Flood Cleanup

[ndnewbie]

Well, the water just went down on our property after 2 months. (see Bobcat Flood).

We have about a Section's worth of chopped corn-stalks piled on our 10 acres, in our ditches, on our lawn and in our pastures. They are chopped to about 1-3' lengths, many of course connected together with fibers. I DON'T want to rake them by hand. Ideas?

After they are piled up, I can pick them up with my grapple.

Would a broom or a landrake take the grass off the soil along with the stalks?

A grapple rake is possible but would likely leave too much debris (to suit my wife...I'm not a perfectionist).

Has anyone found an appropriately sized hay rake (with the big revolving wheels) that would windrow something like this?

I do not have a rear PTO.

Any other thoughts? Gasoline is tempting, but I should probably put them in a pile first.

 

[LBrown59]

It's hard to fathom it taking 2 months for the water to drain off.

 

[ndnewbie]

...the beauty of living in a glacial lake bottom, and having record precipitation from half a state away need to drain by...(and a fathom was just about its depth).

Before and after shots below, along with close-up of the debris to be cleaned up.

Any thoughts on a good attachment for the job after it all dries out?

 

[Brahmus]

After the hurricanes here I use a 6' landscape rake backwards and push all the debris into a pile then move it with the grapple. My debris is similar to yours as the waters push up alot of marsh grass/straw into our area. We had enough debris float up that he burn pile was about 30' x 20' x 15'. Needless to say it burnt for days!!

 

[ndnewbie]

Its interesting to know it deals with that sort of debris. Thanks.

Am I correct that a landscape rake might do this well on dirt, but would tend to dig up/destroy any surviving grass/pasture?

My problems are sure tiny compared to those!

 

[Brahmus]

It does scratch the ground some, but it wasn't horrible. If the ground is dry if forgiving.

 

[MarkV]

I like the landscape rake idea for clean up. Now it isn't for raking fall leaves in the yard. If will scratch up the ground as said. One thing that really helps with these rakes is gauge wheels. With the gauge wheels behind the rake it helps keep it on an even plain as the tractor goes up or down on irregular ground. This will eliminate much of the gouging that can happen by the rake digging in.

Can't say that I have raked up any gators so that my require a different implement.

MarkV

 

[Donavon]

Farmers use "hay rakes" to rake corn stalks in my neck of the woods. Works sorta ok so you'd have to make several passes. You can buy a wheel driven hay rake for about $2000.00

 

[ndnewbie]

Thanks. I found an intermediate sized one here for $815: Edney Distributing Company, Inc. :: Farm Equipment Products Catalog

That being said, I found that if I add back all the teeth to my agricultural grapple (I had removed some to better grab 800 lb hay bails) that I can drive along underneath the corn stalks, like picking up big handfuls of soda straws.

Its satisifying to see the buggers burn.

 

[Rip]

A "land rake" such as used on 3 pt-hitch tractors should work. I would agree that gage wheels will help a lot in preventing digging-in to the ground. I saw one where they removed 2-out-of-3 tines to pick up less of the real little stuff. Could experiment with more-or-less as they just bolt-on.

Glad you are finally drying out....Good Luck!