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Disc Harrow or Rotary Tiller

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Markus Dammermann
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2001-04-17          26828


I am planning to turn some CRP pasture into some more lawn. I currently do not own a tillage tool and am undecided whether to go for a disc harrow or tiller to prepare a reasonnable seed bed. Does anyone have experience with a Landpride DH15 series disc? How would my MF 1240 (29hp) handle a 60" disc? Do you get sufficient ground penetration or would a small disc just scrape the surface without actually breaking up the soil and getting rid of weed roots etc. (weight per disc is 38 lbs according to Landpride info). What is the price difference between a 60" disc and a similar width tiller? What other pro's and con's are there (better leveling effect)?Just some questions maybe some of you can answer.



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JeffM
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2001-04-18          26862


Markus, please pardon my ignorance, but what is "CRP" pasture? ....


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kay
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2001-04-18          26864


Check out the thread on "Plow or?" and I think you will get your answer. Plow.
You don't say how long its been in CRP or what type of soil it is. If sand and thin sod, maybe a disc will work. If heavy soil and heavy sod, best to plow, and turn it over. Then you will have the best seedbed to work with. Hope this helps. ....


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JerryGoucher
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 100 NW AR
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2001-04-18          26865


Markus,
I have never seen a disc that would cut very well in unturned land unless it was sand. I use a turning plow and a field cultivator to prepare my ground. I have a lot of flint rocks and a tiller doesn’t work very well in them. As far a MF 1240 pulling a 60” disc, I would say that it would because you wouldn’t believe the plows that I pull with my MF 1250.
JerryG
....


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kay
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2001-04-18          26891


JeffM CRP is land set aside through a govt. program, paying landowners a per acre fee to keep the land out of production. Usually the contracts are for 10 years, and have resulted in many acres taken out of production, most of which are marginal acres and erodable lands. When the contract years are finished, the land can, I believe, be farmed. There are penalties for removing the land from the CRP program before the time period is up. Also, the govt. has to know when acres are converted from sod to tillable land. It is called sod busting, if the land has not been plowed for 10 years or more. I am not sure what the letters CRP stand for, but something like Crop Reduction Program. Hope this helps. ....


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JeffM
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2001-04-18          26898


Kay, thanks for the explanation. Most of the marginal ag land in my area was retired from farming 30-40 years ago, so CRP would be redundant. This is why I'm buying a Brush-Brute instead of a plow! :>) ....


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Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2001-04-19          26934


A disc harrow and a compact tractor to me don't add up. We sell farmers disc's in the 250 to 400 lb per ft range for secondary tillage. A tiller is the only thing to use for both primary and secondary. ....


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Bob Josaitis
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2001-05-02          27655


Markus, I have been administering all aspects of the CRP (Conservation Reserve Program) here in south central Idaho since the program began (about 14 years ago). Over the years this means taking many established CRP fields out and replacing them with new seedings of CRP or crops. Plows will work of course, but by far farmers prefer discs, like Art said, in the 250-400 pound/foot range, to use as primary and secondary tillage. Benefits of discs over plows are many, i.e. don't bring up buried weed seeds, don't create a plow pan, preserves some residue on erosive soils, better moisture conservation, etc. etc. In short, on hundreds of CRP fields and farms across a variety of soils I've never seen a plow used. Back to your question, no your light compact probably isn't going to do the job, you may have to plow. Better alternative may be to hire out someone with heavier equipment. One alternative I rarely see mentioned on this board is to use a chisel plow, your 29 hp with 4 wheel drive can probably pull a 3 or 4 medium-shanked chisel plow easily enough through your CRP field first, making it much more receptive to a light disk thereafter, and rototilling if you desire a smooth seedbed for new grass seeding. Of course planning is the best tool, working your field out this spring and letting the organics decompose over a year will provide you a much smoother seedbed in spring 2002, but I don't know your situation or ground. Some food for thought. ....


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