Warning about Trophy Radishes

Jhunt

Banned
I stopped in a feed store near Athens today and asked if they had Trophy Radishes. They said no but they would have them next week. I asked where they were getting them from and they said some distributor in Athens or Watkinsville. Come to find out those are not Trophy Radishes but some other variety. Also found out Trophy Radishes is a trademarked name and only one guy has the right to distribute them in the southeast. So, if you buy Trophy Radishes but they are not in a bag with that name on them they are not the same thing. And, the seller is not shooting straight and possibly breaking the law.
 
Thanks very much for the heads up. Us hunters need to speak up more often, this will help others from being taken advantage of. Thanks Again
 

Jhunt

Banned
They are not calling them trophy radishes. Is what I was told.

It's what the dealer I talked to called them. As long as tehy tell you what you're getting is one thing. Calling them something they aren't, or "just like" something they aren't is akin to stealing in my opinion.
 

jmock9

Senior Member
i believe the Trophy Radishes are just a way to sell a seed with a deer on the bag thus making the price way more expesive. Forage radishes should do the same thing and are probably the same thing. they are used to airerate the soil and bring nutrients to the surface.
 

Jhunt

Banned
Makes you wonder don't it? But, I've researched that some and keep coming back to the same question. If stuff like that is so, how do all these seed companies, like Tecomate and Biologic, stay in business? Must be more to it.
 

jmock9

Senior Member
because people are willing to pay for a service. also there are many people who at know fault to them dont know a lot of knowledge on plots or growing crops. alot can be learned from the internet.
 
Makes you wonder don't it? But, I've researched that some and keep coming back to the same question. If stuff like that is so, how do all these seed companies, like Tecomate and Biologic, stay in business? Must be more to it.

Why do people buy hamburger patties, instead of a pack of ground hamburger?

Just picking one product, here's the Biologic description of one of its products, "Outfitters Blend.'

All of these seeds are available at any well supplied seed store, and so anyone who wants to could easily duplicate this blend. The biggest hangup is that it would probably cost you $200 or so to do so, and most people want to spend $10.00 for the 5 lb. bag with the picture of the big buck. Then they can scratch up a little piece of ground, plant a "food plot", and they are a bona fide "trophy hunter."

Outfitter’s Blend — created with input
from leading field guides — ensures your food
plots will get the job done. This new fall blend
features a selected mix of New Zealand
Triticale, Austrian winter peas, wheat and oats
for maximum attractiveness and palatability.
It’s formulated to establish quickly, provide
ample nutrition, pull in game and keep them
concentrated

http://www.mossyoakbiologic.com/products/default.asp?id=7&section=deer_annual

FWIW, an internet search of "trophy radish" or "trophy radishes" only turns up the Kent Kammenmeyer article in GON. I have a lot of respect for Kent, but if we are talking ethics, it's journalistically suspect to print an article as "news" when you have a financial interest in the product.

If you do a search on "Ray Weil", the researcher mentioned by Kammenmeyer, and "radish", you will get a reference to his fact sheet, in which he details his research.www.vegetables.cornell.edu/.../Forage_Radish_Fact_Sheet_Jan2009_Weil.pdf - He never refers to "Trophy Radish", but to a specific variety of Daikon, or forage, radish,

Forage radish (Raphanus sativus var. niger) is a
unique fall/winter cover crop that is relatively new
to the Mid-Atlantic region.

So the fact that someone has slapped a trade name on the variety Raphanus sativus var. niger doesn't mean that they are the only one that can sell that variety, or that anyone else selling the same variety is doing anything unethical or illegal.

Again people who knows how to read agricultural labels will end up saving money, and people who are impressed with glossy pictures will spend more.

If you want to learn more about forage radishes, search for "steve groff radish"

Or go directly to this webpage;
http://www.tillageradish.com/history.php

The truth is that for most specialty seeds like this there are may be only one or two companies producing the seed in the United States.
 

Jhunt

Banned
So the fact that someone has slapped a trade name on the variety Raphanus sativus var. niger doesn't mean that they are the only one that can sell that variety, or that anyone else selling the same variety is doing anything unethical or illegal.

What if they sell a similar variety under the same trademarked name, or even the same variety under the trademarked name? Always been curious about that. Could I legally mix up Biologic's mix and tell folks that it is Biologic or sell it as such? I assume that if I use the same varieties at the same rates it would be both legal and ethical to do that since they obviously aren't the only ones that can sell those varieties. Correct?

There is a website for trophy radishes. Don't remember how I found it, but I believe it is trophyradish.com ??
 

huntnboy

Senior Member
One bad thing is that a dealer told me that it is not the same thing if you buy daikon radish. I ask him why did they call them that in the write up? He didn't say anything!! A bag with a picture helps sell things!
 

Jhunt

Banned
I talked to someone who knows about them. Apparantly there are several varieties out there. However, and I got this from a grower, they aren't all the same. Just like all varieties of white clover are not the same. From what I understand these are to other daikons what durana is to other white clovers. And, they are the only ones actually tested on wild deer in two parts of the country. So, I guess just like white clovers, you get what you pay for. Of course, the purpose of this post was to bring up the fact that I could have ended up getting something that wasn't what I was wanting, so just be aware. And, besides, up until this year, who had ever heard of radishes for deer? If they had been tested and proven effective for deer, wouldn't it have been a household word? More to all this I perceive and it sounds like someone is trying to do an end-run around someone else on the shoulders of their hard work. Which, in my mind, is about like stealing.
 

EastALHunter

Senior Member
Know Steve Groff personally.....

