Finally found time to mow pond dam

[jcummins]

The dam was hayed earlier, and I wanted to start mowing with the F3680. Wasn't sure I could sidehill it....but did. It was slipping pretty good in some spots, this picture is not the steepest part, but close. Notice how the rear wheels are steering uphill. Mowing the rest that isn't mowed wasn't bad at all, it's the area right at the top.



There was ONE spot that the mower started doing stuff besides just sliding, and I did not like...right front of mower deck started coming up. The little tuff of grass....was where it was at. As everyone knows the steepness will vary, that particular spot, gotta watch.

 

[big bubba]

to be honest, the grade doesn't look that bad at all, and once ground level has dried, great for your machine in the pic. having said that, in my own case, my dams are steeper, which is why i picked up a walk behind zero turn (hyd) for a safer mow. but your setup looks just fine when dry.
btw what's that to left of the tractor, cattail/ spring area?

 

[jcummins]

Yes....they call this town Creal SPRINGS for a reason. Got half a dozen of them...just basically wet spots...in the pasture area. Then some in the woods. The whole hillside past those high weeds, you can see a little brown above them, is wet.

Picture just doesn't seem to capture the steepness. The steep part where the tuft of grass is...I really didn't want to try and get off the machine and take a picture there. Rear of machine was sliding downhill, then the corner lift. The tuft of grass shows the steepness a little better. Don't think I will side hill that spot again. But you're right...mowing what I had left there wasn't bad at all.

 

[big bubba]

glad to see your mowing is safe. regardless of mowing challenge on spring fed wet spots, they're a blessing. lost a big chunk of my high $ sugar & Japanese spring planting maples due to excessive spring flooding rains. but still try not to condemn the rains. they're a good opt, i live on mt springs too...go for it. why not build a pond close by below the existing spillway or runoff ?

 

[jcummins]

glad to see your mowing is safe. regardless of mowing challenge on spring fed wet spots, they're a blessing. lost a big chunk of my high $ sugar & Japanese spring planting maples due to excessive spring flooding rains. but still try not to condemn the rains. they're a good opt, i live on mt springs too...go for it. why not build a pond close by below the existing spillway or runoff ?

Actually....if I had the money, that's exactly what I would do, on the other side of the pond where there is an earthen spillway. The previous owner built this pond wrong as far as I'm concerned, and we have a wet area directly due to water coming from this pond. It actually would be a nice upgrade to this pond, but doubt I'll ever do it because of $$$$$$.

 

[big bubba]

it took many years to develop the spring fed area(s) into ponds for me, sounds like your dams are under mowing control for now. but if your runoff springs are also subterranean, maybe something in the future for pond devel...& if so, plenty of landscape opt too around them.... yeah, it's also about dozier operator. just research get a good one. hopefully, there's also lot's of clay bank to retain the water too...any kind of successful devel like that will greatly increase land value.

 

[FTG-05]

Yes....they call this town Creal SPRINGS for a reason. Got half a dozen of them...just basically wet spots...in the pasture area. Then some in the woods. The whole hillside past those high weeds, you can see a little brown above them, is wet.

Picture just doesn't seem to capture the steepness. The steep part where the tuft of grass is...I really didn't want to try and get off the machine and take a picture there. Rear of machine was sliding downhill, then the corner lift. The tuft of grass shows the steepness a little better. Don't think I will side hill that spot again. But you're right...mowing what I had left there wasn't bad at all.

Perhaps because you're tilting the camera when taking the picture? Look at the trees in the background, it's not even close to being vertical.

 

[jcummins]

Perhaps because you're tilting the camera when taking the picture? Look at the trees in the background, it's not even close to being vertical.

HA...your right. I'm old, give me a break.

 

[Baby Grand]

Perhaps because you're tilting the camera when taking the picture? Look at the trees in the background, it's not even close to being vertical.

I had the same thought when I saw that.
If the photo were cropped to set the tree line horizontal you'd get a better feel for the actual pitch of your slope.
Really nice looking land, by the way.

 

[jcummins]

 

[Gary Fowler]

I don't think the camera was tilted. Look at the tree directly in front of the mower. It appears to be completely vertical and parallel to the sides of the photo, so the camera is level to the horizon. The tree line looks to be running at an angle so the left side it further away than the right therefore it has to be lower in the photo.

