Clogging chain harrow

[drw]

Hello gentlemen,

We recently purchased a 90 acre property, and are going to be building a home on it. In the meantime, my desire is to get the 50 acres of pasture renovated and back into good production. The land has been sitting with cows for decades. I've learned a lot from reading this forum and I'd like to thank everyone for their informative and encouraging posts!

I have an 8 foot wide chain harrow that I got from Leinbachs. It's a very nice chain harrow that works wonders to smoothen out pasture after I till it with my cultivator, but the trouble is it gets clogged with branches, thorns, and grass chaff.

I've seen some harrows that include a boom that one can then raise with the 3pt to shake it off, but mine doesn't have a boom. Is there a trick to prevent it from clogging? Or, perhaps, is there a trick to easily clean out all the cruft that gets clogged in there?

Dave

 

[toolsorbust]

The best way to do what you wanting to is to turn under the sod that you have then start disking with a drag behind that. A disk will cut up the sticks. You want to kill off all the old grass best wat is to disk it wait a week do it again. It might take several weeks to finaly break it all up. A chain or drag harrow is more suited for leveling/ smoothing ground that is already broke up. Where bouts are you from?

 

[drw]

Thank you for that good info!

I'm in Jacksonville, Texas. I updated my profile.

 

[greg_g]

I'm one of the guys that rigged an extended boom pole and framed the chain harrow. That way I can lift the whole thing off the ground and let the debris drop out.

But you're putting the cart in front of the horse. Chain harrows are for maintenance, not renovation. If I were in your place, I'd plow the old pasture up and start it over again from scratch.

//greg//

 

[drw]

Thanks Greg! I'm planning on spike harrowing, then disking the whole pasture. It's loaded with ruts and bumps so badly you can hardly drive the truck over the place. Very bumpy. My goal is a whole pasture that's nice and smooth. I'm planning to be planting Tifton 85 this summer.

 

[Eastinlet]

I guess we need to know what you mean by "renovate" the pastures.

If it means to reseed and start over then I'm with Gregg above. Dragging the thatch out won't do much for you, the grass will just make more next year.

Run a soil test, see if it needs lime or major nutrients. Then plow, disk, harrow, and re-seed with what works well in your soil. Or you could no-till seed it if you can get the equipment or hire it done.

It's going to take a while with what you have (I've got an L2850 I plow with), so an option would be to split the job over time.

 

[ChuckinNH]

Usually the lift kits for the chain harrows are available separately, and I doubt it matters much which brand lift you use. Google chain harrow, and you will find the lifts.

 

[chh]

I unhook and lift mine up with the FEL, most of the stuff will fall out when you lift it. Usually I have to pull the branches out though. I have actually seen guys that when they get them clogged with branches and grass drag them into a clear spot and set them on fire to clean them out. That seems a little drastic to me. I guess that would fall into the "Crude but Effective" category.

 

[drw]

I have actually seen guys that when they get them clogged with branches and grass drag them into a clear spot and set them on fire to clean them out. That seems a little drastic to me. I guess that would fall into the "Crude but Effective" category.

It's funny, but I did that same exact thing, just today. It worked well, just took 10 minutes or so for it all to burn off so it's not effective.

The tip above to lift it with the FEL is excellent!

Great information from all of you - thank you! I'll post an update later in the season.

 

[drw]

I want to say thanks again to all of ya'll for such great information, both here in this thread and everywhere else. This is a great community and I've learned a lot reading all the threads. I'll certainly have more questions as the coming year unfolds.