Spring Planting

This past weekend I met my dad down at the cabin on Sunday to get some more off season work done. Dad got down there early and got started on the mowing. In addition to mowing the driveway, yard and trails, the clover food plots all needed mowed as well.

While dad was out mowing, I got started on planting. I had 2 quarter acre food plots to plant to oats and annual clovers. These plots will be plowed down in late summer when they will be planted to cereal grains for the fall. In addition, I had 3 sections of plot screen (Egyptian wheat) to plant. 

Tilling for plot screen on the small field

Raking rocks off to plant plot screen

Fertilizer spread for plot screen

Dad and I worked very efficiently in getting all of the food plots planted. Dad pulled the disc and drag while I did the fertilizing and seeding. We ended up wrapping up early enough for dad to drive home with plenty of day light left.

Ready to broadcast the oats

Dad dragging in the oats on the small field

Oats and clover all planted

While out working in the big field, dad and I managed to scare a hen turkey off her nest. It took some looking around but I managed to find the nest and snap a couple of pictures. 

Turkey next hiding in the overgrown field

After getting the planting done, Hunter and I took a walk to check on the pumpkin patch and the expanded ridge food plot that were both planted 2 weeks earlier. With the combination of rain and warm sunny days over the past couple of weeks, everything was growing nicely. 

10 of 12 pumpkin mounds were coming up

A bit hard to see, but clover is coming up well on the ridge

After the work was done for the day, I was washed up and my tummy was full, I did my usual and stepped out on the cabin porch to admire the beautiful view. As I stepped out, I noticed a doe wandering around at the end of the apple orchard.

The doe is interested in me as much as I was in her

As the sun set on a wonderful day of work I had a lot to look forward to because my wife, Erin and my 2 girls were coming down to visit the following day. Look for an update in my "Pat the Dad" blog coming soon!

Cabin Work Day

Last Friday I left work a bit early so that I could head out to the Heartland Co-op in Minburn with my 5 gallon buckets to get food plot fertilizer. Just like every year, the workers had a good chuckle at me with my buckets but again they were very nice and helpful. With a smaller truck, I wasn't able to fit all of the buckets in the bed, so a few had to come in the cab with me.

On Saturday morning I headed down to the cabin to meet Dad and get some work done. He did some turkey hunting while he was down there with little luck (although he did see a lot of deer). With a freshly repaired ATV and chainsaws that started up right away, we were able to make quick work of the to do list.

Dad had finished the mowing on Friday evening, so I got to work on planting the pumpkin patch while I waited for him to return from hunting.

Pumpkins planted (you can see the posts with flags on each mound)

All of the food plots were growing well. I spread fertilizer on all of the clover plots to help give them a boost for the year. The rye/clover left from the cereal grain plots last fall are nearing the level to need mowing, but I decided to hold off until my next visit on Memorial Day weekend. I sprayed off last seasons brassica plots in preparation for planting to oats and clover in a couple of weeks. 

Rye and clover growing well

Lastly, we prepped and planted the expanded ridge food plot into clover. This is the food plot that I shot my first buck last year and has been one of the best spots on the property since we purchased it. I'm very excited to hunt over this food plot in the fall. 

With a new 7 to 4 pin adapter for my truck, I was able to bring the boat home this trip. Hoping for good weather next Monday so Erin and I can hit the lake. 

Boat hooked up and ready to go

My next planned trip down is Memorial Day weekend to finish my spring planting, mow, and if the weather is good, enjoy some time with my girls playing at the cabin.