Where the OP is mowing now is not bad, but look at the top of the dam. There the angle gets really steep for a few feet before topping out. That could be a little hairy.

 

[FTG-05]

Gary, are you looking at pic#1 in post#1 or the recropped pic in post#10?

Post #10 pic has been corrected to make the trees vertical and now shows the true steepness of the hill the OP is talking about.

 

[FTG-05]

HA...your right. I'm old, give me a break.

Always!

 

[oosik]

After looking at post #10 I can see that it is pretty darn steep. The neighbor down the road almost lost his Z-turn mower trying to mow a road side easement. It slid into softer ground and almost turned over into the water filled road side ditch. Fortunately - he recognized this situation - quit trying to "drive it out" and pulled it to safety with his tractor.

He came and got me to help him - - ha,ha - I got to sit on the Z-turn and bite my nails as he pulled it out. We ended up both in agreement - let the grass grow tall - its a benefit to the wildlife in the area.

 

[FTG-05]

After looking at post #10 I can see that it is pretty darn steep. The neighbor down the road almost lost his Z-turn mower trying to mow a road side easement. It slid into softer ground and almost turned over into the water filled road side ditch. Fortunately - he recognized this situation - quit trying to "drive it out" and pulled it to safety with his tractor.

He came and got me to help him - - ha,ha - I got to sit on the Z-turn and bite my nails as he pulled it out. We ended up both in agreement - let the grass grow tall - its a benefit to the wildlife in the area.

Agree.

 

[big bubba]

well you all could be right on the steep grade, didn't seem like it at 1st glance. sure do like my commercial hyd zero turn walk behind on pond dams & sure don't like to push the limits with a rider. i see younger guys in town doing slopes i wouldn't dream of mowing on a zero turn rider...good luck to the OP
btw if the dam was hayed earlier, does that mean it's safer for conventional hay harvest equip vs mowing w/riders?

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I can and some time do mow my steep part in front of my house going across the hill and also go up and down some times but cutting diagional seems less stressful than going across the hill. I'm a psychofrenic, related to the schizophrenic, mower often times. I get confused with doing patterns or bored. I often times start circling trees until I get dizzy or reach another tree and then circle it in an ever widening circle and eventually most of my yard is mowed, except for the sections I miss but my wife and grandkids always point them out to me.
Anyway, try from lower left to upper right or vice versa or any other combination of diagonal patterns.
It also drive my Brother next door crazy since he has to do exact patterns determined the day before of which row will be mowed in which direction according to his charts from the last 9 years,:laughing:

 

[jcummins]

I can and some time do mow my steep part in front of my house going across the hill and also go up and down some times but cutting diagional seems less stressful than going across the hill. I'm a psychofrenic mower often times. I get confused with doing patterns or bored. I often times start circling trees until I get dizzy or reach another tree and then circle it in an ever widening circle and eventually most of my yard is mowed, except for the sections I miss but my wife and grandkids always point them out to me.
Anyway, try from lower left to upper right or vice versa or any other combination of diagonal patterns.

Arggggg big words, I had to look it up. Diagonal...then I gotta turn at the top (steepest) or bottom (wettest)....soooo....dunno. Actually except for that 'spot' with the tuft of grass, it did slide around, but not so scary.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Gary, are you looking at pic#1 in post#1 or the recropped pic in post#10?

Post #10 pic has been corrected to make the trees vertical and now shows the true steepness of the hill the OP is talking about.

I was looking at post #10 and it doesn't look that steep on anything other than the top 6 feet or so where it drops at a pretty steep angle but not too steep that I couldn't mow it with my ZTR on the horizontal. Speed and wet grass would be the limiting conditions to mowing on any side hill. None of that looks as steep as I see the highway boys mowing around overpasses.

 

[jcummins]

I was looking at post #10 and it doesn't look that steep on anything other than the top 6 feet or so where it drops at a pretty steep angle but not too steep that I couldn't mow it with my ZTR on the horizontal. Speed and wet grass would be the limiting conditions to mowing on any side hill. None of that looks as steep as I see the highway boys mowing around overpasses.

Had a ZD326 before this F3680. The ZD couldn't sidehill this dam, tried it couple of times, ended up at the bottom, no saving it. Stopped trying to mow this area with the ZD. Yes...the top 6 feet is the problem. Rest not so bad.