Clearing/prepping/planting 2 acres for pasture: Here is my plan, but need some advice

nsfab · Apr 2, 2014

I would love to be able to get a 6'+ disc, but only having 32 HP ford 640 so I think I'm stuck with a 5' set. Or will my 640 be able to pull a 6'. I obviously cannot pull the disc and tires all at once.

gwdixon · Apr 2, 2014

flusher said:
Once you get the stumps and lateral surface roots removed, I'd go with a small offset disc and a home drag. Here's what I use for my 6 acre hayfield.

View attachment 368582 View attachment 368583 View attachment 368584

The disc is an old 6.5 ft wide Towner offset that a neighbor gave me. I cleaned it up and replaced a few of the pans that were worn. The drag is just a few old wheels that I got free from another neighbor. Just chained them together and hitched it to the disc. The white things on the disc are 120 lb concrete weights to help the disc work better.

Good luck

flusher has a good set up and something like that would work great in your situation. You are only doing two acres of pasture prep so it is not like you need something fancy or long-term.

As far as what you can pull, I had a Kubota L3650 (36 HP) that pulled an 8 foot offset disc broken wide open. Granted, the tractor had to be geared down but it did a great job. In your case, a 5' or 6' disc should work just fine. You'll find out the gearing necessary for the tractor and disc to work together. So it is just a matter of what you can find and the price being asked.

Once again, you are only doing 2 acres, and only doing it once, so whatever works and is convenient to acquire will be just fine.

dusty3030 · Apr 2, 2014

Good luck, as far as timing work when the weather allows, if it's dry enough to be in the field you get in the field.
Once your soil temp hits 70 and stays there bermuda is fine to plant. Complete seed coverage with soil but not too deep.

nsfab · Apr 4, 2014

One more question about discs. Will I have sufficient power/gearing to pull a double row harrow? I am seeing both single and double row offsets, and I understand a double gets more done in a single pass, but I also don't want to go too big end up wasting my time and money. Thanks again for all the help guys!

gwdixon · Apr 4, 2014

nsfab said:
One more question about discs. Will I have sufficient power/gearing to pull a double row harrow? I am seeing both single and double row offsets, and I understand a double gets more done in a single pass, but I also don't want to go too big end up wasting my time and money. Thanks again for all the help guys!

If I understand your question, a single row disc will throw all the disturbed soil in one direction. The ground then has to be disced going the other direction to get it back in place.

A double row offset throws the dirt one direction and then the second row of blades throws it back in one pass. This also depends on your speed and how far open the disc is.

If your tractor bogs down with a double row then the angle of the offset can be reduced. It won't turn the soil quite as completely but the tractor will pull it easier.

I really don't see the power being and issue with a 5' or 6' disc. Maybe others can chime in.

I sold a little 5' offset disc to a neighbor with an old Kubota B7800 and it pulls just fine.

MacLawn · Apr 4, 2014

ns, I'm just a bit east of ye, so I'm in same kind of Georgia clay as you have, and want to do about the same thing! Make pasture out of about 2 acres of me timbered, gullied clay land. I want to see pics of before/after!