East Texas: His Best Food Plots in 35 Years! See Why! (644)

[@lifeonthehilltn]

Gosh this is fantastic results and proof of your hard work and dedication to the natural way of soil improvement and conservation. The next implements that I purchase for my tractor will be a no-till drill and a crimper. Thank you so much for the great information that you provide to your KZbin audience!

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@ericl4865]

We just started last fall by planting the fall release blend. About 4 acres of food plot is located in reclaimed strip mine area that has maybe "an essence of topsoil." After watching this video, I am super stoked to see how this works in the reclaimed strip-mined area as well as the other 8 acres of food plots that we have been doing traditional disc, broadcast, drag, cultipacker. 8' Goliath Crimper arrived last month.

[@jayryker8261]

I’ve learned so much from this channel. Keep’em coming!👊🏽

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Thanks Jeff!

[@joecianfarani6951]

Go watch Whitetail habitat solution.

[@williambuckner818]

Dr. Woods, I know that this is an old video, but thank you for all of the knowledge and information you are sharing. This particular video really excites me, as we have a small property in East TX that could use plenty of work to restore the soil and improve the timber stand. Best to you and your family!

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Thanks! It's fun for me to watch soil and habitat quality improve!

[@clintjohnson7023]

I know ive watched this video 60 + times already. And knowbi will watch again and again. Cant wait to get Grant outbto my place.

[@Ross-ro1cs]

Great video, love the channel. Glad to see your methods being successful for us East Texans. I know the rain has helped folks like George this year in our part of the world.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Ross - Yes, it was a good growing season in most of east Texas!

[@mik1705]

Awesome! Love that plot on Big Sandy! I'm in upper Michigan, and have sandy soil. My spring broadcast attempt failed miserably. Upper Peninsula had very little rain, while southern Michigan had lots of rain. Someday gettin' me a no-till. Love that George in this video... just seems like a good solid regular guy.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Mik - George is great guy!

[@Miguel_Travels]

I immediately thought of our cabin in Roscommon MI. the soil looks very similar to that of East Texas.

[@josephtreadlightly5686]

What works in sandy soil in East Texas also works on the same soil here in MN. In areas that get weedy I mow them in the spring to keep them short. Then when I have the temps I need & rain is imminent I just till deep enough to rip up the soil & plant Buckwheat for a summer cover crop. If the temp isn't right u will have weeds growing with dormant Buckwheat. Seems to come up quick when u have a hot couple of days b4 u plant that really warms up that topsoil but just under that there is moisture below. 3 years now after putting Buckwheat in I was able plant a high tonnage blend of 5 different seeds 10 days ago. I simply broadcast the seed while walking around in that Buckwheat that has flowers on it. I had rain 3 out of the next 4 days fall over this plot. Right after seeding I knocked the Buckwheat flat to the ground in a crimping matter. Germination is coming through pretty good. On another plot I planted the same day. In this case I used to have Buckwheat as a cover crop & I planted wheat in there this past May. I had to till that plot lightly to tear through the wheat which is now breaking down in the soil to help my seed which is the same blend in the other area. Very good germination but that soil is a little drier than the other. However when I tilled I pulled up 3 weeds all under 4"! In the summer of 2018 u couldn't walk through the weeds in this plot. This area never was sprayed once. Just patience & a good plan. I had kale up to my waist with turnips over 2 lbs. last year in early November. Deer like a variety so I cut down on the turnips to get a little more brassica & radishes in there. I agree with u on the glyphosate but I've been doing this now for 25 years & I've noticed something. Everywhere around me on my family's old homestead land that people to get their lawns perfect that they r spraying. By not spraying & introducing flowers from the Buckwheat I now have bees again. ➕️ I'm seeing a few Milkweed plants which were non-existent for well over a decade which made the butterfly population evaporate. U can have the best & well managed deer area but if u r surrounded by hundreds of acres of brown & down non-selective hunters your area will be affected by this unless u have alot of acreage. That acreage must have incredible bedding on it year round or your land is affected in a negative way. Food is important but just 1 thing that whitetails need to thrive.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Thanks for sharing and that your system works for you.

