Even with no rains we help ours out a little. We take a Sump pump n a 350 gallon food grade ploy tank put it into the bed of a truck. Pump it full of water out of the creek. And drive it to the foot plot and open the valve. N let it flow n let the tail gate act as a spreader bar. Do that 2 times twice a week. During drought and looks like a green mat, when the rains do come. 700 gallons twice a week on an acre may not sound like a lot but that little bit makes a huge difference. Works anywhere you can get a 4x4 truck to. Now wouldn’t work for corn or beans cause who wants to drive through them, unless it’s young n will bounce back. But, for wheat, rye, oats, brassicas. Any water is better then none.
That is a good plan Jeremy. Thanks for sharing that. I know a couple of guys that even use sprinkler and water pump to water food plots with creek water. You are right, every little bit helps when it is this dry. Have a great day and thanks for the comment.
The waiter pump would work nicely if a creek was near by, with a big enough hole of water to suck it out of, then have it down sized on the outlet end for the hose n sprinkler, they run about 8 hours on fuel and move a lot of volume, just loud, maybe run them in this section of a night and move to the next section the next night….that unknown noise would also keep the deer off it for those nights, may attempt that the next year we have a drought on our creek bottom plot. N maybe run it a week, n skip a week, n do a test maybe on one of our plots but it the other, just to see the difference that amount of water makes. Hmmm now you’ve got me thinking Bill. Lol N with the roots, idk if you can find one or rent one in your area, but here you can rent or borrow if you know someone that has one a 4x4 ditch witch, basically a 4x4 tractor with backhoe tires, with a 6 foot rear boom chain pto driven or gear box driven depending, on model designed to dig ditches, with a push blade on the foot. Max Digging depth is around 5 foot, n they will destroy roots or loose rock, the only thing they won’t destroy is solid rock. So have to be careful around if you have solid rock. We used one n dug 2000ft 4ft/5 foot deep in a work day. With just want to catch those Certain hit or miss, roots, you could do 50 foot sections or just along where you think the roots are killing the plot, n you’ll know when you hit the roots. With the learning curve, of figuring it out. You could take one and rent it a week and run the perimeter of the plots with it no problem at say 2ft depths and cut the roots. Along the edges. Then refill the ditch with the front blade. Be the fastest, easiest and cheapest option, I would think. Even if you just used it these methods to get good germination and growth started, then electric fenced n water as needed through droughts. It off so the deer don’t hammer it until it’s very well established. As always keep up the good work. Enjoying every bit of it.
Along the lines of using what ya got. I had trouble with turkeys as well. Soooo, I took my ancient spiked pasture drag, dropped it on a piece of woven wire yard fence. I pulled the front of the yard fence up at the front of the drag and wired it to the drag over the entire front half of the drag. The fence section stays off the ground as the spikes loosen the dirt then the fence starts touching the loose dirt and smoothing out the spike marks covering the vast majority of all seed. There’s a couple feet of fence sticking out the back of the drag as well. It works perfect IMO for covering seed, anyway I’m pretty sure it works better than a log😊.
Thanks Jonathan. We appreciate the support. We did get a couple rains but now it is baking like the Sahara desert again - 100 degrees!? No rain in sight. Strange year.
Bill, you and Jordan are great…my clover plots struggled too. Rain is king and it just hasn’t happened. So, try, try again is the new motto for us on the farm in northern Missouri! My son and I disced in the majority of the clover and fertilized and broadcast planted a brassica blend. It was timed perfectly for a nice .4 inch shower yesterday. Fingers crossed for more well timed showers as time leads up to bow season! Ok now it’s a lil early for a fall planting, but I had help and our schedules said do it when you can! Good luck with your plots!
Thanks to you I’ve now got a half acre plot of winter greens and a tree stand up and ready, I also went in an a half acre corner of a bean field that failed . I bought a dethatcher to pull behind my four wheeler to get a pretty decent seed bed. Thank you for the some of the best videos and advice on UA-cam.
I have used my 6’ aerator to run back over broadcasted seeds, that will push the seeds into the soil to help keep the turkey & other birds from eating the seeds. Also helps the seeds to germinate quickly with adequate rainfall of course. Food plot did fairly well. I’ve enjoyed watching Y’all plant & work Your dream farm. Good luck hunting this fall. 🦌
That is a good plan Shelton. In a perfect world, just throwing the seeds out on bare dirt would be enough, but we usually don't operate in a perfect world so we have to find ways to improve seed to soil contact any way we can. Good job and thanks for the input. Good luck to you too.
Spot on with the acorn crop. Same down here in Southern Iowa. Tons of Black Oak and a few of the other Red Oak varieties are also really holding tons of acorns. Not so much with the white, which may actually help early season with narrowing down spots. Love the apparel line Jordan! You have a flare and also understand guys like things relatively simple. I’ll be getting my credit card out now 😉
Awesome. Great tip. I will look at it right now. Looks like it would work really well. Now to talk Ben into buying one! www.cat.com/en_US/products/new/attachments/saws.html
Bill , you should add you a penetrometer to your toolbox for using with your drill. That would give you repeatable planting results year to year. That would eliminate the guesswork to an extent on setting your downforce pressure
That is good advice Trey and worth heeding, but I have seen that the soil texture and penetrability changes throughout a field. I have had to get off the tractor and change the depth setting on the drill a couple times on one food plot in the past. I will get my hands on one and play with it though. Have a great day.
17:51 What a cool shot! I thought the young man was playing video games while you worked but I realized he was flying the drone making the magic happen. Looking forward to the season!
No time for video games! Haha. flying the drone up on Bills farm seems to be one of my favorite things to do. It definitely makes for some pretty “picturesque” type shots!
I killed one of my best bucks years ago in a stand called the eagle's nest. Pretty cool having an actual one right there on the farm. Looks like things are shaping up nicely with the plots. May the good Lord's blessings be upon you and Ms. Winke in this upcoming season. 🦌
Thanks John, we really appreciate it. That eagle is really funny. I think he is either bored or curious, because he is always checking out what we are doing. The other day he was sitting on a low branch right next to the pole barn. He sat their screeching and eventually flew off about 20 feet over our heads. Pretty cool stuff.
Central MN update, all plots r growing & I was able to get in my fall seeding over the last 2+ weeks in between a 3" two hour downpour (which finally gave us soil moisture deep down) & last night's 2 1/4" soaking. I had put some clover/alfalfa seed out in late May on a place that has a perennial grass that starts going away in late September. That seeding really bloomed well over the last couple of weeks. Some hot & dry days in the next week will finally be a welcome sight. Blessings for your upcoming rains. P.S. I've watched videos where they say u have to get rid of those walnut trees. They r just toxic in a different way than pines r for the soil p.h.
Jordan don’t forget the team south of you it’s the same colors, I never seen thistle so thick they had to feed their cattle some hay with in it, seeding food plots around rain is also hoping it gets growing before the birds and squirrels get to it, one year I walked up to one 2 days after broadcasting it and the squirrels were all over it ✌🏻👍🇺🇸
David, yes we won't forget you! Turkeys are my nemesis here and chipmunks that dig up the corn plants when they start to spike in the spring and eat the kernel before the plant gets established. Those are two critters hurting me most. Fortunately, I don't have raccoons here (at least not many). They can hammer a corn plot in only a few days if there are enough of them. I have also seen beavers (of all things) absolutely hollow out corn plots in just a few days. Have a great day.
When I get an arc into the field it is generally from ground hogs and porcupines; I then apply the appropriate amount of lead and problem solved. I only have one situation where I have ledge that dies off when we have dry weather. Your tenacity in getting the ground green is certainly a testament to your commitment to your deer herd and hunting.
I think it is just being stubborn and not wanting to admit that I am not a good farmer. I have to fight through it and prove I can make stuff grow. I have fought the tree roots for decades though, starting on my southern Iowa farm where nearly all the fields were timber lined. That was a battle for sure. Have a great day.
