Planting a Beaver Swamp with Rice for Ducks | A Family Tradition

We bring the kids along for the annual "Planting of the Rice". We plant a drained beaver pond with pre-soaked agricultural rice. Come along with us!

[@terryporche9059]

Great job with kids going along to help.

[@waveoglesby2920]

I’m hoping to plant rice next year in one of my impoundments. I live just west of Raleigh so I enjoy following you and all your hard work!

[@Yellowlab247_NC_Outdoors]

Do it! Thanks for following along

[@cervus-venator]

Very cool. I see you were really hot from all of that work. Re-ding my brown top today about killed me as I spread it with a bag spreader this time. That was a lot of walking in the hot sun.

[@Yellowlab247_NC_Outdoors]

Was overcast for most of the work but sun popped out at the end and it was hot! Good luck with the millet! Finally got some rain

[@bobcostas1331]

Hi - river seed refuge sells pre soaked rice. They say it needs keep cold in the water. Do you cool your water when you soak?

[@Yellowlab247_NC_Outdoors]

This is Ag rice, very different than the wild rice that River Refuge sells. Their rice has to be cold soaked to break dormancy, this does not. We only soak to speed up germination. I am learning that water seeding it dry is easier and works just as good as presoaking, if not better. Thanks for watching!

[@WorkingManOutdoors]

How wrapped up in red bugs and ticks were yall when you got done? I have to go out in long pants treated in Permethin or I get wrapped up every time! Good job though, been thinking about doing this. We are in NC also

[@Yellowlab247_NC_Outdoors]

None reported! We have a good path in there and once you’re in the swamp it’s not bad. I got Rocky Mountain fever a month ago from a tick in Chatham county, that sucked

[@WorkingManOutdoors]

@@Yellowlab247_NC_Outdoors Had that before, do not endorse! LOL

[@josephcioni5293]

Do wild hogs impact rice or would you not recommend rice if you have hogs?

[@Yellowlab247_NC_Outdoors]

No idea but if I had to guess they will make a mess of it! Deer don’t seem to mess with it and neither do the coons.

[@philmccumbee6938]

Where do you get your rice?

[@nathanielchoate69]

I have volunteer millet out competing my rice. Is there anything I can do or will the rice still grow?

[@Yellowlab247_NC_Outdoors]

Ah man that's tough. Millet is going to grow a lot faster and may win the day. I am not versed in rice herbicides, but I am betting there is not much that kills millet but not rice unless it is a Clearfield variety of rice. I could be wrong

[@nathanielchoate69]

@@Yellowlab247_NC_Outdoors gotcha. Thanks. I’m just gonna let nature take its course and see what happens. I’ll probably spray the volunteer millet next year with roundup before I plant rice if the rice doesn’t end up doing too well

[@Yellowlab247_NC_Outdoors]

@@nathanielchoate69 Seed is seed if it will all produce, good luck !