need to clear small and medium sized rocks from pasture. What is the best tool?

sixdogs · Mar 6, 2017

Chisel plow the ground, use a disk harrow and then a heavy packer to push them back in the ground. You can also rototill the ground and then push them back that way. I've been doing this for decades with nearly 100% success. You will have to pick up above a certain size by hand but that's OK. For me, rocks about half the size of a football get picked up and the rest pushed back.

TXgreenjeans · Mar 6, 2017

It was asked how many acres, approx. 10 acres pasture and trees. It was sub harrowed years ago when it turned up a lot of rocks. Many were already present. The rock sizes very from small to very large. Any disking will turn many back up to the top.

mapper · Mar 6, 2017

Xfaxman said:
What is your budget?

rock picker attachment for tractor - Google Search

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I have often wondered if there might be a business opportunity in a rock picking device like the ones shown in xafman's post.
Although in the local area I live in there is a lot of ice age moraine that you will end up about 4-5' below original grade in order to get 6" of clean soil (rocks <1"). :laughing:

bcp · Mar 6, 2017

More perversity of inanimate objects. Rocks come up in order to bother us. If they were passive, they would gradually sink deeper into the ground as they are denser than dirt.

Bruce

mapper · Mar 6, 2017

bcp said:
More perversity of inanimate objects. Rocks come up in order to bother us. If they were passive, they would gradually sink deeper into the ground as they are denser than dirt.

Bruce

Truth!

breadtrk · Mar 6, 2017

They grow in middle Tennessee. Every year is a new crop.

TheMan419 · Mar 7, 2017

I'm wondering if we can start a war between the rocks and the pallets. Get one to eliminate the other.

TXgreenjeans · Mar 7, 2017

mapper said:
I have often wondered if there might be a business opportunity in a rock picking device like the ones shown in xafman's post.
Although in the local area I live in there is a lot of ice age moraine that you will end up about 4-5' below original grade in order to get 6" of clean soil (rocks <1"). :laughing:

Very Nice, a little extravagant for me at this time.

jenkinsph · Mar 7, 2017

In New Mexico I have to deal with rocks in pastures a lot. A Harley rake would help with the smaller rock and provide a finished seed bed for planting. See if you can rent one for your tractor. I have one on my wish list but need other implements ahead of it on my short list.

What I do now is till everything up and use a rock bucket to gather the large rocks. I use a heavy roller to push the small rocks below the surface and press the soil and seed for good contact. I will sometimes use my landscape rake to gather rocks into windrows but that is a slow process with mediocre results.

You will not get rid of the rocks in Denton or my locale but getting them below the surface is a reasonable solution.