Bill, great video! I think I remember you doing a video on PH and importance of lime this spring. I've found it helped a bunch on a 1 acre deep woods plot I have. Soil test called for a ton, but I just do about 400lbs a year and after 3 years its made a positive difference. Best of luck this upcoming season. Take care, Dave
Thanks Dave. Yes, the soil scientists all say that lime (pH) is at least as important as the nutrient level. I guess the plants can't take in the NPK if the soil is not at the right pH for them. So the fertilizer does little good if the pH is off. Good job.
Thanks for another great episode. Shut the log being dragged and got a chuckle. I drag 4 by 6 with a bunch ofspike's pounded in it. Love the fact that you and Jordan Are doing it together. The old dead tree standing reminds me of raccoon hunting,save the corn. Going to look at for shirts, thanks for What you do? Can't wait for the Hunting, episodes.
Thanks Steve. Much appreciated. We are looking forward to getting cameras out here soon to find out what is really on the farm. I have no idea. Have a great day.
I had the same issue with trees taking moisture on my small plots. Then I killed them with Hack and Squirt, best thing I ever did. I lost some good trees, but I have plenty of trees. Now my transition is grasses and weeds to block the view into my plots. I get some weed seeds that come into the plots from that 10 to 20 yard buffer, but I can kill weeds, I can't make more rain. The other advantage is the doe groups get lazy and will just go bed in the tall grasses that grow at the edge so bucks have to bird dog the edge during rut. The transition now lets more light in, gives me more soil moisture. I add hand picked Honeysuckle seed to throw into down treetops to make more browse. Downed trees, also lets you make a few areas of blocked access to the plot to funnel the deer a bit. Away from areas you can't shoot well, to spots you can get to them with a bow. I have never had great luck moving deer where I want them in the timber, but around the plots I can with a much better success rate.
Very good points, all of them. I have done that to a smaller degree and I need to do much more of it. I am going to invest in a single-shank subsoiler, I think, to cut the roots down to 24 inches every couple of years. That should do it, I hope. Have a great day and thanks for the input.
Great video Bill I'm glad the plots are coming along well. I'd definitely by a shirt with the Stinky Brothers on it with the caption Up to no good! Lol. I hope yall have a great year this year!
I fight the edges as well. I started running a subsoiler every few years around the edges to cut back the roots with moderate success. We have fought the drought as well. It’s frustrating but there is always a plan b. Cereal rye I’ve planted in October. We finally got 4” over the last couple weeks and got a little relief, hope you guys get it as well.
We didn't get that much, but we did get some and that really kicked these "rescue plots" into gear. Should be OK for the season assuming this hot spell breaks soon with another rain. Good luck and have a great season.
Get your brassica established and then come back and spread cereal grains in a month. Maybe they will help hide the seed. Also, get you a large straight fence post and do the same drag. The whole span will at least make contact with the ground. I couldn’t find a decent cultipacker this year so I just roped a post and drug like you did. Those plots with that thatch will eventually blow up from my past experience. They tend to start slow and then blow up quick. Hope you got that rain. We got plenty here in Tennessee since first of August.
Thanks George. I agree. I think that one with the thatch will go pretty well too. I will keep an eye on it and when it starts to jump I will add more urea to help it along. Have a great day and thanks for the useful input.
Thanks for the update on the acorns. They have such long tap roots they should be fine whenever you get that rain. I bet in another season they will be knee high and able to better compete with the weeds. I've not tried it yet but, there is a forestry tool, called 'The Squirrel planter' that has a really clever concept for planting nuts trees. If you feel you need to add more to the plot, maybe look into that device as it will help get the acorns a little deeper into the ground and you should be able to fit more into less space. Will be ALOT of walking for the kids though!
I have seen that planter and considered it for certain spots that we can't get equipment to but decided if we are going to hand plant we will just plant seedlings. Plus, the government programs will cover that expense. I got into some good ones that will really change this farm over the next four years. Have a great day.
Farm is looking really good Bill. Ya know when I was a kid I wondered why old men talked about the weather so much. Now I understand completely why. Most families depended on it for survival. Out to put up stands and spray myself. Fertilizer costs are pessimistic this year. Maybe the Wx men are making our fertilizer. Ha!
Drive a 3inch piece pvc pipe in ground at root base of your oaks and pour fertilizer in the pvc pipe full and when it rains it will fertilize the tree for better acorn production !
Hopefully you will keep us updated on the new plots you did in last weeks videos. I really would like to see how they grow through the end of the season. And your tree areas, Id like to see how they are doing in late fall early winter. Plots dont look to bad but if you dont mind keep me updated on them throughout the season!
Will definitely keep everyone updated on the farm. Maybe I will do one more Dream Farm Update Episode mid-season so everyone can see how each part of the farm is doing and what is contributing to the huntability of the place. Have a great day.
I have drags made from pallets that work great , i also have one i made fron an old 10 ft gate covered with chain link fence , you have to cover that seed , these guys who say just throw it on bare ground and it will grow are full of it.
Drought seems to be more a part of our lives here in SE Kansas than years past. Hopefully it's just a temporary trend relatively speaking. If it's not though, I appreciate the realtime updates while you're dealing with drought as well. Cereal grains seem to save us each fall during these droughts, but those turkeys can be a killer. Hopefully you get away with that winter rye being on the ground.
Agreed. From what I have seen the gulf stream (el nino and la nina, or whatever) are responsible for these macro-trends and hopefully that changes soon. I hate the time and expense of having to plant most of my plots twice. Good luck to you this fall.
It is gorgeous Terry. I think that is what I love about it most. Even if the bucks never get big there I will always enjoy hunting it. It is 625 acres - part of it is owned along with my sister and her husband to keep cost down for us.
@bill-winke Yes sir!! Always been a big fan of yours since you and I were a lot younger!!! Lol. Just purchased 46 acres in North Central Texas and can't wait to get to work on it!!! Always learning something good in your videos so you and Jordan keep up the good work!!
I am surprised that you didn't put in a waterhole or two, given your admission that the deer have been eating your corn for its moisture content. A hunter of your caliber should be able to get a discount on some galvanized tanks that you could bury and fill and your watering holes might have a lesser failure rate than the same old food plot plan that everyone is doing these days. Good luck this fall.
Thanks. Much appreciated. Water has never been an issue in the past. Talking to the guy that ran the cows here, and the guy running them on the neighboring farm, this is the first year they have seen ponds dry all the way up in many years. But, it is still good advice. A water hole on the ridge would be a great addition.
Yes, I definitely need something here. I see that Wildlife Farming makes a simple harrow/drag. Something like that would work well too pulled behind a four-wheeler. Thanks for the input.
Thanks Mitchell. It was a really strange year being so dry so early. June was very dry at a time when the seeds/plants need it the most to get going. Have a great day.
Thanks. I appreciate. Long-term (once I get all the plots into shape) I won't do a lot of tillage here. The no-till system will be my go-to. Paul at PH Outdoors is going to send me a five foot drill on a wheel (tow) kit that I can pull with my little 38 hp Massey. That will be pretty cool too for the smaller stuff. Give everyone a chance to see something smaller and more affordable at work. Have a great day.
How about a trail camera inventory update soon? Looking forward to buying a T Shirt as well. Could we possibly get a LSU option?? 😎 I know it’s a long shot … but you have to remember to always dream big! Ha!
I like that. As soon as we get LSU in the Big Ten (the way things are going that may be soon) we will make the shirt - Just kidding. I will put the cameras out in about two weeks and then the updates will come every week. Have a great day.
That is a good idea. Maybe I can talk Ben into buying one! Ben is now my go-to for anything I can't afford to buy. He buys it and I rent it from him! Works perfect.
In my town in NH every other tree is a red oak , and all of them are dropping acorns during the early season. Hunting oak trees , at least in my area, is not an option. At least there’s plenty of food for them.
