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I have been working hard to see if I can convert some rather useless land that has outcrops of ledge into usable land. There is a technique where you use wood mulch to cover ledge rock over, and the transplant low bush blueberries that will eventually take over and grow on the thin soil.
It just so happens that I have a spot, about an acre in size that has very thin soil. Because of that, the trees there are stubby, useless trees that are too limby for even firewood. So I was thinking I could shred these trees as a mulch layer and add blueberries and make the plot productive.
Its one of those things that is good for the farm, and even better for wildlife, but its not something we would do by taking the money out of savings accounts and do. Naturally I want to move forward with the project but I wondered if there was a Government Program that would help do that.
The short answer is...sort of, and I'll add what I found out here in case anyone else would like to do something similar.
The USDA will not subsidize crops of course, but if berry crops for wildlife plots are not present on your farm, or in your area, they will help establish one under the WHIP Program depending on local permissions obviously. The mulching rate is pretty high too, with heavy forest getting a removal rate of around $850 per acre. But here is where it gets tricky. They will not plant just blueberries for wildlife plots, you need to plant a spring food plot, a mid summer food plot, and a fall food plot.
For the longest time I though because of this ruling that I would not be able to plant my wildlife plot...and thus blueberries. But after a little consideration, I am thinking even if I only get 1/3 of an acre of blueberries (and the other 2/3 into something else) then that is better then short stubby trees and soil to thin for arable crops.
I got to try and figure out 2 more food plots for wildlife that grows on thin, acidic and in a very hardy zone. Can you guys think of anything that would fit the bill?
Eat lamb...because 50,000 coyotes CAN'T be wrong!
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New Member
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| How would Currants and Gooseberries work? They are a bit more tolerant that many berries and take a bit more acid. I haven't done much research on them once I saw that they didn't do well in the Texas heat.
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| I wonder about blackberries, they seem to grow just about everywhere. Is Maine colder in winter than here DB? N. Illinois. I have dug up a few gooseberries and they normally have quite deep roots. Just an observation.
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Drawbar, why not do ferns? Fiddleheads are a fabulous treat in early spring, maybe that will work. One of my favorite treats from Maine is Fiddleheads, here in NJ nobody knows what I'm talking about
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Paul, Currants might work. I know that it would be good for wildlife and we do not have Currant plants on our farm. I will have to double check on the causes of White Pine Blister Rust as I know that was caused by either Currant bushes or Gooseberry I think. I'll have to find out as we grow a lot of large diameter White Pine and I would hate to get White Pine Blister Rust in my forests.
Raspberries and blackberries might work, depending on whether the USDA would fund such plantings on a farm where they already grow, as well as having the right Spring/Fall crops? I like blackberries though and my 3 year old daughter just LOVES them, and we all know that is good for wildlife.
As for Fiddleheads Charlene...YUCK! I am also laughing though. My Uncle likes them but his favorite fiddle head spot was right where I put my new access road. He was all cranked that I was destroying "his" fiddlehead spot even though I pay taxes upon it??? He was still cranked up when I looked at him and said, "You actually want me to move a 12 thousand dollar road for 5 dollars worth of fiddleheads? If you are that pissed off I"ll just give you 5 bucks so you can go down to Hannaford and buy some" That shut him up. I know the moose would like Fiddleheads, but I am not so sure they would do well in full sun, on thin soil. Here they tend to grow on very moist, deep loamy soil.
Eat lamb...because 50,000 coyotes CAN'T be wrong!
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I was wrong. I thought you needed three varieties of edibles for the wildlife, but that is not the case. What you actually need is:
3 types of plants to flower in the Spring, Summer and Fall. Since blueberries flower in the spring, then that counts as one, but for the other 8 varieties, I am not sure. Fortunately this is still considered priority for the WHIP Program as they are pollinators.
I talked with the NRCS Thursday and caught her at the right time. She had an evaluation the day before and needs to get re-certified for conservation planning. I need want this done, so she will be out Tuesday to assess the situation. The cost share rate seems to be pretty good though...almost 900 bucks for heavy brush chipping to create a mulch, and 1500 bucks for the plantings. Both figures are per the acre of course.
Eat lamb...because 50,000 coyotes CAN'T be wrong!
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How about cranberries? They do well in my very acidic soil here in western NY state even though I don't have a bog of any sort. I can grow blueberries easily...they love my soil. Native Raspberries also grow happily although cultivated varieties seem to struggle.
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I got a list yesterday of what I can plant and cannot plant. Its quite a long list, but it gets hard to sort out because you have to match 9 plants, with the right soil (thin and acidic) with the right time of bloom.
Then there is the issue of invasive species. For instance Milkweed is a variety that can be planted, but since I have a high protein hayfield adjacent to the area, then do I really want milkweed there? Or what about currant bushes, great berries and wildlife stuff, but it causes White Pine Blister Rust? Then there is shade and sun issues. Blueberries like full sun of course, but rules dictate that some overstory has to remain. So as I said, its a lot to sort out.
Overall though, the project is a definite go. I will most likely get some song bird boxes along with the plantings and tree clearing, get some bat colony boxes (100+ bats per house) and some bee stuff. Overall it should be good for everyone as it will convert useless land to a productive wildlife spot, and improve pollination for our crops. The bats of course pollinate too and they will rid the sheep of misquotes and other dusk-to dawn insects without resorting to insecticides.
Eat lamb...because 50,000 coyotes CAN'T be wrong!
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