smoothing a 25 year fallow field?

[leveled]

I cleared about two acres of land this year. I would like to smooth it out since it has been left all rutted up from the last harvest 25 years ago. I have plowed it and disc and dragged it in smaller areas for food plots (which works well but time consuming, I would like to plant next spring). My plan was to plant hardwood trees in this area for the future harvest. I suspect i will have to cut around these trees so it would be nice to have it somewhat smooth. I was also debating just hiring it out to a local farmer but not sure what to expect it would cost. I also want to save the trees they are ash and probably will be used for firewood since the ash-bor beetle may kill them. The ruts are a deeper than appears in the picture that I have attached. All suggestion are welcome and appreciated thanks.

 

[nybirdman]

A large machine with a heavy disc would make short work of this.In the long run it would be cheaper and faster to hire it done.Cost?You will have to ask around to your local farmers.

 

[smstonypoint]

Nybirdman beat me to it. Disking with a harrow or cultipacker should do the trick. Here's a survey of custom rates in PA that may give you a ballpark estimate of what to expect if you try to hire out the work: http://nydairyadmin.cce.cornell.edu/pdf/submission/pdf323_pdf.pdf.

Just curious. Do you know what was grown on the field? My guess is potatoes.

Steve

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

I would plow it with a chisel plow at least twice - going perpendicular to the ruts and at a 45 degree angle to the ruts.

After chiseling it at least twice, I'd plow it with a disc harrow until it was uniform. Then, if you want it more manicured, something like a soil pulverizer would work.

It's only 2 acres, so it can't take very long. Be patient and work the soil. It didn't get rutted in an hour and you won't get it un-rutted quickly either.

 

[Rocky Hoffler]

All pretty good suggestions but here's mine. I would rototill then drag it with a rake 2 acres is not that much. If it was not smooth enough then I would do it again. he's got a 50 h.p. tractor let him use it.

 

[OldMcDonald]

leveled, What equipment do you already own apart from the plough (mouldboard?) and discs (harrows?)? As RH says, your tractor is more than adequate to do what needs to be done. From what I can see, and having brought a lot of land into cultivation for the first time ever, you can do the job with only those two implements if that is all you have.

 

[leveled]

I have 2 bottom ford plow and 8 ft disc harrow, and a 10' cultipacker an old one cast iron, i also have a 5 ft tiller bush hog. i had just made an oval track for my youngest to ride his dirtbike on and i did this by making multiple passes with the rototiller then dragging with a railroad tie. i have another 60 acers to do and i am tryng to get a system that work efficiently.

 

[Rocky Hoffler]

I have 2 bottom ford plow and 8 ft disc harrow, and a 10' cultipacker an old one cast iron, i also have a 5 ft tiller bush hog. i had just made an oval track for my youngest to ride his dirtbike on and i did this by making multiple passes with the rototiller then dragging with a railroad tie. i have another 60 acers to do and i am tryng to get a system that work efficiently.

Sounds as thou you figured this out slow going but this is reason for having equipment.enjoy

 

[Mechanos]

Rent (or buy) a Harley Rake.

 

[gwdixon]

You have all of the equipment and implements needed to do the job. One item that would help is some sort of drag to give it a smooth surface before using the cultipacker.

This abandoned field was plowed, disced, dragged and then the cultipacker was used. It was a complete mess before being worked. Stray trees, mounds of dumped dirt and concrete, and hadn't been touched in the 30 years that it was across the road from me.

 

[OldMcDonald]

leveled, 60 acres with a two furrow plough is going to take a while. Especially with trees to work around, and even more so if it is a one way plough and not reversible. It will make a good job though if finished off with the disc harrows and then the cultipacker. Depends a lot on what you intend to sow. If it is all like the photo then it would make good pasture/hay ground. Seems a shame to plant trees on such good land, alhough widely spaced trees in pasture always look very nice.

By choice I would use a tined cultivator for primary cultivation then follow with the discs and cultipacker as necessary. However, since you have the plough, you might think it is worthwhile spending the time rather than money on a tined cultivator. The words chisel plough, scarifier, etc mean different things to different people, so I use "tined cultivator". Like RH says, enjoy doing it - there is no finer sight than well ploughed ground.

 

[jix]

I cleared about two acres of land that had mature red pine trees with 16' butts. Hired an excavator and bulldozer with a root blade to deal with the stumps. There were lots of pine root remnants under the surface. I did not own a tractor then, but had a 4x4 ATV. I purchased a set of old spike tooth drag harrows and dragged the field over. About six passes and then followe up with a small trailer and a helper to pick out the roots, then seeded it to broadcast oats, which I mowed with a ride-on mower. Now the field looks good and has been over seeded with pasture mix. It is a lawn now. The deer and partridge liked the oats after the fall came....and they went into the pot.

The old harrows , an eight gang set cost me 100,, the seed cost me 100 bucks. 600 lbs of venison and 36 partridge cost me a few shells for the gun. I figger I broke even. I still have the antique harrows, for a sale opportunity.

Now I have a B7100D tractor too, with a grading blade and a blower, but no agricultural implements. I bought a zero turn mower and mow three acres with that, in about two hours. I use my tractor for snow clearance and for removing brush roots, spreading crushed stone, dragging tree trunks out of the bush..and for making my neighbors happy with favors that only a tractor can do. Life is good on a tractor.