We will get back to you after the first couple of seasons, but we definitely need a great quarterback here. We have had a few over the years, but not lately. Best to you.
If you have walnut trees near your plot you need to remove them! The walnut tree, and I mean every part of it, to include the hulls from the nut down to the leaves, down to the roots, produces a chemical called Juglone that kills anything.
Yes, I will get those cut before next year. But interestingly enough, there are walnuts mixed into all my timber sporadically spaced out. There are oaks growing right next to them and browse all around. I wonder if there is something about timing of growth or density of walnut that affects its ability to repel other plants.
Idk that’s very interesting all that is growing near it. You may be on to something, maybe the larger the tree the stronger the chemical? Or maybe when it’s flowering?
Bill what do you think about planting the same food plot on all your plots, theory being you won’t have one plot peaking at one time and others peaking at different stages of the fall? Idk? I think deer like variety but it also kind of makes sense to do it that way. I know you do quite a bit of different things but your farm is pretty large and you have some large food plots to be able to grow corn and beans etc.
Steve, I like to have about 15 to 20% in clover (long-term) and then about 30 to 35% in brassicas and the other 50% of my food plot acres in grains (corn, beans, sorghum). That is my ideal mix. I think you could substitute alfalfa for brassicas in some cases, but all the little spots close to the timber on my farm will usually be clover that I rotate out to brassicas every third year and then back to clover again. Diversity is important I think and having some foods that are green early (clover) and some that have carbs late (corn) makes for a good balance. Now to keep the herd density low enough that I can get my winter foods (grains) through the critical summer months. Good luck.
@@bill-winke Please send Ethan my sincere condolences after last night. The gut punching misery of being a Husker football fan cannot be overstated. As a wise man said two years ago, "There's no hope. F*ck everything. Go Big Red." At least I'll get a lot of yard work done this fall. Also, my folks met at Kearney State back in the day and we lived in Arnold for a while. Small world!
Your estimation regarding the tree roots might be incorrect. Review the aerial photo you provided and you will notice that the plot is uniformly brown, both when the trees are close where roots may be the culprit and when the trees are distant and likely not impacting the plot in the manner you suggest. Good luck.
I have read, and been told my biologists, that the radius of the roots is roughly twice the tops of the trees. So, you can get roots going a good ways to the side to find moisture. I think once I get them cut, it will make a big difference. I plan to show that by this time next year. Have a great day and thanks for the comment and input.
Another great video. Been meaning to ask you how that coleman atv is holding up? Looks like it's been doing good. Been wanting to get another atv myself,didnt know how much i missed until i got rid of it.
Darin, that thing has been a real trooper. Cabela's gave that to me back in 2014, I think. Side story: They were making food plot equipment at the time and we were featuring their stuff as well as filming it, etc. Dick Cabela actually came to my southern Iowa farm and made a food plot, believe it or not. It was part of their top execs getting to play with that stuff. It was a great line and I used all of it, until the Bass Pro buy out and the Cabela's people had to clean up the balance sheet to make the company look more profitable for the sale, so the food plot line went away and never came back. I expected that Coleman ATV to die a long time ago, but it keeps on going despite how badly we abuse it. It is a generic Asian knockoff of a known brand that Cabela's wanted to sell cheap. They didn't want to use their own name on it - so they licensed "Coleman" for this low end line of ATVs. I am more than happy with it! It has held up surprisingly well.
@@bill-winke Thanks for sharing that story,was pretty interesting. I'm glad it's holding up well. I figured they would be a 2 or 3 year machine myself. I about fainted when I seen the prices of a couple atv's I'm interested in.
Thanks for the update. Most of your plots look pretty good and will improve with the rain. We are getting an all day rain today here is SWWI that you probably received yesterday. Question...what setting do you use on your Multrie to spread the fertilizer? Thanks, Bob
We did get some last night. Not sure how much. I think that should have been enough to carry us for a while though. I just throw the spreader wide open for fertilizer and then drive fast and let the ATV speed dictate the coverage rate. Thanks for the input and support. Have a great day.
It sure has been fun following along with your new farm journey! Just curious (and sorry if you explained it and I missed it) but why you don’t plant clover? Most of my plots are small and either interior plots or corners of crop fields and clover is the only thing I can get to flourish in those areas.
I will plant the clover next year into some of those spots that got brassicas this year. Some it was just timing. I will frost seed the clover this coming late winter if the ground is open enough. My goal has always been to have about 15 to 20% of my food plot acres in clover and the rest in a combination of grains (corn/beans/sorghum) and brassicas. That has been a good combination over the years. Have a great day.
Bill, did you have a bumper crop of white oaks last year? We did here in Mid Missouri. I’m thinking the black oaks should be prevelant but don’t expect much out of the whites. What are you seeing up your way?
If these spots are places you can get to with a sprayer is there a reason you don’t take water out there? And I also am curious if on the no till interior plots if dragging them in ( with a cedar tree or a log like I’ve seen you do to cover seed from turkeys) after you spread them benefits the plot or is it just a waste of time? Turkeys aren’t a problem at my foodplot but I would think the dirt coverage would help?
It just takes so much water to make a difference that it is not worth it unless you have a really big tank. To put on the equivalent of one inch of rain on an acre of land you would need 27,000 gallons. So even on a small 1/4 acre plot you would need at least 3,000 gallons to make any real difference (that would be a bit under the 1/2 inch per acre equivalent). That would be a crazy amount of water to haul around in a 100 gallon sprayer! To answer your other question, yes, covering the seed does help it germinate better because when it does rain, it will be covered in dirt and will stay moist long enough to start putting out a root and growing. Good luck.
Hi Bill, thanks for the update. My plots are starting to come up after getting a couple of good rains the last couple of weeks. How long do you think it takes for fertilizer to evaporate if it doesn't rain. I would vote for the stinky brothers own line of clothing. Thanks for the video.
Art, I think it starts immediately with the urea. In it's natural state, Nitrogen is a gas and really wants to return to a gas. I have used a product called Brazen on some of my dry fertilizer this spring that is supposed to stabilize the N from evaporating, but you need to buy it in bulk to get that applied. Not available on bagged urea at my coop. We used to be able to use ammonium Nitrate but the Oklahoma City bombing showed that this fertilizer (which was made into a bomb) can be misused. So they stopped offering it. I think that if you put straight urea on the ground, after five or six days without rain and with hot sunny days the N will be seriously depleted - not sure how much but I bet at least half. I think heavy dews in the mornings will help hold it, but nothing beats either tilling it in (incorporating into the ground) or a good rain shortly after application. Good luck.
You mentioned the deer being a long ways from water when eating the corn. Are you preparing a catchment pond so the deer don't have far to travel to water?
Bill, have you seen any indication of EHD on your farm this summer? I've heard reports of it hitting extremely hard in some areas of the midwest. Hopefully your farm stays clear of it.
Not yet John. This is about when it starts to show up though. I will keep an eye out for it (a sharp nose out for it- actually) and report back on what I find. Have a great day.
You can definitely get them off the ground. There are devices you can use called nut rollers or acorn rollers that make it much easier to gather them. I don't have the time to gather my own. I buy them from guys who do it for a living.
I'm curious how much you used the soil conditioner this year @bill-winke. Some of your plots don't look as smooth as they could be, particularly the one you tilled. Would love to hear more about that implement.
I used it on one plot and will probably use it on at least one more next year. It does a good job getting it ready to seed if you using a tillage method. However, it doesn't move dirt quickly so it doesn't fill in dips in a bumpy field without a few passes. It does a good job lifting and breaking up the soil, but it puts it right back where it found it without moving it. I guess there are better ways to move the dirt - a land plane of maybe a heavy drag.
With your dogs running around with you. Does that deter any deer movement on your property? I have surrounding neighbors dogs always chasing deer on my property.