[@bb8503]

That’s amazing looking there! Great job!

[@melissabarrett681]

Great job grant!! Love seeing other people's results!! Thank you

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Thanks Melissa!

[@johnstobbscpa8081]

Awesome video. Thanks for sharing all your expertise.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@EdDiEman527]

Awesome. I am from south alabama and am looking into doing a version of this on my property. Thank you for providing this great information Dr. woods.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Welcome!

[@cgodwin336]

Hey Grant, `we have the same sandy soils here in N. Florida. I started watching your videos about no till a couple years ago and we finally purchased a grain drill this spring and got our summer plots started with some success, compared to other summers with no luck. You have to start somewhere and thanks to you for driving it home. It's the only way to do it here in this dry sandy climate. #Provengroundschanged Us.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Thanks! I love your tag!!!!

[@sethwinkel5721]

Great video, building soil, it works for farmers too.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Seth - Yes!!

[@bromma1979]

Love these videos of nature and having everything come to life.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Thanks!

[@gageparker3300]

I’m in the pig stand and watching this video and I’m hunting in east Texas

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Gage - I hope you got some pork!

[@gageparker3300]

@@GrowingDeerTV I shot a pig and a raccoon and my dad shot a big boar

[@garystevenson6602]

You have the best video out to day love to learn from you

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Gary - Thanks for the kind words!

[@sonsofthunder3100]

Great video! Once again, awesome content! I like using your suggestions for my property! I have a small property, so I learn a lot from the small land videos. But the soil health principles hold true on any size property! If your like me and can't afford a no till drill, you might be able to rent one from a conservation district or other group in your area. Archery season starts for me in about ten days! Thanks for helping get us excited for the season! God bless the family and team!

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Wow - archery season where you are starts early! What state?

[@sonsofthunder3100]

@@GrowingDeerTV coastal plain, South Carolina. Game zone 4, Archery Only August 15-31 Gun Hunts September 1-Jan 1 Game zone 3 is Archery and Gun August 15-Jan 1

[@shermanwatters7503]

@@sonsofthunder3100 I need some of that season.

[@EarlybirdFarmSC]

I love this method. I have studied it and others that suggest this technique but are in the farmer space. Also, small market gardeners do this method as well. My issue with this is I don't have a drill. I tried the kill and broadcast methods and some seed comes up but not as much. This spring I ran a test. I bush-hogged my food plots then I tilled two swaths on the edge of the food plot. I left the middle alone and didn't till it. I waited until I saw we were getting some rain, then I went out and broadcasted it all. The results are the till spots are all thick and lush. The middle is bare but some did come up. The spots that I disced, I didn't go back and cover the seed. I just broadcasted the whole plot. But you can see a big difference in how the two areas performed. My plots are small, all less than half an acre. It doesn't make sense to buy a drill for three plots that small.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Earybird - You are correct - there needs to be more seed broadcast when planting into duff compared to bare soil. Thanks for sharing your observations!

[@EarlybirdFarmSC]

@@GrowingDeerTV Ok. I will try more seed next month when I put in my fall plots! Thanks for all your help!!

[@clintjohnson7023]

I don't know what it cost and I don't really care. 1 thing I do know is when the loggers finish thinning my east texas property. You and I will be getting together and working out a plan. Hopefully that makes my property look like this property

[@allenwilson9656]

Unless you've been to Grapeland Tx you ain't seen sand yet . Congrats to George on his outstanding crop

[@shermanwatters7503]

Come to Fred, in southeast Tyler County. All sand, all the time.

[@allenwilson9656]

@@shermanwatters7503 Fred , Tx is actually more in deep east Texas not east Texas .

