# ground leveling



## nanuk (Aug 29, 2011)

the Rancher I bale for has this idea that heavy thatch and matting is GOOD for the ground, even when I show him areas of 1-1.5 ft sq that have NO plan life.....

and the Pocket Gophers are causing serious roughness, to the point where I can't steer due to the front wheels being off the ground

I suggested harrowing in the spring and after baling (remove bales quickly and hammer the field with the harrows.

He balks at the idea of harrows, thinking ONLY Heavy harrows are called for, but I suggest even the lowly diamond harrow set will do better than just talking about it like has been happening for the last 5 years.

He tried using a DT cultivator with sweeps set at 1/2" above the ground once, but tore up so much ground that he felt he lost a lot of grass.

I am a fan of basic harrows, diamond ot tine, I don't care.... as long as we get them drug across the field twice a year.

We only get one cut up here, a second cut is rare due to the wet springs we have been having, so a before and after is the best option for my thinking

just wondering what other do.

any thoughts?


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## hay wilson in TX (Jan 28, 2009)

Hay on a high shrink - high swell clay soil is the same deal.

Fresh first year alfalfa I can mow and rake at 15 mph. A few years later I am down to 7.5 mph and hanging on for my life. One time on one field I was mowing at 4 mph and had the seat belt on.


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## nanuk (Aug 29, 2011)

hay wilson in TX said:


> Hay on a high shrink - high swell clay soil is the same deal.
> 
> Fresh first year alfalfa I can mow and rake at 15 mph. A few years later I am down to 7.5 mph and hanging on for my life. One time on one field I was mowing at 4 mph and had the seat belt on.


Hah... I replaced my seat with an aftermarket basic unit, and I took the time to install the seat belt.... sure glad I did, or I'd have lost some front teeth!

I had a thought of buying 35ft of rod weeder, mounting 3 sets of harrows, one off the back, on off the front, and one off the front backwards ( or perhaps a 5-6 bar tine set hanging in the middle off chain ) and running that around. I'd have good control, and with 140hp drawbar, I'd be able to get it up to 10mph easy... after the first couple rounds so I'd have smooth area of overlap to travel on the first pass.

the Rod could be set for 3/4 - 1 inch to knock down the loose hills after the first two harrow sets loosen them.

All I know is I gotta get something done, or I won't bale next year. Already broke off an axle housing, and it is only a matter of time before another catastrophic breakdown puts me back in the poorhouse


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## siscofarms (Nov 23, 2010)

Never used one but I know its a thing they were claiming at the machinery show . But what about the rollers they sell . you can fill them with water basically setting your own weight and the one they had there was 35ft . basically a wide pull type pavement roller .


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

I drug a pocket gopher mound/ badger hole field this spring 3 times with a spike tooth drag that I added tires on it for weight.It's still rough.Thinking about dragging a I-beam over it next spring.Cut off the high spots and drag enough dirt along to fill in the holes.

I tried a large roller few yrs back it didn't help much.


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## luke strawwalker (Jul 31, 2014)

http://www.haukaas.com/leveling-shovels/






Extension video after that one...

If a guy's looking for a "cheap" solution, wouldn't be hard to weld flat iron to the front edges of regular sweeps on an old field cultivator... and weld or bolt pieces of old chain between the rearmost sweeps... How much is an old field cultivator at auction??

Hope this helps... Later! OL JR


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