I don't think so. Deer get used to dogs and they can tell when they are being chased and when the dogs are just casually there. Our dogs don't chase deer so I think we are fine in that regard. Our dogs were free ranging on our farm in Southern Iowa and one of my best stands was right next to the house (within 150 yards) and I know the dogs went through there often. Deer know when they are being targeted (whether by people or by dogs) and when the contact is just incidental and non-threatening. We need to remember that and always try to copy normal human activity when hunting an area that sees some human activity during the off-season. Have a great day.
How much of it to do you think is seed depth vs moisture? The harder areas likely were the spots that had more moisture. It looks like its been pretty dry there.
I considered that. I am not sure. I guess next time when I get to the farm I will know for sure as the rows will be standing out better after a couple of rains. If there aren't any obvious rows (only the broadcast seeds) in those areas then I know it was depth. If there are rows there then I know it was just a lack of moisture. I will report back.
That is actually a really good idea. I used to do that on the southern Iowa farm when the planted corn was just spiking out. The chipmunks would dig them all up and eat the kernel. Spreading corn on top of the ground at this critical stage distracted the chipmunks long enough for the corn plant to consume the kernel and then the critters left them alone.
I have the same thing along the edge of my woods where my foodplot is. Some big oak trees there and I was wondering if the roots weren’t taking all the moisture away cause nothing is growing there. Hardly even any weeds
Everything is still looking good even though y’all are in a drought guys. How long does 2-4-D last in the soil? I’m planning on spraying Glyphosate and 2-4-D mix before planting this fall. Do you think I should just stick with Glyphosate only? Thanks for any advice. Hope I was no bother. Thanks again, ericbowhunter
Thanks. Much appreciated. CountryRoad got it right. That is what the agronmists have told me. In southern Iowa we used to spray 2,4-D with our glyphosate on bean ground to clean up the gly - resistant weeds and we had to wait two weeks to plant. Good luck.
Thanks for another informative segment. I'm thinking your juvenile Eagle should find it's way onto one of your shirt designs in a creative way... similar to a MAGA acronym but Dream Farm related.
I will challenge Jordan with that one. That eagle is super cool. He is either bored or curious because he kind of follows us around. The other morning he was perched on a low branch right next to the pole barn and was screeching at us until he finally flew off just over our heads. I wish he was tame! He and the Stinky Brothers would be big pals I think.
I will put Ethan there next spring. That will fix the problem. I think that is one of the best turkey killing spots on the farm. Actually Ethan shot one there last spring.
Mike, she needs to make cool shirts for every state, but wow, our inventory would be really gigantic. Have a great day and thanks for the comment and support.
Now that is a good question. I have done it too. It is very common. I guess you could strip spray with glyphosate (very narrow strips of herbicide - maybe a foot wide every every three feet). That would thin them and then I would add a bit extra fertilizer just to be sure That should save the plot. Good luck.
Yes. I am signed up for another 15 acres again this year. Much to the disappointment of Jordan and Ethan who have to do most of the hard work of broadcasting them. It is a Moultrie spreader
Just with the brassicas this year. My soil is pretty good on P and K but brassicas really like nitrogen so I need to add that.. I will likely have to add PK to those plots next year regardless of what I plant in them.
I think Jordan's buck scored more than Iowa's entire offense last year😜 Go Buckeyes!
I hate to admit that you're spot on with this comment 😂 cautiously optimistic that this season will be better... for both bucks and Hawks!
@@jordanwinke go BLUE! 😀
Buckeyes didn’t beat Georgia though!,,
That is an awesome comment but so very true.
@@jordanwinke it has to be at least slightly improved with McNamara, but between you and me...Brian ferentz has to go, right?
Even with no rains we help ours out a little.
We take a Sump pump n a 350 gallon food grade ploy tank put it into the bed of a truck. Pump it full of water out of the creek. And drive it to the foot plot and open the valve. N let it flow n let the tail gate act as a spreader bar. Do that 2 times twice a week. During drought and looks like a green mat, when the rains do come.
700 gallons twice a week on an acre may not sound like a lot but that little bit makes a huge difference. Works anywhere you can get a 4x4 truck to. Now wouldn’t work for corn or beans cause who wants to drive through them, unless it’s young n will bounce back. But, for wheat, rye, oats, brassicas. Any water is better then none.
That is a good plan Jeremy. Thanks for sharing that. I know a couple of guys that even use sprinkler and water pump to water food plots with creek water. You are right, every little bit helps when it is this dry. Have a great day and thanks for the comment.
The waiter pump would work nicely if a creek was near by, with a big enough hole of water to suck it out of, then have it down sized on the outlet end for the hose n sprinkler, they run about 8 hours on fuel and move a lot of volume, just loud, maybe run them in this section of a night and move to the next section the next night….that unknown noise would also keep the deer off it for those nights, may attempt that the next year we have a drought on our creek bottom plot. N maybe run it a week, n skip a week, n do a test maybe on one of our plots but it the other, just to see the difference that amount of water makes. Hmmm now you’ve got me thinking Bill. Lol
N with the roots, idk if you can find one or rent one in your area, but here you can rent or borrow if you know someone that has one a 4x4 ditch witch, basically a 4x4 tractor with backhoe tires, with a 6 foot rear boom chain pto driven or gear box driven depending, on model designed to dig ditches, with a push blade on the foot. Max Digging depth is around 5 foot, n they will destroy roots or loose rock, the only thing they won’t destroy is solid rock. So have to be careful around if you have solid rock. We used one n dug 2000ft 4ft/5 foot deep in a work day. With just want to catch those Certain hit or miss, roots, you could do 50 foot sections or just along where you think the roots are killing the plot, n you’ll know when you hit the roots.
With the learning curve, of figuring it out.
You could take one and rent it a week and run the perimeter of the plots with it no problem at say 2ft depths and cut the roots. Along the edges. Then refill the ditch with the front blade. Be the fastest, easiest and cheapest option, I would think.
Even if you just used it these methods to get good germination and growth started, then electric fenced n water as needed through droughts.
It off so the deer don’t hammer it until it’s very well established.
As always keep up the good work. Enjoying every bit of it.
Along the lines of using what ya got. I had trouble with turkeys as well. Soooo, I took my ancient spiked pasture drag, dropped it on a piece of woven wire yard fence. I pulled the front of the yard fence up at the front of the drag and wired it to the drag over the entire front half of the drag. The fence section stays off the ground as the spikes loosen the dirt then the fence starts touching the loose dirt and smoothing out the spike marks covering the vast majority of all seed. There’s a couple feet of fence sticking out the back of the drag as well. It works perfect IMO for covering seed, anyway I’m pretty sure it works better than a log😊.
No doubt it works better than a log. Even the log we picked was a poor choice. We needed something with more branches. Good input. Thanks Kevin.
There are some great memories being made during your learning curve of growing. Hope you guys get the rain you need.
Thanks Jonathan. We appreciate the support. We did get a couple rains but now it is baking like the Sahara desert again - 100 degrees!? No rain in sight. Strange year.
Great footage, learning lots!
Thanks for the support Taylor. We really appreciate it. Have a great day.
Bill, you and Jordan are great…my clover plots struggled too. Rain is king and it just hasn’t happened. So, try, try again is the new motto for us on the farm in northern Missouri! My son and I disced in the majority of the clover and fertilized and broadcast planted a brassica blend. It was timed perfectly for a nice .4 inch shower yesterday. Fingers crossed for more well timed showers as time leads up to bow season! Ok now it’s a lil early for a fall planting, but I had help and our schedules said do it when you can! Good luck with your plots!
Steve, I think that timing should be perfect for brassicas. They should jump right out of the ground now. Good luck and thanks for the support.
Thanks to you I’ve now got a half acre plot of winter greens and a tree stand up and ready, I also went in an a half acre corner of a bean field that failed . I bought a dethatcher to pull behind my four wheeler to get a pretty decent seed bed. Thank you for the some of the best videos and advice on UA-cam.
