2012 Spring Seed Distribution is Coming

Our next seed distribtuion will be on Saturday May 19, 2012 at the Gander Mountain Store in Flint (Miller and Linden Rd.) Begins at 9:00 AM and finishes at 12 Noon or when we run out of seed. This distribution is for the general public and the last opportunity to get seed from our Chapter this spring. (this date was revised from May 26th)

We have Round-Up Ready Corn and Grain Sorghum, Nesting Cover mix (orchard grass, timothy and several clovers) and Michigan Mix (corn, grain sorghum, sun flowers and buckwheat). All the seed is in limited supplies so get there early.

The first Seed Distribution was on Saturday April 28 at ForMar Nature Center, for PF members and we had a good turnout.  

If you are interested in planting native grasses this year contact Jay, our habitat chairman at 810-635-7988.

Your chapter picked up this years seed on April 14, and then prepared the seed for distribution to our members. The Michigan PF Chapters combine their orders for seed to get the best price and through the cooperation of all the Michigan Chapters of PF.

This years order included:

• 2500 lbs of Round-up Ready corn (250 acres)
• 200 acres of our Michigan Mix (corn, sorghum, sunflowers, and buckwheat)
• 1000 lbs of grain sorghum (160 acres)
• Nesting cover / native grass order information is currently under consideration for order quantity.

Do You Need a Planter?

 Our chapter does have a no-till drill to rent.  It is a 6 foot Great Plains drill.  It can plant food plots, warm season grass, switch grass and nesting cover.  It cost $125 for the first ten acres and $6/acre above the ten acres.  If the ground has been tilled, this planter will still work.  The drill needs about a 50 horsepower tractor with hydraulics.  The hydraulics raises and lowers the drill to make corners and turns.  If the tractor is a 4WD with 40 hp will work.  The hydraulics is a standard ½ inch or 5/8 inch.  If you have a Kabota you may need your own ends.  We have John Deere ends and the standard is Pioneer ends. The link below has information on the 6 foot drill we have.

http://www.greatplainsmfg.com/products/notill/notill.html

Check our website for details on dates and location (geneseecountypf.com) and watch for our advertisement in the Flint Journal and View Papers, outdoor sections for exact dates and times.

2010 Seed Distribution Statistics

Our chapter distributed all of the seed we purchased for this spring. Our last seed distribution date, May 1, 2010 was very successful and all the seed listed below gone in just one hour.

• 2500 lbs of Round-up Ready corn, (260 acres)
• 200 acres of Michigan Mix (corn, sorghum, sunflowers, and buckwheat)
• 2250 lbs of grain sorghum (150 acres)
• We will be ordering nesting cover, warm season grasses and switch grass as soon as we get pricing ( approx. 150 acres)

2009 Seed Distribution Statistics

125 Cooperator contracts written, 475 Food Plots acres, 215 acres of nesting cover and switch grass.  There was a 30% reduction in food plot acreage but a 307% increase in native grasses which are key to improving pheasant habitat.