In our Guide to Buying Hunting Land, we discussed what you’d look for in a tract of land that could be used for deer hunting. Successful deer camps have well-placed, healthy food plots. This article will go into a bit more about how to get your plots into shape in time for deer season.

Test Your Soil

To have optimal growth in your food plot, your soil must be at a proper pH level. According to Whitetails Unlimited, “Most deer forage crops grow best at pH values that are slightly acidic, between 5.8 and 6.5. Adjusting soil pH with lime within this range maximizes growth and increases yield, fertilizer efficiency, palatability of crops, and herbicide effectiveness.”

Find out what your soil pH is by testing it. Test your soil professionally with an in-depth analysis by the LSU’s Soil Testing & Plant Analysis Lab or Mississippi State Soil Testing Lab. If you want less information, there are at-home tests as well as digital gadgets that can measure your soil pH.

Apply Lime to Raise Soil pH

Ground limestone rock can be added to soil to raise the pH level, making it more alkaline and less acidic. Applying lime should be done about four months before your initial planting.

When you have your pH number and know what you want to raise it to, the rule of thumb is to apply 1.2 tons of lime to your soil per pH point. So, if your soil’s pH is 5, and you would like to raise it to 6.5, spread 1.6 tons of lime on your plot. 

A common method is to use powdered lime and apply it by using a spreader attached to your tractor or four wheeler. If you’d like to avoid the backbreaking work of handling thousands of pounds of bags of crushed rock, there are expert agricultural lime spreaders available for hire. 

Fertilizer

Your plants need a combination of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in their soil. Using your soil analysis form, you’ll be able to see what nutrients your soil is lacking. To bring those elements up to healthy levels, use the soil testing analysis form for a fertilizer mix recommendation. Purchase a mix that contains the correct dose of each nutrient related to your analysis. 

What to Plant

To keep deer well-fed over the year, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) recommends combination plantings. They contend that “combination plantings will also reduce the risk of total crop failure due to insects, disease, or adverse weather since different species grow and mature at different rates.” Their favorite cool season forage plants are brassica, winter oats, winter wheat, crimson clover, and arrowleaf clover.

When to Plant

LSU’s AgCenter’s “earliest recommended planting dates for cool season forages would be for oats, and those dates for south Louisiana are September 15 to October 15.” They recommend planting cereal rye, wheat, and ryegrass between the weeks of September 20 to October 15 and clovers from October 1 to November 15.

According to MSU Deer Lab’s Bronson Strickland, “In most of Mississippi, your best bet is mid to late September until the middle of October” for planting winter food plots for deer. 

Planting Tips

When planting a seed mix, follow the directions on the bag. Some seeds can be thrown out directly on top of the soil, while others need to be covered. With loose seeds, run a drag over the plot to make sure that your seeds are hitting the soil to begin germination. If you need more soil coverage, a cultipacker will press seeds further into the soil.

The Mississippi State University Extension Publication, “Supplemental Wildlife Food Planting Manual for the Southeast” has a number of tips for managing white-tailed deer habitats, including how to protect your seeded plot from soil erosion and weeds with proper mulch:

When overseeding exposed soil areas susceptible to severe erosion, cover the areas with a wheat straw or pine straw mulch to prevent soil erosion and hold seeds in place. Be aware that using material such as bahiagrass or bermudagrass hay as mulch may lead to these grasses becoming established. Also, make sure straw mulch is from a reputable source and free of cogongrass and johnsongrass.

Supplemental Wildlife Food Planting Manual for the Southeast

Download PDF

Food Plot Maintenance

Properly prepared food plots do not require a lot of maintenance, but some maintenance is crucial. You’ll also save time and money as you maintain the plots instead of starting from scratch. Continue testing your soil twice a year to see if you need to apply more lime or fertilizer. If there is a dry season, consider irrigation. When your plots are healthy all year round, your deer will thrive. As a steward of your land, you are responsible for making sure the deer have access to nutritious forage every day. 

Looking for Hunting Land?

Southern AgCredit is an agricultural lender serving northern Louisiana and Mississippi. We love the outdoors and are experts on financing rural land for deer hunting and recreation. If you are in the market and are looking for a great loan, contact us or send us a message below. We’ll work with you to finance the land of your dreams.

Hobby and small-scale farming is growing across the United States as more people become interested in producing their own food, particularly in times of unexpected shortages. But what is a hobby farm, exactly? And how are they regulated? We explore what a hobby farm is, what you can grow, and the regulations you may need to adhere to if you start your own.

