I have three small plots here in S.E. Louisiana piney woods. Last year was the third year managing those plots with either Throw & Roll or Throw & Mow (results are about the same with either method).

Here's a photo documentation of one of the plots. The results on the other two were about the same.





















(Continued)

Regarding the seed rate. Fifty pounds each of oats and wheat were way too much. I will use 25 lbs. of each this year. The soybeans were unnecessary and only used because the seed was free. The deer cleaned the soybean plants from the plot before they reached six inches tall.

Very nice montage of pics. if I remember reading from before this is a low spot thus the pics from "above"...what kind of sun does it get with those trees on both sides? Seems there is some good shade times there to help.

It is impressive how easily certain species will grow with no dirt moved. Would you mind sharing what you did initially to clear that patch of ground. Did you simply mow and go or is there any history of turning dirt on this patch?

TB, the plot is oriented north/south, and gets good sun - about 8 hours a day during the summer and 5 or 6 during the winter. There is a fairly steep rise of about 15 feet at the south end. The pictures were taken from about five feet up that rise. My box stand is about forty yards back from the top of the rise and is elevated 16 feet. So I'm about 30 feet above the level of the plot when in the stand. I've never been busted in that box by deer on the plot, regardless of wind direction (even though I smoke my pipe in the stand ).

I've had that plot for 17 years. The initial clearing was with a bush hog cutting waist high brush the year after the area was clear cut. For the first 14 years of its life it was planted every fall with the traditional "bush hogging - disking - throwing seed - lightly disking again" method over the course of several coordinated planting days with other club members. It was a lot of work, not to mention a lot of maintenance and repair of our old club tractor (which always seemed to fall to me and one other club member). Also, it was always a hassle planting on coordinated group days.

When the club tractor died for good three years ago I decided to opt out of anything to do with a replacement, and go "throw & mow" and/or "throw & roll". I wanted to be able to control what I did and when I did it, even though the quality of my plots may suffer a bit.

Well, it turns out the quality of my plots did suffer slightly in the first year. However, they have gotten better each year as the organic matter builds on the undisturbed soil surface, and I'm no longer bringing up weed seeds from the seed bank by tilling.

So for the last three years I've been doing either T&M or T&R on my three small plots. Results are about the same with both methods. They are a lot less work than the old tractor days and I totally enjoy being able to do what I want when I want.

As of this year, three other club members are also using T&M or T&R.

Great stuff BayouGuy - wish we could any rain to plant!