What Attachment?

[MRudy86]

I was going to suggest several light cross passes with a disc harrow. I'm assuming moderate vegetation that I think will clog a cultivator. But it depends a lot on your soil type and how deep the ruts are. And it needs to be done at the optimum moisture, too wet or too dry in heavy clay will leave big clods. You could drag it last to smooth it, but spring rains do a pretty good job.

What implements do you own or have access to?

it might not be the best path of attack but I’m trying to get something that can be used for more than just this one task. Sounds like I won’t get out that easy haha.

 

[bambam31]

Depending on the size of the field, it might require a bulldozer to get it opened up and workable. A good bulldozer operator will leave the field, and know how to take the vegetation off. If there are any tree stumps, the bulldozer will pop them out of the ground without much effort, unless they were huge trees. From what you described, I don't think that you will be able to do much with it efficiently with your tractor.

I’m with dusty. A Dozier will get it done quick. I’ve never regretted calling the dozier man.

 

[Foxrunfarms]

I had an old 2 acre hayfield that wasn't producing at the time. I only had 2 atvs at the time so I brought home a garden tractor with a tiller from work.
It took most of the weekend but I got it worked up.

I did find a bigger rock half buried and the tiller hoped over it.

I think a tiller would do the job but would soften the soil too much and and maybe cause a low spot or sink hole.

I like to play farmer. I think a plow would bring up the soil and fill in the ruts but then you got ocean waves.

A cultivator would dig down and bring up the soil and be nice to go over the other disked ground. You might be pulling out chunks of hay though.

A box blade you'd have multiple uses for and could use it to level out and fill in the ruts, plus it has shanks too like the cultivator.

I had an atv disk I used befor the tractor. I had to add extra weight to make it work. I agree with others if you want results you need a heavy duty one and multiple paces. I really liked the results of mine but it packed down the soil to where I was losing production.

If I could have only 1 tool for the job. I'd get a box scraper. You can fix your gravel driveway in spring, level out the ruts, regrade your lawn, and use it for snow also.

 

[MRudy86]

I follow it with a tiller for a garden. For the OP’s use I would use the plow several times and maybe in different directions to get the roots removed and the rough ground leveled. That implement will break and rake up roots, and aerate to 16” deep. After plowing, a tiller, cultivator, or even a disc could do the final smoothing. The link I listed shows it is marketed through Everything Attachments, but they don’t make the plow, they just distributed it. It is made by another company in Franklin, TN, so I assume that there are other distributors. Sweet Tractor also sells them.

Sweet Farm Equipment - New & Used Farming Tools & Equipment | Tractor Equipment, Implements

SweetTractors.com is a leading online seller of new & used farming tools, tractor equipment, farm implement and much more. Hundreds of Unique New & Used Implements that you cannot find anywhere else! Operating 38+ Years. Free Shipping Included!

www.sweettractors.com

I saw the everything attachments one but I just read a thread that they might be out of business?

 

[bird dogger]

That would be good to use after the Fred Cain plow does the heavy initial work.

No doubt the Fred Cain will do a better job quicker on the heavy initial work of breaking up sod. That's a nice heavily built cultivator!

The "S tine" is a little lighter duty. But mine has easily busted up a 2.5 acre undeveloped rural building lot that was a mix of sod, weed, small brush. Using fewer tines and replacing the shovels with chisel points does turn it into a different machine for busting up weeds, sod/grass areas. But mostly it would depend on how compacted the top ground is and what type of base is under it. Here, we're blessed with about 2 ft of rich black topsoil.

For a one size does all cultivator in my ground/uses, I like the ease of either adding/removing tines, and\or changing between the different types of shovels & points. Also, easily shifting the location of the s tines is so easy for being able to change between cultivating rows or full coverage field cultivation.

I was completely "out to lunch" when I talked a local farmer into selling me the two rolling baskets off his large tillage implement that he was hauling to the scrap yard for salvage. I should have bought all the baskets off that implement!! I could have sold my two baskets ten times over for a nice profit.

Some used 5-spider rolling cultivator gang assemblies would also be nice to find!!

 

[skeets]

Maybe find someone that has the know how and equipment , a few bucks a case of adult refreshment its done and you have a new friend

 

[hoot owl]

Before buying something you might not use again, check the local rental center. Some of them have 3 point attachments.

 

[jyoutz]

I saw the everything attachments one but I just read a thread that they might be out of business?

You can order from other suppliers. They are made in KY, not by everything attachments. Sweet tractor sells them.

