Been lurking, but now have a question

[Bob77064]

Welcome, beautiful children.

 

[Foodplot]

Your box blade should have teeth (if you haven't pulled them ) called scarifiers that will pull up or break small roots and stems if you lower them into the ground. Foodplots really don't require a great deal of soil preparation--you're not pushing for maximum yield. Despite my moniker, I'll be the first to tell you that foodplots are overused. If there are already lots of deer and turkey around, they're probably at densities that exceed what the 'natural' environment would support. Check with your local UGA extension office (Wildlife | UGA Cooperative Extension). They can provide advice tailored to your local conditions, and may even have equipment to loan. If you are interested in supporting many species of wildlife, such as songbirds, not just deer and turkey, consider planting native species which provide a variety of foods at different times of the year, as well as cover.

 

[Drsmile]

Your box blade should have teeth (if you haven't pulled them ) called scarifiers that will pull up or break small roots and stems if you lower them into the ground. Foodplots really don't require a great deal of soil preparation--you're not pushing for maximum yield. Despite my moniker, I'll be the first to tell you that foodplots are overused. If there are already lots of deer and turkey around, they're probably at densities that exceed what the 'natural' environment would support. Check with your local UGA extension office (Wildlife | UGA Cooperative Extension). They can provide advice tailored to your local conditions, and may even have equipment to loan. If you are interested in supporting many species of wildlife, such as songbirds, not just deer and turkey, consider planting native species which provide a variety of foods at different times of the year, as well as cover.

Called them yesterday! I am surrounded by a lot of cattle and pasture country. Me and the neighbor have a combined 120 acres with no structures other than 2 small covered sheds for equipment storage. Creek, and good mixed wood - it's like an island for wildlife. I wanted to plant 1 food plot of mixed greens / grains for all the critters, not just game animals. Already tested the soil in the area - and plan to put down lime to help ph - all the decomposing wood sitting on it for 5 yrs has turned slightly acidic (avg 6.1).

I got a ratchet rake yesterday and will see how it works. The box blade works great, but the scarifiers are far enough apart that the debris I want out slips btwn them. (I would like to weld on a few more scarifiers). I was planning on using the rake to clean out the debris, then the blade to turn over the top 4" of soil. I found a nice old used 7' disc harrow in good shape for $300 that I will use just prior to seeding.

Thx for all the help!

 

[jenkinsph]

Most scarifiers are spaced on 1 foot centers so small pieces that will flow between them will rot quick enough. I think running a disc and seeding should work well enough. If you insist on cleaning the small debris I suggest you use a landscape rake with every other tine removed. This will leave you with a one inch tine on four inch centers(three inch spacing between the tines) and be easier to rake with.

 

[newbury]

How "compacted" is your georgia clay? You might need a middle buster to start with.

Also a SSQA (Skid Steer Quick Attach) for the front.

 

[Drsmile]

It is pretty compact. I thought about getting a cheap ripper (a box blade without the box). Jbar implements is only 30mins up the road from me. I usually like to opt for heavy duty, "name-brand" backed tools, but I think a ripper is a fairly basic item to build. 6 scarifiers and $299. J Bar Renovator

 

[vtsnowedin]

The assistant tractor drivers are top notch !. You are lawn oriented if small debris less then two inches at the butt bothers you. Just let it rot to return it's carbon value back to the soil. Disk in your lime and that will chop up most of it and bury a lot of it speeding up the rotting process. I like Foodplots comment about providing food for several species and at all times of the year. When in Georgia are the wildlife under the most food stress? Up here in Vermont it is late winter with three feet of snow on the ground but I wouldn't be surprised if in Georgia it is mid to late summer in dry seasons and before acorns begin to fall.

 

[Drsmile]

The assistant tractor drivers are top notch !. You are lawn oriented if small debris less then two inches at the butt bothers you. Just let it rot to return it's carbon value back to the soil. Disk in your lime and that will chop up most of it and bury a lot of it speeding up the rotting process. I like Foodplots comment about providing food for several species and at all times of the year. When in Georgia are the wildlife under the most food stress? Up here in Vermont it is late winter with three feet of snow on the ground but I wouldn't be surprised if in Georgia it is mid to late summer in dry seasons and before acorns begin to fall.

I don't care about 2 " stuff - it is the 6" that bothers me. Post #4 decsibes my problem best. After the skid steer moved the large pile of debris (logs, rootballs, etc..) it left behind smaller debris1-6" pieces of root, limbs, etc.. and the tracks pushed them into the topsoil. I want to turn this area back into pasture and a small plot area. I don't think a landscape rake will remove the debris. BTW = what is an assistant tractor driver??
This picture shows only about 1/4 of the area, but you get the idea of what I'm dealing with.

 

[L355SS]

Have your kids out there with 'play' buckets and pay them by the pound!

 

[vtsnowedin]

I don't care about 2 " stuff - it is the 6" that bothers me. Post #4 decsibes my problem best. After the skid steer moved the large pile of debris (logs, rootballs, etc..) it left behind smaller debris1-6" pieces of root, limbs, etc.. and the tracks pushed them into the topsoil. I want to turn this area back into pasture and a small plot area. I don't think a landscape rake will remove the debris. BTW = what is an assistant tractor driver??This picture shows only about 1/4 of the area, but you get the idea of what I'm dealing with.

Why your kids of course. they will be driving it before you know it then off to college and gone in a blink of an eye. Take time to play and laugh with them while you can it really doesn't last long at all. My youngest is now 27.
For that field I would just drive up set it in park and get down and throw every big piece within thirty feet of the bucket into the bucket then move it ahead thirty feet and repeat. Dump the bucket when full at your new burn pile or scrap pile location and go back for more. If one is too big to lift slip a chain around the exposed end and lift it with the loader. Each pass up the field will clear a thirty foot swath so it won't take long and they are out of there not just hidden by some dirt to reappear after a rain. You might have to do it again after you disk as it will find and turn up some that are buried now. It's like picking stone out of a Vermont side-hill field. Yah nevah run out of stones.
Rock and root rakes are nice if you have a lot to do but for a one time small acreage situation like yours just get on with it.