Thanks Super, not too many people around here proud of the below zero record. Enough is enough! I am planning on doing a fall plant with no summer plant this year. The fields I have to prepare have been grass for longer than I have been alive.
I plan on turning and or spraying until there is no more grass. Hopefully by mid July, if the snow is gone!, I can plant the plots.
I don't think there are any rental sources in this area so I will probably buy an older used chisel.
QUOTE=super55;3693862]SQDQO,
You planning on mostly putting in fall plots such as brassicas, cereal rye or winter wheat?
I wouldn't recommend planting a summer annual this year such as corn. You'll have way too many weeds to deal with, probably have to ammend the soil, and with the 20' of snow you guys got this year it will be a late plant. Congrats on having the most consecutive below zero days anywhere in the US this year :thumbsup:
If you end up plowing either with moldboard or chisel I would look seriously look at renting one out of having the plowing done versus buying one. Reason being: 1) It sounds stupid I know but you can seriously mess up a field if your good with a plow. If the furrows aren't spaced perfectly than there are hips and dips all over the field and becomes a P.I.T.A to plant seed if using a drill or leveling it out. It's not such an issue with a moldboard. 2) Once the soil is broken up odds are you will rarely use the plow at all and 3) If you soil is like my Michigan soil in the NWLP you might only have about 6 inches of good topsoil. Running a plow could very well take your best soil and bury it under leaving
sand. Plus rocks really like bare soil because as soon you till they seem to sprout up out of the ground everywhere.
I have about 5-6 acres that I do in food plot rotation and I have a plow, disc and a tiller. 90% of my tillage for my food plots is done with my 6 1/2 disc. It's a little light but 500# of weight got it to the point where I can get the soil worked up enough in two passes on virgin ground to be ready to plant. The good thing about 90% of the seeds used for food plots are extremely competitive against weeds and for the most part very forgiving planting.[/QUOTE]