3 Ways To Start A New Food Plot 

Finally hats!!!!!!

Another great video....all I could think about with the log pile was firewood with the price of oil. I do use tractor and tiller, spray roundup after green up, and then use a bag seeder like yours. I am slowly coming around to your way of doing things though. Regards from Maine.

I love this, but it is very hard to follow. I feel like there are a thousand different combinations and if I don’t get it right it’s going to be a failed plot. Are your web classes just like this or do they break down what to do, when, and where to plant certain types of plots? If so I’d be willing to buy one, but after this I honestly feel more confused b/c there was no chronological order to it. you have this abundance of knowledge that I want to learn from, but it’s hard to organize my thoughts from this video. Maybe something in chronological order, like this time of year do this, then this time of year do this, all the way through the fall and winter until you start again. Thank you so much for all you do, this stuff is awesome, maybe it’s just my adult ADHD going nuts, but it’s just hard for me to make sense of it. Thank you!

Can you make a video explaining your seed your selling on your website please

Question I live in Northwest Alabama and this will be my first year hunting ever. I am not sure where to start. My wife has about 20 Acres and I was wanting to hunt off of that land. What is the best way to get started as a new hunter?

Just purchased a new property this week, mowing the fallow field down then spraying it. Can I seed brassicas right into the exposed soil? I’m assuming it’s too late to do the buckwheat no till…

#8 lol better than 9

Another great video thanks again! Before I found your channel few years back not knowing I used to just push mow an old hay feild which took over found out later wasted my time. Then I found your channel and started spraying broadcasting seed worked very well but then we started putting cows back there. Now this year in this little 10 acres chunk half cedar swamp half maple/oak mix I leaf blowed an acre of hardwoods section along the swamp then garden raked the soil deffiantley took sometime had the kids help me haha. Added your mock scrape which I always do public or private huge success with it. Also was amazed on all the acorns that were in between the leaf layers didn't get to the dirt . I broadcasted alot of clover and bought every small seed I could find and local feed store so far clovers is doing good haven't been back in a week to see anything else is coming up. Plan was to keep broadcasting clover get it ready for the kids for the youth hunt in September. Also was thinking now being how the dirt is exposed the acorns dropping might actually sprout to the ground idk if you think that's possible or not? Also located in northern Michigan Manistee county.

Hi Jeff. I'm a 58 year old widow of 4 years, that loves hunting (In 36 years I've killed 54 deer, and all but 6 have been bucks). From the time I started hunting, when I would shoot smaller bucks, until we decided to let the smaller bucks walk and concentrate on trying to harvest bigger bucks. And I've been very blessed to accomplish that. I've continued to plant food plots, by myself, after my husband of 30 years passed away. I would like to share a few photos of my food plots from the last couple of years with you and this group. Could you tell me where I can post my pics? I hunt in SW Virginia and I do not plant corn or soybeans, but I've sowed a 4 clover blend, brassicas, winter peas, winter wheat, cereal rye etc. I've learned a lot from your videos this year. I normally sow my plots around labor day, if there is rain forecasted, because if it isn't going to rain I hold off, because the turkeys will get in my plots and have a feast on my seed LOL I haven't been spraying my plots, but I think they've turned out pretty well, but I plan to follow your instructions on weed control. One of the areas that I plant is what used to be pasture land, but I have a neighbor that I let mow it for hay a couple of times a year, to keep the field clean, and have tender green grasses for the deer, during the summer months. I don't plant the whole field in a food plot, just a small portion of it. Again, is there a way I can share pics of my food plots with you and the group? Love your advice, your knowledge and your videos. Have a great day 🦌🦌🦌

I'm a rookie when it comes to food plots and I appreciate all your content. Thank you.

Appreciate your content and advice Jeff. Just cleared 5 acres of pine, stumped, burned, limed and planted. Buckwheat starting to come up and it looks great. I’m excited for the fall plot ‘no till’ possibilities. Thanks for sharing your knowledge bud.

1,2 and 3... Rain lol Still a drought in WNY ! Hopefully late August will be all better 🤞 Thank you Jeff.. great info 🏹🦌

Great video. I am thinking of getting plot start for my plots we have, they need help. We just sprayed to start clean. We have approximately 3 acres total, that’s several small food plots added together. I had several soil samples done and it does call for quite a bit of lime. I was curious if Plotstart would be a better route to take versus buying lime? Thank you and your videos as usual are very educational and much appreciated. Thank you in advance as I know you are busy.

