COMPACT TRACTOR SUCCESS STORY How to start a food plot
Food plots can be a popular activity for rural homeowners with acreage who want to enhance wildlife habitat. The satisfaction of working with the land can often exceed the value of hunting and viewing wildlife.
Consistently productive food plots require careful thought and planning before they are implemented. According to the Mississippi State University extension service, here are fi ve factors to consider:
Location
Plots should be located on fertile soil with adequate drainage. Cover should be located nearby or scattered across the plot. Food plots should not be established near a public road or waterway due to the increased possibility of poaching.
Size
Plot size and shape may vary with local conditions, but they generally should not be less than 1 acre to ensure adequate sunlight to meet forage production requirements.
Spacing
Plots should be scattered over the entire property, if possible. It is more benefi cial to establish 10 plots, 2 acres in size, than to have a single 20-acre fi eld. Cost may dictate total acreage planted.
Soil testing pH
To ensure productive food plots, conduct soil tests for fertilization and lime requirements. Your local county agent can provide information on soil sample collection and where to send them for analysis. Be sure to list the potential crops to be grown when sending in soil samples for testing.
Planting
Select a plant species or combination of species that will grow on the particular soil type and site that you have. If unsure, ask the county agent, wildlife biologist or local seed supplier. Proper seedbed preparation will increase germination and yield more productive food plots. Plant crops at the prescribed seeding rate and — of course — during the proper planting season.
Busy in retirement
Thompson retired from being an electronic specialist with a phone company in 1984, but he is far from retired. Managing the food plots, three different farm locations and several in-town businesses keeps him plenty busy.
To help Thompson handle all of these activities, he also “retired” his old farm tractor, a 50-year-old machine that was ill-equipped to keep up with his current demands. He replaced it with a Bobcat®
CT440 compact tractor and front-end loader last fall.
“The CT440 is so much more versatile with all the attachments and rear implements that allow me to handle just about any work that comes my way,” he says.
Whether it’s removing snow on his acreage or around his various businesses, or preparing his food plots, Thompson depends on his CT440 to make his life easier.
“I was very familiar with Bobcat skid-steer loaders, but was surprised to discover the company made compact tractors,” he says. “I looked at every compact tractor at the Iowa State Fair and the Spencer (Iowa) Fair,” he says. “I had a list of requirements — comfort, visibility, enclosed cab with heat and air conditioning and four-wheel drive — that only the Bobcat models measured up to. Since it fi t my needs perfectly, I purchased it right at the Spencer Fair. The nearest dealer who had exactly what I was looking for was GDF Enterprises in Windom, Minn.”
Thompson’s wife, Lynette, was particularly interested in a compact tractor that did not seem confi ning. He points out that the CT440 is roomy enough so they both feel comfortable when operating it.
“Plus, you sit high enough so you have an excellent view of the work area,” he adds. “It’s easy to get in and out of the compact tractor as well.”
Mark Thompson spends many hours on the tractor managing his food plots.
8 WorkSaver Homeowner with Acreage | EARLY FALL 2011
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