Small Planter - Medium Tractor

JimHam · Nov 1, 2016

I have a Kubota M8200 80HP with a category II hitch. I want to put in small food plots - acre or less on my property and a dove field - sunflowers. Been looking for small planters but most are for Category 1 tractors. Not crazy about buying junk and rebuilding it when I see new ones for almost the same price. I have zero experience with planters and would appreciate some recommendations on a planter that would work with my tractor and will handle sunflowers, corn, sorghum etc.

Fallon · Nov 1, 2016

Order some $5 Cat1 to Cat2 bushings & just hook it up. You'd have to remove a Quick Hitch if you had one as the width is different, but that wouldn't matter with the 3pt swinging free & not attached to a QH.

smstonypoint · Nov 1, 2016

You can find the bushings at Tractor Supply.
CountyLine Category 2 to 1 Lift Arm Bushing - For Life Out Here
CountyLine Category 2 to 1 Top Link Bushing - For Life Out Here

Steve

JimHam · Nov 1, 2016

OK I can go to Cat I. Thanks. How about recommendations on a planter? Ive seen Covington and Cole that look pretty good. Any other options? I have enough projects right now with rebuilding an old cultipacker and a JD disk. NO MORE BUYING SOMEBODY ELSE'S JUNK TO FIX. Planters have a lot of moving parts with timing and adjustments being critical to a successful crop. Advice appreciated

fredflintstone · Nov 1, 2016

Landall-- Brillion makes a real nice food plot planter FP6 I beleave googel brillion they have a real nice planter that will
plant just about anything. I beleave the Brillion is the top the line then Kosco planters . need to figure if you want to
no till meaning unworked up field (no till ) or traditional I don't know all but no till is by far the most expensive, I think
a 6' greatplanes no till drill is probly N of $12.000.00 most of the food plot brands that come to me are the Friminator and
Theplotmaster are a couple they along with the brillion can be had around $6000 thinking new prices Ive looked at a few landpride
has some also let us know what you decide

JimHam · Nov 2, 2016

I will probably go with conventional tillage. My ground is reclaimed strip mine and has a lot of rock - some areas being worse than others. I will not be deep tilling the land with a plow or chisel plow because of the rock. I will clear the plots of rock the best I can then disk up the ground deep enough to plant. Will probably be using the ATV with a broadcast spreader for the deer plots but will need a row planter to make a good dove field. Used to be in a hunt club and our dove fields were sunflowers planted in rows with herbicide used to control weeds. They were harvested in strips by the guy who did the fields for us and he left some rows standing to attract the doves. Worked like a charm. Not sure you could broadcast sunflowers and get the same results. I'm also going to look into renting a small food plot planter but with the rocks I might be better to just buy my own and set it up for what I want to do.

JimHam · Nov 3, 2016

Been Doing some more research and found a guy who rebuilds older John Deer 71 and similar planters. They look pretty good and I've heard good things about the JD 70 series planters. Anybody have experience using the JD planters for sunflowers? According to his website the 70 series uses plates to pick up the seed while the 71 series uses "fingers". Which would be better for sunflowers?

skipperbrown · Nov 3, 2016

If you aren't dead set on buying a planter, I suggest you try broadcasting your seed. I have broadcast sunflower seeds with great success. Broadcast and then cover with a disk with the pans set straight. If you have time to experiment, you might save some money and time.

fredflintstone · Nov 3, 2016

planter I had built with john deere 71s and liquid fertilizer

MORRISONSTEEL · Nov 3, 2016

JimHam said:
Been Doing some more research and found a guy who rebuilds older John Deer 71 and similar planters. They look pretty good and I've heard good things about the JD 70 series planters. Anybody have experience using the JD planters for sunflowers? According to his website the 70 series uses plates to pick up the seed while the 71 series uses "fingers". Which would be better for sunflowers?

71 deere flex planter is still sold new today, the design is now owned by yetter. 70 & 71 where very similar planters I wonder if the website you are mentioning when it referres to fingers is not talking about 7100, etc series plate less planters.