I wouldn�t label any one specific way as �the best� and here�s why. The important thing is for someone to understand the principles and concepts of what�s going on here and be able to recognize what a fertile, properly functioning soil ecosystem is suppose to look and function like. Keep in mind that the ecosystem is below ground and above. You need to understand the �tools� that you have to work with and what effect those tools are having�..or in other words�.Are your management efforts over time continually moving you forward to a more fertile properly functioning system or are they causing it to regress.

Once someone has an understanding of the concepts and the bigger picture then there�s many different ways of moving in the right direction as long as that person uses some perspective with how they use their �tools�. As an example�.As far along as I am in the process now�a little bit minimal tillage would not have a big negative effect. In fact in may even be good in my situation since I have a lot of surface residue built up. I could have minimally tilled this spring�went back to throw and mow for the fall and still likely progressed. However, for someone that�s just starting out that has zero organic matter built up and no surface residue at all�..it may be better for them to not disk and just mow until they move past the initial stages of turning things around. You just have to assess each situation and apply some perspective. You also have to monitor through soil tests so that you know whether what your doing is moving you forward or backwards.

There�s going to be a lot of variables that change from one situation to the next that may change how someone wants to approach it and one thing to consider for many is time. I can get cereal grains and clover to grow very easily in the fall using the throw and mow method. When we plant at my hunting club�.time is a big factor four us. Even if I have to add a little more seed to my mix�its still better for me in that situation to do so instead of bringing in another tractor or having to make extra passes to till. Using throw and mow we can get all of our fields planted in one Saturday where as in the past we struggled to get them done using the whole weekend.

The field is recovering from the mowing and the milo is "tillering". Very happy with how that turned out. I knew it would bounce back from a mowing but didn't realize it would react in this manner.....Most stalks are going from one stalk to at least two....some four or five. Cool!

I really thought that this would terminate the turnips�.and it did some of them�.but many are just resprouting with new growth. The field is beginning to smell sort of like a chicken farm.

I thought this would be a good time to go back and talk about our goals with our food plots�.why we do what we do and the realistic effects that we can accomplish. One of the big goals for me besides reducing inputs is improving the output of my fall cereal grains. Many of us, including myself, have small plots of maybe 1-2 acres or less and in the winter it doesn�t take long for the deer to eat the plots down to a nub. This is the time of year when small food plots play a much more significant role for us than during the summer. If there is any time of the year when I want my food plot to be productively producing forage�its FAR more during hunting season than during the summer.

This is why I choose to spend my summer months trying to turn my soil into the same stuff that many of us saw in Mama�s garden beds. I can�t really take a half acre or acre food plot and grow enough summertime deer forage to make a significant difference other than providing the deer with an expensive snack. It does me little good or gives me little return for my investment. However, I can take that same half acre or acre plot during December and January and create a major draw for the local deer herd�..if I can make the plots wintertime output keep up with the browsing. This can be greatly improved by spending the summer months working more on soil health rather than worrying with trying to make the cover of Farmer�s Digest with a � acre of peas.

CNC, shouldn't rutabagas do pretty well with throw and mow? Perhaps better options out there, but perhaps good seed to soil contact being a small seed.

Yes...anything with a seed that small should do well. Diakon radishes are one the most ideal brassicas to plant in my opinion if the deer will let them grow. The seed is just a little bigger than some other brassicas but it still does just fine, The deer seem to prefer it over the others and its deep rooting characteristics are excellent for your soil.

257��See what happens when you spin your PTO too fast. I was in a hurry trying to beat rain and mowed it too fast. You can see how a lot of the biomass in this spot heaped up in my tire tracks. You really want to try and prevent doing that.

I�m thinking these turnips may be a true winner for a spring/summer crop that most any of us can pull off�even on small acreage or high deer density. There are a lot of things that I can�t grow due to deer over browsing but these spring turnips haven�t had any problem. The greens off the tops looks like they�ll be just as great an addition to the compost pile as the bulbs. You can see the leaves that I mowed off last week very well at the very bottom of the pic. Really cheap to grow too�..only a few dollars for a pound of seed. Twenty bucks worth of turnip seed with go a LONG ways.

I'll disperse the "biomass" with my disk

The patches of durana clover across the field are still hanging in there underneath the turnips. I�d recommend to anyone converting over to this type of system to add a pound or two of durana into your fall mix. It�s slow to establish but its tough as nails once it does. I�ve got spots of it on other parts of my property where I thought it bit the dust�only to see it come right back later on.

this is like the never ending thread. This thread makes me not want to try throw and mow.

Feel free to stop following along anytime you wish.

I have, except for about once a week when I check in to see if you have convinced anyone of anything and to see what 257 has said to you. My favorite from today was "I will disperse biomass with my disk".

10 days after mowing now and the field is recovering well. Really happy with the color of the field. Healthy soil....healthy plants.

After mowing.....



Today......



It�s not taking long for the terminated turnips to decompose. Many are already turning to mush. This will make nice potting soil.

Looks good CNC

Thanks gatorbait......

CNC,

If you hadn't done your last mowing, how long do you think your turnips would've lasted?


Before they would start to decay is what I mean.

A good many were throwing up seed heads so I figure they had another few weeks before completely terminating on their own. Probably by the end of this month. I terminated about half of them with the mowing and half are sprouting back.

There is no doubt you've got it going on in that field. Thanks for sharing.