Reccomendations for short term solution?

Well, thanks in large part to the folks here and the reading reccomended by them, I am slowly coming to grips with my new property.

I am making progress with my limited funds/equipment, and am looking forward to using next years tax return to purchase a well researched tractor.

As of right now, however, I seem to be in need of some equipment short-term, so renting is looking like the solution. Fortunately there is a large industrial/agricultural rental center only a couple of miles away.

So todays question(s) are these:

1) I need to hay/mow about 2-3 acres of overgrown pasture. What is the better alternative? Seems like cutting/baling would be neater - I'm looking to get it cut and then figure I can stay on top of it with the equipment I have.

2)I have 14 acres of unharvested corn field, and if it ever dries out enough, from what I've read the best thing to do is plow it under and plant clover, which I'll plow under again next year.

What equipment do I need?

If I simply mow the pastures I'd use a rear mower, but what do I use to "clean up" the mowed grasses?

If I cut it for hay, what do I need, and what do I collect/bale with?

I figure in the field I need a disc harrow to plow the corn under, and some sort of spreader to seed the clover (even though it's 14 acres I can always do it over a weekend or two with the equipment I have now).

I know these are really basic questions, but I'm thinking if I do this once this year I'll be set til I get equipment of my own, and I really don't want to look like a complete idiot at the rental place.... [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

Thanks

Gregg

Gregg,

Mowing and baling an "overgrown pasture" will be for naught unless it's decent quality hay.

I would rent a tractor and brush cutter (bush hog) and do both the pasture and corn field. It will leave the cuttings behind, but it won't take long for that stuff to dry up and disappear.

Depending on how the corn field turns out, you may need to plow first before disking. It wouldn't hurt to lightly disk your 2 acres at the same time.

Rather than rent the equipment (for the first time anyway) ask a local farmer to do the work for you. Maybe get his (or her) input on what should be done. One question you should be able to answer: What are your plans for these fields?

Forget haying. Way too much equipment to buy or rent. As far as the field goes you are going to need a big tractor and at least a four or five bottom plow. With a two bottom plow it would take you 60 hours or better to plow that.

If I was in your shoes I'd go buy a new tractor, loader, and 6 or 7' brush hog. It will cost you ALOT to rent that setup. Right now deere and kubota both are offering long-term zero percent financing. With that you can't not go ahead and get the equipment this year.

What are your long term plans for the 14 acres?

My only concern with brush-hogging the pastures is the left over material - while I don't expect these areas to look like a lawn, I also don't want too much cut material laying around killing the very growth I want to save. So if I do have it 'hogged what, if anything, should be done afterwards??

As far as the 14 acres out back, long term we plan to divide it among some different, locally saleable crops. My wife wants to do pumpkins (once I get the "farm" back in this farm we plan to name it "Jack's Lantern Farm"), corn, although available all over still sells well, probably some Christmas trees (figure once we get them for pumkins they'll come back for trees), probably some for forage crops (planning on some sheep, goats, or maybe a cow. Horses perhaps later...), and maybe tomatoes, lettuce, etc. We're located in a fairly residential area and I hope to be able to capitalize on that by catering to the local market - according to our zoning I can operate a farm store as long as at least half of what I sell is produced on our farm. I haven't really nailed down particulars on crops, I suspect it will take some trial and error to find the right combinations. My learning curve about all this is pretty steep [img]/forums/images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] , and on top of all the questions I'm asking here and on TBN, I'm also reading eveything I can get my hands on, dealing with renovations to the farmhouse, looking for a barn, prepping my old townhouse for sale, and working my full time job (at what point does the "hobby" farm become "full time" and your job become the "hobby...? [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] ). So if you've wondered why my questions seem to be all over the map....!

It just feels wrong to look out back and see 14 acres of dead cornstalks. I've been talking to some of the neighbors, and others nearby with larger holdings, and several people have said they'll put one or more of the local lease farmers in touch with me. We had hoped the prior leasee (sp?) would return, but with the rain(!!!) this year many fields are untilled. I thought that a weekend rental might be a viable option, and help get my feet wet (perhaps literally), and from what I've read clover is easy, inexpensive, a good rotation with corn, and will help prevent erosion and compaction of the soil. Plus I don't have to harvest it, and if next year finds me still to occupied with the house, pastures and financial issues, I can leave it in clover with little to no additional work.

Gregg

P.S. - while every 'Tim the Toolman" bone in my body is screaming for a tractor this year, my finances are definitely dictating a more reasonable approach. Our plan is this year to get control of the property (it's been 10 years without help), and that is going to largely consist of cutting brush, trees, and such, as well as getting the house back into reasonable repair. There'll be some selling and trading of stuff to create a tractor budget for spring. And while I'd love to re-fence the entire property in one fell swoop, again finances dictate a more conservative approach of using what I have to make one or two good enclosed pastures, and them slowly adding new fence as cashflow allows to expand the useable area. With some luck, and tons of hard work, I hope to be ready for lambs and a donkey in the spring, and a tractor soon after... [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Just remember there are only 24 hours in one day and one's back can become tired. Leave some layabout time cause you will need it.

The cornfield to clover is an excellent idea.

May your efforts be rewarded with the anticipated results.

Egon

The left over cut material will not harm the pasture. You don't need to collect it.

After being hogged, the left over material should be small enough that it won't pose a problem. I agre that you should check with a neighbor or local farmer for help in hogging and plowing.

Even if it costs the same as renting the tractor, you will have made a friend and contact.

Steve

If you want to eventually go with crops and time is a commodity for you I'd jsut leave it as it is and just brush hog it every couple weeks. This will keep the weed seed down and you will have less to contend with next year. YOu are getting pretty late in the year to have someone farm it but it still may be an option.

You haven't really said what your plans are for the land once things are cleaned up. I found an excellent discussion on cover crops at the ATTRA site, see http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/covercrop.html.

If you just want pretty green fields and don't plan to graze animals then low lying clovers look great, build humus and fix nitrogen back into the soil.

Depending upon your climate you may also want to consider things like hairy vetch, or be a hero with the wife and plant wild flowers.

Also the FAQ section of Stockman Grass Farmer addresses what you after. See http://www.stockmangrassfarmer.com/sgf/faq.html