What Is a Hobby Farm? 

There are many types of hobby farms, but they all begin as a hobby—a person growing crops and/or raising animals because they like it. A farm is classified as a hobby farm when the farmer has a main source of income outside the farm. There is no expectation for hobby farmers to make money at all. Though some hobby farmers operate as a small business and make money on their operations by selling at farm stands, farmers markets, and local stores.

Benefits of Hobby Farming

Express Your Values

By farming yourself, you know that the products you make are ethically raised. This includes the way you treat the environment, the pesticides you use (or don’t use), what you feed your animals, and the condition of your farm. Farming products made with high ethical standards may be valuable to you beyond the money that you can potentially make.

Taxes

Depending on the revenue (if any) you make from your hobby farm, you may be exempt from paying taxes on that income. If you choose not to file taxes on hobby farm income, however, you will forfeit the ability to deduct any losses you incur on your tax return.  

Grow-As-You-Go

There is no pressure for a hobby farmer to become a larger operation because you still maintain your main source of income. Many hobby farmers start out small and grow their farm bit by bit. 

This way, you can grow what you want, when you want, and only add what you love. If you start doing something that you don’t find rewarding or don’t like doing, you can switch to something else! 

Hobby Farm Products & Services

The following farm products and services are popular on farms in Mississippi and Louisiana (including hobby farms):

• Fiber
• Eggs
• Fruits & Vegetables
• Grains & Cereals
• Meat & Poultry
• Trees, Flowers & Landscaping Plants
• Succulents & Indoor Plants
• Bees, Honey & Pollination Services

Choosing Plants & Crops

If you don’t know what you want to grow, start by finding your climate zone to see what grows best where you will have your farm. Louisiana has climate growing zones 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, and 10a, and Mississippi has zones 7a, 8a, and 8b. Browse some varieties of plants great in each of these zones:

• Zone 7 Plants
• Zone 8 Plants
• Zone 9 Plants
• Zone 10 Plants

Choosing Livestock

There is an incredible variety of animals that thrive on farms in the south, but choose a breed that is made to thrive in a hot climate. Establish your herd slowly to make sure you add animals that you enjoy. For example, if you want to start raising chickens, try three to six at first (chickens are happiest with friends).  If you don’t like them, they can easily be rehomed. Then, you can try out something else, like a pair of Nubian goats. Make sure that the size of your acreage supports the livestock you bring aboard.

Rules and Regulations

A hobby farm is small, both in size and in revenue. Your hobby farm may be small enough to exempt it from the local, state, and federal rules and regulations that govern larger farming operations.

You can learn more about these regulations, broken down by farm product, in the Direct Farm Business Guides for Louisiana and Mississippi. These guides contain information on specific crops, the licenses you’ll need to sell them, and the thresholds for health and safety you’ll have to meet. Generally speaking, the more you sell, the more regulated your farm will be. 

Hobby Farm Land

With rural land available for purchase in Louisiana and Mississippi, moving to the country to start the hobby farm you’ve always dreamed of is within your reach. You can browse available rural properties via online services like Landsofamerica.com.

Our lenders are very familiar with rural property so take advantage of getting to know one of our rural expert loan officers. We can help you finance the perfect property for a hobby farm.

Insurance for Hobby Farms

Even if you do not turn a profit, your money is invested in your hobby farm. Make sure that the gear you have accrued, which may include barns and sheds, fencing, tractors and more, is properly insured. Your specific farm may be insured under a farm policy, or you may be insured under a homeowner’s policy with additional riders. Document your purchases with photos, video and ownership papers, and have your agent help you insure them for their replacement value should they be damaged or stolen.

Financing for Hobby Farms

Hobby farms are generally built on land that contains your home in the country. Southern AgCredit offers financing for country homes in many areas of Louisiana and all of Mississippi. We offer homesite loans in agriculturally zoned properties as well as construction home loans on existing rural property. 

We also offer financing for many of the items you need to run a hobby farm. This includes financing for livestock, growing crops, and equipment.

Take the First Step

Contact Southern AgCredit to tell us about the hobby farm you want to build, and we will help you take the next step to finance it. Fill out the form below.

The COVID-19 pandemic inadvertently created a new generation of gardeners. Gardening eases our boredom, soothes our nerves, and provides food during a time of inflation. While millions of people began to garden as a coping mechanism, many are now in the third year of their new favorite hobby. 

