Clover vs. alfalfa

What would the deer like best?
Which would last longer?
And which would my neighbor prefer for his cattle?

Thanks for any help
Jerry

Clovers will reseed themselves at times if you let them go to seed (not harvested). You noticed I said 'at times' but mostly they get weaker also. Alfalfa will always get thinner, and does not allow it's seed to grow near a living alfalfa plant (auto-toxic to itself). In fact to reseed an alfalfa field you will need to wait at least 3 months of good weather between killing the old & seeding the new - generally plant something else for a full year.

You can get grazing alfalfas that are much more durable as the crown stays in the dirt more. You can also get alfalfa that seeds itself with runners like strawberries do - if you give it periods of no harvest. These do _not_ yield as much alfalfa, but sounds like you are not after yield, but longgevity of the field.

There are deer mixes that have alfalfa, clover, and so foth all mixed in already.

Most all of these alfalfa, clover, & grass mixes work well with a cover crop of oats. You can plant here in MN in early spring or around September. This was an EXCELLENT year for establishing a stand, with that very long cool wet spring we had. Too bad you missed it, won't see those conditions but every 12 years or so. Couldn't miss to get a good crop established. Really bites to try to get something growing in a hot dry spring, these crops do not like that.

Get yourself a catalog from Albert Lea Seed House - they are on the web, but the catalog (comes out in February?) is better than the web site. They sell all of the above mentioned stuff, in small quantities too. Can mix & match what you want. They are in the southern part of the state, might want to take a spring trip to Cabella's & them & make a day of it, neat little seed place.

Nope, don't work there, just dive 100 miles each spring to be a happy customer. :)

--->Paul

I have an area where there is about 2 acres of lespedza mixed with clover and they love it. I guess 75% of the deer that come in there stop there first.They really love the corn too. I plant 3 acres and hopefully this year with the good crop, some will make it through to the spring for the turkey.

If you plant alfalfa, plant a variety that is good for both hay and grazing for longevity. The lespedeza is an annual, so you'd have to reseed every year. The deer here aren't so fussy. They eat anything! Cattle farmers prefer alfalfa hay over lespedeza. Red clover is a different story. My cousin planted forage peas on a plot one year to get the deer in, and the deer loved them. The peas are also an annual, though. Deer like soybeans, too. Maybe put in a mix of peas and soys? You could put some alfalfa in, and leave some strips around the outside of the field to plant annual legumes.