What to look for in a disk harrow?

[wolc123]

It sounds to me like a tiller would be a better tool for your application, especially because you have turf tires. A tiller does not require a great deal of traction to get the job done. In my opinion the 3-point disc is the most over-rated piece of food-plot equipment there is. Almost anyone working smaller acreage such as yourself would be better served by a tiller, while anyone with larger acreage is better served by a pull-type disc. The pull-types require less weigt per disc to cut better because all sections maintain better ground contact. The tiller or pull-type disc will often get the job done using half or less fuel than would be required if using a 3-point disc. Because any tractor can pull a wider pull-type than 3 point, and because the soil will be worked better on each pass with the pull type which has equal weight per disc, less passes are required. That is where the fuel is saved. The narrower 3-point requires more fuel because some sections work the soil much deeper than necessary, while other sections are completely out of contact with the ground due to the disc's ridgid frame. Many folks who have none or limited experience with pull-type discs are completely unaware of this fact. I dont see fuel getting much cheaper in the future so this is something folks should consider while shopping for tillage equipment.

 

[georgia jeff]

What I like about a disc harrow is that once I harrow the ground then I just broadcast the seed and then lightly disc it in the ground. What would you do with a tiller? Can you set it to barely skim the top of the soil to cover the seed? I don't want to mess with two pieces of equipment.

A tiller would be nice but they start at around $1400. I can buy a bunch of diesel for the price differnce of that and a decent disk ($650).

 

[clemsonfor]

What I like about a disc harrow is that once I harrow the ground then I just broadcast the seed and then lightly disc it in the ground. What would you do with a tiller? Can you set it to barely skim the top of the soil to cover the seed? I don't want to mess with two pieces of equipment.

A tiller would be nice but they start at around $1400. I can buy a bunch of diesel for the price differnce of that and a decent disk ($650).

Yea you can till just the surface just as you would lightly disk the top 2 inches of ground, you can till just the top inch or two.

 

[clemsonfor]

Harmless, eh? You can only convince me if you drink few cups of that stuff and survive.

Glyphosate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It interferes with testosterone and estrogen production. Only 85ml of that stuff can cause serious problems to your body. Spray it on your skin before you spray it on your land. See how harmless it really is. Try it.

I would not want roundup near my farm.

BTW, we don't spray ANY chemicals on our farm. But I know very well what is being put on "production crops". We use cover crops, physical covers, cultivation for weed control. Works well. Few weeds here and there are ok.
They go back to the soil before they re-seed.

Not arguing with what your saying about prolonged or excessive exposure. I have heard some talk about reps drinking the stuff, no way id do that but as labled useage goes i feel its safe. That means at the correct mix rate and application rate as well as sticking to the time line of when to plant after it is applied to a field.

From your own link "and 85?0 million pounds are used annually in US agriculture" Even if you want to say that this is used in hay or field cord production or grain, all of that goes to our food supply in some way or another. Even hay, it will go to feed cows that will be slaughtered. I dont want it all over everything but feel it is safe.

Just a side not i have a guy that does my herbicide contracts and he gets drenched in his tank mixes which are gly, arsonal, and garlon usually, he still got his wife pregnant at 42 not trying to. While i dont think what he does is entirely safe esp for long term effects he is healthy for now???


Edit:
I even forgot all the "round up" ready corn and soybeans, the link reminded me of those as well. So most of use are eating stuff that is actually sprayed over with glyphosate esp if you eat a corn byproduct (corn meal, cereal, etc) or anything with soy in it.


Edit #2:

I kept reading it and the first line of the Effects to Humans section is this...

"The United States Environmental Protection Agency‎ considers glyphosate to be relatively low in toxicity, and without carcinogenic or teratogenic effects.[37] The EPA considered a "worst case" dietary risk model of an individual eating a lifetime of food entirely from glyphosate-sprayed fields, and with residue levels remaining at their maximum levels, and concluded that no adverse effects would exist under these conditions[37] In 2007"

It does go on to say that other things combined with glyphosate will be more toxic than gly, alone.

"Dermal exposure to ready-to-use glyphosate formulations can cause irritation, and photo-contact dermatitis has been reported occasionally; these effects are probably due to the preservative Proxel (benzisothiazolin-3-one). Severe skin burns are very rare. Inhalation is a minor route of exposure, but spray mist may cause oral or nasal discomfort, an unpleasant taste in the mouth, tingling and throat irritation. Eye exposure may lead to mild conjunctivitis, and superficial corneal injury is possible if irrigation is delayed or inadequate.[47]
"

While it does say less than 85ML you would have to injest that much, which is a significant amount considering accidental consumption. Maybe if you keep it in a cup next to your drink cup or something.

 

[Mace Canute]

If you think Glyphosate is dangerous, what about Dihydrogen Monoxide (DHMO)? It is a colorless and odorless chemical compound, also referred to by some as Dihydrogen Oxide, Hydrogen Hydroxide, Hydronium Hydroxide, or simply Hydric acid. More information here...Facts About Dihydrogen Monoxide

 

[clemsonfor]

Or we could say carbon monoxide from running your tractor in the barn or standing behind your running 4 wheeler on a cold still day? Or driving your car getting smashed by some unattentive texting person. I guess my point was that used correctly it is safe, drinking it or getting soaked in it or trippling the dosage rates is not safe and should not be done. You dont get 3 times the effect by trippling the rates you just waste money, you dont even get twice the effect.

Think about the lady that killed herself in that radio stunt to drink the most water, she killed herself by drinking to much water!!

 

[Ford tractor]

Don't forget that most dangerous liquid that has KILLED everyone that ever tasted it (or will kill them). The dreaded "Mother's Milk". It may not kill quickly, but it still kills.

Scoff if you want, but Alexander the Great had some over 2000 years ago and he's dead! Lincoln had some 200 years ago and he's dead (so are all of his relatives, acquaintances in fact everyone that was a contemporary of Lincoln is now dead!). Ghandi and Albert Einstein both had some and both are dead. So being famous, good or smart can't save you from it's deadly affect. The list goes on and on. In fact, it's so deadly that even if you didn't have any but your parents, grand-parents, friends or acquaintances had some -- you will still die! Think about that long and hard! It's also been expressed by that well known expert in the field, George Carlin, that Mothers Milk is a precursor to drug abuse. The stuff is insidious!

 

[Mace Canute]

Mother's Milk...the dreaded "gateway drug"!:laughing::laughing::laughing:

 

[crankshaft21]

The man wants information on disc harrows, not about what you think you know about roundup.

 

[clemsonfor]

i was thinking the same thing , we have hijacked his thread on some stupid argument on roundup.