If you are considering taking your gardening hobby to the next level, consider adding a greenhouse. In this article, we will explore why people in Louisiana and Mississippi use greenhouses, whether to buy or DIY, and the variety of design options available.

Why Greenhouses?

Frost

In both Mississippi and Louisiana, we usually have at least one significant cold snap each year. Many of us won’t forget the arctic outbreak of February 2021. At one point, Shreveport fell to a low of one single degree Fahrenheit. One degree!

After spending months tending to your outdoor plants, you don’t want to lose them in a freeze. By moving your plants to the greenhouse, you give them a chance at surviving the cold. 

Starting Seeds

You can more easily control the temperature and humidity inside a greenhouse. During a cold spring, this can help you grow vegetables and other plants from seed. Then you can transfer the seedlings when the outdoor temperature is right. Use space in your greenhouse to propagate root cuttings of houseplants, herbs, roses, and more.

Critter Protection

There is a gardening rule closely related to Murphy’s Law: if there are plants you don’t want animals to eat, animals will try to eat them. Deer, rabbits, groundhogs, foxes—they’re all hungry, and your baby lettuce smells like dinner. With the right materials (deer can tear through some plastic sheeting), you can mitigate some damage animals can cause. 

Greenhouse Elements

Orientation

In the summer, the sun rises in the northeast and sets in the northwest. In the winter, we receive the most sunlight on the south and southeast side of a house. If you orient your greenhouse north-south, some crops will receive more sunlight than others. This article includes more information on site selection and orientation for greenhouses.

Heating, Cooling, and Ventilation

You will need reliable heating, cooling, and ventilation to properly grow seed trays and plants. This HVAC article from the UGA extension school goes over all types of heating systems and includes information on:

• Heat conduction, convection heat transfer, radiation heat transfer, and factors affecting heat loss.
• Ventilation systems including exhaust fans, pressure fans, evaporative cooling, mist cooling, and natural ventilation.

Amenities

These elements can help make gardening more pleasurable and convenient:

• Waist-high benches are great for helping the sun hit your plants. Working at this level is also much more comfortable for the gardener. You can also use these benches for workspace and shelving.
• Water access: if your spigot is far away, consider running a pipe to the greenhouse for a convenient water source.
• Automatic controls and electricity: set it and forget it. You won’t have to constantly worry about the humidity and temperature of the greenhouse if there is a thermostat that automatically helps with regulation. 

Buying a Greenhouse

Greenhouse Kits

Many online retailers and big box stores offer the equivalent of an IKEA greenhouse. Though less expensive than buying a professionally made greenhouse and having it installed, they can be more flimsy and are more susceptible to damage in inclement weather. If you buy a kit, make sure that you anchor the greenhouse to the ground. If not properly secured, a greenhouse kit you buy at the hardware store can blow over in 40mph winds.

Greenhouse Dealers

There are a number of reputable greenhouse builders and dealers who deliver to Louisiana and Mississippi, but you’ll pay a premium to have a fully assembled greenhouse delivered to your lot. These greenhouses can be customized with waterproof electrical outlets, overhead lights, vents, and even ceiling fans.

Download Free Greenhouse Design Plans

If you’d like to build your own greenhouse instead of purchasing a kit or prefabricated greenhouse, there are some free greenhouse plans available via Louisiana State University and Mississippi State University. These plans were primarily designed in the 1970s, so some informations might be outdated or missing tech innovations, but they are a solid jumping off point in terms of design, framing, and structure. Keep in mind that if you build a greenhouse, you should check with your local municipality about building codes and permits you may need.

The top recommendation for hobby farmers from horticulturists and greenhouse management experts is a Lean-To style greenhouse. A “lean-to” is half a greenhouse built onto the side of another structure. When you orient your lean-to on the south side of another structure, not only do you get all the sunlight from the south, you avoid the cold winter wind coming from the north.

A lean-to requires one less wall, so it is easier and less expensive to build than a freestanding structure. A big bonus is its sturdiness against weather events like hurricanes. 