You are the corn king. Was that a no till drill for corn?

Jeff, as I said a few days ago, the severe drought destroyed my buckwheat plantings, so I’m going to spray glyphosate to get the plots prepped for fall plantings early August. I can only hope and pray that rain will come later this summer and fall. My plots are hard to get to with machinery other than an atv, so they were all cleared by hand. So much time and energy spent to just see it burn away from no rain. It’s frustrating but I’ll keep plugging away. I watched Don Mealey struggle with drought all last fall, but he never gave up and finally ended up having beautiful plots. If he can do it at his advanced age, then so can I. Hoping all goes well for everyone this fall!

Hi Jeff, this is the video I've been looking forward to. Thanks a lot! One question though, I opened two plots and it has a lot of woody scrub brush stems left after a forestry mulcher came in and also an area with agressive fern growth. Will Gly and 2-4D kill these off so I can get down to dirt?

I carved out 3 .....1/4 acre + plots in thick brush this summer.....on 1 knee with a 18 inch pull cut handsaw.....at 50 years old....im in muh prime ! Could do without the copperheads taking years off my heart tho !...

Jeff !! You knocked this one out of the park brother ! One of the best ,most informative food plot video I’ve ever watched. I’m in the mountains of Va without any crop field only hay. Grass fed beef is the big thing around here now. All the old dairy farms are long gone along with all the corn fields. So food plots are very attractive come fall/winter. My properties boarders a15,000 acre Boy Scouts reservation wilderness ! 😊 Thanks for all your help through all your many videos sir. You have made me look at a lot of things in ways I hadn’t before. And I’m pushin 50 yr old lol.

I have a couple questions. I missedthe may spraying of glyphosate but did in early june. I bought a 30 gallon pull behind sprayer. Had to run over it a few times to use all i mixed. It is a real good kill. If i dont seeany weeds by late July should i stillspray another coat of glyphosate? Next question,Can you mix plot till and plotstart in the same spraying?

Got a bunch of free Beans can I plant beans with clover an radish?

When you say corn and beans aren't great, you're referring to a fall planting throwing seed on soil right? Is this due to their large seed size? How about smaller bean seed in place of soy beans in a fall planting?

Great advice in this video. It really gives those of us "absentee" landowners real hope for food plots and our lack of "big" equipment. Looking forward to broadcasting seed into the buckwheat and doing our final spraying of the year in mid-August. Thank you for providing PRACTICAL advice on improving our property and the hunt.

Would you hold off on planting the switchgrass around the plot until fall? Or wait until spring? I assume you wouldn’t be putting down switchgrass seed now?

great video jeff im making my food plots bigger to did you lime the new area or just plant buckwheat in it?

Just started a new plot this year after a few months of cutting trees. I wasn't thinking and sprayed 24D and Gly on it to kill everything. Had to plant clover this year instead of brassicas but probably not a bad thing to get some nitrogen in there plus controlling weeds in clover is easy.

I'm checking out your seed mix online, I curious on the seed contents

What are you pulling behind the four wheeler knocking down the tall stuff

Just placed an order for my fall greens blend on your website.. for all the info you give us, it’s the least I can do to give back. I’m Sure it will be great.

Get yourself (and Dylan) a Thermacell MR450 brother. Thanks for this video - I've used each of those methods since 2016, my first food plot - your info has made them all so much better. Thanks for all you do.

Good advice. I was planning on starting to clear some brush out a couple weeks ago, but the 2 4wd tractors we have won't work (one is too small & can't get a loader for the other), and if someone does have a 4wd tractor with loader the right size in stock they are way overpriced. Yes, I need 4wd or tracks, if it rains it is swampy. The local contractors I have used in the past have enough work to keep them busy until winter.

This is one of the best videos I've seen Jeff! Thanks Joe

I’m working on four small plots. 1: crimped and mowed 2: tilled and sprayed 3: brush hogged and sprayed This video is sooooooo appreciated 👍

outstanding video's Mr Sturgis been following for years. Been planting with just sprayer and seeder for a few years now. Went with NW Brassica blend this year. will plant as soon as I see a good rain event, but when should I use the plot start and when should I hit it with nitro. ploit start before planting or after, how tall before nitro? oh also got plot boost as well.

