3-Point Hitch Best implement for de-rocking?

[Bronco82]

This site is awesome. I'm in the same boat. I want to reclaim the back field and keep mowing a little farther out each time, but last time I weedwhacked a little into the field I stumped across an, at least, two-basketball sized rock which was just sticking up a couple inches. That would have wreaked havoc on the mower or tiller. I want to borrow (yeah, it's a common theme of me borrowing neighbours and friends implements until I get the green light to buy my own) a tiller, but don't want to mangle it with rocks. So, I'm thinking bush hog to get all the grass down to see any large rocks sticking up, then box blade with scarifiers down (as box blade is only implement I currently own) and manually remove all visible rocks, and then maybe borrow the tiller to chew it all up, and then back blade it again smooth.

I just got the tractor last December and will be in this house for the next 20 years or so, so I do have the time to pick away at it, and not the money to purchase an ideal implement.

 

[N80]

You can move a lot of rocks with the bucket if they're big enough to be a nuisance and part of the same rock sticking up in some poor farmer's field in China.

 

[oosik]

Bronco - be very careful if you are going to try to unearth rocks that are 2X basketball size with the scarifiers on your box blade. I would recommend an implement - single tine sub soiller - like ArlyA shows or the bucket on your FEL. The single tine sub soiler will provide more leverage and the bucket on the FEL is a much more gentle approach.

 

[Locoweed]

Those things aren't rocks, they are sex stones. They keep multiplying.

 

[ArlyA]

Been there, done that, with a bucket. When I say "rocks" that are generally basket ball, to large coffee table sized.

We have plenty of Canadian shield rocks here. Would you guys like them back??

You can move a lot of rocks with the bucket if they're big enough to be a nuisance and part of the same rock sticking up in some poor farmer's field in China.

 

[Bronco82]

I don't PLAN on removing the rocks with the BB, but more the less locating them, while driving very very slow. At which point I'll either manually remove it, or pry bar into loader bucket as most of the material surrounding the rock will be clay. Joy.

And no thank you, we still have PLENTY up here to deal with.

 

[Bronco82]

While browsing Kijiji, the Northern version of Craigslist, there is a Stone Fork, which replaces the loader bucket, but looks like it may suit the build. I would think that a narrower one would be better suited for smaller tractors due to the lesser capacities required to dig and lift. Similar to what Jeff suggested, but more dedicated to rocks of all shapes and sizes.

 

[N80]

While browsing Kijiji, the Northern version of Craigslist, there is a Stone Fork, which replaces the loader bucket, but looks like it may suit the build. I would think that a narrower one would be better suited for smaller tractors due to the lesser capacities required to dig and lift. Similar to what Jeff suggested, but more dedicated to rocks of all shapes and sizes.

View attachment 515807

That would be awesome for medium sized rook removal. Would love to have that thing. Put some grapple arms on top and it would be useful for so many things.

 

[oosik]

There is a company - ANBO - about 70 miles north of me that can make up almost anything you can dream up. They make grapples in all weight classes and with lower tine spacing just like that yellow stone fork. When I was looking for grapples, it came down to Anbo or Land Pride. I went with Land Pride. Mainly because of the deal my Kubota dealer gave me and he installed the hydraulics and grapple.

 

[LindenBruce]

OP,
I am just a few miles from you and yes the rocks here seem to multiply faster than rabbits. OMG. I think running the sub soiler through your lot about 8-12 inches deep then going sifting through the soil with that yellow stone fork may just do the job. You may have to make a few cross passes. B.