Food Plots Converting timber to ag

[JCDEERMAN]

After excavating the stumps and leveling the land you are still going to contend with uneven ground, no way to avoid it. I've never had a 3ft deep hole in any land I've had sheared. Not to mention destumping also means losing top soil.

True for sure. I mentioned earlier it took 2-3 years to get everything right. Most was good but each new field had a couple spots that were no fun drilling seed into. But we fixed those spots. And yes - I was adamant with the dozer guy to knock off and leave every bit of soil he could salvage and leave. I didn't want that soil OFF the field. Keep it on. The reason obviously it took 2-3 years to correct the uneven ground was due to Mother Nature. All would look good and even, but after a couple months of rains, things settle and sink. Then we would fix.

 

[megalomaniac]

Im going to offer the oddball advice.

Unless you have intentions of leasing out the field for $90 to $100/ acre to a local farmer, COMBINED with the fact you are bordered by current ag land, I would NOT convert that 20 acres into ag...

What i would do... thin the holy crap out of those pines (take the stand down to less than 100 basal ft per acre), have the crew install fire lanes around the perimeter, then id regularly burn that joker every other year to promote a pine savannah with tons of natural grasses under the pines. Save a couple acres to disc annualy and promote forbs, then maybe have an acre food plot to play with. You will have WAY more game to hunt if you do that versus 20 acres of open ag.

Oh, another thing... just price out what it will cost you every single year to plant corn or beans on 20 acres to leave for wildlife. That alone will stop you from converting to ag.

 

[Gobble4me757]

Im going to offer the oddball advice.

Unless you have intentions of leasing out the field for $90 to $100/ acre to a local farmer, COMBINED with the fact you are bordered by current ag land, I would NOT convert that 20 acres into ag...

What i would do... thin the holy crap out of those pines (take the stand down to less than 100 basal ft per acre), have the crew install fire lanes around the perimeter, then id regularly burn that joker every other year to promote a pine savannah with tons of natural grasses under the pines. Save a couple acres to disc annualy and promote forbs, then maybe have an acre food plot to play with. You will have WAY more game to hunt if you do that versus 20 acres of open ag.

Oh, another thing... just price out what it will cost you every single year to plant corn or beans on 20 acres to leave for wildlife. That alone will stop you from converting to ag.

The ag would be in addition to thinning the rest of the 157 acres and in addition to exactly what you are saying. It would also basically add a dove field and who wouldn't want corn/soybeans on the property. I would be leasing it to the farmer to plant so some revenue yearly that would be shown for taxes as well as other tax options it would open up. I agree on the burns/discing etc. will also add 3-4 2-3 acre green fields as well as am looking to add a fishing pond and duck hole. I feel the more diversity across the board would only benefit the game.

 

[megalomaniac]

The ag would be in addition to thinning the rest of the 157 acres and in addition to exactly what you are saying. It would also basically add a dove field and who wouldn't want corn/soybeans on the property. I would be leasing it to the farmer to plant so some revenue yearly that would be shown for taxes as well as other tax options it would open up. I agree on the burns/discing etc. will also add 3-4 2-3 acre green fields as well as am looking to add a fishing pond and duck hole. I feel the more diversity across the board would only benefit the game.

Aah, gotcha. Didn't realize it was 157ac of pines. In that case, converting 20ac of it into ag is a great idea. Put it towards the middle of the property, Def away from any public roads!

 

[Gobble4me757]

Aah, gotcha. Didn't realize it was 157ac of pines. In that case, converting 20ac of it into ag is a great idea. Put it towards the middle of the property, Def away from any public roads!

Yeah man it's natural regeneration with actually a fair amount of oaks as well. Plan is to try and thin the lines while leaving the oaks. I'd put the clear cut on the east side but not within sight of the road as that's the Tupelo black gum dirt that is the same dirt as across the main road that is farmed.