Lean-To Greenhouses

• Attached Solarium 
• Plastic Covered Coldframe (5’ x 7’8”)
• Temporary Greenhouse

Gable Greenhouses

• Plastic Covered (12’ x 16’ 9.5”)
• Plastic Covered (16’ x 10’)
• Scissors Truss (21’ x 40’)
• Large Greenhouse (28’ x 96’)
• Greenhouse Framing (22’ x 48’ to 96’)
• Hobby Greenhouse (12’ x 9’)

Quonset Greenhouses

• Conduit Pipe Frame (20×48)
• Plastic Greenhouse (20×80)
• Plastic Pipe (12×12)
• Pipe Frame (25’x96’10”)
• Double Plastic Pipe (16’ x 16’)

Slant Leg Greenhouses

Home Greenhouse (10’ x 12’)

Combination Greenhouses

Greenhouse & Storage Building (10×14): designed half for storage and half as a greenhouse

Gothic Rafter Greenhouses

• Gothic Rafter (21×40)
• Portable Plastic (12’ x 8’6”)

More Information

We’ve only scratched the surface on what information is available about greenhouses. For more inspiration and information, visit these greenhouse sources:

• LSU Ag Center pamphlet “Building Hobby Greenhouses” (PDF)
• Bob Vila “12 DIY Greenhouse Plans”
• Mississippi State University “Protecting Plants from Cold Temperatures”

Get More Room for Your Greenhouse

Want to build something bigger than an 8’ x 10” greenhouse? The sky’s the limit when you move to the country. Southern AgCredit helps make gardener dreams come true by financing country homes in rural areas of Louisiana and Mississippi. Start building the greenhouse of your dreams by contacting Southern AgCredit. Start a loan inquiry below.

For homeowners whose landscaping is a point of pride, the lawn is often considered their crown jewel. Since beautiful turf doesn’t just happen by itself, we’ve assembled some information on grass maintenance in your area of Louisiana and Mississippi. We are fortunate to have turf experts near us with all the information we need to improve our lawns.

Louisiana and Mississippi Growing Zones

First, it’s important to recognize your growing zone when consulting with a lawn expert or considering grasses for your landscaping. 

Louisiana

Mississippi

Most Common Grasses

Each type of lawn grass has varieties with its own water, mowing and light requirements. Research what seed or sod you’re purchasing, and consider consulting with a turf expert before you seed your lawn.

Turf Maintenance Resources

Both Louisiana and Mississippi have rigorous college programs advancing the field of turf management. These departments are incredible resources for any turf issue you may come across.

Louisiana

LSU’s AgCenter has published the Turfgrass microsite, Louisiana Lawn Series: A Guide to Maintaining a Healthy Louisiana Lawn. The microsite covers topics such as:

• Turfgrass species identification
• Turfgrass management practices
• Soils and soil fertility
• Weeds
• Insects and other pests
• Diseases
• Testing laboratories and services
• Pesticide safety education and training
• Testing laboratories and services
• Ask an expert
• Turfgrass groups and associations

Mississippi

The Mississippi State University Extension service is the go-to resource for turf concerns and resources in the state of Mississippi. 

The MSU Extension site has the following:

• Scientific publications
• Turf Tips newsletter
• MS State Extension Service Plant Diagnostic Laboratory for rapid and accurate plant disease and nematode diagnostic services

Free eBook on Home Lawns

MSU has published a comprehensive book on home lawns:

“The home lawn and turf areas surrounding churches, parks, and office buildings do more than just serve as pleasant green backdrops. The grass plants that make up the lawns serve as miniature air-conditioners and pollution-abatement centers. Download the PDF to learn more about establishing and maintaining your home lawn.”

Download Establish and Manage Your Home Lawn for free.

Common Turf Issues

Below are some of the most common turf issues that homeowners in Louisiana and Mississippi are currently experiencing. If you are experiencing a problem that’s not listed below, please refer to the turf maintenance resources.

Traffic Holes

​​There are no grasses that can hold up to regular wear and tear from children and dogs, with the exception of Bermuda grass. Using fertilizer and water, Bermuda grass recovers most quickly, which is the reason athletics fields in the south use it exclusively.

Weeds

Identify weeds and read about controlling them safely via fertilization, mowing and herbicides. LSU’s Turfgrass Weed guide has extensive information on the following types of weeds:

• Weedy grasses (e.g. barnyardgrass, annual bluegrass, torpedograss)
• Sedges & grass-like weeds (e.g. nutsedge, false garlic, green kyllinga)
• Broadleaf weeds (e.g. doveweed, mock strawberry, lespedeza)

Insects and Armyworms

Your lawn is susceptible to a variety of insects. High on the list of pests ruining lawns across Louisiana and Mississippi right now is the armyworm. Armyworm larvae can eat an entire lawn in one night. 

If you have a hayfield, MSU has a lot of advice for identifying and treating armyworms in pastures. 

LSU’s advice is geared toward home lawns. Check out LSU’s horticulturist Heather Kirk Ballard explaining more about identifying them in your yard and treating the infestation.

