Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Summer Plots Are Great

We have always wanted the bottoms planted in summer crops and this year we have been able to accomplish that with help from Nathan (son), Jay and Abby (daughter and son-in-law).  This is the field I want to hunt  this fall and winter. 
This field, well fertilized, is planted in soybeans, grain sorghum, and sunflowers.  The deer are starting to use it and the bucks are getting protein like they have never before.  It is going to be an interesting year seeing if this higher nutritional level will have and effect on the deer herd. 

This field at the kudzu patch is about an acre and a half and it is planted in chufa, brown-top millet, sunflowers and some soybeans but the deer have eaten most of the soybeans and sunflowers already.  In the background the corn is looking good with all this rain we are having.
Last year was the worst food plots for wildlife we had ever had, this year we are going to have the best!
This has not just happened, it has taken a lot of money, time and good rain fall.

Friday, June 20, 2014

Forest Roads Project

We have the forest roads project underway.  Thanks to the U.S. Forestry Service for their expertise in putting this practice in for the demonstration to be held this fall. 
Now the task of planting summer grass where all the sol has been disturbed is next on he agenda.
This is a join project between the US Forest Service, NRCS, Alabama Farmers Federation, Clay County Forestry Planning Committee, Alabama Tree Farm Committee and the Alabama Treasure Forest Association.
There will be more post on this project coming.

Monday, June 2, 2014

Why We Manage

 Look at these two pictures.

Both were made on the same day.  Which stand is seven years older than the other one? The older one has never been thinned or had a fire run through it.  The younger stand is fourteen years old and has had wood sold off as chips at ten and now at fifteen they are thinned again with some chip-n-saw but mostly pulpwood.
The bigger the tree the more valuable and the more management the better aesthetics.
By now you can guess which is older, the small trees that have not been managed, seen in the top picture.

Four New Wildflowers Added

I have added four new wildflower pictures to "Wildflowers".
Ground Cedar, Horse-Nettle, Oakleaf Hydrangea, and Venus Looking Glass
This makes 102 different wildflowers I have identified on Dewberry Lands.