Implement recommendation

PapaJ

Active member

Equipment
BX2680 - PFL1242 - RCK54 MMM - Fimco 3PH Sprayer - Trailer Mover
Apr 28, 2020
281
106
43
VA
So, as my personal tractor advisory team, I am tasking you to help me spend some money. Wife was playing director today, and we picked up and moved most of the horse manure that has been laying around in the pasture into 1 big pile. That turned into a conversation how I don't know what I'm doing because the bucket with the piranha bar in float was tearing up her grass. Regardless of her understanding of field physics, I have been given the go ahead to get another implement. I told her we should grab a landscape rake with a wheel set, but she wanted me to ask what's best for getting manure out of grass to be scooped with the least amount of damage to the grass. Let me know so I can place an order. Leaning toward EA, since Land Shark makes a 48 inch rake, and 60 is the smallest I can get from TSC.
 

BigG

Well-known member

Equipment
l2501, FEL, BB, Rotary cutter, rake,spreader, roller, etc. New Holland TL80 A
Sep 14, 2018
1,950
774
113
West Central,FL
How big is your field? How many horses? The landscape rake is still going to be rough on the grass. A chain harrow might do you more good. It will spread out and bust up the manure and for go the pick it up part of the problem. A lot less money also.


I am cheap so I would find a short piece of chain link fence and bolt a piece of 4 x 4 along one edge and try that first. Throw an old tire on it to help break up everything.
 

SDT

Well-known member

Equipment
multiple and various
Apr 15, 2018
3,084
923
113
SE, IN
So, as my personal tractor advisory team, I am tasking you to help me spend some money. Wife was playing director today, and we picked up and moved most of the horse manure that has been laying around in the pasture into 1 big pile. That turned into a conversation how I don't know what I'm doing because the bucket with the piranha bar in float was tearing up her grass. Regardless of her understanding of field physics, I have been given the go ahead to get another implement. I told her we should grab a landscape rake with a wheel set, but she wanted me to ask what's best for getting manure out of grass to be scooped with the least amount of damage to the grass. Let me know so I can place an order. Leaning toward EA, since Land Shark makes a 48 inch rake, and 60 is the smallest I can get from TSC.
The only tool that I know will work consistently reliably is a pitch fork.

SDT
 
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GreensvilleJay

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Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
Apr 2, 2019
9,673
3,925
113
Greensville,Ontario,Canada
A proper 'manure bucket' and a semiskilled operator will get most of the 'ponypucks' and leave the grass where it belongs. Hopefully you have SSQA so changing buckets will be easy.
 

PapaJ

Active member

Equipment
BX2680 - PFL1242 - RCK54 MMM - Fimco 3PH Sprayer - Trailer Mover
Apr 28, 2020
281
106
43
VA
How big is your field? How many horses? The landscape rake is still going to be rough on the grass. A chain harrow might do you more good. It will spread out and bust up the manure and for go the pick it up part of the problem. A lot less money also.


I am cheap so I would find a short piece of chain link fence and bolt a piece of 4 x 4 along one edge and try that first. Throw an old tire on it to help break up everything.
Whole property is 1.5 acres with a house, garage, 2 other buildings, and some yard I'd guess pasture is 3/4 acre and 1 horse. She wants to have 1 pile so it will turn to dirt to use in the future, so a harrow is not the answer, though it wouldn't hurt to run one through there a couple times a year.
 

PapaJ

Active member

Equipment
BX2680 - PFL1242 - RCK54 MMM - Fimco 3PH Sprayer - Trailer Mover
Apr 28, 2020
281
106
43
VA
A proper 'manure bucket' and a semiskilled operator will get most of the 'ponypucks' and leave the grass where it belongs. Hopefully you have SSQA so changing buckets will be easy.
I so have SSQA, but if I tell her I need a different bucket, it won't go well for me. I'll just tell her that a rake will not work. I'm very semi-skilled, emphasis on the semi.
 

hope to float

Active member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L3450
Feb 18, 2018
467
60
28
Ireland
It maybe depends on how short your grass is, but has anybody tried a core collector for this. Usually they are pulled behind an aerator to collect the cores but could possibly be adapted for this.
Another option could be a PTO driven rotary sweeper like this
pto.jpg
which is just a bigger version of this
sweeper.jpg
 

PapaJ

Active member

Equipment
BX2680 - PFL1242 - RCK54 MMM - Fimco 3PH Sprayer - Trailer Mover
Apr 28, 2020
281
106
43
VA
It maybe depends on how short your grass is, but has anybody tried a core collector for this. Usually they are pulled behind an aerator to collect the cores but could possibly be adapted for this.
Another option could be a PTO driven rotary sweeper like this View attachment 45738 which is just a bigger version of this View attachment 45739
As small as my pasture is, we'll probably be fine with the bucket if she doesn't wait 6 months to clean up again. Thanks for the ideas though.
 

PapaJ

Active member

Equipment
BX2680 - PFL1242 - RCK54 MMM - Fimco 3PH Sprayer - Trailer Mover
Apr 28, 2020
281
106
43
VA
As small as my pasture is, we'll probably be fine with the bucket if she doesn't wait 6 months to clean up again. Thanks for the ideas though.
Found this on Amazon this morning, might be good since I already have the forks. Just a bit pricey though.

 

SidecarFlip

Banned

Equipment
M9000HDCC3, M9000HD, Kubota GS850 Sidekick
Oct 28, 2018
7,197
546
83
USA
I don't get the point of that. I've never picked up road apples in the pasture when my wife raised and sold Percherons and they lay some serious road apples. When they were stalled, she cleaned the stalls, I didn't. That went in a compost pile and eventually was put in the garden

Now with only a couple nags and the cattle, I drag the pastures a couple times a year with the Fuerst drag mat set on aggressive. It breaks up the apples nicely and lets them decompose and provide nutrients for the alfalfa and grass.

Looks to me like a 'rich person's toy' and just extra work.
 

PapaJ

Active member

Equipment
BX2680 - PFL1242 - RCK54 MMM - Fimco 3PH Sprayer - Trailer Mover
Apr 28, 2020
281
106
43
VA

vacuum cart .. little pricey :(

Only 4 grand. I'll get 2 on order immediately! Nice idea, but we barely qualify as a hobby farm. I will probably end up not getting anything and just continue using my bucket. Maybe take the tooth bar off so it doesn't dig into the ground as easy. Since she waiting 6 months to try to get the manure up, I'm sure that played a part, if she keeps on it, it won't get like it was this time hopefully.
 

NHSleddog

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
B2650
Dec 19, 2019
2,149
1,822
113
Southern, NH
Personally, I would get the rake. Make sure you get the wheels, they turn it into a grader. You can run along the ground without the rake even touching the ground if hurting the grass is an issue. You will find many more uses for it as well.
 

jimr63

Active member

Equipment
M5-091HDC, L47TLB, L4701F, ZD1211-72, GR2120-54, RTV-X1140
Jun 24, 2015
120
47
28
SOMD
My chickens do a good job of spreading the cow paddies from my two cows. Just have to keep a 22 around to ward of any foxes that come around during the daytime, then they get cooped up at night.
 

PapaJ

Active member

Equipment
BX2680 - PFL1242 - RCK54 MMM - Fimco 3PH Sprayer - Trailer Mover
Apr 28, 2020
281
106
43
VA
My chickens do a good job of spreading the cow paddies from my two cows. Just have to keep a 22 around to ward of any foxes that come around during the daytime, then they get cooped up at night.
My Border Collies have a history of herding chickens to death. We can't have any free range chickens anymore, they have to stay in their hotel.
 
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