On the right track for field -> garden?

[Boulter]

Hi:

I'm new to tractors and agriculture. I have part of a field that I want to cultivate for the sorts of crops that one plants and mostly forgets: squash, corn, grains; leaving the garden near the house for the daily salad type crops.

The field is wedge shaped, about 50 feet wide at the top (high spot) and 150 feet wide at the bottom. I imagine it has been at least 25 years since the field was last cultivated. The field is about 600 feet long. At a guess, the slope is an average 5 to 8% grade with localized grades of 10%. I'd like to cultivate the entire field eventually, but for now I want to do a strip along the fence line about 50 feet wide, the entire length of the field, for about an acre in total. There will be plenty of rock to pick. A book about the settlers near here on the historic Opeongo Line pioneer road is titled "Harvest of Stones."

I have what I believe is a #66 MF 3-12 plow and a two gang disc (picked up at auction 2 weeks ago) to pull behind my Kioti DK40SE which is geared in 3 ranges, 4 gears per range.

I have been pulling up a dozen or so scrub trees with the BH. I'll knock these areas roughly flat again with the FEL when I am done.

It is my understanding that the main idea is to plow in the fall, let the winter work on breaking up the clumps, and then disc and plant some cover crops next spring. I will also try to source some manure and/or compost as well to toss into the mix. I don't expect to do a serious crop until 2 or 3 years out.

I will cultivate in the long (up/down the slope) direction for minimal turning and safety. I believe it would be better for erosion control to go the other way, but doesn't look feasible to me.

I have concerns with tractor power going up hill. Yesterday in middle range gear 4 was fussy getting the beast moving uphill with no load other than its own mass. I don't have the gear/speed table in front of me, but for a ground speed of 3.5 to 5 MPH, I believe middle range gear 1 is about where I need to be. I wonder, will I have to plow down hill only?

I am also wondering how close to the fence is it recommended that I go, especially bearing in mind that I need to pull out and replace the posts. Probably as close as I can get is OK, but as I say, I am green and maybe there is a gotcha here.

Another thing I am unclear on is the plow pattern and where I should leave the dead furrow.

So am I generally on the right track and anyone have any answers to my specific questions? Thanks to all for any pointers.

Regards,

Boulter

 

[2manyrocks]

First, I'm sure there is someone with better knowledge of this than me, and I'm sure you'll want to wait on that person to come along and respond to your questions.

I start to worry about plowing unbroken ground going uphill. For one thing, if you hit a large enough buried rock, what's to keep you from flipping over backward?

If I understand you right, you're doing it this way because you think it is less of a hazard than the turns you'd have to make if you went cross ways on the hill.

The other thing I worry about is erosion when the furrow is not plowed in contour to the hill.

I think you're doing the wise thing to ask about this, and hopefully you'll get some good suggestions.

 

[Boulter]

Hi 2manyrocks:

From your userID, sounds like your land is like mine!

I had not thought of the rolling over backwards angle.

I just can't see doing across a 50 foot width. If I have to, I'll drive to the top and plow one way. I don't need the best fuel economics, I'm not in business. However, I don't want to waste a bunch of time doing something fundamentally incorrect. Or do something fundamentally unsafe.

I could consider doing an acre at the bottom, wide spot of the wedge, where I would have a 150 foot run across the slope. Still a miserably short run between turns, but an improvement on 50 feet. However then the centre of gravity of the plot is about 300 feet further from the house, and it is a low frost trap area, so I'd probably lose a week or two of season.

If it makes any difference to the logistics, high spot is west, low spot is east, and fence line is north.

Boulter