Monday, September 15, 2008

Fall season preparation. Rye/rape/turnips/scrapes

The excitement builds as all 3 acres are ramping up their production. Check out the healthy sign here in the Extreme plot. Big sign = big deer. Here's a closeup of the small burnett and chicory. It's the Extreme mix from the WhiteTail Institute; a good perennial crop for bad soil and dry conditions. After a solid 2 days of rain, it's back strong after being beaten down by the heat and dry conditions here in Michigan lately. This hardy perennial mix will keep producing year after year.
I'm thinking this may be the first scrape of the season, complete with the overhanging branch they love to use to rub on their pre-orbital gland. We'll watch it and put the cam here if it shows more use.Here's a look at the plot where I put in rape and turnips on August 11. The rape is coming up around 3" or so, and will be prime for hunting season. It goes sweet after a frost as the sugars come into the leaves. The deer really hit it when that happens.
This appears to be almost all 'volunteer' seeding from the buckwheat I had in prior. After mowing it and disking it under, I get a free round of crop from the seed. NICE!
Here's a look at the rye I put in on the 6th(150 #/acre). 9 days later it's already 4-6". Rye is a good cover crop, to be turned under in the spring as a green manure to help build my soil.Another spike checking out the minerals. Watch out!