W. Michigan, can you talk about the spring vs. fall seeds you plant? where you get them? the local farm store or do you order a blend from someone who specializes in making food plot blends? Thanks, love the videos, very helpful.
Hey Bill, yes! And thanks for the idea. All the best to you.
You're usimg the DRL072, yes? Do you have optional items on that or do they come standard with those roller items on the back? One looks almost like a wanna-be crimper and then a mini cultipacker.
Hey Mark, yes, the DRL-072. No optional items, they all came with it. Your "wanna be" statement is spot on, the mini cultipacker does work somewhat, but is very light and is nothing like a true cultipacker (it's plastic). The roll cage is not intended at all to be a roller crimper, it is just the drive mechanism for the seeder, they did not intend on it crimping anything. All the best to you.
Hey I see you have different seed tubes on your drill. Did you upgrade them for a reason? If so why and where did you get them?
Hey Kuyler, nope, those are the tubes that came with it when purchased. All the best to you.
Gol Mark watching this was a little depressing! just was out tonight broadcast rye to try and salvage my burned up foodplots as they are promissing a chance of rain tonight🙏 good luck to you this fall....got any pictures?
Hey Randy, just trying to keep it real! But your rye will grow, that stuff is indestructible, and deer love it. Good luck this season!
Hey thanks Mark for the possitive feedback but it was yet another swing and a MISS with the rain last evening....but at least the turkeys will have plenty of rye seeds to eat the next few days!!😂😂
@@randyh.6019 That's pretty expensive turkey food, LOL.
I like seeing all that dry matter on the ground...
Me too. Protect that soil! Good luck this season.
A few videos back you were contemplating with putting an irrigation system on your food plots. If you were doing that, why don’t you get a dedicated consultant to help you on your plot mixes? I have seen you mention and referenced a couple people that actually have a consulting service ( they both own) that can help and teach you on your Re-gen practices.
They can help on creating the correct C:N ratio that you mentioned a few videos back, and they will “cherry pick” the best varieties and seeding rates of seed for your specific needs regarding to your specific soil tests.
With all the “Carbon” you planted this past summer and the rye you planted this fall, you shouldn’t need to plant as much “Carbon” this coming spring. The deer aren’t going to eat those grasses anyway.
Spending a little bit more money on the front end could save way more money in the long run. A few extra grand and you could save 5+ years of failed/unsatisfactory results and money.
I didn’t mention the consulting group because you can find it if you look for it, but I didn’t want it to seem like I was advertising their name. The one I personally use ( on 125 acres) isn’t the only one out there, but they are who I decided to go with. They consult globally, and I honestly trust them because they don’t have their own equipment and seed companies. They don’t even care where you buy the seed from.
Hey Alan, thank you for challenging my thought process, I do truly appreciate you taking the time out of your day to write this. Debates like this force us to really dig into how we are thinking to make sure we are not missing something, or to check ourselves to see if we are just following what the outdoor industry marketing machine is telling us we must do. Two initial thoughts (I'll be processing this further in my mind, trust me, this is how I'm wired, and may change my mind...): 1) I do it because I like the process of learning via real world experiments, I'm talking boots on the ground on my specific property and habitat and how the deer are reacting to it, with the ever valuable immediate feedback loop for improvements, and 2) I'm having a hard time convincing myself that someone is going to understand all the variables that go into my personal decisions, soil type, hunting goals, observation goals, how deer actually use my property (not theoretically) etc. I feel like it would be very tough for them to get to the level of detail I am getting to on my own. Although there is certainly merit to paying up front to get advice, which I am willing to do (evidenced by previous consultant visits), I think they can only go so far as they are limited by time and specific experiences on THIS ground. And I am always on the lookout for conflict of interest, do they have a vested interest in steering you to a particular blend, because they make money if you do. But I did hear you say I could go to guys without this conflict, so I just need to make my mind settle on doing this. I gotta think this through a bit more. Thank you again, wish you all the best this season.
2-3 weeks after planting, go back over and broadcast rye @100lbs/acre
Trust me, this will be the best 30 dollars you will ever spend to help suppress weeds. I've followed your channel for a while now. We have the same issues with our land in the U.P.
That extra planting of Rye after a few weeks after drilling will make a huge difference in the Spring.
Hey Phillip, thanks for the idea, and confirmation that a heavy planting of rye will be good for weed control in the spring. Good luck this season.