Ruining my hayfields

[richardbro]

My fields are like that - mostly wet clay under the Timonthy and various weeds. The guys that do the hay can't get on them until July! By that time everythings gone to seed. Wet fields need to be drained ($!)

[sugarmaple]

There is an outfit not to far from VT in Quebec that makes track packages for tractors. Perhaps you could contact them and ask if they are viable solution to your problem. I would guess all, or at least many VT dealers know about them since the rep was in a small Kubota dealership when I learned of them. Pricey though...

[svon89]

A neighbor of mine has an old cletrak, and just bought another at auction for around $1200. Nice little track machines and run a brushhog well, just have to have an over-run clutch with them. He told me he even used it years back in the cedar swamps to pull out the big cedars. One of those might just be cheaper than a track system for a tractor.

I do like the idea of putting the problem in the hands of the conservation agent. The state agencies always have great ideas, until you ask them how they would do it, then you get the deer-in-headlight look.

[bostonrats]

...and here is a photo to prove it. I shot this in VT as the farmers burned their junk hay in the field. I think it got wet before they could bring it in.

Originally Posted by Aquaman

The old-fashioned way is still probably the best - burn the field. Kills weeds (and bugs), stimulates the grasses, and enriches the soil. Not to mention drying it out...........

[John47]

Originally Posted by Surgeon

I am trying to reclaim my hayfields. The conservation agent wants the fields mowed frequently to help dry them out and keep the weeds form going to seed. My problem is that the fields are boggy. Because of the Vermont mud season I never can get an early start mowing and then because the grass is long the fields do not dry out till August by which time all sorts of things have gone to seed. My problem is this: I can get through the fields to mow but I rut them significantly. I have a MF 1428 with a 5ft woods bushog on the back. My tires are Front: R4 25 x 8.50-14 Rear: R4 12.5/80-18. I want something higher flotation or in duals but cannot find either for this size tractor. I have no problem buying new rims and tires but cannot find them to buy. Anyone have any thoughts?

I'm mystified here, what legal right has the Conservation Agent work under??
I can understand being cited for high grass and ladder fuel around a dwelling during a fire danger as per California and places like that.
But, can you elaborate please?

[Mickey_Fx]

If there is a place for drainage, I'd look at putting in a drain field. Very common around here. Around here they use flexible poly pipe that is perforated. Installed like buried cable. No major field work and is laid using a field size laser level that controls the depth and slope of the pipe.

PNW is where most grass seed is grown. Burning the field after harvest is very common practice. Weeds are not tolerated and if burning promoted weed growth the practice wouldn't fly around here.

[ksimolo]

Quote: "I'm mystified here, what legal right has the Conservation Agent work under??"

There usually are programs that pay to have land returned to some form that supports wildlife or to take land out of production. Under those programs, usually you have certain requirements to meet. I am assuming this is the situation here.

Ken

[John47]

Originally Posted by ksimolo

Quote: "I'm mystified here, what legal right has the Conservation Agent work under??"

There usually are programs that pay to have land returned to some form that supports wildlife or to take land out of production. Under those programs, usually you have certain requirements to meet. I am assuming this is the situation here.

Ken

Thanks Ken, that puts it in perspective, I steer clear of government busybodies, once you allow them into your life, they like to take over completely.

[kbuegel]

We've had lots of problems with swampy ground where I live. Soil is very sandy and it creates a slurry. The surface grasses hold up the tractor sometimes, but then the front tires sometimes cut through the surface grasses and create a rut that back tires fall into and widen and then you're stuck good. Just have to keep an eye on those front tires as you go along to make sure they don't start sinking. Also never travel the same path twice, use fresh ground every time you go across soft areas. Use the loader to push backwards if you get stuck. I also find that driving the tractor backwards through swampy areas seems to work better. When going backwards, I think the larger rear tires pull instead of push.

Typically, there will be dry spots or raised spots that are solid, and lower wet spots that are not. So just mow what you can, and leave the rest. Any mowing will help. If you have hay equipment, maybe you can mow and rake the edge of the field and repeat and advance a bit every two weeks as things dry out.

Overall, the best solution we've found for swampy soil is to create a way to drain out the water. Make raised pathways through the fields during the summer so you can get across your fields in the winter. Works great if you can add gravel or a plastic paving fabric to cap the ground so water runs off instead of infiltrating the soil. To go with your pathways, add the drainage ditches which should be very deep if possible. At least 3-6 feet, and 3-6 feet wide (use this removed soil to build up your paths). Capilary action in the soil will draw water out if there is a ditch for it to drain into. So the challenge is digging during the summer with winter in mind. Take pictures to remind yourself where the really bad flooding occurs and deal with those areas during the summer. It may look a bit ugly the first year, but once its grown over a bit, it won't show.

Of course, if its a hay field, its nice to have it be level and flat. But you can still crown the middle of the field with a road/path and add drainage ditches around the edges. Then you can still cross the field in the winter, and you can mow the edges of your new road.

We've laid many rolls of 4" flexible perferated pipe as well. However, it gets clogged fairly quickly with sand. We tried putting gravel around the pipe, but still the dirt/sand will clog the pipe within 2 or 3 years. Water still wicks through, but not as well as when you built it. The trick is to use some sort of filter fabric or landscape fabric down first in your trench, then put in some gravel and then the pipe, that will stay working for a while. The fabric encasing the gravel and pipe will hold back the dirt/sand from infiltrating the gravel. The air spaces in the gravel are what gives you suction underground to draw water out of the soil and into the perforated pipe (plus the airspace in the pipe itself).
Oh, and you don't actually have to get the pipe level. It can rise and fall a bit and will still carry water, even if the end is the same height as the beginning. Its not gravity that drives the water out of the soil, its the capilary action and airspaces in the pipe. So don't get hung up on leveling or sloping the pipe.
Landscape fabric can be expensive (like $25 for 3 foot by 50 linear feet) but I found that filter fabric can be purchased in 12-foot wide rolls that have 400 or 500 linear feet for approx $300. Available at more professional building supply places (not Lowes). Thats the way to go.

[dtd24]

kbuegal,
Thats some really good information. I learned alot in this thread, as I have some wet spots my self. I will take some pics and post a thread as well over the weekend.

Lots of questions but I want to get some pics and I dont want to take over this thread!!