That is an awesome plan Masonjar. Good luck. Let us know how it works this fall. Sounds like a winner.
I have used my 6’ aerator to run back over broadcasted seeds, that will push the seeds into the soil to help keep the turkey & other birds from eating the seeds. Also helps the seeds to germinate quickly with adequate rainfall of course. Food plot did fairly well. I’ve enjoyed watching Y’all plant & work Your dream farm. Good luck hunting this fall. 🦌
That is a good plan Shelton. In a perfect world, just throwing the seeds out on bare dirt would be enough, but we usually don't operate in a perfect world so we have to find ways to improve seed to soil contact any way we can. Good job and thanks for the input. Good luck to you too.
what a nice place you guys have, and ill be ordering a shirt or two
Thanks Owl. We appreciate your support. Have a great day.
Spot on with the acorn crop. Same down here in Southern Iowa. Tons of Black Oak and a few of the other Red Oak varieties are also really holding tons of acorns. Not so much with the white, which may actually help early season with narrowing down spots. Love the apparel line Jordan! You have a flare and also understand guys like things relatively simple. I’ll be getting my credit card out now 😉
Thank you so much! I've had a blast designing them so I'm glad you like them!
Appreciate the support Steven. Have a great day.
Cat makes a road saw for the front of a skidsteer. Ment for cutting blacktop but also works for tree roots on field edges!!
Awesome. Great tip. I will look at it right now. Looks like it would work really well. Now to talk Ben into buying one! www.cat.com/en_US/products/new/attachments/saws.html
Bill , you should add you a penetrometer to your toolbox for using with your drill. That would give you repeatable planting results year to year. That would eliminate the guesswork to an extent on setting your downforce pressure
That is good advice Trey and worth heeding, but I have seen that the soil texture and penetrability changes throughout a field. I have had to get off the tractor and change the depth setting on the drill a couple times on one food plot in the past. I will get my hands on one and play with it though. Have a great day.
17:51 What a cool shot! I thought the young man was playing video games while you worked but I realized he was flying the drone making the magic happen. Looking forward to the season!
The interesting part is there is sound with the drone footage which means it was added in edit and taken from a mic on another device.
No time for video games! Haha. flying the drone up on Bills farm seems to be one of my favorite things to do. It definitely makes for some pretty “picturesque” type shots!
@@ethan_stubbs Man I’ve really been enjoying your work, awesome job!
Correct. We used the GoPro to get audio that we dropped in later.
I killed one of my best bucks years ago in a stand called the eagle's nest. Pretty cool having an actual one right there on the farm. Looks like things are shaping up nicely with the plots. May the good Lord's blessings be upon you and Ms. Winke in this upcoming season. 🦌
Thanks John, we really appreciate it. That eagle is really funny. I think he is either bored or curious, because he is always checking out what we are doing. The other day he was sitting on a low branch right next to the pole barn. He sat their screeching and eventually flew off about 20 feet over our heads. Pretty cool stuff.
Thanks for the update. Good stuff!
And thank you for keeping it real!!!
Thanks for the support Lonnie. Have a great day.
Central MN update, all plots r growing & I was able to get in my fall seeding over the last 2+ weeks in between a 3" two hour downpour (which finally gave us soil moisture deep down) & last night's 2 1/4" soaking. I had put some clover/alfalfa seed out in late May on a place that has a perennial grass that starts going away in late September. That seeding really bloomed well over the last couple of weeks. Some hot & dry days in the next week will finally be a welcome sight. Blessings for your upcoming rains.
P.S. I've watched videos where they say u have to get rid of those walnut trees. They r just toxic in a different way than pines r for the soil p.h.
Good deal on your plots. Fun when it all comes together. Yes I have heard that about walnuts too. Will have to cut the roots at a minimum.
Jordan don’t forget the team south of you it’s the same colors, I never seen thistle so thick they had to feed their cattle some hay with in it, seeding food plots around rain is also hoping it gets growing before the birds and squirrels get to it, one year I walked up to one 2 days after broadcasting it and the squirrels were all over it ✌🏻👍🇺🇸
David, yes we won't forget you! Turkeys are my nemesis here and chipmunks that dig up the corn plants when they start to spike in the spring and eat the kernel before the plant gets established. Those are two critters hurting me most. Fortunately, I don't have raccoons here (at least not many). They can hammer a corn plot in only a few days if there are enough of them. I have also seen beavers (of all things) absolutely hollow out corn plots in just a few days. Have a great day.
Good video folks. Gonna wait another week to plant my greens in North Arkansas
Thanks Greg and good luck with the planting.
When I get an arc into the field it is generally from ground hogs and porcupines; I then apply the appropriate amount of lead and problem solved. I only have one situation where I have ledge that dies off when we have dry weather. Your tenacity in getting the ground green is certainly a testament to your commitment to your deer herd and hunting.
I think it is just being stubborn and not wanting to admit that I am not a good farmer. I have to fight through it and prove I can make stuff grow. I have fought the tree roots for decades though, starting on my southern Iowa farm where nearly all the fields were timber lined. That was a battle for sure. Have a great day.
Bill, great video! I think I remember you doing a video on PH and importance of lime this spring. I've found it helped a bunch on a 1 acre deep woods plot I have. Soil test called for a ton, but I just do about 400lbs a year and after 3 years its made a positive difference. Best of luck this upcoming season. Take care, Dave
Thanks Dave. Yes, the soil scientists all say that lime (pH) is at least as important as the nutrient level. I guess the plants can't take in the NPK if the soil is not at the right pH for them. So the fertilizer does little good if the pH is off. Good job.
Thanks for another great episode. Shut the log being dragged and got a chuckle.
I drag 4 by 6 with a bunch ofspike's pounded in it. Love the fact that you and Jordan Are doing it together. The old dead tree standing reminds me of raccoon hunting,save the corn. Going to look at for shirts, thanks for What you do? Can't wait for the Hunting, episodes.
Thanks Steve. Much appreciated. We are looking forward to getting cameras out here soon to find out what is really on the farm. I have no idea. Have a great day.
Great pre-season 👍 thanks for all the excellent content-!
Thanks Kurt. We are going to start switching over to hunting episodes now. Have a great day.
I had the same issue with trees taking moisture on my small plots. Then I killed them with Hack and Squirt, best thing I ever did. I lost some good trees, but I have plenty of trees. Now my transition is grasses and weeds to block the view into my plots. I get some weed seeds that come into the plots from that 10 to 20 yard buffer, but I can kill weeds, I can't make more rain.
The other advantage is the doe groups get lazy and will just go bed in the tall grasses that grow at the edge so bucks have to bird dog the edge during rut. The transition now lets more light in, gives me more soil moisture. I add hand picked Honeysuckle seed to throw into down treetops to make more browse. Downed trees, also lets you make a few areas of blocked access to the plot to funnel the deer a bit. Away from areas you can't shoot well, to spots you can get to them with a bow. I have never had great luck moving deer where I want them in the timber, but around the plots I can with a much better success rate.
Very good points, all of them. I have done that to a smaller degree and I need to do much more of it. I am going to invest in a single-shank subsoiler, I think, to cut the roots down to 24 inches every couple of years. That should do it, I hope. Have a great day and thanks for the input.
great final update on the farm, good to know that even the best in the business struggle from time to time with less than ideal growing seasons.
It has been tough keeping up with planting and replanting. Have a great day and thanks for the support.
@@bill-winke you too Bill, fall is upon us!
Great video Bill I'm glad the plots are coming along well. I'd definitely by a shirt with the Stinky Brothers on it with the caption Up to no good! Lol. I hope yall have a great year this year!
Thanks Allen. You can be sure they are always up to no good. I will pass that along to Jordan. Have a great day
I fight the edges as well. I started running a subsoiler every few years around the edges to cut back the roots with moderate success. We have fought the drought as well. It’s frustrating but there is always a plan b. Cereal rye I’ve planted in October.
