POWER harrow

Udder · Oct 15, 2008

Does anybody out there have experience with the power-harrow implement for two wheel tractors? Earthtools has them (made by r2rinaldi in italy), and I'm thinking of getting one to go on my new 853. I figure that maybe, possibly, the $1500 might be worthwhile for myself. Why? Because it is unlikely to cause the machine to "leap" forward. Since I use the machine for tillage at least 200 hours per year, all those little (and big) "leaps" add up to a sore back at the end of the farming year. It's just that I've never used one before, and don't know how well it's going to perform for me, and how durable it is, so that's why I'm a little hesitant to stray away from the tried-and-true rotary tiller. It's not a common implement (but I guarantee it's going to catch on soon) so it's a long shot, but if anybody has used one before I'd like to hear what you have to say.

Thanks!

js5020 · Oct 15, 2008

Just a question, although I don't have a BCS,,, I have a Gravely,, what is the attachment going to be used for,,,, by it's name it sounds like a secondary tillage tool, not primary tillage (ground breaking). I'm just thinking,, what about a rotary plow? It could be used as a primary and then the tiller as the secondary tool? Rotary plows are awesome!! and the Berta plow is suppose to be far better than the old Gravely one.

farmerboybill · Oct 15, 2008

Hey Udder,

I didn't see anything on earth tools website. Did you mean the reciprocating spader by Tortella? Those are really nice but not very practical on a walk behind machine.

If Joel carries a power harrow like they build for farm tractors, it's simply three or four bars of harrow tines that go side to side while the tractor goes forward. They have been around a long time but have never really caught on. This is mainly because of width restrictions and because it isn't even a secondary tillage machine. It is simply a groomer that does a better job than a regular spike tooth harrow, but the fact that you need a third pass to use it in minimum till operations kinda killed the idea. It might have worked for secondary tillage behind a moldboard plow, but the moldboard plow is pretty much dead in commercial crop production. It wouldn't stand a chance behind a chisel plow.

As far as putting it on a BCS and using it behind a rotary plow for secondary tillage, now that may be a good idea. Soil with good tilth wouldn't need a pass with a much more aggressive rototiller after a primary tilling with a rotary plow. The smoothing ability of a power harrow would be all you need.

Bill in WI

Bentworker · Oct 16, 2008

You are talking about one of these, right?

It seems like it would be handy if you only need to work the top 3" or so of the soil.

One of these and a rotary hoe may be quite the combo.

Peter

Udder · Oct 16, 2008

Bentworker/Peter: Yes, that's exactly what I mean--a rotary power-harrow.

Bill: Joel's got these in stock and has been selling them, but hasn't gotten his website fully updated in a year or two.

Yeah, so I was thinking it would be useful for secondary tillage only (we have a large four-wheel-tractor-mounted spader to handle the primary tillage in our heavy clay). The power harrow would only be for busting up clods and stirring in compost and creating a nice seed-bed. Peter, your words are kinda turning me against the idea of getting this implement. The rotary-tiller is after all much more versatile, I think. Thanks so much for the input guys, I appreciate the help. If I do decide to go that way I'll try and remember to let you-all know how it works next spring.

farmerboybill · Oct 16, 2008

Hey Udder,

Ah, That's like a Rabe Kreislager or a Lely Roterra. I worked for a neighbor that had a Lely. He used it on fields that were going into alfalfa. It was run as a third pass behind a chisel plow then disk/harrow. He felt the superior seed bed was worth the extra fuel.

I stand behind my comment that I think it would be great behind a rotary plow (or your spader) for a smooth seed bed without beating up the soil as much as a rototiller. Do they make a wider one? Maybe you could find a smaller tractor mounted one for the same money.

Here's one -

1989 LELY 150-19 Other For Sale At TractorHouse.com

Bill in WI

Rara Avis · Oct 25, 2008

farmerboybill said:
Hey Udder,

I didn't see anything on earth tools website. Did you mean the reciprocating spader by Tortella? Those are really nice but not very practical on a walk behind machine.

If Joel carries a power harrow like they build for farm tractors, it's simply three or four bars of harrow tines that go side to side while the tractor goes forward. They have been around a long time but have never really caught on. This is mainly because of width restrictions and because it isn't even a secondary tillage machine. It is simply a groomer that does a better job than a regular spike tooth harrow, but the fact that you need a third pass to use it in minimum till operations kinda killed the idea. It might have worked for secondary tillage behind a moldboard plow, but the moldboard plow is pretty much dead in commercial crop production. It wouldn't stand a chance behind a chisel plow.

As far as putting it on a BCS and using it behind a rotary plow for secondary tillage, now that may be a good idea. Soil with good tilth wouldn't need a pass with a much more aggressive rototiller after a primary tilling with a rotary plow. The smoothing ability of a power harrow would be all you need.

Bill in WI

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terraced gardens · Nov 18, 2008

You were looking for an experienced user of the power harrow that Earth Tools sell. I not only am experienced in its use but also have the rotary plow, hay baler, rake, flail mower and sickle mower for my BCS tractors.

Since I added the rotary plow and power harrow I have almost not used the rotary tiller. The plow is the perfect tool for working in a cover crop and doing the primary tillage. When the cover crop is a 5' tall heavy crop of winter rye grain, I chop it with the flail mower and then plow it down with the plow. I like to let that set for a week or two and then just hit it with the rotary harrow. The harrow makes a perfect seed bed in one pass. You can adjust it from just touching the surface to cultivating about 5" deep.

Most of my soil here in the Knoxville area of East TN has a lot of rock and that does not seem to bother either of these tools.

In mounting either the plow or harrow to the 850 or 853 tractors (or 737 etc) I first used the quick coupler. Then I tried it with just bolting directly to the tractor. I found that without the quick hitch, the balance was much better.

I use the baler to bale grass and weeds and then roll them out in the gardens as mulch. The bales are about 20" wide and fit between 26" rows just fine. Takes care of most of the weed problems and certainly helps with conserving moisture in our dry summers lately.

We have market gardened about an acre and a half and are expanding this next year to twice that or more.

Any further questions from any of you that might read this, please feel free to email me.

FredWalter · Feb 10, 2010

terraced gardens said:
Since I added the rotary plow and power harrow I have almost not used the rotary tiller. The plow is the perfect tool for working in a cover crop and doing the primary tillage. When the cover crop is a 5' tall heavy crop of winter rye grain, I chop it with the flail mower and then plow it down with the plow. I like to let that set for a week or two and then just hit it with the rotary harrow. The harrow makes a perfect seed bed in one pass. You can adjust it from just touching the surface to cultivating about 5" deep.

Now that you've used the equipment for a few more years, has it stood the test of time? How big of an area do you garden with it?