Geez - Like all plantings, it always comes down to the wire timing-wise. But then again, that's how nature is designed. That may actually work, as we could drill beans right through the buckwheat a week or two before we terminate the buckwheat. It may die off without a herbicide treatment? I'll read more into it
BSK is right, buckwheat is a great choice and wildlife will browse the young leaves and blooms and all birds love the seeds. It is a good all around plant and will tolerate being drilled into which will stun it long enough for your summer crop to start. I dont really see the need to terminate. The surviving plants after drilling will help protect your young beans from overbrowse and help provide a canopy against weeds as the beans race to the light.
I use buckwheat as a HIGHLY attractive "cover species" for both my spring and fall plantings. The buckwheat jumps up very fast, and deer will focus on it, allowing the "real" crop to get established below the buckwheat canopy. Just be sure not to plant the buckwheat at too high a density or it can shade out the other plants. When using it as a "cover crop," I like to plant it at only 20 lbs/acre.
My first thought with this method in TN is that we already put such heavy pressure on the buck population here. We try not to shoot ANY young bucks because there is so much pressure around us where I live in Henderson County. (Everybody has 40-100ish acres all stacked together and they all get hunted to some degree)
