DISC VS. FURROW PLOUGH

[inveresk]

I've recently bought an 11 acre farm of which about 3 acres are in meadow and orchard that haven't seen a plough or mower for some time and the field is rough, full of bumps and hollows. The soil is quite heavy and a drainage ditch has been ripped across the meadow to conduct rainwater in winter which can be considerable (I'm on one of the gulf islands in BC, Canada). I want to plough it, level it and re-sow it but am not sure of the best equipment to get for the tractor I've ordered (Kubota 3130). I'll have to cut down some of the overmature fruit trees and do a bit of stump pulling first but once that's done, is it best to use a disc or furrow plough to turn over the soil? What are the benefits and advantages of each? I' ve been advised against rototilling. How is it best to level out the hillocks and hollows? The Kubota will come with a FEL and backhoe but do I need anything else such as a scraper blade? Once it's level, do I simply break up the sods with a furrow or do I need to use some other implement first? I'd like to keep horses in the field once it's been resown and so the ditch will need to be filled in or fenced off. I'm inclined to install a field drain, 8" dia, surround it with pea gravel and level off but am not sure if this will work in heavy soil. If anyone has had similar problems and overcome them, any help or advice would be appreicated.
George G.

 

[inveresk]

ok, I accept that was maybe too many questions so can I ask something simpler. Is a disc plough better (liable to less damage, better results) in stony ground than a furrow plough? There are a fair number of rocks in the meadow I want to plough.

 

[Slamfire]

Disks are easier to break on stones, and you have to make more passes to get deep, but after using a moldboard plow you still have to use some kind of harrow. I use an old spike harrow, but I think a spring tooth would be better. I've not tried the chain harrows, they look like they'd do a good job.

 

[BobG_in_VA]

I believe from your post that you are thinking of a disk harrow. The original poster was asking about furrow vs a disk plow. Disk plows are used to go over rough land which is just becoming tillable. We used to call it "new ground". Disk plows will cut thru roots and is better on rocky soil than a turning plow (furrow plow). A good disk plow (two disk) for a 3 pt hitch can weigh 500 lbs. or more. In my opinion if you can borrow a disk plow, do it. Once you have the initial plow work done, then get a turning plow or a disk harrow and work it up till its "smooth". BobG in VA

 

[inveresk]

I can try to rent a plough but doubt I could borrow one. I'm pretty new here and still have to develop relationships. I suppose I could always contract ourtthe first plough then pick up with the Kubota after that's done. I've ordered a Kubota L3130HSE with backhoe and loader but was going for some Jinma accessories because of the price. The ploughs I was interested in are shown here. http://www.jinma.ca/implements.htm

 

[Egon]

Lovely location. Where abouts on the island are you?

The mole board plow will work best for the original sod turning. With rocks the plow should have a trip device. That was what was used to break land by the original homsteaders. The disc plough will work well on previous cultivated land. For land breaking purposes the disk plow must be large heavy and requires considerable HP to pull.

After this a disc, disc plow, harrows or a combination of are used to break up the sod and prepare the land for seeding.

You may be able to find a used pull type plow.

Expand the drainage ditch so you can drive across it and cultivate with ease.

Leave some trees for shade for the horses.

Do you have quail there?

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Farmwithjunk]

A moldboard plow in ground with tree roots still left behind will be a torture test of sorts. A disc (harrow) will only work a few inches at best. An old "disc plow" might be better, but there's one more option.

Find what's known as a "bog disc", or as an alternative, an offset disc. They are intended for use in the conditions you are going to deal with. They generally weigh quite a bit more than a conventional disc. Most bog disc's are single gangs. Offset discs are known to pull hard, so you want a small one at best.

A few years back, I cleared 20 acres on my farm. I hired a 'dozer with a "root rake" (clearing blade) to clean up and loosen up the soil. Cheaper in the long run, faster, and MUCH better job. I was able to finish the job myself with a disc and my own tractor.

 

[inveresk]

Egon, I'm on the east of the island near Fernwood, overlooking Trincomali channel. We have around 440 feet of waterfront. We moved here late July.

I wondered if expanding the drainage ditch was the way to go. It's dry most of the year but runs full, apparently, in winter. I can open it up some and line it with rocks to stop erosion.

I'll get some quotes from contractors in the area for ripping up the meadow initially and so that I can use a furrow plough on the KUbota.

Thanks everyone for the input. Without these forums, it would have taken me a great deal longer to learn what I have here.

 

[inveresk]

Re your query on quail, Egon. We see them often when we taken the coast road into Ganges and when I viewed the property in May, there were many of them, since gone, living in a dense clump of trees behind the house.

 

[Slamfire]

I'm familiar with the disc plows, there's one on a horse drawn sulky attracting rust, just a little way down the road. If you drive by the Athers Plow Company's factory, there is a lovely 3 disc 3 point sitting on a concrete pad out front. They were primarily used in the less rocky areas of the Sweetwater Valley and not up on the side of the mountains where the rocks are down about 3 to 6 inches.
I didn't believe that the original poster had any knowlede of them from the wording he used in his post. If he does I apologize to him. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif They still break easier than moldboards. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif