Mowing Mowing rocky field

[brande]

I hope one of you can straighten me out.

Recently purchased about 15 acres, used as corn field and built house and barn there.

When mowing, I come across all kind of rocks turned up by the farmer's plow.

From softball size to bowling ball size.

I try to watch, but still hit a rock now and then, much to my mower's dismay.

It seems that

I have removed about a tri-axle truck load of rocks out of there, but there is more mowing and rocks to do.

I do have field grass and clover growing well, so I don't really want to turn the whole field. I will if I have to, though.

Also-when mowing across, I hit lump after lump from where the corn rows were-any easy way to flatten?

Been lurking here for a while-I know one of you can get me going!!

Many Thanks

brande
Kubota L3400-hey, do they make a turbo for this??
Bush Hog 84" RD finish mower.

 

[rosey]

Either rent or buy a landscape rake for your 3pt. hitch and try to rake as much debris as you can into several piles. If you want a relatively smooth surface there is no getting around the fact that you have some work cut out for you...good luck.

 

[FamilyFarm]

A harley rake probably would be the easiest, but for less than the price of one, I bought a very nice, 1140 lb rotary cutter, a well built landscape rake with dual guage wheels, and a med duty box blade. I did my first cut with the rotary cutter set at about 9-10 inches (to miss as many rocks as possible). My next move is the landscape rake to remove rocks, then use box blade to dig up a few more rocks to move, then use box blade to level the areas that are really rough. Will it work - probably. Will it take a long time - definitely! Are there better ways -maybe. One thing is for sure - you will get good advice here from folks who have already done it. I only have a plan at this point
Terry

 

[redman135]

Recommend you change your mowing pattern to run WITH the corn rows, not across. I do this when I am mowing and it is far a smoother ride. You cut the outside round and round to leave comfortable turning room for the hay baler at the end of rows, then cut the centre out in blocks.

 

[mike69440]

I I have removed about a tri-axle truck load of rocks out of there, but there is more mowing and rocks to do.
Been lurking here for a while-I know one of you can get me going!!

Many Thanks

brande
Kubota L3400-hey, do they make a turbo for this??
Bush Hog 84" RD finish mower.

A tri-axle load, just one tri axle load? Is that all?

 

[oosik]

I have fields of rocks too - but probably not like yours because I've gone around and cleared most of the fields by hand picking the rocks. Just talking about that chore makes my back hurt and start to cramp up. I've worked for over seven year - picking those dam rocks.

I would look for a good landscape rake from one of the many implement dealers - should make short work of the rocks and save the back also.

I don't know about your fields but mine seem to "grow" a new crop of rocks every spring.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I would sacrifice the grass on those rows and go ahead and level the ground. It will be a vast improvement to the land and payback in less equipment damage. Grass will grow back in a year so that you cant even tell the ground was disturbed.
I think I would disk it all up while dragging a spike tooth harrow behind the disk to move the high spots to low area. You may need to drag the harrow over it in X to the rows after the initial disking. I don't think you would need more than one pass with the disk. If you could do this right before a rain, then you wont loose any grass at all.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I forgot to mention that after disking and dragging a harrow, you will need to pick up all the exposed rocks that the disk turned over. I did one of my pastures the way I explained in the above post and had tons of rocks that I had to pickup afterward. I tried the landscape rake to windrow them but it just clogged up with grass, so I ended up driving my RTV up and down while tossing the rocks into the bed. A few of the exposed rocks required a backhoe to dig them out. You can never tell how big a rock is from just the exposed top. I had one that was only about basket ball size viewing from the top but after digging around it with the back hoe and removing a ton or more of baby rocks around it, I finally abandoned the idea of removing this rock that I dug down 3+ feet deep and about 12 feet in length without finding bottom or end of that boulder. That is a chance you take when removing rocks, sometimes they just don't want to relocate.

 

[repete]

See if there is a farmer in the area with professional equipment to come in and level it and compact it. The rows will haunt you for years (decades, trust me) long after the memory of the cost is gone. Perhaps someone has a 20' disc and cultipacker and in one afternoon it is done for good.

 

[boggen]

the do make "rock remover" that hook up to rear end of tractor. and they get pulled through a field, to remove rocks. so the rocks do not damage more costly equipment.

there are a lot of folks here on TBN that live in areas were they say, "the fields grow rocks"

try google searching for "rock remove field" to see some options. you might try Craigslist or a private local newspaper to see if you can find someone locally to come over and de-rock your yard / field.

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with others, tear up the yard and get it smoothed out, and get it done and over with. if you don't it will literately be a pain in the rear for years to come. from bouncing over the bumps.

https://www.(Temporarily blocked due to reports of company closure) has a good write and videos of all the equipment they sale. would be a good way to brush up on various equipment to get an idea of what it is, and what it does.

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i have put ruts and dealt with humps before in my yard. i just tear up the yard with a disc, and a couple times even a bottom plow, and then took disc back over. then took some chain link fence or a drag harrow to help clean out clumps and smooth it down. i never toss grass seed out i just wait 1 to 2 years and it fills all back in. about the only thing i will do. is drainage areas, i will toss some straw down and some grass seed down. so i can prevent erosion and ensure i get grass growing quicker in the specific area.