Sunflower Field Update
 

For those of you who followed the progress of the sunflower field plot we did this spring - Here' s the updated picture - plus the Summer picture to compare.

Sorry if the pictures take a long time to load.




summer picture:


To give you a better overall picture of the 7 acre field - Here is this picture from Sept.



In the foreground is 2 acres of Rye -& 1/2 acre Red clover. The Rye from last year was disked in to make the new (green strips) of rye - Mature Rye from last fall' s planting was left to provide feed for mice, birds, and cover for deer.

Next is the Sunflowers (1-1/2 acres) - then the corn (1-1/2 acres) Note: soybeans were mixed in the corn & sunflowers as well - though its questionable if the deer were ever really aware of the food source - it grew well.

Then - behind the corn - a 2 acre alsike - red clover/grass mixture - 2 acres - cannot see in the picture.

Overall - Generally - I don' t think the sunflowers compare to the corn - The cover is sparce and the food attraction to this point seems to be limited to ALOT of birds. Maybe when the snow flies - the deer will like it more - but my money is on the corn.

RE: Sunflower Field Update
 

farm hunter; those are some good looking fields. best of luck on them this year.
Wish I had that much land to use for plots. al together I have about two acers.

RE: Sunflower Field Update
 

I' ve been waiting months to see how the sunflowers would turn out. It looks like you got a very reasonable crop. Are the turkeys using the sunflowers? Keep us posted as the snow starts to fly, with your large deer population they should start to use alternate food sources.

The cajun flavoured peanuts taste better than the plain ones at Sabres games. Maybe you just need a little spice.

Dan O.

RE: Sunflower Field Update
 

Dan - Its funny - The Turkeys act like they haven' t found the sunflowers. The are concentrating on the neighbor' s chopped corn fields ( the last couple weeks) I expect that once snow covers the ground - turkeys will find the Sunflower Heads " just the right height" - if there is any seed left.

The Best part of the field is the diversity its brought. The songbird population on the property has increased MANY fold - especially goldfinches all September, as the head south. All the birds (and I suspect mice too) have brought in the foxes and coyotes to hunt the feild every evening. - Hawks seem to be trolling a bit more too.

I find I like sunflowers - and will probably find places for them in my plots in the future.

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RE: Sunflower Field Update
 

Rack -

Thats a good question - but there is a good reason for leaving them standing - same with the corn.

If we mow em down now - the will too get a lot of use from all animals - true. But, food is not scarce right now - big apple crop, beach nuts, and the farmer neighbor is chopping corn right now. The cover is more important right now - we have deer bedding in this very feild right now - and eating the clover, rye, apples etc - and ignoring the sunflowers/corn. We average 150" snow here/year - and this plot will be very usefull to the turkeys and deer come January. Last year - the standing corn was very hot in Early December - 2ft snow on the groung the last 2 weeks of the season - we took several does/bucks and passed dozens. Not every year do we have alot of snow in season - but when we do - the standing crops PULL deer from very far away.

RE: Sunflower Field Update
 

Farmhunter---your pictures are very good, as usual. How much sunflower seed did you plant in the 1 and a half acres? My corn is still standing but has no corn left on it. I' m getting a lot better at this food plot business and I thank you for a lot of it. I have planted a half acre of some of Lunchbuckets secret stuff and it looks very promising even though I put it in very late.

RE: Sunflower Field Update
 

Terry- It was just a few pounds of Birdseed bought bulk at the local hardware store - maybe 7 or 8 lbs I think. - It was like $6.00???



The seed was Black Oil Sunflower.

RE: Sunflower Field Update
 

7-8 LBs on a half acre and your fieldturned out like that??? We' ll have to do some experimentation/research with this stuff...
Lawn, how did the Vit/Min turn out?

RE: Sunflower Field Update
 

Tom, I was really surprised, the deer went for it like bees to honey. They are pawing the ground up like it was deer caine. Was lousey weather but took some pictures of the test plot yesterday and will send them to you. Am surprised at how well it is comeing along even though we planted almost a month late. [&:]:D terry