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Allen - Whew - many of the coastal projects throughout the south are very sandy! Disking always decreased the soil quality and results in losing soil moisture. The principles of keeping the soil cover, keeping a living crop growing as many days throughout the year as possible, etc., will result in producing better crops in your area!

[@shermanwatters7503]

@@allenwilson9656 30 miles, as the crow flies, from the LA border is east, IMHO, LOL, thus the "southeast" Tyler County addition. Either way our flat lowland soil is sand.

[@sport07-o2l]

@@shermanwatters7503 I’m in Colmesneil. Maybe we can collaborate on ideas, projects?

[@NeedsMoreToys]

It seems that a no-till is a highly recommended if not critical component of this system. And maybe a big hat.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Definitely the hat - if you get skin cancer as easy as I do after two kidney transplants!

[@hughphillips67Mustang]

Grant, you need some of those bibs like George has on. 👍

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Yes I do! And the straw hat!

[@jasonbroom7147]

How well does this work in Zone 4b, where we have very sandy soil, low pH, low nutrient levels, and have to contend with a really short growing season? I know things like sunflower and sunn hemp usually need a longer growing season. We do grow buckwheat reasonably well in the summer and a diverse fall blend, with winter rye as the base, is what we have relied on for years. We don't disc or till, but also don't have access to a no-till drill or roller-crimper, so we spray gly, broadcast and then mow and/or cultipack. It works pretty well, but is just a small subset of what you're doing, I guess.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Jason - Great! It your system is producing good results, I suggest not changing!

[@texasnative]

My property is sand and it has an old coastal field and lots of sand burrs in late summer. Do I need to spray it or can I just till it the first time, plant it and then use a seed drill after the first planting?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

I wouldn't till the field. That will destroy any organic matter that's built up while being fallow. Rather it will be better to spray and then drill.

[@JCreezy2]

Without a no till drill, does broadcasting into the Summer Release blend work?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Joey - Checkout the Facebook live we did yesterday on Grant Woods page and the video we will release soon about Hidey Hole plots!

[@stevegermain1222]

I'm going to have to give that summer Harvest a go next year

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Steve - You'll like it! Let me know how it goes!

[@aaronmace4472]

Did you kill the weeds first before you planted the first round of the spring release or the fall blend? Or did you just drill one of these right over the weeds?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Aaron - It's best to kill the weeds so they don't outcompete the first crop. I like ot limit the use of glyphosate as it binds many minerals and makes them unavailable to plants. This can limit forage quality and deer growth/health.

[@johnford9455]

My ranch is about an hour south of George's place near Huntsville Texas. My soil is mostly black clay instead of the sandy soil in George's farm. Do I still need to use the seed drill to plant the diverse blend and the summer release blend? Or do I modify the program? Last year I planted oats, daikon radishes and turnips. I had mixed results.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

John - Yes - a no till significantly limits damage to the soil while planting. Disking always damaged the soil quality - always. I'll be back at George's soon - I like that area!

[@andrewhinkley1723]

Grant I have a question on The use of glyphosate. Personally I do not want to use it anymore. How can I no till with out it? In order to kill the exiting sod or aggressive weeds spraying it would be the simplest way. No till into a established sod and not spraying simple does not work. A crimper won’t do a thing to perennial grasses or weeds. Disking or plowing seems to be the only option. What are your thoughts.? Thank you Andrew

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Andrew - disking is the worst thing that can be done to soi. For the soil's health, it's much better to use a herbicide and then drill than to disk.

[@williamhelm9902]

Our club has access to a drill and we no-tilled most of our plots this Fall. Want to plant Summer Release in some of our larger plots, but we have no access to a crimper. Will rolling with a cultipacker and spraying glyphosate accomplish the same thing as the crimper? Thanks, and great videos!!

[@GrowingDeerTV]

William - That will work to some extent. It's important to use the herbicide first and then use the cultipacker. If the cultipacker is used first, the herbicide won't make contact with all the vegetation.

