Compact Tractor Newbie - Whats the appropriate attachment?

[tractorslt]

So im new to the tractor scene, and i recently purchased about 30 acres of raw, wooded land. I recently purchased a 28 hp sub compact tractor with a class 1 3pt hitch. A section of the land was partially logged 15-20 years ago, and I'm looking to open up a 1-2 acres food plot. My plan is to drop/clear the tree's, and work around the stumps(which are spaced pretty far apart) for the time being. My question is: What is the best attachment to use to break the soil that has roots/occasional big(2-3') rocks? Or, atleast, what attachment would I start with?

Thanks.

 

[freewookie]

Racket rake would do that assuming you have a loader.

 

[deerseeker001]

Welcome from Wisconsin

 

[jeff9366]

Racket rake would do that assuming you have a loader.

Ratchet Rake is an excellent attachment for tearing out brush but time consuming for scratching up two acres of ground prior to seeding.

Most often a Disc Harrow is used to open the dirt for food plots, then the ground is seeded, then seed is rolled in with a Cultipacker.

Your Max can't quite handle an Disc Harrow with 18" pans, the minimum weight required to cut the surface, and rocks eliminate a PTO powered roto-tiller, so I recommend a Tufline 2/22" Disc Plow.

Used Disc Plows show up regularly on eBay, Ken Sweet, Sweet Tractors in Kentucky, being reliable. You do not want too heavy a Disc Plow for the Max.

An alternative would be any of numerous "No-Till" food plot mixtures, based on clover. Clover seed is very small and is NOT rolled in.

Rolling in most seed for good ground contact/adequate moisture take-up, is important, Clover being an exception. Do not seed until rain is forecast. An improvised drag will do, a roller is better; a Cultipacker is best.

NOW is the time to plant a winter food plot at the higher elevations in Massachusetts.


LINKS:

http://www.ratchetrake.com/images/ratchet_rake_brochure.pdf

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/146060-ratchet-rake-ever-seen-used.html

http://www.monroetufline.com/pdf/TDP Discplow (47990).pdf

Everything Attachments Cultipacker 5' with smooth wheels

 

[tractorslt]

So maybe just a rake to clear debri/scratch up the soil would be better for a no-till plot?

 

[jeff9366]

Your tractor may mash up the ground enough as you remove trees to make No-Till a reasonable proposition with no other prep. Cleaning up is certainly better.

You can plow in the late Winter then plant a Spring/Summer grain mix after final Spring frost.

In Florida, Ace Hardware and Southern States Co-ops are good sources for low price 40-50 pound bags of food plot seeds. Walmart has seed on a hit-or-miss basis, in Sporting Goods. Clover is a premium price.

Many web venders but freight increases net cost.

 

[jeff9366]

Here are 122,000 Food Plot threads from the T-B-N archive:

Search Results - Food Plots

 

[jeff9366]

So maybe just a rake to clear debri/scratch up the soil would be better for a no-till plot?

A Ratchet Rake on your bucket will work better for piling/moving debris than a Landscape Rake on the Three Point hitch.

 

[tractorslt]

Yea, i took a look at a couple of youtube videos on a ratchet rake. It might be my best bet to get one and keep it simple with a throw n grow/no till type seed...and maybe line the area with some apple trees. Thanks for the input guys.