We finally got 4” over the last couple weeks and got a little relief, hope you guys get it as well.
We didn't get that much, but we did get some and that really kicked these "rescue plots" into gear. Should be OK for the season assuming this hot spell breaks soon with another rain. Good luck and have a great season.
Don’t think the weatherman’s gona pay the bill. That should go on a T shirt Jordan !!
I love that idea! I'll add it to the list!
He has cost me a few hundred bucks this year in urea! I spread it hoping he is right and then it never rains.
Get your brassica established and then come back and spread cereal grains in a month. Maybe they will help hide the seed. Also, get you a large straight fence post and do the same drag. The whole span will at least make contact with the ground. I couldn’t find a decent cultipacker this year so I just roped a post and drug like you did. Those plots with that thatch will eventually blow up from my past experience. They tend to start slow and then blow up quick. Hope you got that rain. We got plenty here in Tennessee since first of August.
Thanks George. I agree. I think that one with the thatch will go pretty well too. I will keep an eye on it and when it starts to jump I will add more urea to help it along. Have a great day and thanks for the useful input.
Thanks for the update on the acorns. They have such long tap roots they should be fine whenever you get that rain. I bet in another season they will be knee high and able to better compete with the weeds. I've not tried it yet but, there is a forestry tool, called 'The Squirrel planter' that has a really clever concept for planting nuts trees. If you feel you need to add more to the plot, maybe look into that device as it will help get the acorns a little deeper into the ground and you should be able to fit more into less space. Will be ALOT of walking for the kids though!
I have seen that planter and considered it for certain spots that we can't get equipment to but decided if we are going to hand plant we will just plant seedlings. Plus, the government programs will cover that expense. I got into some good ones that will really change this farm over the next four years. Have a great day.
Bill you need a cone spreader for your tractor. It can carry a lot more fertilizer.
Yes. Definitely. I will have one by next year. Appreciate the co.comment. and support.
Farm is looking really good Bill. Ya know when I was a kid I wondered why old men talked about the weather so much. Now I understand completely why. Most families depended on it for survival. Out to put up stands and spray myself. Fertilizer costs are pessimistic this year. Maybe the Wx men are making our fertilizer. Ha!
Jay, yes, they are making the urea - or at least own stock in the companies that do. Have a great day on the farm. Best regards.
Drive a 3inch piece pvc pipe in ground at root base of your oaks and pour fertilizer in the pvc pipe full and when it rains it will fertilize the tree for better acorn production !
Great tip. Thanks Do you do just one pipe or multiple? Some of these trees are huge.
@@bill-winke several wouldn’t hurt !
We have pecan orchard and it’s 100yrs old & it works great on !
Hopefully you will keep us updated on the new plots you did in last weeks videos. I really would like to see how they grow through the end of the season. And your tree areas, Id like to see how they are doing in late fall early winter. Plots dont look to bad but if you dont mind keep me updated on them throughout the season!
Will definitely keep everyone updated on the farm. Maybe I will do one more Dream Farm Update Episode mid-season so everyone can see how each part of the farm is doing and what is contributing to the huntability of the place. Have a great day.
@@bill-winke thats a great idea and we all look forward to it!
I have drags made from pallets that work great , i also have one i made fron an old 10 ft gate covered with chain link fence , you have to cover that seed , these guys who say just throw it on bare ground and it will grow are full of it.
Drought seems to be more a part of our lives here in SE Kansas than years past. Hopefully it's just a temporary trend relatively speaking. If it's not though, I appreciate the realtime updates while you're dealing with drought as well. Cereal grains seem to save us each fall during these droughts, but those turkeys can be a killer. Hopefully you get away with that winter rye being on the ground.
Agreed. From what I have seen the gulf stream (el nino and la nina, or whatever) are responsible for these macro-trends and hopefully that changes soon. I hate the time and expense of having to plant most of my plots twice. Good luck to you this fall.
Bill how many acres is your farm? It truly is a Dream Farm.
It is gorgeous Terry. I think that is what I love about it most. Even if the bucks never get big there I will always enjoy hunting it. It is 625 acres - part of it is owned along with my sister and her husband to keep cost down for us.
@bill-winke Yes sir!! Always been a big fan of yours since you and I were a lot younger!!! Lol. Just purchased 46 acres in North Central Texas and can't wait to get to work on it!!! Always learning something good in your videos so you and Jordan keep up the good work!!
I am surprised that you didn't put in a waterhole or two, given your admission that the deer have been eating your corn for its moisture content. A hunter of your caliber should be able to get a discount on some galvanized tanks that you could bury and fill and your watering holes might have a lesser failure rate than the same old food plot plan that everyone is doing these days. Good luck this fall.
Thanks. Much appreciated. Water has never been an issue in the past. Talking to the guy that ran the cows here, and the guy running them on the neighboring farm, this is the first year they have seen ponds dry all the way up in many years. But, it is still good advice. A water hole on the ridge would be a great addition.
Turkey tax is also in my area. They find new seeds in just a few hours after broadcasting. Finally we have some rain in Central Wisconisn
Pay the turkey tax if you want something to grow! Good luck.
Big Ten is getting bigger this year!
What are we up to now - the Big 20?
Something like that @@bill-winke
A drag like we use on our little league fields would bury that seed from the turkeys...just a hunk of chainlink fence with some weight on it.
Yes, I definitely need something here. I see that Wildlife Farming makes a simple harrow/drag. Something like that would work well too pulled behind a four-wheeler. Thanks for the input.
Stinky brothers return!
The Stinky Brothers also known as The Masters of Mayhem😂
They really do smell bad. It is not just a casual name! You should what they swim in, what they eat (especially Bentley) and what they roll in. Nasty!
@@bill-winke Most dogs I know have a fascination for fecies in general🤢
Really enjoyed this series, everyone’s food plots suffered this year for sure.
Thanks Mitchell. It was a really strange year being so dry so early. June was very dry at a time when the seeds/plants need it the most to get going. Have a great day.
GO Big Red!!!!
You and Ethan should get together and share memories from the Osborne era.
As always good stuff... You should great a shirt with all the different sub-species of whitetail... maybe a map of the US.... with the different subs
Good idea. I will pass that along to Jordan. Thanks for the support.
Lookin pretty good, like seeing your no till as that’s what I have to do, on a much smaller scale of course in Ohio on 50 acres
Thanks. I appreciate. Long-term (once I get all the plots into shape) I won't do a lot of tillage here. The no-till system will be my go-to. Paul at PH Outdoors is going to send me a five foot drill on a wheel (tow) kit that I can pull with my little 38 hp Massey. That will be pretty cool too for the smaller stuff. Give everyone a chance to see something smaller and more affordable at work. Have a great day.
The rain just disappears nowadays....
It looks good and then just fizzles right before it gets to the farm!
How about a trail camera inventory update soon? Looking forward to buying a T Shirt as well. Could we possibly get a LSU option?? 😎 I know it’s a long shot … but you have to remember to always dream big! Ha!
I like that. As soon as we get LSU in the Big Ten (the way things are going that may be soon) we will make the shirt - Just kidding. I will put the cameras out in about two weeks and then the updates will come every week. Have a great day.
Rent a ditchwitch and run it deep as it will go along edges and cut off the roots pertrudin into the fields.
That is a good idea. Maybe I can talk Ben into buying one! Ben is now my go-to for anything I can't afford to buy. He buys it and I rent it from him! Works perfect.
how about us down here in georgia we need shirts bull dog country !! great video best of luck moving forward
Thanks Nelson. Much appreciated. It would be fun to make shirts for every state that has Whitetails. That would be really cool.
Eagles tellin ya to deeeppp hahaha hope all is well !!!
The eagle knows best.
Great video! U of M Go Blue!!!🏈🏈🏈
Thanks. We got your leftover quarterback. We'll see how he does over here.
