Best way to clear rocks for a food plot?

[Slickheadhunter]

New Hampshire is full of stone walls from end to end! At one point there were hardly any trees here, but now it's around 90 percent forested.

 

[bhh]

Like these...


I've probably got a mile or more of them spread over 40 acres.

 

[jenkinsph]

This may sound crazy but in our sandy loam soil I am going to try a backpack blower in combination with a rock bucket next time I need to clear rocks. You would think you could blow the soil out of the rocks to help separate them. One man in the tractor and one on the ground with the blower should work. Already have the tools so no cost to try this.

 

[oosik]

Hey, the only "crazy" thing is giving up and living with all the rock. Rock will only spawn more rock. bhh, those rocks in your right picture look a lot like mine. Have you been sneaking in and taking my rocks, at night?? Lord, I hope so, ha, ha. I tried using what I thought was a rock rake - but after running into rock the size of volley balls I had to give up or total the implement. I think what I need is an implement with the strength of a scarifier and 6" or less spacing between the shanks. I do take my farm wagon and hand pick them and dump them in a small draw on the property. It will take a while (years) to clear that field but I am making progress.

 

[jenkinsph]

oosik,
I use a rock bucket with 3 inch spacing during dry weather it works great for the larger rocks. My problem is with the small rock (2 to 4 inch) falling through the rock bucket in lawn applications. For field work I pick up the larger rocks as these surface by hand or with the rock bucket, the smaller rocks get pressed back down below the surface, can't get them all.

 

[bhh]

Hey, the only "crazy" thing is giving up and living with all the rock. Rock will only spawn more rock. bhh, those rocks in your right picture look a lot like mine. Have you been sneaking in and taking my rocks, at night?? Lord, I hope so, ha, ha. I tried using what I thought was a rock rake - but after running into rock the size of volley balls I had to give up or total the implement. I think what I need is an implement with the strength of a scarifier and 6" or less spacing between the shanks. I do take my farm wagon and hand pick them and dump them in a small draw on the property. It will take a while (years) to clear that field but I am making progress.

You busted me! By looking at your avatar, it appears you have a grapple very similar to mine. I've used mine to move a lot of individual rocks and small boulders but haven't tried using it on a whole field yet. Seems like you could get it at the right angle and then just make a pass with the FEL in float to scoop 'em up no?

Funny story. Earlier this summer, my parents were up visiting and my mom was helping my wife plant some decent sized shrubs in a new landscape island she was installing, 3-5 gallon bucket sized roots. They were having a hard time digging the holes for the shrubs with all the rocks so while they were taking a break, I dug the holes, tossed all the rocks in the bucket of my tractor while my father went and dumped them at my creek crossing. I left the nice little piles of dirt next to each hole and go about my business spreading mulch or whatever. About an hour later, my father and I see my wife and mother standing around the half planted shrubs with the most confused look on their faces. Basically, by the time I removed the larger rocks from the dirt piles, there was not enough dirt left to fill in the rest of the holes despite the 3-5 gallons of dirt that came with each plant. They were standing there trying to figure out how the heck it was possible to dig a hole, add a 3-5 gallon root ball, and then not have enough dirt to fill the hole back up!

 

[Cat_Driver]

As you are in New York, keep on lookout for a York (brand) Landscape Rake. The parent corporation is York-Modern and they produce heavy Landscape Rakes as much for road construction work as for ag work.

Gauge wheels will not help at rock removal stage.
If you have rear remotes gauge wheels are less necessary.

Without rear remotes gauge wheels will help achieve a smooth seedbed before seeding.

Writers on T-B-N have found used York Rakes at good price points.


LINK:

Model RI - 7' Rake [007117] - $2,224.00 : York Modern

Read the informative York TAB: "Articles".

RI.JPG (image)

These tines are too week to sweep up rocks. They give way and teh rocks shoot out the back. Either rent a skid steer or convert to use a a rock bucket

Skid Steer Rock Bucket Attachment 60" Wide With Smooth Edge - Spartan Equipment

 

[Gary Fowler]

You busted me! By looking at your avatar, it appears you have a grapple very similar to mine. I've used mine to move a lot of individual rocks and small boulders but haven't tried using it on a whole field yet. Seems like you could get it at the right angle and then just make a pass with the FEL in float to scoop 'em up no?

Funny story. Earlier this summer, my parents were up visiting and my mom was helping my wife plant some decent sized shrubs in a new landscape island she was installing, 3-5 gallon bucket sized roots. They were having a hard time digging the holes for the shrubs with all the rocks so while they were taking a break, I dug the holes, tossed all the rocks in the bucket of my tractor while my father went and dumped them at my creek crossing. I left the nice little piles of dirt next to each hole and go about my business spreading mulch or whatever. About an hour later, my father and I see my wife and mother standing around the half planted shrubs with the most confused look on their faces. Basically, by the time I removed the larger rocks from the dirt piles, there was not enough dirt left to fill in the rest of the holes despite the 3-5 gallons of dirt that came with each plant. They were standing there trying to figure out how the heck it was possible to dig a hole, add a 3-5 gallon root ball, and then not have enough dirt to fill the hole back up!

The last corner post I put in, I dug the hole with hand post hole digger just about 3" bigger than the post. I put in a 4x4 post and loosely filled in the hole and tamped it with the PHD handle. I put all the dirt back in the hole and didn't fill the hole to the top even after putting in a 4x4 post. My Dad always said the phase of the moon governed how much the soil would compact. It seems to be true. Growing of the moon you cant put all the dirt back in a hole without any object placed in it, decrease of the moon and you can put in a post and not have enough dirt to fill it but the post will never get loose like the other will. Ever notice graveyards, sometimes they have a big mound of dirt left over and sometimes none at all. The ones with the big mound will have to add dirt in about a month due to soil sinking down and self compacting.

 

[oosik]

Around here its not the putting of the soil back in the hole that's the problem. Its finding a spot with enough depth to the soil to pound in a fence post and still have it line up with the rest of the fence. At least 25-30% of my fence post holes were "dug" with my neighbors commercial air compressor and a jack hammer. Knock off the flute, stick it in the hole, and follow with a sand/cement mixture. After the next rain the post is locked in forever.

 

[sdef]

Around here its not the putting of the soil back in the hole that's the problem. Its finding a spot with enough depth to the soil to pound in a fence post and still have it line up with the rest of the fence.

Yep. Same here. After the house and shop are built, I have no idea how I will build a fence. My best guess is to drill a hole with a 1/2" bit, 24" long to search out a doable spot and then drive a HD, metal t-post using a driver from bucketdriver.com.