20% grade

[Larro Darro]

I wouldn't plow the steepest parts unless you had too. Keep it in grass.
My old hayfield has a deep hollow in it. When we bought the land in 1978 it had just been cleared and planted in coastal. Before the grass could get a foothold, a gully started about halfway up the slope. Over the years it grew, going all the way up to the top, to level ground. We tried to control it by putting all sorts of debri in it, including rolls of old hay. We slowed it down, but didn't fix the problem until we scalped the land across the slope to plant pine trees.

If you have to plow, a buffer of intact grass between the plowed sections would help with the erosion.

 

[Rhino35]

Rick,

Up and down on the parts steeper than 20 degrees?

Rhno

 

[RickB]

Rick,

Up and down on the parts steeper than 20 degrees?

Rhno

The field had contour strips which means all traffic was across the slope.

 

[Rhino35]

Dang!

Just stock width of your equipment? No spacers?

 

[RickB]

John Deere 4240, 4430, 4010, 3020, 2030, 6620 combine, etc. Tractor rear wheel track 8-8.5' outside to outside.

 

[jhernan]

Just eyeballing that cross cut...that looks very steep! Have you ever checked it with an inclinometer? Do you cut the rest of that hill going up and down? Add in the pond at the bottom - this is a worst case scenario. It is beautiful country!

Thanks for your comment. I haven't checked them hills with an incliometer yet. Maybe I just don't really want to know. The pucker factor is always with me so that tells me were I shouldn't go. Yes I do cut the rest of the hills. I just take my time. My neighbor tells me that my little tractor can climb a tree. I did have all four wheels pushed out before delivery. The rear tires meassure 84" on the outside of the tires.