open pollinated corn

I use open pollinated sweet corn on mine. The deer seem to like it even although it gets a little weedy. By spring there are no ears left in the plot. When you can save a few ears for next year's seed it is an inexpensive way to put the food plot in. I have several plots so I rotate the crop, I also plant oats, and I had real good luck this year with a soybean/cowpea seed mix that I bought. I've seen a lot of deer in that patch this fall.
 
I planted "Bloody Butcher" open pollinated corn in the garden this year. My wife grinds it for corn meal in her diet. It got 12 ft tall! 'Had ears 10-11 inches long and were well filled out. I did water it and "maybe" got a litle carried away with the nitrogen, but that stuff grew!! We too are saving seed from this years crop for next year. We'll see how that works. I had trouble with coons....trapped 12 of the nasty things. My biggest problem was the high wind in late summer/early fall. It really "leaned" but did not go completely over. I kept telling myself "this would sure make some tremendous tonnage for silage"! I planted it on 30" rows...got it too thick and went in and thinned it out some. I had 5 rows that were about 60' long. I was amazed at how many good ears we got off it. The wife should stay well fed this winter.
 
I have been thinking about a deer plot and what to grow. The deer do like clover, and alfalfa, are you saying that the deer like soybeans and cow peas better? Your comments much appreciated.
Bob
 
They sure love soybeans - field of beans at my neighbors always has deer in them during the summer and now has big gaps of no beans.
 
Thanks for the information. I will try some this spring. That means I will have to get started as there is nothing but stumps and briers there now.
Bob
 
I have planted cowpeas for a few years in my plot rotations. They hold up to grazing better than soy beans. Deer love 'em!

Larry
 
If you're going to leave it standing for the Deer you might want to plant wide rows like 42" and then when it starts to dry up go in and broadcast something like Rye,Crimson Clover,Hairy Vetch or similar thing that stays green into the Fall for something extra for the Deer.
 

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