Food Plots....what and when

I Just received permission from the farmer who owns the property I hunt to plant two 1 acre food plots in a back pasture on his property.  This field is about 400 yards long and 100 yards wide and I plan on putting a 1 acre plot at each end of it.  Both ends are well hidden as well.
 
I am ok with soil preparation, fertalizers, etc. I even have permission to use the farmers tractor, disk, and broadcast spreader to plant the seed.
 
The question is what to plant and when.  is it smart to plant clover and alfalfa, in an area when they have all the clover pastures, corn, and beans they want. Or should I be looking for somehting different.  Ive been eyeing up the Biologic Maximum blend but I really want to hear from any of you that plant food plots and what kind of success you have had getting a quailty crop.  Please include Spring/summer/fall planting times in your replies.
 
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I dont plant any food plots, but from what ive read, you want to plant necessidies for deer that they dont have in that location. E.G. A deer that lives in an area that is mostly corn fields will periodically stop eating the corn and look elsewhere for nutrition. The animal knows when its body is lacking certain vitamins and minerals and will pass up easy food that doesnt have the nutrition they need at the time for harder to find foods that have the nutrients they need. I believe one of the companies that sells deer feed blends( I believe BIOLOGIC but i may be wrong) does soil testing for the customer and tells you what blend you need to have to grow properly in your soil, then they gaurentee its successful growth. I seen the Ad on the outdoor channel or in a magazine. Maybe something to look into. Otherwise, before you go planting anything, research what soil conditions and nutrients the plant you wish to plant needs. It is very important to the success of any plants growth. I was actually thing about planting some apple trees in my empty pasture field this coming year, might think about a plot also. Good luck

maybe plant one with biologic, the other with the fall blend stuff.  gives them something to eat in both seasons. plant the fall blend where your bow stand will be.

Mak,
Whatever you go with make sure it is a blend. Are the main goal of these plots for hunting? if so plant something that will be desirable in the fall after a frost such as brassicas or beets.
I'd also contact Ernst Conservation Seeds in Meadville you may be able to get a blend at a lower price then from one of the national distributors.
Mike

all of these are good ideas

butt weet.
 
Oh Tay?

in most cases you should get a soil test, you can stop at your local extention office and pick one up.  This will tell you how much fertilizer and lime to use.  However, I have planted a few plots before using the cabelas seclusion blend.  It is designed to be planted in areas that are difficult to get equiptment into.  We planted three different kinds and this came up the best.  We disked the field, spread the seed with a hand spreader, then dragged an old chain link fence around to bury the seeds.  I believe it is a clover brassica mix and worked great.    

Mak,
What are your goals?
Do you want to plant plots for supplemental feed or "kill plots?"
What kind of feed is on neighboring properties?  Shady or sunny areas?  Can you hunt it with the prevailing N/NW winds that PA has?

I hunt land owned by a very good friend of mine in an agricultural area.  Most of this land is strictly planted in hay.  There is some corn. Surrounding farms have corn and soybean.
We plant several kill plots every year.  Over the years, we have found Buck Forage Oats (http://www.buckforage.com/) produce the best results.  I've watched deer walk across 400 yards of hay, without putting their heads down, to visit these plots.  All too often, the look like golf greens come the end of rifle season.
We generally plant in August.  Just till, plant and roll.  It also helps to use Round-Up before tilling.  This helps in reducing unwanted weeds/grasses.

Another observation we've made...a neighboring property has been planted in beans the last two years and the deer flock to them in early archery and after their leaves fallen off.  They ignore them while the foliage is changing color(yellow). 
Man I wish we had a drill!!!

We've had our eye on the BioMaxx but still doing a little research to find out if we are investing in over priced soybean being that we don't own a drill.  BioMaxx says it can be broadcasted but you can get beans much cheaper at the local feed store. 

My buck two eighty.

Ironhed

Hello,
I have been planting food plots on my place for about 15 years. I live in the Eastern Panhandle of WV, but fish steelhead as often as I can,,,thus my reading the forums..You basicly have 2 chocies in planting, spring planting or fall. Then you will decide what you are going to plant. I have had great results with the fall planting, mixed results due to drought with the spring. My best results have been with Bio Logic Full Draw, it is a****mixture that does really well in my area,,,even better in your area would be my guess,,with the amount of rain you get. YOU NEED TO SPRAY 2 weeks prior to planting with Round Up,,,,it will kill everything that will compete with your food crop and give it time to get started. I am waiting till they have Round Up Ready Alfalfa to try my fall planting again. At present I plant about 6 acres of wheat or Rye OR Oats in the spring, spray with Round Up before I plant, disk or till it under the end of July and replant with Bio Logic. After the first frost hits the Full Draw smells like cotton candy and I dont think a man with a rifle could keep all the deer out of it!!! If you have any questions feel free to pm me! jim