[@jeffboatright1464]

In the video George mentioned he had a pig problem. The pigs on my place in Southern OK destroyed my soybeans this summer. Total loss! Is this system less attractive to the pigs? I think I know the answer but just hoping there’s a system out there that works better for property owners with pigs.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Jeff - I'm not aware of a quality forage that doesn't attract pigs. If it's a good crop they will likely consume the crop and/or root for insects.

[@swvafarmer]

Should I spray glyphosate, let it kill out the weeds, then just plant when the forecast is right? I will be broadcasting the seed in hidey hole plots with quite a bit of daylight sun.. First frost date is mid October.. Any need for cultipacker?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

SWVA - Fine to treat the weeds with glyphosate. Don't treat too early and allow more weeds to grow before it's time to plant! If the seeds are broadcast just before a rain, there's no need to cultipack!

[@swvafarmer]

@@GrowingDeerTV how does it get the best seed to soil contact? I know with the rain it will help drive the seed into the ground. I just have my doubts.. definitely going to try it this year..trial and error, I'm tired of ruining the top layer of soil with a disc

[@allaboutarcherymov]

I just purchased $1100 if seed from Green Cover seeds, company. I hope to achieve similar results as this fellow in Texas. I'm in Madison N. Florida. Biggest concern they are out of buck weed.The locals say clover won't do good here. The soil looks similar. I tried crimson clover, summer came it die.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Fall plots tend to work better north Florida. Crimson is an annual and if planted during the fall, it will grow and then flower and mature the following spring.

[@allaboutarcherymov]

@@GrowingDeerTV It did just that but summer got here and , it die. It had red flowers, I was hopeful. However, summer got hot after a few weeks of very little rain, gone. I did used a Genesis no till drill.

[@dougswinton3365]

Ok,I'm sold, I bought a crimper. I'm in southern Iowa. My plots are a qtr.acre each. I'm going to round up what ever is present in late may and broadcast either buckwheat or summer release blend before a rain. In late july first of August I can broadcast fall release blend into the summer release blend before a rain . I understand the summer release blend is maturing and withering. Do I crimp it or just let it die down over the newly emerging and growing fall crop. Then the following spring there will be enough rye grain to crimp over the summer release or buckwheat to start the process over. Do I have this right. Cant wait to try it. It makes so much sense. I understand that if crimping winter wheat,rye,triticale I need to do it during the dough stage.Thank you!

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Broadcasting before crimping is very important! Don't get that reversed. Waiting until the seeds are in the dough stage - late dough state is better is important! If the Summer crop has been heavily browsed or is dying, there's no need to crimp. Sounds like you have a good plan!

[@IRONHQ]

do you have to buy a no till drill to get these results? I don't have the money for one

[@GrowingDeerTV]

The broadcasting technique can be used, but the results may not be as good. I broadcast in many of my smaller plots. Most NRCS offices rent no till drills at a very reasonable rate!

[@KountryCalvin]

I've got 2 four acre foodplots on 100 acres. The clover has done very well. The wheat and oats are tall now. What's the best way to lay it down? I don't have one of those rollers. Can I spray clethodym or cut it? I lost a good bit of topsoil from tilling. Don't want to do that again.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Calvin - You are wise to not till. Are the wheat and oats shading out the clover? If not, and the wheat is awnless - doesn't have long hair-like structures on the end of the seed - I'd leave it standing and deer and turkeys will consume the grain.

[@patrickbarry9027]

What's the plan if the ground's in a severe drought, and no rain in sight? Current struggle up in NW MN. I'm trying to figure out a plan to convert to no-till, so I drilled in oats and rye to try and get soil coverage once the moisture hits. Is this a good first step to no-till conversion? Follow up in spring with planting into the cereal rye and terminating it at that time?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Patrick - Sounds like you are off to a good start! If it's hot and dry, I typically don't plant even if it's closer to the average first frost date. Seeds that get to hot and loss some of their vigor and/or die. Seedlings grown from stressed seeds aren't as productive as seedlings from healthy seed. If there's not too much ground cover, you might broadcast some seed where you've drilled to compensate for decreased plant populations.