Finance Your Lawn in the Country

If you’re building or buying a home in the country, Southern AgCredit can help you with financing. To learn more or get started, contact Southern AgCredit today.

If you live in a rural area of Louisiana or Mississippi, severe weather can be devastating. And even though we live in a relatively warm climate, we aren’t impervious to severe cold and ice storms. The North American winter storm that hit us in February 2021 caused significant devastation across the country. 

Locally, the storm caused thousands of traffic accidents and was officially declared a disaster by the federal government in both Louisiana and Mississippi. 

An ice storm of that magnitude can possibly happen again, and preparing may help you mitigate the effects of the storm. Below are some tips, products and information you can use to stay safe and warm this year and for years to come.

Tricks of the North

Southerners rarely come into contact with the everyday tools that people in colder climates use when dealing with ice and snow. Though these may be used sparingly, you won’t regret having some of them on hand. 

Rock Salt

Rock salt can be used on sidewalks, stairs, patios and driveways to prevent slipping on ice. Don’t handle the salt with your bare hands, and be judicious about the amount of salt you use. Carefully wash your pets’ paws if they step in salt, as it will irritate their paw pads. If you properly store rock salt in an airtight container, you can keep it indefinitely.

Tire Traction

Many Southerners have heard the term “tire chains,” but do they know what that means? We all know how well sand melts ice, so try as they might, roads will likely be impassable until it melts. If you have to leave your home and are worried about getting stuck, there are some tire gadgets that can help get you out of a rough spot. Search for tire traction chains, tire traction mats and trac-grabbers.

Ice Accessories

Here are some nice-to-haves that you may enjoy during an ice storm:

• Windshield scraper for removing ice on your car windows
• Over-the-shoe ice cleats to reduce slip and falls
• Touch screen gloves to keep your hands warm while using your mobile device

Propane

Chances are if you live in a rural area, you use propane for cooking and heating your home. The good news is that your home will likely stay warm. The bad news is that you’ll be using quite a bit more propane to heat your home and may risk running low or even running out. Propane tanker trucks could be running behind or unable to travel at all if the roads are too inaccessible. 

During the winter months, try to make sure that your tank is regularly topped off by enrolling in a regular fill schedule with your propane company. 

Frozen Pipes

Frozen pipes were a major issue during last year’s storm. There were boil water notices, burst pipes and busted mains. 

First, prepare to be without water by storing some at your home. The same general FEMA-recommended rule applies to winter storms as it does to hurricanes: plan for one gallon per person, per day. If you are able, try to keep enough for two weeks. 

Second, try to keep your pipes from freezing. If you have pipes that are exposed to cold air, you can purchase wrap or tube insulation from the hardware store. You can even wrap pipes and spigots with old towels and duct tape if you’re in a pinch. If you notice a frozen pipe, you can use an electric hairdryer to thaw it. However, don’t leave the dryer unattended. 

Third, you may have read that you need to keep your faucet dripping in order to keep the pipes flowing. That’s one way, but that method helps contribute to low water pressure across the whole system. 

Treeline Maintenance

Your risk of knocking down power lines increases in rural areas, and it may make roads impassable. Sleet-covered trees will snap or blow over during a winter storm. If a fallen tree has caused an impasse on your property or on a public road, be 100 percent sure that there is no power line under the tree before you attempt to clear it. 

Generator Safety

Hundreds of thousands of people lost power last year during the winter storm, and tragically, lives were lost due to house fires and carbon monoxide poisoning.

If you are going to use a generator to power your home during a blackout, please consider the following warnings very carefully:

• Only heat your home with something designed to heat a home. This includes your fireplace, central heat and safely operated and monitored space heaters. Do not use an oven, stove or other burning device to create heat for your home.
• Never run your car in a closed garage.
• Do not take your generator inside, ever. Keep it as far away from the home as you can, as they create quite a bit of carbon monoxide.

Report Outages and Down Power Lines

If your power goes out, there’s no guarantee that your utility company will know about the issue. Let them know by reporting the outage on their app, website or by phone.

Many electricity providers in Louisiana and Mississippi now offer mobile apps, and if you allow notifications, the app can send you information on outages and restorations. However, even if you download your utility’s app, consider keeping both their number and your account number written down on paper just in case.

The chart below contains numbers to report outages and down power lines to electrical providers in the areas that Southern AgCredit serves.

Louisiana Electricity Providers

For urgent help with down power lines, you may also call 911.

