July 20, 2025 – Javin Mullet: Burning for Border Grass and Remembering Grandma

📍 Ohio | Food Plot Prep | Border Grass Experiment

Sunday evening out here on the farm, and I’m wrapping up a border grass project I started yesterday. Ended up burning about 650 yards of future screen, trying to get it in before it’s too late. I know it’s late July, but if I can get 6 or 7 feet out of it, I’ll be happy.

Yesterday, I had to cut things short and leave early to go see my grandma. She wasn’t doing well. This morning, she passed away at 97 years old. We’re heartbroken, but grateful she lived a full life, was ready to go, and is now reunited with Grandpa. That visit yesterday means the world now.

Back to the field—this is a bit of a trial run. I killed the area two weeks ago, but honestly, I should’ve sprayed one more time and waited another week or two. Still, I’m short on time and trying to get it in. We had rain overnight, so the soil’s got good moisture. Instead of tilling and drying everything out—and bringing new weed seed up—I’m burning the thatch and seedbed. That ash layer should help suppress new weeds and keep moisture in.

I’ll follow this up by broadcasting the border grass seed, cultipacking it in with the PackerMaxx, and hitting it with a heavy dose of PlotStart. Curious to see how this method works out—never tried burning for a screen planting before.

I’m also leaving a chunk of this pasture in native grass and planting about 3 acres of Evolved Harvest Seven Card Stud. There’s a 4-year-old buck I’ve got a little history with—don’t think he’s living here full-time, but he’s around. Got a picture of him about a week ago on the backside. And there’s a giant that showed up here late in the rut last year. Fingers crossed he shows up earlier this season.

Might not hunt this piece myself, but my nephew or someone else might get a shot at that 4-year-old. It’s only 11.5 acres, but the deer love it here. Should be another fun fall.

-Javin