[@patrickbarry9027]

@@GrowingDeerTV I bought a sprinkler so hopefully I can get some of this area watered if we don't get relief. For the no till method, how much does a no till drill usually cost? Are John deere 750 drills a good option? I wanna sell all tillage implements and put the money towards one tool. I'd like to be able to plant pollinator/native mixes, to sugar beets to beans to corn. Is that doable with a no till drill?

[@davidconnor1072]

Northeast Texas here. Whats you opinion of type of crimper? I can get a 10” drum crimper for my front end loader for about $1,000 less than a 16” drum 3 pt. Does the 3 pt crimper do a better job in your experience?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

David - If the crimpers are designed correctly, they should work the same. I strongly prefer drilling into a standing crop and then crimping a few days to two weeks later versus drilling and crimping in one pass. Front mounted crimpers require more room to turn around. If the plots are relatively small, I'd prefer a 3 point hitch model.

[@robertpage2927]

What. Type plants for east Texas crockett fall plot and spring

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Fall Release and Summer Release blends from GreenCoverFoodPlots.com will work well there!

[@Garrettito6671]

Do y’all have a food plot blend that will work in south Texas that will grow where we only get 24 inches of annual rainfall? Or will this release process work in an area with so little rain?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

The Release process will help there! It's not the amount of rain that falls, but the amount that infiltrates or soaks into the soil and stays within reach of the roots! Increasing the organic matter will help! Checkout the Pressure Release blend at GreenCoverFoodPlots.com. It's very drought resistant!

[@bradmckinney922]

Those are some great looking food plots! Since his soil was pretty degraded at the start, did y’all have to put some fertilizer on it to get those great results?

[@theskinnypinehuntingco.6346]

I can guarantee you it was required. In our East Texas area one of the MAJOR deficiencies is Phos and Potas. PH also typically runs about 5.5 in the sandy terrain. In some of the rolling hills there are iron ore deposits that are higher in minerals and are typically more red in nature and you can tell they have more natural fertilizers. One of the lowest holes in the bucket down here is that everyone tills and EVERYONE wants to plant on Labor day. However, its simply too darn hot down here to support tilled, sandy soils that time of year. You HAVE to wait until about Oct. 1st. This is just hard to stomach because everyone wants it "ready to hunt" around here. Also, there is definitely not an "invest for next year" mentality.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Brad - George added some lime but no fertilizer.

[@tyrelsimpson152]

Will this work in an area that averages less than 10" of rain per year?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Tyrel - Yes! You'll likely need to modify the timing, etc., but the principles of soil health work everywhere.

[@usernamehere6061]

When do you prescribe cereal rye to be planted as a cover crop? Is the summer release a replacement?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Yeha - Cereal rye does best when planted about 45-60 days before the average first frost date during the fall. Cereal rye is a component of the Fall Release blend from GreenCoverFoodPlots.com

[@usernamehere6061]

@@GrowingDeerTV I got ya. Thanks!

[@chasecarr9910]

This is awesome! Quick question? I'm in Northern Mississippi and wanting to know when to plant and what you recommened?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Chase - if planting for the fall, 45 to 60 days before the first frost is good - and there's adequate soil moisture. If planting during the spring, once the soil temp is 60 degrees or higher at 9am. Soils cool all night and start warming about 9am. There are many website that report soil temperature for farmers. What to plant depends your mission, plot size, etc. Checkout GreenCoverFoodPlots,.com

[@timothymullen1584]

What is that tall green plant next to you in the sunflower field ?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Sunn Hemp - it's a great legume!

[@timothymullen1584]

Thanks man! So if I understand it correctly you plant something like this and sunflowers in early spring and then in late summer plant into the standing hemp?