Mississippi Electricity Providers

For urgent help with down power lines, you may also call 911.

Stay Put and Enjoy the Quiet

If we have another ice storm, and you’re properly prepared, we recommend staying put and enjoying the quiet. Mother Nature will melt the roads eventually. 

Southern AgCredit works to help our customer-owners realize their dreams of living in the country. For more information on financing land for yourself, contact an office near you.

The climate is predictably unpredictable in our part of the country. Each year we hope to avoid winter weather whiplash, but in January, one day it may be 70 degrees outside and then 23 degrees the next.

The ice storm of February 2021 brought record lows to Louisiana and Mississippi. In addition to shivering temperatures, the cold front brought a dangerous amount of snow and sleet. 

Tips for Winter Garden Protection

Was your garden prepared for precipitation and single digits? This type of weather event could happen again, and the change can put a lot of stress on your garden. So, in order to preserve some of your hard work and prized plants, we have some tips for protecting your garden from severe cold and ice. 

1. Bring Your Pots Inside

This may seem intuitive, but it bears repeating: bring those pots and planters inside! For example, if you have a potted plant that usually stays outdoors, you can avoid it becoming damaged by temporarily bringing it indoors.

2. Know Your Vegetables

Some winter vegetables such as kale, collards and cabbage can endure a hard freeze. While others cannot handle frozen temps. It’s important to know which ones can endure winter weather and which cannot. If possible, vegetables that thrive in a warmer climate should be harvested prior to harmful winter weather.

3. Spray Fruit Trees and Bushes

If your fruit trees or shrubs are budding, you can protect them by spraying them with water. If they’re wet, the hydrogen bonds that form ice during a freeze release a small amount of heat that is then locked in with the buds. This ice will also help protect them from wind and sleet.

4. Covers Your Plants

Coverings can help protect your plants, but they can only help to a certain point. When you use covers, make sure that they extend all the way to the ground in order to trap any ground heat. Covers cannot properly protect against extremely cold temperatures, but they can help protect against sleet and wind. 

If you have very prized plants that you cannot move indoors, consider using multiple layers of covers on a particular plant. Like layering winter clothing, it can provide some extra warmth and protection, but avoid creating too much extra weight on top of the plant. 

5. Don’t Forget the Fish

Do you have a koi pond? Make sure your koi stay safe and healthy through a winter freeze. First, adjust their feeding schedule. The digestive systems of koi slow down when temperatures fall. Do not feed them if the water is below 41 degrees. Also, make sure the pond water is moving with the use of an aerator. If the cold snap will last long enough to freeze the pond completely solid, move the koi inside. 

Southern AgCredit Connects People With Land They Love

Don’t panic! If you lose any plants during a freeze, keep in mind that even master gardeners lose plants every season. One of the best things about gardening is the ability to experiment and add new types of shrubs, flowers, trees and vegetables to your yard.

If you’re a nature enthusiast and are thinking of purchasing land in the country, Southern AgCredit is an experienced land bank that finances life outside the city limits. Learn more about our loans for country homes and recreational land or contact a loan officer near you.

Learn about Controlled Burning Practices and Get Certified to Perform Them

Did you know that 34.41 million acres of Mississippi and Louisiana are forestland? That makes up 65 percent of Mississippi’s land base, and 50 percent of Louisiana’s. That’s a lot of vegetation, environment, and animal life to keep healthy. And fire is a big part of that.

The Benefits of Prescribed Burning

It’s rare that we hear about fires as a good thing, but they are an important and vital tool used by trained professionals to keep forests and woodlands healthy. The fact is, there are several ecosystems that depend on fire to flourish. The U.S. Department of Agriculture notes that a prescribed fire can:

• Reduce hazardous fuels
• Minimize the spread of pest insects and disease
• Remove unwanted species that threaten species native to an ecosystem
• Provide forage for game
• Improve habitat for threatened and endangered species
• Recycle nutrients back to the soil
• Promote the growth of trees, wildflowers, and other plants

Prescribed fire, also called a controlled burn, is performed during particular times and under certain conditions to limit any threat to the public, or uncontrollable spreading. These burns are carefully planned by burn managers. Plans include maps, the best times to burn, and burn targets. Burn targets usually include dead grass, fallen branches, dead trees, and thicker sections of undergrowth. 

Types of Controlled Burns

According to National Geographic, there are typically two types of prescribed burns: broadcast burning and pile burning. Broadcast burning includes large, controlled fires across hectares of land. Pile burning, on the other hand, is focused on smaller, individually burned piles of vegetation or debris. The second is more commonly used when conditions for broadcast burning aren’t safe, or to burn remnants of forest thinning and logging operations.