👍
Now that’s my kind of cultipacker
Pretty high class!
In my town in NH every other tree is a red oak , and all of them are dropping acorns during the early season. Hunting oak trees , at least in my area, is not an option.
At least there’s plenty of food for them.
That does make it tough when they are so spread out. At least you know they will be in the timber and not in the fields. Good luck.
Since your Iowa fans' you should be grateful to Michigan for McNamara! Maybe there should be a Michigan shirt as well. Go Blue!!!
We will get back to you after the first couple of seasons, but we definitely need a great quarterback here. We have had a few over the years, but not lately. Best to you.
If you have walnut trees near your plot you need to remove them! The walnut tree, and I mean every part of it, to include the hulls from the nut down to the leaves, down to the roots, produces a chemical called Juglone that kills anything.
Yes, I will get those cut before next year. But interestingly enough, there are walnuts mixed into all my timber sporadically spaced out. There are oaks growing right next to them and browse all around. I wonder if there is something about timing of growth or density of walnut that affects its ability to repel other plants.
Idk that’s very interesting all that is growing near it. You may be on to something, maybe the larger the tree the stronger the chemical? Or maybe when it’s flowering?
Bill what do you think about planting the same food plot on all your plots, theory being you won’t have one plot peaking at one time and others peaking at different stages of the fall? Idk? I think deer like variety but it also kind of makes sense to do it that way. I know you do quite a bit of different things but your farm is pretty large and you have some large food plots to be able to grow corn and beans etc.
Steve, I like to have about 15 to 20% in clover (long-term) and then about 30 to 35% in brassicas and the other 50% of my food plot acres in grains (corn, beans, sorghum). That is my ideal mix. I think you could substitute alfalfa for brassicas in some cases, but all the little spots close to the timber on my farm will usually be clover that I rotate out to brassicas every third year and then back to clover again. Diversity is important I think and having some foods that are green early (clover) and some that have carbs late (corn) makes for a good balance. Now to keep the herd density low enough that I can get my winter foods (grains) through the critical summer months. Good luck.
Obligatory Go Big Red!
Ethan is a BIG Nebraska fan too. He grew up near Kearney.
@@bill-winke Please send Ethan my sincere condolences after last night. The gut punching misery of being a Husker football fan cannot be overstated. As a wise man said two years ago, "There's no hope. F*ck everything. Go Big Red." At least I'll get a lot of yard work done this fall.
Also, my folks met at Kearney State back in the day and we lived in Arnold for a while. Small world!
Your estimation regarding the tree roots might be incorrect. Review the aerial photo you provided and you will notice that the plot is uniformly brown, both when the trees are close where roots may be the culprit and when the trees are distant and likely not impacting the plot in the manner you suggest. Good luck.
I have read, and been told my biologists, that the radius of the roots is roughly twice the tops of the trees. So, you can get roots going a good ways to the side to find moisture. I think once I get them cut, it will make a big difference. I plan to show that by this time next year. Have a great day and thanks for the comment and input.
Another great video. Been meaning to ask you how that coleman atv is holding up? Looks like it's been doing good. Been wanting to get another atv myself,didnt know how much i missed until i got rid of it.
Darin, that thing has been a real trooper. Cabela's gave that to me back in 2014, I think. Side story: They were making food plot equipment at the time and we were featuring their stuff as well as filming it, etc. Dick Cabela actually came to my southern Iowa farm and made a food plot, believe it or not. It was part of their top execs getting to play with that stuff. It was a great line and I used all of it, until the Bass Pro buy out and the Cabela's people had to clean up the balance sheet to make the company look more profitable for the sale, so the food plot line went away and never came back. I expected that Coleman ATV to die a long time ago, but it keeps on going despite how badly we abuse it. It is a generic Asian knockoff of a known brand that Cabela's wanted to sell cheap. They didn't want to use their own name on it - so they licensed "Coleman" for this low end line of ATVs. I am more than happy with it! It has held up surprisingly well.
@@bill-winke Thanks for sharing that story,was pretty interesting. I'm glad it's holding up well. I figured they would be a 2 or 3 year machine myself. I about fainted when I seen the prices of a couple atv's I'm interested in.
Get you a subsoiler or ripper for the tractor it will cut the roots
That's a great suggestion. I definitely need to get one of those.
Time to check stand, fine tune the bow, practice! Get gear ready. Before we know it will be time to hunt. When does the Iowa bow season start?
Yes sir! October 1 here in Iowa.
Thanks for the update. Most of your plots look pretty good and will improve with the rain. We are getting an all day rain today here is SWWI that you probably received yesterday. Question...what setting do you use on your Multrie to spread the fertilizer? Thanks, Bob
We did get some last night. Not sure how much. I think that should have been enough to carry us for a while though. I just throw the spreader wide open for fertilizer and then drive fast and let the ATV speed dictate the coverage rate. Thanks for the input and support. Have a great day.
It sure has been fun following along with your new farm journey! Just curious (and sorry if you explained it and I missed it) but why you don’t plant clover? Most of my plots are small and either interior plots or corners of crop fields and clover is the only thing I can get to flourish in those areas.
I will plant the clover next year into some of those spots that got brassicas this year. Some it was just timing. I will frost seed the clover this coming late winter if the ground is open enough. My goal has always been to have about 15 to 20% of my food plot acres in clover and the rest in a combination of grains (corn/beans/sorghum) and brassicas. That has been a good combination over the years. Have a great day.
Once turkeys find your seed, they don't forget. Your place looks good though
Thanks. It is coming together. I agree. I think even if the seed is covered they will now come to that area and scratch for it.
Bill, did you have a bumper crop of white oaks last year? We did here in Mid Missouri. I’m thinking the black oaks should be prevelant but don’t expect much out of the whites. What are you seeing up your way?
We had none last year. Looks like a moderate crop this year - maybe 1/4 of the trees holding acorns and no tree has tons of them.
If these spots are places you can get to with a sprayer is there a reason you don’t take water out there? And I also am curious if on the no till interior plots if dragging them in ( with a cedar tree or a log like I’ve seen you do to cover seed from turkeys) after you spread them benefits the plot or is it just a waste of time? Turkeys aren’t a problem at my foodplot but I would think the dirt coverage would help?
It just takes so much water to make a difference that it is not worth it unless you have a really big tank. To put on the equivalent of one inch of rain on an acre of land you would need 27,000 gallons. So even on a small 1/4 acre plot you would need at least 3,000 gallons to make any real difference (that would be a bit under the 1/2 inch per acre equivalent). That would be a crazy amount of water to haul around in a 100 gallon sprayer! To answer your other question, yes, covering the seed does help it germinate better because when it does rain, it will be covered in dirt and will stay moist long enough to start putting out a root and growing. Good luck.
Cereal rye is a plot savior. Put 1100 pounds on 7 acres. Did it heavy due to turkey and birds.
Yes for sure. Good luck and I hope the rains came before the turkeys got it all!
Hi Bill, thanks for the update. My plots are starting to come up after getting a couple of good rains the last couple of weeks. How long do you think it takes for fertilizer to evaporate if it doesn't rain. I would vote for the stinky brothers own line of clothing. Thanks for the video.
Art, I think it starts immediately with the urea. In it's natural state, Nitrogen is a gas and really wants to return to a gas. I have used a product called Brazen on some of my dry fertilizer this spring that is supposed to stabilize the N from evaporating, but you need to buy it in bulk to get that applied. Not available on bagged urea at my coop. We used to be able to use ammonium Nitrate but the Oklahoma City bombing showed that this fertilizer (which was made into a bomb) can be misused. So they stopped offering it. I think that if you put straight urea on the ground, after five or six days without rain and with hot sunny days the N will be seriously depleted - not sure how much but I bet at least half. I think heavy dews in the mornings will help hold it, but nothing beats either tilling it in (incorporating into the ground) or a good rain shortly after application. Good luck.
