RE: Feeder vs. FoodPlot
It depends on your objectives. Are you trying to bring in animals for possible harvest or are you trying to implement a program to increase deer size, antler score, carrying capacity, etc.?
Where I hunt in South Texas, a warm season food plot is next to impossible without irrigation and intense farming techniques, and so protein feeders are the only real option during the warm months. (11 out of 12 months it seems).