Got seed and fertilizer in the ground before the rain. Hoping for a good slow rain for several days, but not so much that it floats the seed away. I didn't have to mow because the roundup killed everything. I used an atv disk to lightly scratch the soil and work the seed below the thatch. But not enough tillage to turn the thatch under.

Top sewed my conventional fields at the lease today and disced the one remaining. Got a decent stand in most of the three fields I planted two weeks ago but we should be good after this rain. Finished my last field at the house right before the rain hit. Now time to get ready to harpoon one.

I’ve watched the farmer across the road plow the hell out of one his fields for the last week…..probably 6-7 acres that he’s getting ready to sow in wheat I imagine. Boy he had it worked up good by the time he finished….it looked “pretty” is what many of us would see it and think. This morning we got 3 inches of rain. It just so happens that his field plus some….is a watershed that all flows into a culvert, under the road, and through my place. It flash floods when we have heavy rains…..Here’s the water coming off his field this morning. Reckon why it’s so brown???? It took all week to plow up and 30 minutes to wash away.






When I get this bottom cleaned out the way I want it then I’m gonna develop a series of small dams or water bars all along the drain to stop the flow of water and have his topsoil and nutrients settle out here. You can see how the hedge row is already accomplishing that some. I may even try to make it a duck hole eventually with something like a Clemson leveler at the very end. I’m still a little ways from making that happen though. This drainage is dry again now. It only happens during and just right after the rain.

Second attempt at throw and mow yesterday on a couple of plots. In all fairness last year was a half hearted attempt to just hold the soil after I went in with the dozer and pushed these plots out. It was mixed results due to the lack of thatch, rain and fertilizer.

I mowed first a couple of weeks ago to knock down the native vegetation and form some thatch. Yesterday I spread 400 lbs of Elbon rye and ten lbs of Crimson clover in some shadier areas. Topped that with 500 lbs of 13-13-13. These two spots are a little over an acre each.

Hoping this rain knocks my seed down into the thatch and I get a decent stand. I haven't run a disk or drag over these spots so I am hoping for the best.

I may post some pics to show the
results later.

And in less than 24 hrs we have seeds tailing. I'll take it for dang sure.

That'll be interesting to see how it turns out. It sure is easier to broadcast after everything has been mowed than trying to broadcast in amongst a jungle of vegetation. I think clover and such will definitely be fine.

Good deal man.....you should be seeing green in a few days.

Well we put our hat into the Throw n’ Mow ring this weekend with baby steps!

Did a side-by-side comparison on a ½ AC plot and an entire 1 ½ AC plot that is adjacent to the house and doesn’t get hunted.

Stuck with the traditional method on the rest of the fields, but got it all in before the rain. Cereal Rye, Coker Oats, Austrian Peas, Clover Mix (Crimson, Ladino & Arrowleaf) and Daikon Radish, along with the recommended fertilizer from the soil tests were applied.

Can’t wait to see the results.

I just ran out of time this year. This place isn't my primary hunting spot and has a fairly low deer density so if it fails so be it. You live and learn.

I have access to disk and other implements but I wanted to try an simplify things.

I may have to lightly disk in spring just to relieve some compaction and stimulate some native browse. I would like for these areas to be good successional cover for fawns, rabbits, and any other wildlife outside of hunting season.

Good deal!.....When you finished mowing the T&M plot, were you able to see any bare ground or was it covered over well with mulched vegetation?

Hope y'all got some good rain on your plots. We didn't use this method, but I did bank some moisture before we planted. This weekend was the first rain that we've gotten on ours. I haven't seen it in a week, but it was about ankle high a week after we planted. Maybe I can get by and see it soon.

Good luck, guys.

Just curious what you did to bank moisture?

Drill your seed?

Got 3 acres of plots done before the rain. Different seed everywhere. Pain in the rear, dragging/discing for right seed depth. But it's gonna pay off!

The larger field had two small spots 10'x10' or so that was bare, but all in all happy with the mulch and thatch on the ground.

Had my fields disced and ready before the hurricane a few weeks ago, but didn't have time to plant it then.
We don't have a drill.

Cool! Hope it turns out well. I would keep in mind when doing any side by side comparisons on year 1 that this method is meant to be a long-term process of soil rebuilding. The first year of converting a field from traditional methods to a no-till method is usually the toughest part for folks. A lot of it just depends on the individual field and it's current conditions.

This is the 3rd year for T&M on this field. 4 years ago it was overrun with wild turnips, but the last 2 years it has looked great! Planted with rye, crimson clover, advantage ladino clover and chicory

Sept 14th before spraying



Oct 6th before broadcasting seed & fertilizer



Oct 6th after mowing

That looks nice 270…..You’ve got it going on now! Can’t wait to see the “after” pics of it nice and green.

I snapped a pic this morning of the tilled field where all the chocolate water was coming from to show the soil erosion that has taken place now after the rains…..See the channel that formed and all the silt. There’s several stages of soil erosion, I forget all the names right now….something like sheet, gulley, ???....but anyhow…..it’s basically a measure of mild, bad, severe, etc… ….this is BAD. You’re seeing a lot of soil loss taking place when you see gullies forming like that. That’s a result of a lot of water moving across the surface and building up momentum.

I’ve lived here for 11 years now and this is pretty routine each year. How much soil loss does that add up to year after year? Loss of nutrients? Loss of that lime you added? Loss of any organic matter? What’s the real cost $$$$ of tillage? It’s why I’m designing a “catcher’s mit” down stream. The worst part is that we have become so accustomed to it just being part of the process that we don’t even think twice about it. Many times we don’t even “see” it. I say that as having not seen it myself in the past……And what do we see as the solution??? Yep, just disk it again to smooth it out. Is that a proactive solution or reactive one?? What would be the proactive way of addressing the issue?

Looks like he needs some terraces.

Looks like he needs to stop plowing. Wheat will sprout in the bed of your truck, he should have no problem getting it to grow without all that mess.