Jeff, So on the new plot with the "super mix" what is your steps in spring/summer next season to have it ready for a good fall blend again? Will you be spraying?

Always great information Jeff, truly appreciate it

I used to go nuts with food plots on my southern tier NY property, now just brush hog & lime right over the weeds, not planting anything (out of lazyness), still brings in deer.

Can peas and beans be used with your ultimate no till method? I plan on using your green forage blend from northwoods whitetails.

Thanks so much Jeff for all your knowledge

Very helpful video Jeff! When you planted the HD Screen from Northwoods did you till the area you were planting it in or use a no till method?

Hey man I have 13 acres, tons of doe,small bucks but nice bucks come in after rifle opens and it’s all thicket any advice?

Is your fall power greens same as WHS green forage blend with Northwoodswhitetails or very similar? Looking to place an order today.

Wish your seed would have come out sooner, I bought green machine from the old domain is there anything in the mix that’s bad

Thanks Jeff! Getting so close to plant food plots!

Have you ever planted red clover?. Heard it’s good to. All I’ve ever planted was white and crimson. Thinkin bout frost seeding this winter my clover plot with red clover. My local Rural king in ky carries it. Thinkin bout it. What you say

First

Just brush hogged 2 acres to a height of 8 inches to keep a little height for seed to soil contact and get a decent mash over with a packer. Going to glyphosate and spread a blend of clover, chickory, brassicas, and then soy. Not everything blended together. Clover and chickory with the brassicas in a fairly small plot. Soy is going in alone because it is roundup ready and I plan on weed controlling it with glyphosate. I hope this works. I hit everything with lime to get good my pH. If I screw up, I'll try again next year and winter rye it in September as a last ditch.

Is the WHS blend available for pickup at your place? I’m only about 15 minutes from you.

So got another ? Lol. So does the birds not get the seed if you don’t till it under? I’ve always killed and or tilled sometimes both. Then spread the seed and run a disc over it. But I like what your method is. Do you not at least run a cultipacker over it?

Another excellent video Jeff lots of details we’ll done my food plot is starting to take off lots of work but we’ll worth it. Is there any I can order stuff your website because has no way nothing from Ontario Canada great work like always

Hey Jeff dealing with a drought in upstate New York haven’t had any substantial rain fall for at least a month normally buckwheat would be 36 inches by now gonna spray herbicides end of July and hopefully get a jump on fall blend 🤦‍♂️

I decided at the last moment, 2 weeks ago, to expand a Food Plot with exactly the same weed situation as your first example. I hand sprayed with Glyphosate & 2-4D. I will be putting in Peas, Oats & Buckwheat and add Winter Rye later. Then spray in May with the same combination and plant Buckwheat in June. I am hoping to have the weeds under control for next fall

Brassica food plots going in tomorrow due to being gone for upcoming 4 weeks for work, tried the buckwheat this spring, they ate every piece of it , two 1/2 acre plots, your videos and advice is awesome to help me transform my property

6 -25-24/ I’ve sprayed 3 times and mowed before sprayed. I have a new hay field. I’m in Lawrenceburg ky. I watch you and John. About 2 acres split up with he screen. How to get seed and dirt contact with a mat of fescue dead grass. What are your thoughts of just running a disc at a less aggressive pass just try to get the larger seed into the dirt then pack and seed clover

Your channel is the only reason I have food plots now. We didn't have heavy equipment. A tractor but no discer, tiller, or side by side sprayer.. The spraying and spreading method has worked wonderfully. I just walk the plots with a hand sprayer. I appreciate all the educational content. Thank you.

Are the brassica plantings you just did separate from the no till method with buckwheat you normally discuss, as you state that brassica doesn't go in until sometime in august. Just curious. Thanks again Jeff!

Hey Jeff, some of my buckwheat has been getting yellow leafs lately, is that from drought?

Your the man !! Love your videos

So u can throw Radish Turnip Rape ladino clover brassica right on top of the soil and it'll take well with lime down and nitrogen? I've always thought that stuff had to be put under like 1/4 inch?