Performing a Prescribed Fire

If you own a tract of land that could benefit from a prescribed fire, the first step is to call a professional. Controlled burns are carefully planned and executed by trained personnel with specific goals. Nobody should start lighting fires on their land without the guidance of a trained burn manager.

Interested in becoming a burn manager? There’s a training program for that.

Prescribed Burn Trainings

Financing For Your Future Forest

If you own land, and you’re looking to utilize a prescribed fire to better nourish your land, please be safe. Get the training you need and leverage control fires appropriately. If you’re looking for land to care for, whether as a timber and forest product, hunting and recreational land, or country home, Southern AgCredit can help! Get in touch with us today and let’s explore your financing options.

Ponds on rural properties need regular care to maintain their health. Properly maintained ponds can be a great place to paddle around, swim, fish, and improve wild habitats. However, poorly maintained ponds can be burdensome and possibly dangerous.

An unmaintained pond can cause many problems, including:

• Propagation of invasive species
• Death of fish and other pond inhabitants 
• Seepage, causing erosion and damage to nearby structures

Check out these management practices rehabilitate the pond on your property.

Rural Pond Management Practices

Algae treatment

Cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, grows in stagnant water. This bacteria is toxic to humans and most animals, including livestock, birds, fish, frogs and dogs.

One way to manage the algae is by using aquatic herbicides.

“The most common and versatile management strategy is the use of aquatic herbicides. In comparison to mechanical control, herbicides provide longer control, are less labor-intensive, provide flexibility and predictability, and are generally cost-effective. If conducted under ideal conditions and the product label is followed, the application of algaecides and aquatic herbicides will have minimal effects on the ecological balance, and several of the products have relatively short half-lives (hours to days).”
Louisiana State University (LSU) Ag Center’s “Harmful Algal Blooms” by Chang Jeong

Aquatic herbicide is only one tool in the toolbox for invasive weed and algae management. To learn about techniques that use less chemicals, visit Mississippi State University’s Weed Control site.

Pond aeration

Oxygen level is a primary attribute of a healthy pond. In Mississippi and Louisiana, pond oxygen can be severely depleted by high temperatures and heavy rainfall. One of the best ways to keep oxygen levels up is to make sure the water is circulating. Using aeration equipment, you can restore oxygen to your pond’s dissolved oxygen (DO) balance. 

Many types of aerators are commercially available. The one that is best for you depends on the size, depth and makeup of your pond. MSU’s Craig Tucker writes in “Pond Aeration” about the principles of aeration, common types of aerators and where and when to aerate. 

Pond alkalinity and pH

Generally speaking, if you have fish in your pond, the water should have an alkalinity of 20 ppm, and a pH value between 6.5 and 9.0. You may be familiar with how to test water for these values from using a pool water test kit. You can use the same type of kit to test your pond water. 

If the alkalinity of your water is low, you can bring it up by adding lime. Application of 4.5 pounds of lime per acre-foot of water increases the alkalinity by approximately one ppm. Dr. Wes Neal from MSU, in his article, “Do I need to add lime to my pond?” says to “use only agricultural or dolomitic limestone in ponds with fish populations.”

Pond re-shaping 

Ponds that have not been touched for many years may not have the correct depth or slopes. If that is the case for you, consider draining your pond. At that time, you can create optimal depths, install drainage and water flow equipment, compact the soil and treat the bottom. 

Pond edges

It may seem like a quick drop, but steep edges to your pond are good!

“To eliminate the shallow water where weeds thrive, a pond should have relatively steep sides and good depth. A good slope is one foot down every three feet across - for both fish habitat and weed reduction.”
Fred Snyder, Ohio State Extension Service

Pond depth

Ponds in Mississippi and Louisiana should not be too deep nor too shallow. 

“Ponds should have an average depth of five to six feet and be no more than 12 feet deep. At least half of the pond should be a depth of four to five feet. This lets fish forage on the bottom, even in summer when oxygen levels are lower. About 20% of the pond should be at least six feet deep to provide winter refuge and summer refuge in extremely dry years. It is also important that pond banks slope rapidly to three feet deep to minimize the risk of dangerous aquatic plants becoming established.”
James L. Cummins of Wildlife Mississippi, Farm Ponds and Small Lakes 

Rural Pond Management Resources

There’s an abundance of information available concerning pond construction and refurbishment in Mississippi and Louisiana. Below are some of the best resources available to learn what there is to know about pond habitats on your land.