Why do people buy hamburger patties, instead of a pack of ground hamburger?

Just picking one product, here's the Biologic description of one of its products, "Outfitters Blend.'

All of these seeds are available at any well supplied seed store, and so anyone who wants to could easily duplicate this blend. The biggest hangup is that it would probably cost you $200 or so to do so, and most people want to spend $10.00 for the 5 lb. bag with the picture of the big buck. Then they can scratch up a little piece of ground, plant a "food plot", and they are a bona fide "trophy hunter."



http://www.mossyoakbiologic.com/products/default.asp?id=7&section=deer_annual

FWIW, an internet search of "trophy radish" or "trophy radishes" only turns up the Kent Kammenmeyer article in GON. I have a lot of respect for Kent, but if we are talking ethics, it's journalistically suspect to print an article as "news" when you have a financial interest in the product.

If you do a search on "Ray Weil", the researcher mentioned by Kammenmeyer, and "radish", you will get a reference to his fact sheet, in which he details his research.www.vegetables.cornell.edu/.../Forage_Radish_Fact_Sheet_Jan2009_Weil.pdf - He never refers to "Trophy Radish", but to a specific variety of Daikon, or forage, radish,



So the fact that someone has slapped a trade name on the variety Raphanus sativus var. niger doesn't mean that they are the only one that can sell that variety, or that anyone else selling the same variety is doing anything unethical or illegal.

Again people who knows how to read agricultural labels will end up saving money, and people who are impressed with glossy pictures will spend more.

If you want to learn more about forage radishes, search for "steve groff radish"

Or go directly to this webpage;
http://www.tillageradish.com/history.php

The truth is that for most specialty seeds like this there are may be only one or two companies producing the seed in the United States.

and the only person that distributes his radishes in the South is Kent. You pay the same price that you'd pay from any dealer across the country - or give or take a few dollars.

There are lots of varieties of Daikons but none have the large growth genetics of Steve Groff's. Just like there are lots of varieties of forage soybeans but none with the large growth genetics of Brad Doyle's at Eagle Seed. Both of these men have worked long and hard to develop these seed varieties. And both deserve anything monetarily that come their way. Yes, there are companies and seeds out there that re-name things without having a truly superior variety of seed. But don't throw the baby out with the bathwater because a few are not on the up and up.

As far as Kent's ethics - when did it become unethical to write a factual article to communicate and promote a new product? He even used unbiased studies. Kent has done more communication and education for absolutely zero dollars than anybody I know. He's trying to make a living and doing it honestly - that's the American way if I know it.

And this is someone speaking that has wanted to bring Steve Groff's daikon radishes down South for over two years. I appreciate someone like Kent that got it done. Now I can use them myself and get them to my clients. So what if he wanted to use a catchy name - the science and benefits are in the bag. Heck, I'll send you a bag for free just so you can try them. :cheers:
 
Could I legally mix up Biologic's mix and tell folks that it is Biologic or sell it as such? I assume that if I use the same varieties at the same rates it would be both legal and ethical to do that since they obviously aren't the only ones that can sell those varieties. Correct?

You can sell the same mix, you can't call it Biologic. You could do what a lot of store brands do, and "Compares to Biologic." That's why Coca Cola has never patented the formula for Coke. There are a lot of Colas out there.

As far as Kent's ethics - when did it become unethical to write a factual article to communicate and promote a new product?

It's generally considered unethical to present information as "news" without disclosing that the author has a conflict of interest in the news being presented, and it's been that way a long time. That the "news" is factual doesn't change the author's self interest in presenting it. It actually was GON's responsibility to disclose Kent's interest, so I'll leave it to those folks to work it out.

If Forrest Wood wrote an article about how Triton boats really were a piece of crap, the subject might be completely factual, but we all recognize that he is not the most detached reporter.

and the only person that distributes his radishes in the South is Kent.

According to Steve Groff's website these folks distribute them;

Tucker Farm Center - 251-282-6286
tuckfarm@frontiernet.net
98 Live Oak Ln
Brewton, AL
 

EastALHunter

Senior Member
Not to split hairs...

You can sell the same mix, you can't call it Biologic. You could do what a lot of store brands do, and "Compares to Biologic." That's why Coca Cola has never patented the formula for Coke. There are a lot of Colas out there.



It's generally considered unethical to present information as "news" without disclosing that the author has a conflict of interest in the news being presented, and it's been that way a long time. That the "news" is factual doesn't change the author's self interest in presenting it. It actually was GON's responsibility to disclose Kent's interest, so I'll leave it to those folks to work it out.

If Forrest Wood wrote an article about how Triton boats really were a piece of crap, the subject might be completely factual, but we all recognize that he is not the most detached reporter.



According to Steve Groff's website these folks distribute them;

Tucker Farm Center - 251-282-6286
tuckfarm@frontiernet.net
98 Live Oak Ln
Brewton, AL

but Tucker Farm Center is a dealer since that information came from the Dealer Locator page. This page is not complete as there are several dealers in GA not even listed. Kent is the only distributor in the South and if not for him they wouldn't be down here this year.

If you want to be critical then I say hold on to the grey ethics "charge".

Now where do you want your free bag sent?
 
but Tucker Farm Center is a dealer since that information came from the Dealer Locator page. This page is not complete as there are several dealers in GA not even listed. Kent is the only distributor in the South and if not for him they wouldn't be down here this year.

If you want to be critical then I say hold on to the grey ethics "charge".

Now where do you want your free bag sent?

Send that bag to me, and send me a bag of that feed you make as well!
 
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