buckwheat is 50 lb per acre ,... you need to have this done before the middle of july. A planting of buckwheat will last 40 to 50 days ,..
don't forget lime and fertilizer,.. all them roads and all that work is useless if the soil is not properly amended. SOIL TEST.......if you have not allready. Its the most important thing in a food plot.
If you have 4 acres in total ,.. i would highly recommend at least 1 acre in a perennial. The one that gets the most light to the surface. Best mix for that is:
5 lbs ladino clover
10 lbs medium red clover (biennial)
2-3 lbs chicory ( i prefer tecomate)
50lbs wheat as a nurse crop
The roadbeds and smaller areas annual planting. The mix is:
15 lbs crimson clover
5 lb arrowleaf clover
5 lb dwarf essex rape
50 lb winter wheat
PER ACRE
The above is BSK's mix he uses. Last year i had austrian winter peas in my mix and was not crazy about it. Early grazing wiped them out. I don't like that,.. so i prefer his mix.
The reason for the perennial plot is because it will provide forage when the annuals have gone in july. The arrowleaf clover will be the last 1 standing in july. The crimson and wheat will die out in late may early june. BUT,.. in mid july you can go in and bush hog the plot and overseed in buckwheat again. THEN,.. in september,.. lightly disc and reseed the clovers and resow the wheat.
With 4 acres you have alot of choices that i don't in other plantings ,.. but this is still one of the best ways to go no matter how many acres you have. It works.
Good luck,.. and keep us posted on your results. DC007
And by the way,.... in areas were you have the most light reaching the surface i would use buck forage oats over winter wheat. That stuff is AWESOME.