what do you use to make & manage plots?
09-19-2012, 02:47 PM
#11
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Munising MI
Posts: 501
I've planted, managed, and maintained 18 acres of my own plots in 3 states with an ATV, a hand spreader, and an ATV sprayer. That's it. I've also managed about the same with a 48hp Kubota, cab, 4x4, 6' tiller, cultipacker...etc.
The difference? MUCH quicker with the ATV. Seriously. Today, I am down to about 6 acres but I plant by spraying to expose the soil, 3xs during the summer...and then spreading different bases of blends the end of July, and around Labor Day.
I happily sold my tractor...and I had over 500 hours on her. Anyways, there is a LOT that you can do to have some very high quality plots w/o a tractor. If I was going to plant corn...I would go the tractor route, but even beans I can plant without tillling in anyway, no drilling either.
The difference? MUCH quicker with the ATV. Seriously. Today, I am down to about 6 acres but I plant by spraying to expose the soil, 3xs during the summer...and then spreading different bases of blends the end of July, and around Labor Day.
I happily sold my tractor...and I had over 500 hours on her. Anyways, there is a LOT that you can do to have some very high quality plots w/o a tractor. If I was going to plant corn...I would go the tractor route, but even beans I can plant without tillling in anyway, no drilling either.
09-22-2012, 05:30 PM
#12
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Southeast Missouri
Posts: 2,178
On the Lease they use a big Ol John Deere Tractor and a nice wide disc,then after they break up the soil real good for us we go in with 1 or 2 ATV's and seed the food Plot with a blend of several different seeds,maybe broadcast some fertilizer then drag a chain link fence over the seed and dirt to lightly cover it all up.
At Home on the Farm we have a smaller Ford Tractor at 25 HP 4-wheel drive we use for plowing,disc-ing and covering up the seeds...put out some really nice food plots this year blending a mixture of Rape,Brassicas,Turnips,wheat and groundhog Raddishes too.I also blended some of the Whitetail Institutes "Tall Tine Tubers" blend of 3 types of hardy Turnips that are looking very good this year since we finally got some decent rain!
At Home on the Farm we have a smaller Ford Tractor at 25 HP 4-wheel drive we use for plowing,disc-ing and covering up the seeds...put out some really nice food plots this year blending a mixture of Rape,Brassicas,Turnips,wheat and groundhog Raddishes too.I also blended some of the Whitetail Institutes "Tall Tine Tubers" blend of 3 types of hardy Turnips that are looking very good this year since we finally got some decent rain!
09-25-2012, 04:44 AM
#13
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: West TN
Posts: 847
Tho he was talking about guns, I've always believed what Nash Buckingham said was applicable to most anything in life... "Never send a boy to do a mans job!" 
I've yet to find the job on my farm that my Kubota M7040 can't handle. Tho it's considered a "mid-sized" tractor, it sure does some mighty big jobs. With 4x4, front-end loader (with optional hyd. attachment) & cab it's like a 4 wheeled Swiss Army Knife. What astounds me is the effeciency of the 3.3L, 4cyl, DI turbo-diesel with hydr. shuttle shift. It has a 30gal tank & will run forever on a full tank!
Attachments I have for plots & farm maintenance: 7' bushog, 7' landscape rake, 600# 3pt broadcaster, hyd. brush grapple bucket, 14' & 7.5' discs.
My farm is 625acres (525 is hardwood bottoms & swamp, 55 acres pasture, 35 acres in 2 lakes, 3 acres in small plots in the woods & a 7 acre leveed duckhole) so the tractor is used yearound for property maintenance. Sometimes after a hectic day it's nice to grab a cold drink, turn on the A/C, set the radio on some Merle Haggard & just let the tractor "get me lost" for a couple of hours!
"Big Orange" in action:
I've yet to find the job on my farm that my Kubota M7040 can't handle. Tho it's considered a "mid-sized" tractor, it sure does some mighty big jobs. With 4x4, front-end loader (with optional hyd. attachment) & cab it's like a 4 wheeled Swiss Army Knife. What astounds me is the effeciency of the 3.3L, 4cyl, DI turbo-diesel with hydr. shuttle shift. It has a 30gal tank & will run forever on a full tank!
Attachments I have for plots & farm maintenance: 7' bushog, 7' landscape rake, 600# 3pt broadcaster, hyd. brush grapple bucket, 14' & 7.5' discs.
My farm is 625acres (525 is hardwood bottoms & swamp, 55 acres pasture, 35 acres in 2 lakes, 3 acres in small plots in the woods & a 7 acre leveed duckhole) so the tractor is used yearound for property maintenance. Sometimes after a hectic day it's nice to grab a cold drink, turn on the A/C, set the radio on some Merle Haggard & just let the tractor "get me lost" for a couple of hours!
"Big Orange" in action:
