If that dark OM layer is 2" then just sample 2-6" and note it on the sample report. I'd certainly try to sample the mineral soil until the organic layer gets to be greater than 6". At that point why worry about it.

I agree

For a small plot, wood chips/mulch will build the soil faster than anything.
Especially if you’re talking 1/4-1/2 acre. It’ll decompose in one year basically turning into topsoil. I’ve turned red dirt into dark grey soil by doing this. I use to get a 7x16 trailer full for 45.00. You’re actually building soil instead of treating it with lime. Just a FYI. Might not be worth it on a lease, but if you own the property I would build the soil.

I just don't get why ppl plant corn. Esp in a small plot. If you have pigs and all of us have coons, the corn is just not going to have an impact. And corn LOVES nitrogen, and most ppl just aren't going to check soil pH nor add nitrogen. Small food plots really don't "feed" and they are more of an attractant. IF POSSIBLE, I would look into habitat mgmt. Prescribed burning? At least research it to see if it's possible and I won't get into the advantage of prescribed burning.

Alyce clover, Buckwheat, Sunn Hemp are all good. But you ain't going to successfully plant soybeans on a 1/2 plot. Not even a 1 acre plot. I think habitat mgmt is a more sensible approach... if you have a landowner that gives a rip. Bushhog the shoulders of roads in Feb.

We used to plant 6-8 acres of corn in the duck hole and the deer beavers and coons had a feast. We then planted 10 more acres on top which helped but the deer were still thick in the duck hole.

I wished I’d took pics of our cornfields I was combining. Deer were bedding out in the middle and had been there a while. They’d wallowed out spots and made them a home.

Know a guy that traps and says you can’t imagine what hogs will do in a farmers field

With plots that small, I think you're pissing in the wind. I think you'd be better off to try and improve the natural browse in the woods. Hinge cut sweet gums, fertilize honeysuckle, etc...

Maximum food minimum work and wear and tear on equipment, to me thats the ideal foodplot. Let the natural foods available grow. Sow perennials as much as possible, throw and mow as much as possible. Thats my opinion. Then keep a feeder full of candy out there

Agree on the corn, I’d say 5 acres minimum and 10 preferably if I wanted it to last most of the season. You need a fence to keep hogs out of it. In addition to the nitrogen you’re going to need plenty of K as well.

Instead of bush hogging in February, try discing in December-January.

You’ll need to add lots of N to get wood waste to break down. Got done chips from a power line crew dumped on a field, almost 2 years later it’s still breaking down.

Also, root biomass does more to increase soil organic matter than above ground matter. That’s why those grassland prairies had such a deep topsoil layer.

Before Fertilizer farmers and gardeners used Sawdust. They used ashes from the fireplace in the garden...., manure and another good option is slag vs. lime if you can get it.

I would agree with one key aspect of this... soil health does NOT = throwing chemicals out on the ground. If you throw enough chemicals on a corn plant it will grow in an asphalt parking lot.

If you want to reduce you input costs you need to focus on the overall health of your soil. This does not mean just going to throw-n-mow or something similar. All you do is build up a thatch layer on top of crappy dirt. IMO most of what you are planting in a throw/mow application doesn't have the root system to really do a good job underneath. That root system issue is far less important for a winter food plot but if you follow that up with a Summer plot I think there can be different opinions. You want your soil to have what is called "tilth". In a small acreage plot you can achieve this with several methods. IMO one of the very best is manure. That is gold in a small plot you can get it in bags at Wal-Mart and will do more for your overall soil health in 1 application that years of throwing fertilizer on it.

Get some poo poo mixed into that dirt and you'll be shocked at what happens.

You know just enough to be dangerous. You kinda know what to do but don’t really understand “why” and it shows in your answers…….but yet you sling out opinions to everyone like an expert.

I added some more to the post talking about the root system.

I am dangerous I am skeptical but willing to try anything and analyze the results with my eyes and counting the bushels. Here is what I am not doing... I'm NOT trying to sell a theory along with a bag of seed to a deer hunter that doesn't know what they are doing..... and has with limited equipment to get it done... just to sell books and make myself money.

One caution on bagged manures, be careful because many are contaminated with aminoclopyralid herbicide. Hay treated with this herbicide isn’t supposed to be moved off the farm it was applied on, but it often is or the manure is. It has shown up in Black Kow composted manure. If I wanted manure I’d buy it directly off a farm and ask about herbicide use and purchased hay.