karmakanic
Silver Member
- Joined
- Jun 25, 2002
- Messages
- 232
- Location
- NE Texas
- Tractor
- Kubota L35 TLB, John Deere 550 dozer, Cat D-2 dozer, Allis Chalmers HD-11 dozer
How do you go about mowing a field? By that, I mean what path do you use to cover all the ground? If you're like me, the logical thing seems to be start at the outside boundry and keep making circles around and around the outside edge until you meet in the middle.
Well, that works fine for a small push mower. But with a tractor you end up doing a whole lot of turning and a little bit of mowing as you get closer to the middle.
I read something in an old book published by International Harverster on how to get the most out of your tractor that made me say "Why didn't I think of that?"
Instead of starting on the outside and working in, do it this way. Start with making a cut around the outside boundry. Then travel up one of the short sides of the boundry cut until you reach a corner, make the 90 deg turn, then travel just far enough to make another comfortable 90 deg turn, then travel down the field parallel with your first cut until you reach the boundry cut and make your two comfortable turns to arrive back at the starting point. Repeat as needed, "walking" this rectangle across the field. The unmowed grass will be on your left in one direction and on the right in the other direction. When the up cut meets the previously cut grass of the down cut, start another rectangle and repeat as needed. Your turns will never need to be tighter then the comfortable radius you establish with the rectangle. Now, that sounds clear as mud, but I hope you get the idea. Needless to say, it works just as good for any other implement, even better with plows, ect. that can't make a sharp turn without being raised out of the ground.
Of course, the old hands already knew this, probably learned it on dad's popping johnny. But, being a city boy, I didn't know it until I read it, so I pass it on to any other city boys out there.
Dave Perry
Well, that works fine for a small push mower. But with a tractor you end up doing a whole lot of turning and a little bit of mowing as you get closer to the middle.
I read something in an old book published by International Harverster on how to get the most out of your tractor that made me say "Why didn't I think of that?"
Instead of starting on the outside and working in, do it this way. Start with making a cut around the outside boundry. Then travel up one of the short sides of the boundry cut until you reach a corner, make the 90 deg turn, then travel just far enough to make another comfortable 90 deg turn, then travel down the field parallel with your first cut until you reach the boundry cut and make your two comfortable turns to arrive back at the starting point. Repeat as needed, "walking" this rectangle across the field. The unmowed grass will be on your left in one direction and on the right in the other direction. When the up cut meets the previously cut grass of the down cut, start another rectangle and repeat as needed. Your turns will never need to be tighter then the comfortable radius you establish with the rectangle. Now, that sounds clear as mud, but I hope you get the idea. Needless to say, it works just as good for any other implement, even better with plows, ect. that can't make a sharp turn without being raised out of the ground.
Of course, the old hands already knew this, probably learned it on dad's popping johnny. But, being a city boy, I didn't know it until I read it, so I pass it on to any other city boys out there.
Dave Perry
