Steps: rocky field to hay

bcarwell · Feb 8, 2007

I have about 20 acres of field in Central TX that's never been planted (e.g. soil isn't loose; in Central TX its its kinda clayish coleechy and a little compacted) and has rocks from 2 inches to maybe a foot wide for the big boogers. Lots is on the surface but some are down in the dirt. I want something growing there for my large herd (two cows) to eat this year.

I'm a little uncertain about the steps. I have a box blade with 5 adjustable/removable teeth, a landscape rake with pneumatic tracking wheels, a disker and a subsoiler, and tractor w/ FEL.

I was thinking these are the steps, but what do I know...:
First loosen the rocks by running the box blade with the teeth set shallow to loosen up the rocks and the soil for the first time.
Pick up the big rocks either by hand or with a rock teeth bar for my FEL if I can find one (longer teeth, separated by 3 inches so the dirt drops through and the rocks remain on the teeth to be rolled into the FEL bucket by rotating it).
Run the landscape rake at an angle to smooth things out and move the remaining rocks into rows (windrowing ?) and pick them up w/ FEL
Run the disker criss-crossed several times to really break up the soil.
Smooth it out with the landscape rake.
Buy one of those red funnel seed/fertilizer broadcasters at TSC and disperse the seed.
Get a cheapo harrow and run it over to cover the seed.
Pray for more rain.

Is this roughly the idea and sequence, or what else ? Note I don't care much precisely what grows (winter rye, Coastal, Tifton 85, whatever). I'm mainly interested in the basic tilling sequence of tools to get the land into more growable shape and to get something started other than King Ranch Bluestem (KBR) as its known down here or whatever else (basic crummy grass) is now growing there. I do have access to water so that's not a problem.

Important point: the prettier it looks the more points I score with the wife and hence the more toys I can buy. So I simply gotta succeed.

Thanks.

Bob

MarkV · Feb 10, 2007

Bob that sounds like the right way to get started. The thing is that 20 acres is going to take a great deal of time to work into a seed bed with a compact tractor. Are there any farmers around that could come in and run a full size disk over the land? I would also have a soil sample done by the county agent to see what the soil needs before seeding. Here in Georgia you would surely need lime to adjust the ph. It would be a lot cheaper to have a fertilizer company come in and use a spreader truck for any lime or fertilizer you need. Buying bags and spreading yourself will get expensive on 20 acres.

MarkV.

Egon · Feb 10, 2007

I'd suggest doing it in 5 acre plots. That way you seem to be getting it done and will also be able revise techniques. Also have some feed available for the cows sooner.

bcarwell · Feb 11, 2007

Thanks for responding ! MarkV I should have explained further that the land is not an open 20 acres, but rather is a toy farm in chunks separated by trees, brush, etc. Thus it is ideal for what Egon suggested, e.g. taking it in small chunks of a couple acres at a time as Egon suggested. I agree its probably going to be more expensive that way. But fortunately its not my livelihood and I (think I) will enjoy doing it and the sense of accompishment over time. I do hear what you're saying about a compact tractor though and have already realized that when my box blade bogs down. I lust for a bigger tractor, and its in the picture (after I've shown the wife some improvement making do just with what I got). Not to worry, my cows won't starve. Stocking rate, even with drought, around here is higher than 2 cows/20 acres. And great tips about having the soil tested and the possibility of lime/fertilizer.

Thanks again. I really appreciate the advice especially on whether I even have the sequence down roughly, as I am a rookie. I know what individual implements do but was having trouble piecing the sequence together. Can't wait for the first reasonably decent day to get started.

Bob

flusher · Feb 11, 2007

bcarwell said:
I have about 20 acres of field in Central TX that's never been planted (e.g. soil isn't loose; in Central TX its its kinda clayish coleechy and a little compacted) and has rocks from 2 inches to maybe a foot wide for the big boogers. Lots is on the surface but some are down in the dirt. I want something growing there for my large herd (two cows) to eat this year.

I'm a little uncertain about the steps. I have a box blade with 5 adjustable/removable teeth, a landscape rake with pneumatic tracking wheels, a disker and a subsoiler, and tractor w/ FEL.

I was thinking these are the steps, but what do I know...:
First loosen the rocks by running the box blade with the teeth set shallow to loosen up the rocks and the soil for the first time.
Pick up the big rocks either by hand or with a rock teeth bar for my FEL if I can find one (longer teeth, separated by 3 inches so the dirt drops through and the rocks remain on the teeth to be rolled into the FEL bucket by rotating it).
Run the landscape rake at an angle to smooth things out and move the remaining rocks into rows (windrowing ?) and pick them up w/ FEL
Run the disker criss-crossed several times to really break up the soil.
Smooth it out with the landscape rake.
Buy one of those red funnel seed/fertilizer broadcasters at TSC and disperse the seed.
Get a cheapo harrow and run it over to cover the seed.
Pray for more rain.

Is this roughly the idea and sequence, or what else ? Note I don't care much precisely what grows (winter rye, Coastal, Tifton 85, whatever). I'm mainly interested in the basic tilling sequence of tools to get the land into more growable shape and to get something started other than King Ranch Bluestem (KBR) as its known down here or whatever else (basic crummy grass) is now growing there. I do have access to water so that's not a problem.

Important point: the prettier it looks the more points I score with the wife and hence the more toys I can buy. So I simply gotta succeed.

Thanks.

Bob

With only 21-hp engine on your B7500, you're a little small for 20 acres. Do 5 acres at a time as mentioned above. It's going to be a real chore getting those rocks out of the way. Given enough time you can probable pry the big ones out with the FEL and move them off the field.

As far as soil prep, you may have to rip or plow before you disc since your soil may be too compacted to disc. And with only 21 engine hp, you probably won't be able to handle much more than a 4 or 5 ft wide disc.

My neighbor puts in about 8 acres of hay on a field that he's been using for a number of years using an old Ford 8N with a 28 hp engine. He pulls a 7-ft wide drag disc with his tractor to do the prep work.

I'm in a similar situation. I have 10 acres of flat pasture land and I plan to grow a hay crop on 7 acres. My new tractor is a B7510HST with the LA302 FEL (21 hp engine) which is pretty puny for that type of work. No rocks to move, but it's been decades since my parcel was plowed. So I bought a used 1966 MF-135 diesel (45 hp engine, 37 hp pto) last August to do the plowing and discing. Fortunately my neighbor donated a double bottom plow and a nice 6-ft wide offset disc harrow.