let's discuss the best way to mow a field...

[9973720wb19]

I recently purchased land with two large fields. I'm getting ready to mow with a 15 foot wing brush mower (a new model 100hp JD 5 series) and maybe a sickle mower at some point for hay. both fields are long rolling hills.

What's the best mowing pattern? - outline the filed and spit it? just keep it in a square and work in?
do you guys use the fuel peddle to slow the RPMs when turning or not?
do you use split breaks for turns?
What a good average speed?

 

[oosik]

I guess the question becomes - are you mowing simply to cut down whatever is growing in the fields OR is it a crop that will be harvested. If its a "wasted crop" then most often I've seen the field cut in half - one pass on the outside - next pass down the middle. Why - I have NO idea.

It it a crop to be harvested - then DEFINITELY mow in rows so it can be turned to dry and then gathered or baled.

The best speed - that which provides a cut to your liking. Most often in the 4mph to 7mph range - crop & terrain dependent.

 

[rustyshakelford]

I mow with a mx15 and 5100e Deere. I prefer to cut with the left side (drivers) nearest what’s already been cut. It makes it easier for me to judge overlap. That said, I mostly make right hand turns. I have the 24/12 trans and mow in B range only. Typically in 2h/l or 3h/l. Gives me around 5-6 mph or there abouts. At the throttle wide open or not to exceed 560-580 pto rpm and take off. If it’s light grasses I’ll run in ePTO and enjoy the fuel savings. Typically I like to make a round around the pasture and just keep working in. Sometimes if I start getting bored I will segment the pasture to see more progress. Really just depends on what you want to do. It gets pretty boring but turn the radio up, A/C down and take off. My preferred mowing attaire is shorts and tee shirt and crocs. Keep plenty of air in the seat too and leave the wings in float.

Brett

 

[smstonypoint]

This subject came up several years ago. As I recall, at least one TBN member used something akin to a Zamboni pattern.

Another member said he started in the center of a field and mowed outwards.

I speculate that the most efficient mowing pattern depends on the field's geometry and that the most efficient mowing pattern can be determined by math, given the field's geometry.

Here my speculation ends -- I would advise trail and error.

Steve

 

[TractorNH]

You split the middle like the zamboni pattern above so that you don't have to make a big figure 8 or back up to turn around at one end of the field when you are almost done. If you just work from the outside inwards you will get to a point where you can't turn around within the turning radius of the tractor and implement without making a long maneuver similar to a figure 8. I learned this many years ago on the farm whether bailing hay or chopping corn for silage...when you have a tractor followed by a bailer (or chopper) and a hay (or dump) wagon you simply can't back up so you need to plan accordingly when processing the field.

 

[CobyRupert]

I speculate that the most efficient mowing pattern depends on the field's geometry and that the most efficient mowing pattern can be determined by math, given the field's geometry.

Here my speculation ends -- I would advise trail and error.

Steve

Looks like that member is also plagued by crop circles?!

It seems the best pattern is where the time spent mowing (traveling with grass going under the blades) is the greatest as compared to time spent turning around or traveling when no grass is being cut.

The problem is that one pattern may result in a high cut percentage initially, then as the uncut portion gets smaller, the percentage of "wasted" time spent turning or traveling increases. (Example: A square field where one initially goes around in a "circle" cutting 100% of the time, however eventually, one is left with short rows and a lot of turning.)
Note: If really short rows left, sometime backing up is a lot quicker than turning around.

Doing a 180 turn at the end of a row would seem to reduce unproductive travel time the most, but may be discerning for some, so they usually "jump over" a few mower widths / segment the field, so that they can do arcing turns at the end (still keeping unproductive travel times a minimum). The problem here is if you guess wrong on how far to jump over, you may be left with the last strip that requires a full pass the length of the field, but is only (say) 10% the width of your mower. (Squandering all your previous " time savings").

Ideally a long (compared to width) rectangular field is best, as the time traveling the length cutting is large compared to time spent turning at the ends.

 

[smstonypoint]

It seems the best pattern is where the time spent mowing (traveling with grass going under the blades) is the greatest as compared to time spent turning around or traveling when no grass is being cut.

Ag. engineers adjust theoretical capacity (acres/hour) = average ground speed (MPH)* implement width( feet)/8.25 by an efficiency factor to allow for overlap, turning, etc. Most of the field efficiency factors for mowing that I have seen are in the neighborhood of 80%.

Steve

 

[Jstpssng]

I mow the same way that I plow and harrow: make a path up the middle, then come down one side of it. From there I keep working each side, mowing from the center out. I'm left handed so it's easiest to look over my right shoulder. My mower is rear discharge, so that isn't a consideration. I have never mowed for crops so this may not work as well for that.

 

[CobyRupert]

Most of the field efficiency factors for mowing that I have seen are in the neighborhood of 80%.
Steve

80%? Eh. It's "A Number" I suppose. Good as any! :confused3:
I'd guess in reality it's wide ranging +15% (65%-95%) depending on the size of the field and its geometry.

 

[M5farms]

Its mowing and not rocket science . mow a round on each end lay off a land and start . work left to right / right to left it really doesn't matter . just start on longest side

 

[CobyRupert]

Rocket science is easy!
...It's rocket engineering that is the difficult part.

 

[fishheadbob]

Its mowing and not rocket science . mow a round on each end lay off a land and start . work left to right / right to left it really doesn't matter . just start on longest side

X2. .

 

[smstonypoint]

80%? Eh. It's "A Number" I suppose. Good as any! :confused3:
I'd guess in reality it's wide ranging +15% (65%-95%) depending on the size of the field and its geometry.

Here are some estimated efficiency factors for various implements from http://caes2.caes.uga.edu/engineering/handbook/documents/capacity.pdf. You could achieve 100% efficiency if you were mowing a single swath exactly the width of your mower around the circumference of a field under center-pivot irrigation. But given my age, I might have to allow for a bathroom break.

Steve

 

[Tx Jim]

IMHO spitting a field more especially a large field into 2 or more lands just creates ""more corners which requires more time"". Start at outside go round & round then when you get to the middle then mow the corners & your done.

 

[WVBill]

When I was mowing my 3 1/2 acre yard, I though about the same thing and my Navy background kicked in.
In a search and rescue scenario, you want to cover the search area as quickly as possible and leave no portion of the area un-searched.
When you have a large but defined area, the recommended search pattern is called "Parallel Search". So that's the pattern I used when mowing.
The problem is you need to be able to do a 180 degree turn in the width of your mower.

 

[M5farms]

IMHO spitting a field more especially a large field into 2 or more lands just creates ""more corners which requires more time"". Start at outside go round & round then when you get to the middle then mow the corners & your done.

If the field is round Thats an option. Every time I see someone mowing in circles when they are done it looks worse than stump whooped chittlens.

 

[smstonypoint]

..... Every time I see someone mowing in circles when they are done it looks worse than stump whooped chittlens.

That's a new one for me. Any photos of what they look like?

Steve

 

[M5farms]

That's a new one for me. Any photos of what they look like?

Steve

if you know what chittlns are and what they contain its not hard to imagine that everything will be covered in SHYT

 

[dannoGT]

I use NASCAR method ..........go fast and turn left!

 

[oosik]

You know - I see/hear a lot of good ideas on how to mow. Except I sure don't want any "stump whooped chitlins" round here. I don't give a D-A-M-N how good they are. I got a good idea what it looks like also - I had an occasion to dispatch a raccoon with a big stick. It wasn't pretty and it smelled to high heaven.