[@jacobwaterman3601]

Always appreciate this kind of content. Do have one question on trying to use the release process and yet get close to financial sustainability in regards to cost. Can you get to a point where you can get enough cash crops to get closer to a breakeven point and still maintain a year round grocery store for the deer? How do you perceive harvesting that cash crop and not having that mulch to continue the cycle?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Jacob - The answer to your question depends on the acreage planted. If you have a few small food plots, then no - there will be no financial return. If you are converting a row crop farm to the Release Process then yes!

[@woodyaborn5641]

I love it but how many people can buy one of these no till drills?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Actually many brands are in short supply!

[@randyfairbrother8173]

I love your channel and the way you thank our lord and savior after every video but I have a question! my property is quite moist, can this work in my area?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Thanks Randy! Forage crops don't like wet feet. If the soil is saturated or very moist crop grow will likely be limited.

[@cantgetenoughoutdoors3258]

This is totally off of subject sir but I trust you very much! Love your honesty. Im getting a total shoulder replacement on my left shoulder im a right handed shooter. Im getting it done after this season, I can still draw back im shooting 52 lds. Do you know anyone who has had this done and are able to shoot? Thank you and heep up the great work!!!

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Thanks for the kind words! I don't know anyone that's had a shoulder replacement. I'm sure your healthcare team will have a recovery/therapy plan and they will provide great counsel! I hope you are blessed with a great recovery!! Keep me posted!

[@JimmyDickens1]

God be with you during this trying time! I’ve got shoulder issues, too, which preclude me from drawing a bow. So I switched to crossbow. Never skipped a beat regarding archery season!

[@alanwhite4839]

I can rent a grain drill but can’t yet afford a crimper. Can i use glysophate instead of a crimper?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Alan - Glyphosate can be used but there are negatives besides cost to using a crimper.

[@benbryan3315]

I want to use this same technique to plant cover crops as forage for my intestine rotational grazing plan for my small grass fed beef operation in south Texas. No till drills are pretty expensive and big for typical AG use ones. Is there one anyone recommends for use on about 100 acres?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Ben - I'm glad you are using rotational grazing! An 5' or 8' drill would be great for 100 acres - 5' if you are planting as your rotation and 8' if you plant the entire pasture at once. Steel prices are very high. Be sure you purchase a quality unit - new or used. Most NRCS offices rent drills for a very reasonable price.

[@rydaddy2867]

I have a conflict between a couple videos and I hope Grant or staff has an answer. Trying to figure out if it contributed to my No-Till soybeans this year getting 6" tall and basically staying there all summer. You've mentioned plants getting J-hooked roots from penetrating down a few inches, hitting hard-pack, and having stunted growth: this seems to directly conflict with NEVER tilling the soil. How will always planting No-Till not lead to a very shallow root base and stunted plants? The Proving Grounds is soil you've made on rock, but roots can penetrate gravel. This guy's farm is soil on sand, again, roots can penetrate. Our place is soil on packed clay. Out in the crop fields, that stuff is rolled over every year and the clay is "shattered", for lack of a better term. I think, in the plots, that packed clay remains impenetrable if I No-Till (based on the soybean observations this year), but if we do till, it's all giant slabs that bury the good soil and nothing grows on the slabs of clay until they weather for about 3 years. A plot we broke open in 2018 is just now getting it's 1st GOOD result 3 years later. We put Buster Radishes on it, specifically trying to "punch" holes down a foot or more and make some soil depth.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

RyDaddy - Disking loosens the top few inches of the soil. However, it causes a layer of compaction just before where the disk reaches. This is especially true with clay soils. If blends of species are planted, their different root shapes and size will till the soil. In addition, disking kills beneficial earthworms and other species that will loosen the soil and improve the soil's health. I shared more about this in a recent webinar and we'll share that on this channel soon!