You mentioned the deer being a long ways from water when eating the corn. Are you preparing a catchment pond so the deer don't have far to travel to water?
Not this year. That is a really good idea for that ridge though. Would really get used a lot I think.
Bill, have you seen any indication of EHD on your farm this summer? I've heard reports of it hitting extremely hard in some areas of the midwest. Hopefully your farm stays clear of it.
Not yet John. This is about when it starts to show up though. I will keep an eye out for it (a sharp nose out for it- actually) and report back on what I find. Have a great day.
Well, Bill, great series but let’s just hope that you or your daughter produce at the end of the day with a nice big buck this fall
Thanks John. We will sure give it a try. I am guessing we will do OK. Good luck to you also.
For your acorns, do you just used dropped or do you actually take while in the tree?
You can definitely get them off the ground. There are devices you can use called nut rollers or acorn rollers that make it much easier to gather them. I don't have the time to gather my own. I buy them from guys who do it for a living.
I'm curious how much you used the soil conditioner this year @bill-winke. Some of your plots don't look as smooth as they could be, particularly the one you tilled. Would love to hear more about that implement.
I used it on one plot and will probably use it on at least one more next year. It does a good job getting it ready to seed if you using a tillage method. However, it doesn't move dirt quickly so it doesn't fill in dips in a bumpy field without a few passes. It does a good job lifting and breaking up the soil, but it puts it right back where it found it without moving it. I guess there are better ways to move the dirt - a land plane of maybe a heavy drag.
@@bill-winke Can you adjust the depth easily?
With your dogs running around with you. Does that deter any deer movement on your property? I have surrounding neighbors dogs always chasing deer on my property.
I don't think so. Deer get used to dogs and they can tell when they are being chased and when the dogs are just casually there. Our dogs don't chase deer so I think we are fine in that regard. Our dogs were free ranging on our farm in Southern Iowa and one of my best stands was right next to the house (within 150 yards) and I know the dogs went through there often. Deer know when they are being targeted (whether by people or by dogs) and when the contact is just incidental and non-threatening. We need to remember that and always try to copy normal human activity when hunting an area that sees some human activity during the off-season. Have a great day.
I would think you could rent a trencher. I believe that they would cut through the roots if you go slow enough.
That would definitely work. I may try a single shank deep ripper (sub soiler) I will probably just buy one.
How much of it to do you think is seed depth vs moisture? The harder areas likely were the spots that had more moisture. It looks like its been pretty dry there.
I considered that. I am not sure. I guess next time when I get to the farm I will know for sure as the rows will be standing out better after a couple of rains. If there aren't any obvious rows (only the broadcast seeds) in those areas then I know it was depth. If there are rows there then I know it was just a lack of moisture. I will report back.
Broadcast cracked corn with the rye/oats
That is actually a really good idea. I used to do that on the southern Iowa farm when the planted corn was just spiking out. The chipmunks would dig them all up and eat the kernel. Spreading corn on top of the ground at this critical stage distracted the chipmunks long enough for the corn plant to consume the kernel and then the critters left them alone.
I have the same thing along the edge of my woods where my foodplot is. Some big oak trees there and I was wondering if the roots weren’t taking all the moisture away cause nothing is growing there. Hardly even any weeds
I would say so, Jay. but be careful there. I have seen big oak trees die when you disturb the roots. Good luck.
Everything is still looking good even though y’all are in a drought guys. How long does 2-4-D last in the soil? I’m planning on spraying Glyphosate and 2-4-D mix before planting this fall. Do you think I should just stick with Glyphosate only? Thanks for any advice. Hope I was no bother.
Thanks again, ericbowhunter
About two weeks
Thanks. Much appreciated. CountryRoad got it right. That is what the agronmists have told me. In southern Iowa we used to spray 2,4-D with our glyphosate on bean ground to clean up the gly - resistant weeds and we had to wait two weeks to plant. Good luck.
@@bill-winke Thanks man! I hope your canoe trip went well.
@@countryroadsoutdoors7854 thanks a lot for the information!
Np glad to help out
Thanks for another informative segment. I'm thinking your juvenile Eagle should find it's way onto one of your shirt designs in a creative way... similar to a MAGA acronym but Dream Farm related.
I will challenge Jordan with that one. That eagle is super cool. He is either bored or curious because he kind of follows us around. The other morning he was perched on a low branch right next to the pole barn and was screeching at us until he finally flew off just over our heads. I wish he was tame! He and the Stinky Brothers would be big pals I think.
Corn looks great. Your lucky not having black bear around. Or you wouldn't have any corn standing
Agreed. I have not seen them in corn, but I have seen what they do to oats up in Alberta. Have a great day.
put a turkey scareturk in the middle of your plot😊
I will put Ethan there next spring. That will fix the problem. I think that is one of the best turkey killing spots on the farm. Actually Ethan shot one there last spring.
Hey Jordan how about something for us UCONN wbb fans in CT.
Mike, she needs to make cool shirts for every state, but wow, our inventory would be really gigantic. Have a great day and thanks for the comment and support.
@@bill-winke Bill, my comment was meant to be more tongue in cheek, not serious,lol
Ok, asking for a friend lol. What do you do if you over seeded a tuber plot?
Now that is a good question. I have done it too. It is very common. I guess you could strip spray with glyphosate (very narrow strips of herbicide - maybe a foot wide every every three feet). That would thin them and then I would add a bit extra fertilizer just to be sure That should save the plot. Good luck.
On the area that are stressed from trees roots . Do you think rye seeds would fill in the gaps?
They will if we get enough rain in late summer. I will give that a try. Good suggestion.
Looked like a wolf slipped through around the 2:30 mark
That's a wolf alright. A stinky wolf!
My bean can’t get over 5 inches Prob gonna try em one more year then give up on them
Agree. If they grow slow (or you plant them late) the deer will keep them short and they never get a chance. Good luck.
I am sure you have said in the past but i was wondering how many acres this farm is?
625 acres now. Feels even bigger.
Would u do the direct seeding of acorns again? Mine just started to pop about 2 weeks ago. What brand of ATV spreader is that?
Yes. I am signed up for another 15 acres again this year. Much to the disappointment of Jordan and Ethan who have to do most of the hard work of broadcasting them. It is a Moultrie spreader
Bill when will you be getting some cameras out?
I usually start in early September after the bucks break up their bachelor groups and start to disperse into their fall ranges.
Can you use a ditch witch to cut the roots
I think you could or maybe it single shank deep ripper. I need to get one of those. Good input.
Do you only use Erea when fertilizing your food plots?
Just with the brassicas this year. My soil is pretty good on P and K but brassicas really like nitrogen so I need to add that.. I will likely have to add PK to those plots next year regardless of what I plant in them.
@@bill-winke what fertilizer would you use? Triple 19 or something else? I'm guessing it depends on a soil test and how much you need.
What is your go to fertilizer for a hidy hole kill plot ???
Probably triple 19 if brassicas and something like DAP if clover. You don't need the nitrogen. Most co-ops will have that.
Are you running cameras yet?
Nope, I will start in about two weeks and then things will start to get interesting. Have a great day.
18:20, I hope that boy is not playing a video game while you are lifting heavy bags.
Nope, no video games for Carsen! He was getting some good shots with the drone!
Ethan said it. Carsen is getting very good with that drone.
Michigan State! Go green! 🤣
Michigan State? Do they have a football team?
Haha ha sometimes I wonder that too. Iowa was tough last year! Now the big 10 is expanding , not real crazy about that. @@bill-winke
Any Shooters showing up Bill?
Not yet. I will start running cameras in a couple weeks and will know a lot more then. Have a great day.
No love for the Cyclones??? Aww
The age old rivalry. Actually our son just graduated from ISU.
Add a pond for water
Yes, that needs to be on the list. Good suggestion. Have a great day.
Camera’s out….
I will start in early September. Good luck.