Just purchased a new chunk of land in Minnesota. The property has a 16 acre main field that is connected to a 3 acre smaller kill plot. Plan is to put roughly 10 acres of Alfalfa in the main field to be harvested by neighboring farmer, and divide the other tillable into corn, turnips, radishes, and clover. My questions is , if we have 10 acres of alfalfa would there be any real need for 2-3 of clover? Ive had awesome experience with clover in smaller kill plots. Lets hear some opinions!
Like bowhtr1 said variety is key. Keep a variety of food and cover along with water and you will hold more deer on the property. plus clover makes for an excellent kill plot and is easy to maintain with a little mowing and some spraying
I have little experience with alfalfa. Does it last as late into the season as clover or does it get burned by frost quickly?
Personally speaking unless deer numbers are INSANE....the need for 13 acres of pure food is just not the case. I'd personally put some serious thought into establishing some switch grass chunks (5 acres or maybe two 3 acre chunks) that will enhance the property, provide a diverse bedding option not currently available. Oh consider putting in a 2-3 acre field of dogwood, hazelnut, plum for food source but also cover/bedding again of a different option. All that said though if the income off the alfalfa is assisting in ways you can't end currently I would continue... The remaining 3 acre chunk I'd be splitting it up to 2 or three smaller plots with screens or bush plantings or MG (miscanthus) and begin a rotational sweep of the plots including but not limited to clover/chicory, cereal grains and brassica plots.
I couldn't agree more with this. On a slightly related note, does anyone have any suggestions on where to buy switchgrass or miscanthus seeds? Every place I have found them online seem crazy expensive.
MG I like Lacey Creek but they won't be doing orders in spring so Maple River will be my source for 2018 Switchgrass mix I like is bedding in a bag by Real World personally.
Thanks for quick reply. That looks like a decent option for the miscanthus. I did some digging and found some good options for the switchgrass. Roundstone native seeds and deer creek seeds both seem like good options for buying switchgrass seed.
Check with your local feed store as most of them handle a variety of seeds also. Probably be less expensive to buy from them than on line. They may have some other options once you strike up the conversation.
