The location where we installed the food plot

As we continue the Tecomate Seed ?Food Plot Journey? the time came to plant the seed.  Due to a mix-up at a distribution point we are not planting three different Tecomate products, but rather two.  We planted the seed for our summer plot this past weekend (Saturday, May 1st).  The products we did plant were Tecomate?s ?Lab Lab? and ?Lab Lab Plus? and I?m very eager to see what will come in the near future. 

Mike Lee of Barenbrug USA/Tecomate Seed, along with Don Willis from DBW Outdoors, were present with Keith Frachiseur representing the GroundHog MAX.  We all got together and got seed in the ground at one of our food plot feature locations.

The home-made drag

First things first?we got up early and went to Bojangles and got some good biscuits.  Then we went to our food plot location.  The weather predictions had been forecasting rain and isolated thunderstorms for Saturday, but somehow we made it out without getting wet.  I was happy about that since I was shooting video and photos during this whole process.  I will say that I learned a lot from Mike as we installed the seed and from asking him questions throughout the day.

Our Installation
We are installing one food plot location of our ?Food Plot Journey? on about 2.4 acres of land where the soil is pretty sandy in upstate, Pageland South Carolina.  Since this specific location has been previously worked and cultivated for food plots, the soil sample readout result of the pH came back at 7.0.  Since the pH was already in check, we did not have to apply lime at this location. 

	The Right Side of the Field as it was being dragged

We had planned on using a no till drill to plant the seed, but were unable to secure the equipment.  Instead we used a tractor, a plow, and a spreader to put the seed out.  Per Mike?s instructions, we divided the field in half using different planting techniques on each half.  On one half we left the dirt rows that were created where we used the disc to prep the field and on the other half we used a drag to smooth the soil out before we broadcast the seed.  This left us with a field that was smooth on the right side and the small rows from the disc remained on the left.  Then we broadcasted the seed, via the spreader on the tractor, on both sides of the field.  Trust me?it was a whole lot easier hanging off the side of that tractor with a camera when we were riding on the smooth side! 

After the seed was broadcasted, we went back and drug the right side again with our drag to cover the seed with dirt.  On the left side we went back in and lightly disked and harrowed the field to cover the seed with dirt via the lightly discing method.  Dividing the field up like this with two different planting techniques will hopefully show us any differences that may occur as result of the differing implementation methods. 

The Tractor used to Disc and Harrow The Left Side of the Field

Mike?s theory is that the seed on the left side (the side that was lightly disked and harrowed back in) will be a little bit deeper in the soil than the seed on the right said that was smoothly dragged in.  Mike believes that the difference in the planting depths of the seed may have an effect on the seed varieties that come up in our field. Mike is afraid the White Grain Milo in the Lab Lab Plus could be planted too deep with the harrowing method and may not establish well.  In time, and with rain, we will hopefully have pictures to demonstrate this.

Now that you understand how we divided the field in half and got dirt back on top of the seed, let me explain where we put which type of seed.  Mike indicated that the White Grain Milo in the LabLab Plus will grow a little taller than the straight LabLab.  Since it?s taller, we planted the LabLab Plus along the outside border of the field in hopes of giving the deer some kind of barrier to create an inner location where they will feel safe and less guarded.  Thus, the LabLab is lower in height and was broadcasted inside the middle of the field.  See the graphic below to help you understand how we segmented this field.  In the near future, we plan on putting up exclusion fences in each quadrant to show you how the products should grow if they are untouched by the deer.

(We will come back after the first rain and put down some Milorganite to protect the food plot a little, but that will come in a later blog entry.)

All the planting took us about 2.5 hours to get done and we were dusty, sweaty, and hungry by the time is was all over.  Since these guys were from Georgia and Alabama, I figured I?d take them somewhere that they most likely hadn?t eaten before.  That?s right; we took them to the Legendary ?SmokeHouse Grill? in Jefferson, South Carolina.  I believe the guys really liked the food and especially liked the barbeque sauce.  We ate there for a bit and then headed to Pageland where my mom had some rum cake awaiting us!  Nothing like mama?s cooking.

After eating some rum cake we showed the guys our remote food plot, which is in a totally different location.  While we were there we discussed options for planting and discussed what would be the best fits for this location.  Keith demoed his GroundHog MAX while we were there and turned up the soil again for me.  We?re going back in there to plant soon too?probably this coming weekend. 

GroundHog MAX Update: If you?re interested in getting one, The GroundHog MAX is now available at your local Tractor Supply Stores. 

Below is a video we shot with Keith explaining a little bit about the remote food plots and the GroundHog MAX.

All in all it was a long day, but it was a good day.  I learned a lot, got dirty, ate well, and we got the seed down in a good location with guidance from a panel of experts.  I really hope that the man upstairs will bless us with some rain in order to get this stuff to grow because I?m curious to see what will happen.  So stay tuned for more as we continue to update this blog series with results of this food plot location and others as well.

Regards,

Clint