Pasture into hayfield

[5030]

The issue with 'pasture to hayfield' will always be the manure issue and the entrained seeds in the manure which always germinate and grow invasive plants you don't want.

 

[Gee Ray]

The last field I did was plowed with a 4 bottom moldboard plow, disked with a heavy Rome plow with a 12 foot spreader bar( a spreader bar from a crane) chained to the rear of the Rome plow.

The moldboard plow turned the soil and buried the seeds deep enough that there was not a problem. The disk chopped the soil enough that the bar smoothed the soil. In Florida you sprig (transplant) coastal hay to start a new field.

This turned a one time horse farm with all the small turnout areas with many ridges and holes into a very nice hay field.

Plowing a field and disking it should be enough to smooth out a field. If that is not enough rent a leveling box as large as your tractor can pull.

 

[Redwagon96]

I have been reading whatever info google presents me on converting rough pasture into hayfield but I wanted to see if anyone here has any tips that will make my life a bit easier.

I have gotten a few different opinions on what the proper procedure is but I should preface that my pasture is rather boulder-y. I was late getting cows out there to keep the grass down so they are working on it now but I'm in this kind of catch 23 situation where I need to mow to see the rocks better to pick them out but the rocks would make mowing almost impossible. Is there some sort of method that people do where they just light it all on fire and start from zero using an excavator to pick the bigger boulders out and then plow it over?

My current plan is to be patient let the cows do there thing, a local landscape company will come pick boulders and pay you for them, but the thistles are taking over a bit as well. Not to mention the buckthorn which I should be able to finish shredding once I get my new cutter.

after that I was thinking:
1) plow it over
2) disc a few times
3) likely pay neighbor to drill seed it
4) mow weeds while grass takes


My neighbor suggested planting corn for 2 years to help break up the sod, saying using a disc wouldn't be super effective or something. Anyhow if anyone has surefire way of converting rough pasture into hayable field im all ears.

I did this on 40 acres, but no rock problem Moldboard plowed, harrowgated 2 different directions, cultimulched at angle then seed with easy flow spreader with small seed attachment with oats as cover crop for alfalfa. Seeded and cultimulched in long direction of field. Made for a very smooth field. Cultimulcher had 2 sets of rollers with 2 sets of soil stirring tines between. Ran tines just low enough to barely stir soil. Got a very good stand of alfalfa.

 

[MinnesotaMorg]

Alright well I appreciate everyone's contribution. It sounds like the thing I was missing from my own plan was the roller/cultipacker

I wish I could do fewer steps but I think the field is in such poor condition that I just need to invest in the dozer work to get it in a much better starting place. I literally can't drive more than 2 mph without getting bounced out of the seat currently. I have a meeting planned with the local NRCS and they can also advise, but this is probably going to be a 2 summer project at minimum. I figure the rest of this season will be boulder / shrub removal and maybe dozer work, next spring discing/packing and planting and then let it grow unmolested depending on when I get it planted.

 

[Hay Dude]

Alright well I appreciate everyone's contribution. It sounds like the thing I was missing from my own plan was the roller/cultipacker

I wish I could do fewer steps but I think the field is in such poor condition that I just need to invest in the dozer work to get it in a much better starting place. I literally can't drive more than 2 mph without getting bounced out of the seat currently. I have a meeting planned with the local NRCS and they can also advise, but this is probably going to be a 2 summer project at minimum. I figure the rest of this season will be boulder / shrub removal and maybe dozer work, next spring discing/packing and planting and then let it grow unmolested depending on when I get it planted.

Sometimes thats the way it is and what is required. That sounds like some rough terrain.
I am usually rehabbing fields which were once hayfields that were let go, so there’s still an adequate base to work with. Luckily most big boulders and rock outcroppings were dynamited before I was born.

Good luck and keep us updated. Could be a cool “progress” thread.

 

[MinnesotaMorg]

Yeah I don't think this could have ever been hayfield, if it was then maybe like 80 years ago.

The previous owner had a few horses, but 2-3 horses for 20 acres means a lot of overgrowth happened. I should do a little more digging to find out how the land was used in the last 50 years if I can.

Ill try and get some photos, but I feel like unless I get a drone it's just going to be random photos of shrubs lol, maybe the photos of the work being done will be more exciting.

 

[Hay Dude]

Yeah I don't think this could have ever been hayfield, if it was then maybe like 80 years ago.

The previous owner had a few horses, but 2-3 horses for 20 acres means a lot of overgrowth happened. I should do a little more digging to find out how the land was used in the last 50 years if I can.

Ill try and get some photos, but I feel like unless I get a drone it's just going to be random photos of shrubs lol, maybe the photos of the work being done will be more exciting.

There’s probably a reason it wasn’t. Probably the same reason you are describing.
Think it over. Hay doesn’t pay squat, so do it for the combination of income & enjoyment.

 

[MinnesotaMorg]

Truthfully the real reason I want to just get to to workable state is so that it doesn't get worse and I lose the little bit of value the land has now. When I purchased this place I had no idea pasture should be "mowed" a few times a season, I just figure if I'm going to bother to clean it up I might as well do it properly so I can hay it 2 years and have cows out there on the 3rd year. From what I understand if you can rotate hayfield / pasture it will help keep the soil better than if you just hayed 1 field endlessly.

edit: I should add that I have a suburban upbringing but I never really enjoyed the city, I bought this land with the intention of renting out the fields and to give myself space to spread out. It's funny how things change once you insert yourself in various situations.

 

[oldnslo]

Do have any neighbors that have farmed in your area for years? They could be your best resource on how that land was used in the past. Also could provide additional insight on how bad the rock problem is.

Not exactly sure where in central MN you are but I know by Grey Eagle most of the fence rows where stone fences just from rocks in the field. They are one crop that grows every year without planting any seeds.

 

[repete]

Alright well I appreciate everyone's contribution. It sounds like the thing I was missing from my own plan was the roller/cultipacker

I wish I could do fewer steps but I think the field is in such poor condition that I just need to invest in the dozer work to get it in a much better starting place. I literally can't drive more than 2 mph without getting bounced out of the seat currently. I have a meeting planned with the local NRCS and they can also advise, but this is probably going to be a 2 summer project at minimum. I figure the rest of this season will be boulder / shrub removal and maybe dozer work, next spring discing/packing and planting and then let it grow unmolested depending on when I get it planted.

In the last two day I mowed a small section of my pasture that was not "smoothed" prior to being turned into a pasture. When I mow it I turn a 6' rotary cutter in high PTO range and about 1300 engine RPM on my L2250. I exclusively use this cutter on fields so I keep it very sharp and only really "top" the vegetation so no significant load.

I can only mow in second gear high range due to the unlevel nature of the field. I tried in third gear and the cutter did the job but the bouncing was killing me. I would much rather have not spend five hours mowing. I can run my pasture harrow over the whole thing in about 45 minutes with my IH584 due to the size. I waste so many hours putting around....

Do it once, do it right Morg.