Attempting to maintain a field

[ericoutdoors]

Hey Folks!
It has been about 5 months since I last posted. We have had rain every 2-3 days consistently since my last video. It finally started to dry out enough (but then still rained the day before...) to get in a field I am trying to reclaim from some nasty weeds that years past have totally dominated this pasture since the cows were removed. Made a short video to see how the mowing went, reviewed the equipment I used, and got a few decent shots of local wildlife.

Let me know if you have any questions or ideas. We want to keep grass and flowers going in this area.

Thank you!

 

[Oil pan 4]

6 years ago I started mowing mostly just the weeds in my field. Seems to be working. I try to spare the flowers and the nice looking grass so it can seed out.

 

[Motion]

As always do as you feel is best, I'd suggest removing all dead/unwanted trees, leg up the remaining trees, removing all nonessential fencing, recut at right angles. Ensure the remaining fence rows don't get away from you. Give thought to removing all fences and replace with new. Consider subsoiling, discing and leveling the pasture, once right you'll be able to use a 7- or 8-foot finishing mower. If in the future you plan on putting it into production i.e., orchard, vineyard, crops, etc. make a water source available (ponds, wells, windmills, irrigation).

 

[mikester]

I guess if people "get rich" posting videos of themselves eating then I guess posting videos cutting the lawn must get somebody's rocks off!

 

[ericoutdoors]

6 years ago I started mowing mostly just the weeds in my field. Seems to be working. I try to spare the flowers and the nice looking grass so it can seed out.

@Oil pan 4 - I've noticed a HUGE difference in the flowers and grass this year and I've only mowed the one time. The last two years there was this nasty weed that was ubiquitous and so thick nothing else would grow. Sorry I don't know the name of what it was but it is some brutal stuff because it grew about 4-5 feet tall with a single stalk covered in seeds and super thick and broad leaves, no flowers. Hoping I can get it like yours to just have native wildflowers and grasses.

As always do as you feel is best, I'd suggest removing all dead/unwanted trees, leg up the remaining trees, removing all nonessential fencing, recut at right angles. Ensure the remaining fence rows don't get away from you. Give thought to removing all fences and replace with new. Consider subsoiling, discing and leveling the pasture, once right you'll be able to use a 7- or 8-foot finishing mower. If in the future you plan on putting it into production i.e., orchard, vineyard, crops, etc. make a water source available (ponds, wells, windmills, irrigation).

Yea you don't want to see my todo list! Hoping to actually do a tree cleanup later this summer, already cleared out a lot of brush near the oak trees you can see in the video. Appreciate the ideas, I have rolled the field and it helped some but I did not think about getting a disc implement. What do you recommend to level after discing @Motion ?

 

[Motion]

I'd still recommend subsoiling first and discing multiple times, then a land leveler. This is the middle of June with summer coming, first wherever you're working keep liquids close at hand (water/sports drinks) it doesn't hurt to keep a pickle in a pouch in the ice chest, heat exhaustion doesn't discriminate. Second when taking a midday break sit in the shade and think where you want this pasture to be in 5/10years, pending those ideas it may be more practical to hire out tasks as opposed to buying one time use equipment, especially if pond/ponds are in the future. As always get pricing then decide the best course of action. You video indicates you recently purchased this property and you're raring to go. The PO must have had some bad a** cows to need highway guard rail!

 

[Benhameen]

Hey Eric, just my two cents here but I don’t think it looks that bad for being so over grow for so long. I would just keep mowing it, you may find that some of the better grasses and flowers come back when not being crowded out by the weeds. That’s not necessarily going to smooth it out but one thing that may help is to actually remove the entire front end loader. I heard you mention that you had removed the FEL in your video but technically you’ll only removed the bucket. Often times when I mow my field I remove it completely from my tractor for a much better ride. Actually, my FEL stays off and stored in my barn until I need it. Once you’ve taken it off and put it back on a couple times it’s very easy, 5-10 minutes tops.
The proper way to fix it is to follow what motion suggested. Although, you may be able to over seed it with some type of orchard grass and be fine.??
the other thing that motion mentioned was staying hydrated and not letting yourself get over heated. If your not accustomed to working in the sun and outside it can be a real problem. I have always loved being outside and last summer I managed to get over heated in a bad way. So much so it’s still affecting me when I get hot, even a year later.
Anyway, have fun, be safe and enjoy that beautiful property.

 

[Oil pan 4]

@Oil pan 4 - I've noticed a HUGE difference in the flowers and grass this year and I've only mowed the one time. The last two years there was this nasty weed that was ubiquitous and so thick nothing else would grow. Sorry I don't know the name of what it was but it is some brutal stuff because it grew about 4-5 feet tall with a single stalk covered in seeds and super thick and broad leaves, no flowers. Hoping I can get it like yours to just have native wildflowers and grasses.



Yea you don't want to see my todo list! Hoping to actually do a tree cleanup later this summer, already cleared out a lot of brush near the oak trees you can see in the video. Appreciate the ideas, I have rolled the field and it helped some but I did not think about getting a disc implement. What do you recommend to level after discing @Motion ?

Sounds like one of my pesky weeds I routinely have.