I like most of your videos, but how much money are you talking about spending just to get a food plot? I know just to rent a tractor for a day is a couple hundred dollars.. then to buy all the seed.. i can and have bought half of a cow for less than 1000. I hunt for the meat and a nice rack is a nice side benefit. If i have to spend more for the meat than going to the store for some good organic meat than it's a waste of money.. also you are talking about spraying so many weed killers and chemicals. Aren't you concerned about that? Round up is known to cause cancer, and all sorts of other environmental issues. I've stopped spraying that on my driveway crack weeks and you are spraying it in acres of land. What's your thoughts on all that? Seriously asking.

Im going to have to watch this one several times more than the usual lmao. Otherwise I'll miss something

Is there a way to accomplish that without spraying chemical herbizides? I don't like this practice on big AG but think it is detrimental because of environmental reasons. We now have remnants of these chemicals in our potable water sources in ever greater concentrations. Is mulch mowing and light tilling over it an alternative or controlled burns??

Thanks for all the great info I hunt a 100 acre farm in northeast pa we have close to 20 acres of fields one is 5 acres surrounded by woods want to put some clover in it want to start with like 1/4 acre then expand from there with other plots like brassicas but we don't have any farm equipment it will be all leg work witch is ok there is some clover in the field now with weeds do you recommend kill it all and start over

You don’t see him showing pictures of a bunch of giant bucks on his farm In Minnesota. I’m thinking he can’t gaurd it for poaching as well as Wisconsin??

I wonder what the Glyphosate levels are in the blood of the deer who feed on your plots. They have found Glyphosate in human urine samples of people who are eating vegetables from Glyphosate treated fields. I prefer using my rototiller.

I have a couple areas that have not had anything planted in probably 20 years or so. They are nothing but weeds. Could I do a controlled burn to clear it then when weeds come up spray then?

jeff if i have bush hogged last years winter rye and killed it.. can i plant still if the excess is on the ground.. having a hard time removing all the straw from the rye kill

Hey is Glyphosate safe? Manufacturer says yes but life experience says never trust the Chemical manufacturers.

Is round up the same as glyphosate?

Jeff is the WHS seed still available through northwoods whitetails inc?!?!? Great company and great seed to say the least keep the videos coming!

Incredible Expert tutelage Brother Jeff. So happy with God's provision of your expertise. We are All better off because of your existence Sir! Thanks Much.

What kind of weed control can I use for clover?

I really wish we didn’t have to use chemicals because I just hate the things but this method is miles above tilling

Ok wait a minute do you write everything backwards on the white board !!??

This man is a wealth of knowledge. Can't tell you how much I have learned and increased my success on public land hunts. Finally getting my own land up in Western NY and I'm following his teachings to the letter. And every single thing I've learned will be passed down to my son and my little grandson when he's old enough to understand.

Just curious about all the research coming out from unconnected to each other lab's findings about glyphosphate being in the environment and tissues of plants, animals and even people, and possible carcinogens? Your videos are great however, great advice for hunted animals and conservation, keep it up.

When is the best time to apply Plot Starter?

Any suggestions on no spray, can’t spray here in Ontario Canada.

I spread buckwheat with two rains in the ten day forecast, but have only had about 1/4" total rain on my land since mid-late May (also haven't had any switchgrass germinate since I put it down late May after a few sprayings to clear where I wanted it) and none in the forecast. What would you do if there isn't any buckwheat growth before it comes time to seed in Fall food?

Any suggestions on a high desert zone 7 Arizona seed mix?

Appreciate all of the content Jeff! I have learned so much by watching your videos! Thanks so much for the information. I have a question about fertilizing, when would you recommend to spread pellet fertilizer? Would you do it days before seeding, or would you spread the pellet fertilizer and seed in the same day? Also would you recommend using a fence drag to work the fertilizer into the soil, till the fertilizer into the soil, or just spread it on top of the soil? Thanks in advance!

I would buy some if your seeds but a 4lb bag for 80$ that plants 1/2 acre is too much for me I just buy a 5lb bag of turnips for $20 from my local feed store. I do have a question what would be the cheapest option to kill weeds I’m on a tight budget and didn’t know if I could use like a Walmart brand of weed killer or something

Great video, Jeff! Really appreciate the information!