 

[Flintknapper]

A 5 shank box blade would probably suffice to 'rip' what you need to do. It wouldn't be as forgiving as a Fred Cain cultivator if you hit something hard, but a hay field should be devoid of anything too troublesome.

Then follow up with a disc (two directions). Box blade can be used to fill any voids and be useful later for other chores. Personally, I'd spend the money on a good dozer operator, then see what implements you need to 'maintain' it afterward.

 

[NCL4701]

Deleted.

 

[jyoutz]

A 5 shank box blade would probably suffice to 'rip' what you need to do. It wouldn't be as forgiving as a Fred Cain cultivator if you hit something hard, but a hay field should be devoid of anything too troublesome.

Then follow up with a disc (two directions). Box blade can be used to fill any voids and be useful later for other chores. Personally, I'd spend the money on a good dozer operator, then see what implements you need to 'maintain' it afterward.

That is really the key: maintenance afterwards. I bought a Fred Cain cultivator plow because I use it twice a year, every year. I rip my garden deep after final harvest in the fall to let winter moisture percolate deep and drain. I rip it also in the spring before tilling to prepare the soil for planting and promote deep root penetration. If this is going to be a one and done job, then I’d hire it done and not spend money on an implement.

 

[GrizBota]

I’d fix that mess with a spring tooth harrow. Could be three point mounted or wheel mounted, or just a drag. I follow it up with a pasture drag aka pasture harrow.

 

[Motion]

Subsoil, disc, tiller, land leveler and harrow. Two or three soil samples, amendments as necessary, grass seed for your area and use.

 

[BAP]

The best implement for use if you have only one to choose from is a disc harrow. Keep going over and over BUT each time, go a different direction that is at an angle to the first time. This will help chop up everything and fill in the ruts. Also, plan on this taking time, possibly a few weeks so that the vegetation can break down. You don’t want to use a bulldozer or anything that moves too much soil around if you can help it, because you are stripping off the topsoil and will end up with spots that doesn’t have much making it harder to grow whatever you put on it.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

ideally....
subsoiler, N-S then E-W
plow, N-S, then E-W
disc, N-S, then E-W
rototill,N-S ,then E-W

'old hay field' probably was 'no-tilled', maybe for decades,so ground is very compacted. You need to 'loosen it up'. Subsoiler gets DOWN to let water and air down to start to break it up,plowing turns it over, breaking it down better,disc and till make it even better.
If you just have tandem discs, add lots of weight,go N-S, then E-W, then increase angle of the discs.The 'art' of discing is knowing how wet the soil is and letting Mother Nature help you. If too wet, wait a day or two. Also drag a heavy beam, old chains, fencing behind the discs to help knock down, breakup the clods,level the field. It takes time and patience to restore a field,as well as a LOT of 'compost' !

 

[Flintknapper]

The best implement for use if you have only one to choose from is a disc harrow. Keep going over and over BUT each time, go a different direction that is at an angle to the first time. This will help chop up everything and fill in the ruts. Also, plan on this taking time, possibly a few weeks so that the vegetation can break down. You don’t want to use a bulldozer or anything that moves too much soil around if you can help it, because you are stripping off the topsoil and will end up with spots that doesn’t have much making it harder to grow whatever you put on it.

Valid point IF the dozer operator doesn't understand the objective (to level the field, not strip it).

Very little 'pushing' of soil should be required. Operator (if competent) will know to 'back drag' the field, leveling it and breaking up any clods at the same time.

Disc can be run over it afterward when vegetation has decayed. Then level with a box blade or land plane if further attention is required.

Just depends on how much time the OP wants to spend on it and what implements they want to purchase. But I wouldn't buy anything that wasn't going to be useful to me later.

 

[MRudy86]

Found those on Sweet Farm Equipment. Chain harrow mounted to the back of one of those might be a good start.

 

[fried1765]

You can order from other suppliers. They are made in KY, not by everything attachments. Sweet tractor sells them.

Oops.....
Be careful....
Sweet also has sold a POS field culitvator made in India!
The Fred Cain unit is likely very good..... The made in India POS is a POS!
Ask me how I know!

 

[MRudy86]

Oops.....
Be careful....
Sweet also has sold a POS field culitvator made in India!
The Fred Cain unit is likely very good..... The made in India POS is a POS!
Ask me how I know!

I figured there was a reason for the $ diff. Thank you

any other places that might sell them?

 

[Foxrunfarms]

If you're interested in a fred cain you could look for a used dearbourne unit. They can be found in fence line, or auction lots cheap. Food plot guys think they're gold though.