Pasture Drag

[CWP37]

Any other options to: break up manure / de-thatch / aerate a coastal bermuda pasture? The animals tear it up pretty bad in the winter.

I'm looking at a harrow drag mat from Northern Tool, but I figure it might get clogged up pretty bad.

I used a landscape rake last year and it seemed to work pretty well. Didn't really aerate as well as I'd like, though.

 

[canoetrpr]

I've got a Maybridge chain harrow 8'8" that I drag my pastures with. I really like it.

Really wish I had got the 3 PT version though. Would be nice to lift once in a way.

Really works well to break manure piles up. It's ok for areation.

 

[hudr]

How many acres? I pull a 15' Aerway across our hay meadows and grazing pastures twice a year. Once in the Spring and then again in Fall. The Aerway does the aeration and then I have a 15' drag harrow behind that to scatter manure, stimulate the roots and help smooth the field. I rent the Aerway from a local Feed and Seed. I have noticed a marked improvement in our topsoil w/ use of this implement.

 

[mark.r]

I use a Marten's spike tooth harrow and did exactly what you described. In fact that is a picture of my machine on the bottom of the page. I bought based off of a recommendation from this site, primarily to cut up and spread horse manure and renovate and help jump start some pasture growth after the terrible summer we had. It has worked well. Furthermore, Mr. Marten (yes, you get to deal directly with him) is a VERY good person to work with.

 

[mark.r]

I use a Marten's spike tooth harrow and did exactly what you described. In fact that is a picture of my machine on the bottom of the page. I bought based off of a recommendation from this site, primarily to cut up and spread horse manure and renovate and help jump start some pasture growth after the terrible summer we had. It has worked well. Furthermore, Mr. Marten (yes, you get to deal directly with him) is a VERY good person to work with.

3 Point

 

[canoetrpr]

Mark - thats quite a nice setup.

 

[mark.r]

Mark - thats quite a nice setup.

Thanks. It has worked very well so far. The teeth are replaceble and held in place by one bolt/nut. Mr. Marten keeps tons in stock and will ship them to you whenever you are ready to replace them. That said, even after bending teeth on rocks and roots the unit continues to work as expected so I essentially still have 8 extra teeth laying around unused. Nice to have them though.

 

[Z-Michigan]

I have a chain harrow drag mat, it works wonderfully for busting up horse manure piles. Amazingly well. It does tangle some, which we have reduced by tying the pieces together and to the crossbar with baling twine. With tines pointing down I think it would do a decent job de-thatching (thatch isn't a big issue for my area or grass types).

Lone Cowboy has posted that he would recommend this modified newer design, which if I had known about it before buying I think I would have tried out:
Hi-Valley Manufacturing

I don't think any chain harrow is going to do much for aerating. To do a good job you would want a plugger. Might see about renting one if you have a serious compaction problem (which horses + flooding rain would produce). Otherwise I guess I would see what results you get from either chain harrow with tines down or just using your landscape rake again.

If you go with a chain harrow, get the biggest size you can pull through pasture gates or any other areas. The hp requirement is tiny and the more passes you have to make the more your tractor will compact the soil. I got an 8x8' model because I have 10' pasture gates; I barely feel it is attached when pulling it.

 

[Rara Avis]

I've got a Maybridge chain harrow 8'8" that I drag my pastures with. I really like it.

Really wish I had got the 3 PT version though. Would be nice to lift once in a way.

Really works well to break manure piles up. It's ok for areation.

Just use a boom with a couple of hooks wired to it...
Agricultural Equipment

It is cheaper than the 3PT version...

 

[mark.r]

I have a chain harrow drag mat, it works wonderfully for busting up horse manure piles. Amazingly well. It does tangle some, which we have reduced by tying the pieces together and to the crossbar with baling twine. With tines pointing down I think it would do a decent job de-thatching (thatch isn't a big issue for my area or grass types).

Lone Cowboy has posted that he would recommend this modified newer design, which if I had known about it before buying I think I would have tried out:
Hi-Valley Manufacturing

You might want to rethink that. Go to this thread and read his final thoughts starting with post #51.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/97586-chain-drag-harrow-6.html

 

[CWP37]

That Marten Harrow looks nice. Any other comments on it?

 

[Z-Michigan]

Mark R., appreciate it, my info was out of date.

Tine harrow is an option worth considering - pretty aggressive I would think.

 

[mark.r]

Mark R., appreciate it, my info was out of date.

Tine harrow is an option worth considering - pretty aggressive I would think.

No probem. I steel tine can indeed be aggressive. I think that is where the adjustability comes into play. You can run it with the teeth in the fully foward position (very aggresive) to break up hard park soil and manure. Or you can move the teeth to full rear position (least aggressive) which barely scratches the surfaces.

 

[ScottOkla]

I have problems with the martens maintaining good contact with the ground where I have clumps of sod such as Dallis grass. Only the front two rows do the job in those cases. Other than that issue, it works well.

 

[mark.r]

I have problems with the martens maintaining good contact with the ground where I have clumps of sod such as Dallis grass. Only the front two rows do the job in those cases. Other than that issue, it works well.

To be honest, Scott did mention this in another thread prior to me purchasing my Marten's harrow. There is definitely more pressure placed on the front three rows of teeth than the rear two. I made some adjustments to my top link and it helpout a lot but you never will get a pefect or should I say equal amount pressure on all 5 rows. Nevertheless, I am happy with the results especially with the cutting and spreading of manure.