LEVELING old Crop rows

[sportsministryguy]

We have several acres that are nicely mowed but have rolling rows that could only be described as old farm crop rows. They are very symmetrical and about 6-8 inches high and 3 feet apart. We have been mowing this area for years and so there is nicely established grass (I am only telling you this to help you understand what the ground is like). We can only mow parallel with the rows (if we mowed perpendicular to the rows it would throw you off the mower)

We want to level the area and then replant grass seed.

I was considering a cross tiller the area with a large power till on a tractor or skid steer and then power rake to do the final grade.

Our ultimate goal is to have a safe place for kids to play.

Am I way off or do you have any suggestions?

HELP!

Doug Rogers
Director of Sports Ministry
Windwood Presbyterian Church

 

[Carykong]

I would try cutting each row with a single/or double blade bottom plow thereby transfering each ridge into the adjacent hollow. Drag with a disc and then follow with a chain harrow or boxblade. You may be able to skip the disc if the soil conditions are dry and loose. Good luck and let us know how you proceed.

 

[sportsministryguy]

After doing a bit of research what do you think about power tilling with a PTO tiller (both parallel and perpendicular) and then a power rake to level?

 

[Gary Fowler]

I would skip the tiller and just use a disc. Straddle the ridge and adjust the third arm on your disc (3 PH style) to make the front gang plow more than the back so it throw the dirt into the "ditch" part of the row. Make as many passes as it take to where the land looks level by discing with the row then drag a harrow or whatever you have to smooth it out. The disc will move the soil to the outside edges whereas a tiller is going to leave it in the same hump that it is now. You want something that moves the soil laterally. You may even want to reset the gang level and disc at a 45 to the rows after making a pass or two with the rows. Number of passes with the disc depends on how hard the soil is, and how well the disc cuts.

 

[Argosy]

It's going to take a lot of passes or a really heavy disk to cut down 6-8" of dirt that's been compacted from years of being a lawn.

If you till at 45 degrees to the rows then at 90 degrees to that it will smooth it out. You'll probably be seasick the first pass but you only have to do it once.

 

[SandburRanch]

150 years of J.I. Case - Google Books

For a little history of your field go to page 135 of this site you can see a similar implement that was used to create those ridges. The implement was a Lister and page 135 is titled Planter. Those ridges were referred to as (you guessed it) Lister Ridges. The idea was to place the seed in the bottom between the ridges and as the crop was cultivated the ridges were worked down and filled the valleys back in. As you can see by your field they didn't always come back nice and flat.

If a disc (k) is available it will contact the ridge tops first and loosen that soil. Follow that with a drag with rails at least 6 ft. long and go across the field on the bias in at least 2 different directions to drag soil and grass mixture into the valleys. After some smoothing has been accomplished, disc(k) it on the bias at least once, maybe twice and drag it again. Repeat until you are happy. You'll be the judge and jury on that.

 

[Reg]

According to what you have available, or are willing to buy/rent...

I would probably go down the rows with a tiller, at least as a first pass.
Then maybe a second pass at 45 or 90 degrees, that ride would give a good idea of how well the first pass had worked and a second pass is a good idea anyway.

I'm assuming that you have something bigger than a 12 HP "Garden tractor" and can reasonably til sod under.
Yes, a Harley or similar power rake would be good for final grade and if you can lay hands on an old style one with the bars instead of nubs that might be as good as a tiller for the first pass.
Around here it is pretty much the standard old lawn ripper upper tool.
ONE tool may have advantages to you - again, depending on local logistics (& funds).

 

[Diamondpilot]

For that big of a area i would start over. I would have it plowed then disc and finished with a drag then reseeded. A dozer may also be a option.

Chris

 

[Reg]

After doing a bit of research what do you think about power tilling with a PTO tiller (both parallel and perpendicular) and then a power rake to level?

I think I may be thinking too much here (-:
ONE thing that I am thinking is that this is church property, or property that the church has use of.
Another is that a church member has a tiller & power rake available and has volunteered the use of them - probably a tractor & operator too.

If I am anywhere NEAR close then I think you should probably seize whatever opportunity has sprung up (-:
Your "volunteer" is in a much better position than us to judge the site from the perspective of their equipment, skills and time available.
I would gratefully accept in behalf of the church (-:

As I said, I think I may be thinking (assuming) too much here (-:

 

[Egon]

I was considering a cross tiller the area with a large power till on a tractor or skid steer and then power rake to do the final grade.

Sounds like a reasonable plan. :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Don't short yourself on the preparation. That is the final ride and it's nice if it is smooth.