Drag harrow to assist preparing my food plot
One of the things I wanted to get done this year was to prepare a "poor man's" quality food plot. I don't have a tractor, I don't have a disc, I don't have a [fill in the blank]. I can't remember if I posted this previously, but I found out about a device called the "Plotmaster". You can buy one of these bad boys for around $4K, but that is not the route I wanted to go for sure. I figured I would be able to rent of these from the local rental agencies (US Rental, Allied, Sunbelt, etc.) but none of them had even heard of such a device.
So, my plan has been focused on how to reasonably prepare my foodplot. Last year, I had to do a major overhaul on my field as it was overgrown with tall grass and pine tree saplings. This year, I intend to mow the grass short, possibly till it, then use a drag harrow to level and smooth the seed into the dirt. The cost of renting a tiller/mower compared to purchasing is a no brainer at the moment, however acquiring a harrow for ownership is affordable. Again, in vain, no one in the Houston metroplex has a drag harrow... with the exception of Brookside Equipment Sales in Spring (the John Deere retailer). They had an old, parted out harrow that they acquired several years before. I offered them $50 and they sold it to me.
I have a harrow.
So, I called my good neighbor who lives behind me who is the consummate suburban redneck. He has every tool under the sun, including welding equipment, grinders, and know-how. With a quick trip to Home Depot for some chain, eye bolts, and attachment links, we grinded and welded the harrow into a functional implement.
The harrow will attach to the eyelets on my tow hitch (will update with a picture on Saturday), or can be looped around the hitch ball or a ring or something of that affect. I like the eyelet contact to keep the harrow straight behind me while towing. The whole harrow weighs in around 100 lbs thanks to the heavy gauge harrow linkage and the 3" square pipe... its a beast. It is 4' wide and 3' long.
[UPDATE - 10/1/2011] Drag harrow in action at the lease. Towed it behind my Polaris, and you wouldn't have known there was anything back there. It was great for raking and scarring the surface, but you really need some kind of cutting device (disc, tiller, etc.) to really get at the ground.
So, my plan has been focused on how to reasonably prepare my foodplot. Last year, I had to do a major overhaul on my field as it was overgrown with tall grass and pine tree saplings. This year, I intend to mow the grass short, possibly till it, then use a drag harrow to level and smooth the seed into the dirt. The cost of renting a tiller/mower compared to purchasing is a no brainer at the moment, however acquiring a harrow for ownership is affordable. Again, in vain, no one in the Houston metroplex has a drag harrow... with the exception of Brookside Equipment Sales in Spring (the John Deere retailer). They had an old, parted out harrow that they acquired several years before. I offered them $50 and they sold it to me.
I have a harrow.
So, I called my good neighbor who lives behind me who is the consummate suburban redneck. He has every tool under the sun, including welding equipment, grinders, and know-how. With a quick trip to Home Depot for some chain, eye bolts, and attachment links, we grinded and welded the harrow into a functional implement.
[UPDATE - 10/1/2011] Drag harrow in action at the lease. Towed it behind my Polaris, and you wouldn't have known there was anything back there. It was great for raking and scarring the surface, but you really need some kind of cutting device (disc, tiller, etc.) to really get at the ground.
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