Medium Red Clover (VNS) in Corn Belt North.
This review is based on independent university trial data and public extension publications, not seed-company marketing materials. Trial source for this review: University of Wisconsin Extension Forage Trials, University of Minnesota Forage Trials.
Bield: Farm has no seed-company sponsorship. We do not earn affiliate commissions on seed sales.
Performance scorecard
Medium Red Clover (VNS)
Yield in Corn Belt North
Disease resistance — relevant to Corn Belt North
- Northern anthracnoseGood
- Powdery mildewFair
Agronomic ratings
- Drought toleranceGood
- StandabilityGood
- EmergenceExcellent
- Winter hardinessGood
Food plot ratings
- PalatabilityGood
- PersistenceFair
- Establishmenteasy
Attraction timingMay through October — heavy summer browse
Clover as a hunting food plot.
Clover is the single most important food plot species for whitetail deer. Permanent clover plots produce summer protein and fall attraction year after year. Plan your clover food plot in Bield: Hunt for peak rut timing.
Regional strengths
Medium red clover is the workhorse cover crop and forage species across the Northern Corn Belt — easy establishment via frost-seeding into winter wheat, reliable summer growth, and meaningful nitrogen fixation for the following corn year. University of Wisconsin and Minnesota forage programs have decades of data on red clover varieties.
Regional weaknesses
Medium red clover is biennial / short-lived perennial — expect 18–24 month productive life rather than long-term persistence. Anthracnose-resistant varieties exist; older non-resistant lines should be avoided. As a food plot species it's outgrown by ladino white clover for fall attraction.
Recommended for
- frost-seed-into-wheat cover cropping
- summer N fixation ahead of corn
- short-term forage rotations
Not recommended for
- long-term perennial pasture (use ladino white instead)
- fall-focused food plot attraction
Where this data comes from
Clover variety trials in Corn Belt North
Independent · Public UniversityThese results come from independent university variety trials — not seed company marketing materials. Variety entries, planting dates, and harvest measurements are controlled by the trial program. Land-grant universities publish full results annually.
- University of Minnesota Variety Trialsvariety.umn.edu ↗
- University of Wisconsin Coolbean (Soybeans)coolbean.info ↗
- Michigan State MSU Extensionwww.canr.msu.edu/outreach/ ↗
- NDSU Extension Variety Trialswww.ag.ndsu.edu/varietytrials ↗
- SDSU Extension iGrowextension.sdstate.edu ↗
Trial reports are typically released in January–March of the year following harvest. For Clovervariety selection, the most recent year’s report is the most relevant data source.
Agronomic fit — Corn Belt North
Humid continental with cold winters, short-to-moderate growing seasons, and high summer temperature swings. RM matching is the dominant variety decision.
Medium Red Clover (VNS) as a food plot.
This variety is widely used in food plots for whitetail deer. Attraction timing: may through october — heavy summer browse.
Clover as a hunting food plot.
Clover is the single most important food plot species for whitetail deer. Permanent clover plots produce summer protein and fall attraction year after year. Plan your clover food plot in Bield: Hunt for peak rut timing.
Trait package & sourcing
“Frost-seeded red clover into wheat is the most common cover-crop entry point in the Upper Midwest — community reports overwhelmingly favor it for cost and establishment ease.”
These observations are from farmer and hunter community reports — they have not been independently verified.
Variety performance data changes as new genetics enter the market. Always consult your local extension service for the most current trial data — this is especially important for corn and soybean entries, where trait packages and disease ratings shift annually.
Related
Track variety performance on your farm.
Bield: Farm logs your planting dates, soil temperature, weather, and yield outcomes by variety so you build your own private trial data over years on your fields, not someone else’s.