Feeding the birds
 

I got a late start on the sorghum planting this year due to the cold spring temperatures and heavy rains. I plant the sorghum for the pheasants and turkeys because it provides great cover and food for them. I plant a series of rows about 20 feet wide. I’m hoping to have about 60 acres completed by this weekend.

The pheasants got through last winter in great shape. We should have an excellent number of chicks to add to the population. The turkey population is up again this year and I had no problem taking my two gobblers this spring. I adopted one nesting hen and put out grain for her every day. She got used to my presence and let me get close to her. She gets a lifetime pass and I'll be careful not to shoot her this fall. I’ll make sure by only shooting yearling birds.

You don't see many Oliver tractors still being used.

That Oliver is an old reliable tractor. The starter went on the IH and the parts still haven't been delivered and I ordered them two weeks ago. They say they will be delivered tomorrow but who knows. It's a good thing the old reliable Oliver was ready to go.

Dad had the best luck with turkeys when he planted chufas. Ducks love them too apparently

Chufa is a bunch grass legume that can’t be reliably planted in the Northeast. I believe it to be a southern only plant. I like the sorghum because it gets about half as tall as corn and produces thousands of seeds on each head. I set my planter to sow a seed every 6 inches and I plant rows only two feet apart so that it comes in thick and provides lots of great cover for the birds. Deer like it also.

When I’m done, I’ll have about 60 acres planted. I wouldn’t be able to do that with Chufa. But I’m sure it works great for smaller plots in the south.

Now that I'm retired and back living full time in New York, I have a lot more time to spend planting. I'm getting ready to plant alfalfa in a couple of fields for the deer. But first I have to get the sorghum planting completed. It's getting late.

I am very jealous. I miss living on a farm