Love the video Jeff. I’m closing on my new house on August 18th with 20 acres. I have 3 field, one is about 4 acres, another about 1/2-1 acre and another about 1-2 acres with woods all behind them and also split the fields too. This house hasn’t been lived in in 2 years. Fields are all weeds. What would you recommend doing with my fields. Brush hog and spray then plant some brassica mix, radishes or leave it alone till next year. I’m located in Calhoun County, MI.

Is this correct for your Super Mix recipe planted ~ 3rd week of August: 4#/a Brassica w/ heavy tillage raddish + 12#/a buck wheat + 75#/a peas What does 'heavy tillage raddish' mean BTW?

Can someone help me understand how he got perfectly straight lines of corn growing with a hand held broadcast spreader? From the 7 minute to the 8 minute mark the aerial drone footage show the perfectly straight lines of corn growing. At the 8 minute mark he says he used a hand held broadcast spreader. Any tips on how to get perfectly straight hundred yard long lines of seed to land like this? Thanks!

Just purchased a new property this week, mowing the fallow field down then spraying it. Can I seed brassicas right into the exposed soil? I’m assuming it’s too late to do the buckwheat no till…

If I have 5 acres of just grass field, we keep it mowed, should we just spread seed after cutting it low, or spray for weeds then spread. Any suggestions or links would be great.

Jeff, I really enjoy your simplistic approach to plots. I am going to use your no till methods this season. I am looking at planting several small 1-2 acre plots throughout my farm and going to try your suggested method of buckwheat around Memorial Day and plan to plant my Fall plots around Labor Day using your suggestion of seeding directly into the standing buckwheat with brassicas on one half side of each plot and peas, beans, and oats in the second half of each plot. Then crush and spray terminate the buckwheat overtop of my broadcasted seed already on the ground. About 4-5 weeks later I will come back and sow winter rye into the standing plots to top dress at 200 pounds per acre. I have a question with regard to establishing my original stand of buckwheat around Memorial Day. I am in Pennsylvania and by the end of May my fields will be around waist height. Should I sow buckwheat into the standing fields (mix of weeds, timothy, clover, alfalfa and orchard grass) and than mow with my tractor brush hog followed by applying the chemical glyphosate and 2-4D application to terminate the pasture grasses? Or should I just mow and spray terminate the fields first, and come back and plant the buckwheat onto the bare ground once the chemicals do their part. Thank you again for all of the information that you share here on your channel.

Great video and content. With your seed what would you recommend? I’m putting a plot in that used to be cattle pasture 25 years ago. I’m going in on Saturday with a bush hog and spraying it right after . I’m in Ohio central area

You are so good at these videos, so informative, my question is on the size of fall brassica plots? Is 2 acres of good plot going to be enough, would 3 or 4 acres be better? What's you thoughts on plot size? Thankyou for all your knowledge

Do you ever have problems getting switch to grow up against the trees shading it out? Where I’ve planted next to trees, the switch is about a year or two behind the switch I planted out in fields in terms of height and thickness.

Love your videos Jeff!!! If I may ask, how do you get rid of all the corn residue the following year? Mow? Burn?

Hey Jeff, where do you find that much glyphosate/2-4D? You get it online or do you find it at a big box store?

Hi Jeff, I really appreciate your videos as I am working to establish a first time food plot. I bought some land in north Georgia last year and had about two acres of old pine cleared, stumped and graded. Since then I have been working on getting lime and fertilizer levels up to the recommendations of my soil tests. I had two failed plantings of buckwheat this year, and although we have been dry, I think the real issue is compaction from the dozer and excavator. I have sandy loam soil and when I try to penetrate the crust with a soil probe it mostly just bounces of as if hitting concrete. My questions is what should I do to break up the hard pan and loosen the soil if I am trying to go no-till and avoid discing? Any suggestions? Or should I just have a disc or tiller run over it this first time to get something growing and work on no-till in subsequent plantings? Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience.

Great video, has me excited to put brush hog to use in the future and expand some food plots!

what up? you got any seed left?

The “super mix” could you do that every year? Like plant brassica peas etc, then add rye a month later into the brassica?

Can you do a video on like what deer movement is how to avoid bedding areas explaining ridges brows ect new to hunting obviously

Can you talk more about what you're using for weed kill? How long do you spray before laying seeds?

If u spray how long should u wait to plant? I’ve never done a plot but wanted to start one in August