Pond soil testing

By testing the soil of your pond, you will know if the soil has the proper components for water retention.

• LSU Ag Center: Testing Services and Fees
• MSU Extension: Soil Testing Services

Pond management forums

Pond Boss has an online forum specifically for renovating a pond or lake. People from all over the country, including Mississippi and Louisiana, chronicle their pond renovation journeys, complete with pictures and commentary. 

Pond management guides

Mississippi

• MSU Extension: Managing Mississippi Ponds and Small Lakes: A Landowner’s Guide (PDF)
• MSU Extension: Pond and Lake Management Microsite
• Mississippi Department of Wildlife and Fisheries: Pond Assistance Program
• Wildlife Mississippi: Part 5: Farm Ponds and Small Lakes (PDF)

Louisiana

• LSU Ag Center: Recreational Ponds Microsite
• Wildlife and Fisheries Louisiana: Management of Recreational and Farm Ponds in Louisiana (PDF)

Get Financing For Rural Land

Whether or not the rural property you want to purchase has a pond on it, consider financing the land with Southern AgCredit. We’ve been financing rural land in Mississippi and Louisiana for generations. Get started by submitting a loan inquiry.

Incorporate These Ideas While Planning Your Country Home

If you’re considering buying land in the country to build a home, you have the opportunity to add some wonderful custom features. Now’s the best time to think about these features, as adding them during the initial design and construction phases is far simpler than doing so after the fact. Find some inspiration below and take full advantage of your blank slate.

A Magnificent Mudroom

No matter what you do on your land, you don’t want any of it inside of your beautiful new home. Avoid tracking in dirt with a well-planned mudroom. With your mudroom, you’ll be able to put soiled clothes directly into the washing machine. Make it big and add extra custom cabinets to store all of your family’s coats, jackets and shoes.

A Dog Grooming Station

If you have a home in the country, your dog will probably spend a lot of time enjoying the outdoors. If you don’t want your brand new, beautiful custom house covered in whatever the dog dragged in, consider installing a special dog grooming station. Professional-grade, stainless steel dog baths can make life much easier. These types of dog baths are really easy to clean, last forever, and come with ramps, non-slip floor mats and flexible spray hoses. Special bonus: the tub can double as a utility sink. 

Elegant Access 

When you build a beautiful country home, the plan is to grow old in it. Sometimes, with aging comes mobility issues that may cause you to have trouble navigating stairs or accessing the shower. Consider these options for your home that you may thank yourself for later on: 

• Single-level homes are ideal for people with mobility issues. Stairs can be extremely hard for people using assisted devices. If you need to build more than one level, consider building the master bedroom on the ground floor.
• Build hallways and door frames wider than the standard build. Navigating narrow hallways and door frames with a wheelchair or walker can be cumbersome and wider doorways can make things easier for everyone. 
• Install a shower that you walk in or roll into with a chair. Don’t forget sturdy grab bars or at least the room to install them later.

Wiring Smart and Smart Wiring

We have never heard anyone complain about a room having too many outlets. Why? Because we need to plug in many devices and power cords are short. 

For the outlets indoors, add convenient USB ports to charge phones, e-readers, printers, keyboards and more.

Another wiring option to consider: install ethernet internet cables throughout the home for devices like smart TVs and computers. If your home is large, wi-fi routers can be slow or even spotty. You’ll have a more consistent, solid connection with cables. Think of the connection as a landline versus a cell phone. 

Central Vacuum Cleaner

If you’re interested in a very convenient cleaning solution for your home, the best time to install a central vacuum system is while your home is under construction. This amenity is a permanent fixture of your home that will last indefinitely. The advantages to owning a central vacuum system are many and include low noise, increased suction and ease of use. 

If the added cost to build seems overwhelming, consider installing the wall or floor inlets and tubing while your home is being built and add the central motor and canister later on. 

Storage, Storage, Storage

One of the best parts of living in the country is your ability to spread out. Take advantage of all the space you’ll have by adding tons of storage:

• Walk-in closets
• Butler’s pantry 
• Built-ins
• Three-car garage
• Linen closets
• Detached shed

Start Building the Country Home of Your Dreams

Are you inspired to get started? Southern AgCredit helps provide homesite loans and construction loans for people in Louisiana and Mississippi who want to build a home in the country. If you’re inspired, get started by contacting the Southern AgCredit branch near you.