[@rydaddy2867]

@@GrowingDeerTV I love when my plotting problems line up with future episodes! :)

[@richstafford1245]

Big argument I hear is in places like Iowa with heavy black top soil. They say no till won’t work because of soil compaction. There are other reasons but that seems to be the most used excuse.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Rich - the real excuse i folks don't want to change. Plant roots left in place do a great job of aerating the soil! Disking creates a hardpan - the research is clear on this!

[@danthiesse5108]

Can I use a John Deere van brunt drill to plant summer and fall release blend??

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Dan - Those were good drills! However, they aren't build to be a no-till. If the soil where you wish to plant is very sandy, it may work as a no till but likely won't cover the seed. You might try using it in a small plot and see how it works!

[@danthiesse5108]

@@GrowingDeerTV yes it is sandy soil just like in the video, I think I will try it in a small plot.

[@jrszepesi]

What brand or seed mixture did you use?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

I get seed from GreenCoverFoodPlots.com. I really like the blends they offer.

[@sullimd]

Hey come down to my place in Alabama...give an example of the Deep South for the channel. You can do a full before and after, stay at the cabin. I’ll feed you. 😄 Seriously though, really excited this year about the Fall blend. Already talking about the summer blend for next year, because planting just buckwheat did perfect this year. Deer are eating it every day, pretty surprised about that. Seen more deer pre-season than I’ve ever seen in the last 5 years of owning the property.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

TGSR - Wow - Congratulations on the success of your project!

[@whitetailcartel80]

I’ve been using a poor man’s version of your no till system for about 5 years. Hogs ( which we’ve NEVER had before) showed up…destroyed my chufa and rooted big holes in no till field! Really don’t want to harrow..any suggestions? And thanks so much for your channel!

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Dang hogs. The only advice I have is to trap as many as you can and keep doing it! If you continue pursuing them they will often find a safer place to live!

[@whitetailcartel80]

Thank you ! Knocked one down….and sign has diminished. But I’m staying on them…trap building is definitely in my future!

[@beachbum1523]

You could start by posting signs on your property informing feral hogs that they are not permitted on your land! 🤪

[@alanwhite4839]

Explain what is a poor man’s version? I probably qualify for that.

[@whitetailcartel80]

A man who can’t afford 15k on a no till drill and 7k for a crimper! And I definitely qualify! Thanks for watching!

[@robertpage2927]

How well will this work around cows

[@GrowingDeerTV]

If the cattle have access to the plot, they'd likely consume most of the forage. Most folks use an electric fence to keep the cattle out of plots.

[@robertpage2927]

I am just making sure I don't cause a problem rancher let's me hunt thanks for input

[@joshward9835]

All this sounds great but 85percent of us can’t get a no till drill. How do we do it then?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Josh - checkout the Hidey Hole plot episode we will release soon! All hand tools and very productive - or the FB live we did yesterday and is still on Grant Woods Facebook.

[@robertsmith8699]

What about the people that don’t have access or the funds to get access or buy a drill?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Robert - the system can be used with the broadcast method, but the results won't be as quick or as good.

[@BrentHasty]

When you no till drill your seed in blend in biochar and drill them in together

[@lifebreadbakeryandminifarm2834]

I really want to try this method on my property, but the heavy price tag of a no till drill is a huge deterrent. Can you guys post a video showing the process of doing this without a no till drill, or potentially without any equipment? I already have pretty decent soil on my land and I don't want to kill it with over tillage, but the soil has a tendency to get too hard and when that happens the seeds can't break through.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

DeerSlayer - most NRCS offices rent drills. You should ask in our county. We have shown a few episodes about using this technique with hand tools. Check them out!

[@jonnastephkorenek-vaden591]

How can you do this without a no-till drill?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Seed can be broadcast on to plots that have been burned or treated with herbicide. The full benefits requires a no-till.

