gjs4

Hi guys.
I was hoping to frost seed a few of the open areas of the farm in a month or so. I had intended on going with a variety of clovers but it dawned on me we have nothing for the turkeys anywhere. This is inwestern NY.

Any suggestions?

RayC

I think about the only thing close to a turkey magnet is chufa, and its growing season is to long for us in the north (from what I have heard). Good thing is they will eat a lot of the same things deer will, like clover. For the spring, an early growing clover might be good. For summer, buckwheat could be good (they like the seeds) if the deer don't learn to like it before the seeds are ready. The birds were eating some of the brassicia leaves in one plot we put in last fall in NY. I think there is a bunch of other seed producers that may be attraction to them also but I can't remember the names of them.

DanM3029

for turkeys in the NE, I think the key is seeds and bugs in the spring. So I would suggest planting a grass that attracts bugs!

farm hunter

I was really surprised this winter to see how much the turkeys are in the brassicas. They are tearing them up.
I agree with Dan, a good clover plot attracts lots of bugs and the turkey also like the clover itself, at least the birds I've taken always seem to have some in their drop. They like oats (and most plants) when they 1st come up.

People say buckwheat - but when we planted it they seemed to like clover a lot more.

Last Standing Corn is #1 in the winter, especially if you get much snow.

FH

gjs4

I was thinking clover and alfalfa.....i know i can get the clover to take with minimal effort; but not sure how tough the alfalfa wil be to seed.

farmhunter- I drove through cazenovia today- nice area!

farm hunter

amazing how little snow 'eh? We usually have 2-3 ft on the ground this time of year.

Alfalfa is difficult, only because it truly needs close to 7.0 ph. Don't even try without a soil test - its too expensive to have it fail. Clover is much more forgiving, red clovers grow taller and are similarto alfafa but easier(treat them like a 2 year plot). White clovers don't usually get above 12"-16" but the deer prefer them - that what I plant.

FH

RayC

For longer term habitat management you might want to consider fruit/seed bearing shrubs (in particular things that persist into winter) also , perhaps along the edges of plots/woods. New york has some suggeststions here:

http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7279.html

gjs4

I was up in Rome earlier in the day and was just marvelled at how little there was.

I went through your webpage and wnat to say we have a similar apporach but are still big buck hungry. western Ny and Caz have their diffrences- bt I like what you have done and will be borrow some of your techniques. I really appreciate your help.

Ray- great link. I have never seen that before. It is interesting to see how similar the turkey plot suggestions are to the waterfowl plot suggestions I have seen.