Mowing What's a field supposed to look like after mowing

   / What's a field supposed to look like after mowing #1  

swashbu

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Aug 22, 2001
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Washington
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Kubota 3010
What\'s a field supposed to look like after mowing

Hi, we have been mowing 8 acres of mixed grasses and weeds with our 6' Bush Hog for about a year (total of 3 times). Unless we go real slow and overlap a lot the field looks like we attacked it with hatchets. My "farmer" friends tell me that is what a bush hog is supposed to do and that our expectations are too high - that it is not supposed to look like a lawn when we are done. We know the mower is sharp and in very good working condition. It sure would save a lot of time if we didn't have to overlap and could go a bit faster.

Any comments would be appreciated.

Steve
 
   / What's a field supposed to look like after mowing #2  
Re: What\'s a field supposed to look like after mowing

You're neighbor is correct. A brush hog is a "rough cut" machine. Use a finishing mower for lawns.
 
   / What's a field supposed to look like after mowing #3  
Re: What\'s a field supposed to look like after mowing

Think about the name 'brush hog' Doesn't sound elegant does it? Neither is the cut. The picture in your mind, is probably something that you need a finish mower for. A BH is just a monster that tries to hack or break everything off at "about" a certain level.

They are great for field maintenance.. not golf courses.

Soundguy
 
   / What's a field supposed to look like after mowing #4  
Re: What\'s a field supposed to look like after mowing

Here's a picture Bird posted a long time ago showing the cut he was getting in his pasture with his Howse rough cut mower.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.tractorbynet.com/forumfiles/35-70122-P1010001.JPG>Bird's pasture</A>


Kevin
 
   / What's a field supposed to look like after mowing #5  
Re: What\'s a field supposed to look like after mowing

You may have been thinking that because your "field" is not technically a "lawn", you should be using a bush hog.

For years, we've been mowing a Boy Scout camp with a 3 pt finish mower. Sure, we're mowing fields, trails, camp sites, with it, but there really is not anything heavy duty that would require a bush hog. We do have a bush hog we use when we want to slash our way through an area of heavy vegetation to cut a new trail or open up a new camp site.

Come to think of it, I think they call bush hogs slashers in Australia, don't they Neal? Maybe that's a way to figure out when to use one. If you'd have to slash your way through undergrowth, use a bush hog. Otherwise, use a finish mower.
 
   / What's a field supposed to look like after mowing #6  
Re: What\'s a field supposed to look like after mowing

Steve, the others have pretty well indicated that the brush hog will not cut a lawn-like finish but...

You can improve the cut by adjusting the angle of your hog. If it tilts lower in front it will cut faster but leave a rougher appearance. By levelling it, or even running it with the back a bit lower than the front, you will get a better cut. Nowhere near what a finish mower will produce, but better anyway. You already said your blades are sharp so I won't suggest that.

Experiment a bit and let us know if it improves any /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
 
   / What's a field supposed to look like after mowing #7  
Re: What\'s a field supposed to look like after mowing

When we bought our property it was overgrown pasture land. My father in law allowed me to mow it with his 8n and a Woods "Dixie" cutter (rough cut mower). I mowed it twice a month and with each cutting the quality got better. After the first season the grass took over from the weeds and I started using a rider. If you only mowed it 3 times last year you just don't have the brush and weeds chocked out of it yet.

The picture of Bird's pasture is a good example, I'll bet he mowed it frequently to get it to look like that. If you're in a hurry, spend the money on a finish mower otherwise just mow it more often
 
   / What's a field supposed to look like after mowing #8  
Re: What\'s a field supposed to look like after mowing

<font color=blue>they call bush hogs slashers in Australia</font color=blue>

Yeah it took me a while to work out what the hell a brush hog was when I got on this site.

I think slasher and mower (2 different things) adequately describe their uses.

Mower and Brush hog - Now they don't quite go together the same do they??????

I have a slasher for the areas of my yard that are rougher and rockier than the rest. The previous owner used to do it with a rideon mower, but I didn't want to be a slave to the yard. With the slasher I can wait until the grass is really long before I need to do it. Also "slashes" the small woddy weeds that come up.

Cheers
 
   / What's a field supposed to look like after mowing #9  
Re: What\'s a field supposed to look like after mowing

<font color=blue>used to do it with a rideon mower</font color=blue>

Is that like a riding mower /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif?
 
   / What's a field supposed to look like after mowing #10  
Re: What\'s a field supposed to look like after mowing

Chris

Yep we call them "ride-ons"

That refers to any mower you ride on while mowing.

Funny how different parts of the world get different terms for things.

Cheers
 
 
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