[@ColbyBlack]

What’s the cost for something like this, including planning with you?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Colby - There are lots of variables including travel distance, size of property, etc. If you'd like a quote for your project please share the location, property, size and your objectives to [e-mail]

[@75thshootist]

So ragweed is good, and your ok with native grass. He said that last year he had weeds as tall as his food plot. If this is true why is the food plot better then just letting it be weeds?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Shootist - forage species are usually more digestible - a higher percentage of the plant is digestible. Some of the weeds at George's weren't attractive to or digestible by deer.

[@75thshootist]

Seems logical. Thanks.

[@75thshootist]

I can't argue with how good that food plot looks

[@futtermanfarms6791]

love the mix, hate the Glyphosate

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Once the Release process is rolling, no or rarely a need for glyphosate! I haven't purchased or used any in a while!

[@futtermanfarms6791]

@@GrowingDeerTV Excellent!

[@GunnyArtG]

I’m in west Texas and I guess I’m still skeptical it would work in our arid climate.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

You may wish to Google Regenerative Ag and the Chihuahua desert in Mexico. I believe you will be amazed! Conserving soil moisture makes a HUGE difference!

[@GunnyArtG]

@@GrowingDeerTV will do thanks

[@crippleateer8166]

So you want that blend to go to seed? Why?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Cripple - I must have miscommunicated. Either the browse pressure or crimping limited the the blend from producing viable seed.

[@thomasg4324]

*No Till Drills are too expensive for me.* I just scracth, seed, roll, and/or crimp. Just don't have the time for No Till Drills.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Thomas - I understand the cost but using a no till take fewer passes and less them then scratching, seeding, rolling.

[@shermanwatters7503]

Any chance you can connect me with George? I'd like to see if a co-op order from Green Cover could happen to save a bunch of money on shipping cost. Our 50 acre farm, FredNeck Acres, is also in east Texas.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Sherman - It will be better to reach out to GreenCoverFoodPlots.com. They coordinate all the drop points, etc.!

[@patterson_homestead]

What about west texas

[@GrowingDeerTV]

It's a bit drier that but we've worked in far west Texas.

[@patterson_homestead]

@@GrowingDeerTV that's gives me some confidence. I got a small piece of land (2 acres) and a bunch of goat heads. So I was going to try clover and annual rye this fall

[@markwilkins9944]

I wanna free no till drill

[@aw4088]

Who doesn't!

[@markwilkins9944]

AW $13500 will buy a lot of filet mignon

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Many NRCS offices rent no-till drills.

[@rydaddy2867]

I'm trying to hook up with a friend of a friend who cuts down full-size No-Till drills (think Industrial Ag size...24-32 rows) to food plot sized ones: 10 rows max, usually more like 6-8 rows. If he has one available, it's $3-5000, but it seems he only has a few a year, if he was able to get a 24 row machine he can cut down to three 8-rows machines, you know? I rented one of the full-size units this spring, it was ALL that our largest tractor could do to pull it through the dirt; obviously not an industrial ag sized tractor, but not small. Everything came up great, but its WAY too cumbersome to use and was 20 or 24 rows...wider than a lane of traffic. Seriously...I took out a few plastic pedestrian crossing signs dragging it to the farm before I realized just how far it stuck out wider than the truck...I'm amazing I didn't clip a parked car where I had to skirt through town.

[@patrickhenry7416]

Why use glysophate to kill all that growth? Don’t you just crimp it again or burn it? Thanks!

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Patrick - George did crimp unless a plot had a lot of weeds.

[@levyadams1225]

If you don’t have a crimper, does dragging a harrow or just mowing the cover. Crop a bit high work too?

[@johnhenry8325]

600 hrs bs that's 6 weeks at 100 hrs a week Really guys

[@GrowingDeerTV]

John - Multiple tractors and operators.

[@joshsinglefooter]

2 things. I haven't heard as of late. Are you all still using the Goliath crimper? I see the summer release blend is soybean heavy any more. Any reason why?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

I do use a Goliath crimper! Deer were consuming all the beans within a few weeks of being planted so created blends that work better here and for several of my friends.