I have a twelve acre field that is pretty sloped. I like the contours of the property but the ground is very rough. I plan on starting to build a house in the middle of it in April. My question is what's my best option as far as smoothing out the ground so I can plant it in fescue early spring. I had it cut up with disc back in October and planned to let it set and hopefully the rain would melt the clods away but 3 months later it looks like it has just been plowed up. About the only attachment I have access to is a 7' rototiller. I'm sure this would work but would take a long time to till 12 acres of ground. Long term plan is to buy a bat wing finish mower to keep the entire field manicured with potentially putting cows on it in a few years. Any help or advice would be appreciated. Thanks
Leveling 12 Acres, Whats my best most simple route?
- Thread starter Bean2005
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rustyshakelford
Veteran Member
I built a 10’w x 9’L land plane. Run the disc over it and then the land plane to get it smooth as can be. If you plan on running cows on it I might hold off on the finish mower and consider a batwing shredder if they don’t keep it ate down. Cows aren’t the best on the ground and id think you’ll be mowing Dirt a lot
Brett
Brett
Thanks for the response. I actually do have a land plane I could get my hands on for a few days. With it already be cut up should I go at it with the land plane and see what happens or disc again?
Thanks again
Thanks again
/pine
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You might see if you could rent a pulverizer to bust up any clods etc prior to smoothing...
jeff9366
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Disc Harrows are adjustable for cut. Adjust the front and rear Disc Harrow gangs to less aggressive angles, then disc again for smoother output the second run.
I second a Land Plane as the most reasonable implement to succeed the Disc Harrow. Land Planes work best where grass and other vegetation is gone. You want the LPGS to be a finishing tool, not a primary grader.
VIDEO: land plane leveler - YouTube
An ABI TR3 Rake, a dedicated smoothing implement, would also follow the Disc Harrow effectively. Pricey.
VIDEO: ABI TR3 rake - YouTube
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Steppenwolfe
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Land planes really only work with very dry, and loamy soils. Disc the crap out of it, then possibly a harrow or york rake, and then a cultipacker. After all of that a land plane might work if the soil is dry enough. None of this will work without proper soil conditions. Clumped soil should crumble in your hand easily, not form a ball, or need gorilla hands to crumble it.
Steppenwolfe
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No... just use the right tractor, farm tractor that is. Big HP.
TheMan419
Veteran Member
Every one told me I was crazy. I rototilled 10 acres w my 24 hp scut. 5 ft tiller. Took me several days. Takes a lot more fuel than you think it will.
Our soil is mostly clay. It was in corn so we had the rows.
I cut it short. Sprayed it w round up. Then a week later tilled. Then drag harrow.
Since we were putting in pasture for horses I did not need it as smooth as one would want for a lawn.
Then I used a broadcast spreader to spread the grass seed. It took really well.
rustyshakelford
Veteran Member
We have sandy loam soil. I ran the disc twice over it in different directions and pulverized the soil. Then the land plane. Worked great. Would have to lift and back up every so often to clear out the vegetation. Once it’s smooth I’d spread the fertilizer and seed followed by a culitpacker if you have access
Brett
