# Rolling/Smoothing Hay Fields



## mstuck21 (Oct 4, 2019)

Saw a video of a guy rolling his fields with a big drum contraption to help smooth them out after the season. Just curious if it's something worthwhile to consider? If so, what equipment do you use, time of year, special conditions that make it work better, etc?

I make every attempt not to rut them up in the first place but from time to time notice a rough spot and it crosses my mind. Maybe youll do more harm than good, I don't know. Can't say I've seen anyone in my area attempt it, but we aren't really in hay county. My mind wonders over winter.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Many folks use those big rollers to push rocks back into the soil.

Regards, Mike


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

I wouldn't do it on alfalfa, could damage the crowns


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Ive used one after seeding,I use a brillion one now not the big drum ones.They work great on worked soil to push rocks down and flatten some ridges but its not going to do much to a established field with ruts in it.Pds per sq inch isnt all that much until it hits a high point like a rock then it will shove it down.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Very popular in soy even notill. I’ve been looking for one to try in that window of wet ground that it could work in spring plus after it’s been worked.


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## carcajou (Jan 28, 2011)

We roll all our hayland every year time permitting. Have a blade mounted in front to level the mole hills too. Does not hurt the alfalfa at all.


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## HAYcorey (Jul 22, 2018)

I just picked up a Brillion culti-mulcher to prep for bermuda sprigging and was going to ask the same question. Was thinking of doing it after burning and a good rain. Sandy soil. What are y’all’s thoughts?


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

When i was a kid back in the conventional tillage days we rolled everything in the spring Alfalfa ,,grass, clover , wheat , barley , oats rolled.it all to push the stones down that heaved up . 10 to 12 ft packers behind a farmall h or maybe a B JD. My grandpa was running the show then an he said you could only drive about 3 to 4 mph. We did not complain because we knew if we did not roll them we would have had to pick them up 1 by 1 and haul them off to a rock pile. When i was a young boy my Grandpa said for everyday you plow (3 bottom) you could expect to spend 2 days picking up rock's and stones. Location is everything and you can see why i smirk at the term "recreational tillage". The first notill planter in the mid 70's looked mighty good


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## SVFHAY (Dec 5, 2008)

Have much experience with a brillion cultimulcher, only brand new tillage tool to ever come to this farm. It came long ago and has been worn out a couple times. It would do nothing in established sods. A large drum style might but it would be a very narrow window of use in my variable soils.

As endrow stated picking rock was a huge part of life here before no till.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

carcajou said:


> We roll all our hayland every year time permitting. Have a blade mounted in front to level the mole hills too. Does not hurt the alfalfa at all.


Something like this?

scroll down to options and they have a blade mounted on roller,and can reseed also.

https://www.agshield.com/landrollers.html


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## carcajou (Jan 28, 2011)

swmnhay said:


> Something like this?
> 
> scroll down to options and they have a blade mounted on roller,and can reseed also.
> 
> https://www.agshield.com/landrollers.html


Yes Same idea but home built. Made ours only 18' so it could fit through all our gates. Have seeded many many acres through the Valmar over the years. I did built and use a 45' model for years when we cropped 4000 acres. Pulled it right behind the air seeder most of the time.


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## dvcochran (Oct 1, 2017)

Which the exception of pushing down rocks, how to you think a chain harrow compares to a drum on hay fields?


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