Pine Hill Farm

[Cool Hand Luke]

You can definetly broadcast into the stubble. Would be a good idea to run a cultipacker over it to bounce the seed into soil contact.

Thank you Spud. That’s a good idea. I’ve been trying to find something on marketplace but they’re all hillbilly rigs that cost a fortune. Do you have any suggestions on building one or is the Packermaxx worth it? I’ve got a 3020 so plenty of pulling power.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[omicron1792]

Thank you! What is the benefit of spraying atrazine on the second go around? Giving the broadleaves time to emerge?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You can spray it on first. I just like to spray it as late as possible to cover as much of summer as you can. It will wear off no matter what, but you mainly want to give the switch the best chance early as possible. You can just do one spraying with gly and atrazine. Just know the more you do up front the less you have to do later. Once established switch will out compete anything. But early it’s slow and needs lots of help.

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

You can spray it on first. I just like to spray it as late as possible to cover as much of summer as you can. It will wear off no matter what, but you mainly want to give the switch the best chance early as possible. You can just do one spraying with gly and atrazine. Just know the more you do up front the less you have to do later. Once established switch will out compete anything. But early it’s slow and needs lots of help.

Got it Omni, Thanks. I'm hoping with this being an Ag field for so long, there won't be a ton of variety in the seedbank. I'm prepared for plenty of ragweed and goldenrod. Not sure how tough that'll be to fight off for the switch.

 

[Tree Spud]

Thank you Spud. That’s a good idea. I’ve been trying to find something on marketplace but they’re all hillbilly rigs that cost a fortune. Do you have any suggestions on building one or is the Packermaxx worth it? I’ve got a 3020 so plenty of pulling power.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Not sure where you are at, but I just checked on craigslist and there were about a dozen 6'-10' cultipackers for $700-$1200. If you check with neighboring farmers, they might have some in their boneyard you could get for cheap.

You could also redneck it and get a 12"-16' log that is about 10' long, put 2 eye hooks in it and attach a tow strap. Then drag it over the ground and it should help.

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

I just can't seem to justify a grand for a glorified yard roller! I've got a lot of farmer friends, I'm always bugging them lol. Your log idea is pretty good!

 

[omicron1792]

I just can't seem to justify a grand for a glorified yard roller! I've got a lot of farmer friends, I'm always bugging them lol. Your log idea is pretty good!

Switchgrass will do fine with just frost seeding. Purpose of frost seeding is the freeze and thaw works into ground. Seeds are tiny also. Will do fine.

For most other types of seeds and plantings roller will always help with germination.

 

[Tree Spud]

If you time your seeding with snow still on the ground, it helps you judge the rate of seeding, and the snow as it melts should draw the SG seed towards the soil. I frost seeded 16 acres with a shoulder bag seeder over former cropland and it turned out very well.

It will take about 3 years to establish and as mentioned above, pre-treatment of cold season grasses and broadleaf's is important.

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

If you time your seeding with snow still on the ground, it helps you judge the rate of seeding, and the snow as it melts should draw the SG seed towards the soil. I frost seeded 16 acres with a shoulder bag seeder over former cropland and it turned out very well.

It will take about 3 years to establish and as mentioned above, pre-treatment of cold season grasses and broadleaf's is important.

That's great to know and I'm sure was a lot of work on your end! Do you have any pictures? I ordered an Earthway spreader. I'm going to have to wait and see about getting switch in the old pasture, it's going to be a different animal and I'll probably end up having to use the drill.

 

[Mortenson]

What variety of switch did you choose? If it's the new RC stuff, it's being found that it probably establishes a little better with warmer temps. Instead of frost seeding, drill in spring or summer. Being said, I frost seeded some of it this year and it did pretty well.

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

What variety of switch did you choose? If it's the new RC stuff, it's being found that it probably establishes a little better with warmer temps. Instead of frost seeding, drill in spring or summer. Being said, I frost seeded some of it this year and it did pretty well.

I was thinking about RC Big Rock from Northwoods but was also considering CIR from Prairie Seedfarms. Not sure if one has an advantage over the other, other then height and cost. I'm really skeptical about getting a drill across my creek. Only due to the angles. I don't know how big the drill is and don't want to put my eggs in that basket, not be able to cross and then miss out on a season of growth. If you had luck with it, I think that's good enough for me to gamble on.

 

[Mortenson]

I'd try frost seeding RC Big Rock. That's what I did and am doing a little more this March.

 

[rocksnstumps]

I just can't seem to justify a grand for a glorified yard roller! I've got a lot of farmer friends, I'm always bugging them lol. Your log idea is pretty good!

Buncha ideas for cheap drags out there. Bolt some rows of worn out tires together or a heavy section of chain link/security fence. Or wood pallets

Used the chain link fence one for a number of years and worked decent for larger seeds like switch, rye, oats. But would not suggest for the really small stuff like clover. Too inconsistent and believe that buried some seed too deep.

Picked up an old double row cultipacker (with wood bushings) that made a night and day difference on clover. Cultipack, spread seed on top, cultipack again. But that before and after cultipack is only for the really small stuff after initial discing

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

Buncha ideas for cheap drags out there. Bolt some rows of worn out tires together or a heavy section of chain link/security fence. Or wood pallets

Used the chain link fence one for a number of years and worked decent for larger seeds like switch, rye, oats. But would not suggest for the really small stuff like clover. Too inconsistent and believe that buried some seed too deep.

Picked up an old double row cultipacker (with wood bushings) that made a night and day difference on clover. Cultipack, spread seed on top, cultipack again. But that before and after cultipack is only for the really small stuff after initial discing

I can get a drag no problem. Seems like everyone has caught on to the cultipacker wagon and prices went way up. Here’s the neat little implement I picked up, it’s got a weighted tooth bar on the back. I could probably change the pitch on the top link so only the bar would make soil contact. It may rake all the seed out too though…

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

Well, good things coming, got my switch seed ordered! I'm looking at the weather in regards to frost seeding and we're not looking at much snow in the extended forecast and there's warmer weather on the horizon. In regards to frost seeding, would it be best to get it on the ground asap to get some freeze/thaws even with the lack of snow? I don't want to wait too long and then lose out as I still think drilling may not be an option with my creek crossing. Any advice is certainly appreciated!

 

[Mortenson]

Under normal weather, I'd say you're a month too early. I'm far from an expert, but I'm waiting for now.

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

Under normal weather, I'd say you're a month too early. I'm far from an expert, but I'm waiting for now.

You've certainly done more than me! Who did you order yours from? We've really got a mild spell if you can believe the extended forecast. Be curious to see what others say.

 

[Mortenson]

I got mine from a guy on Iowa Whitetail who does habitat work for a living. Last year I got the RC Big from some other company. Can't recall at the moment. My 15 day forecast shows every night except for 2 falling under 30 degrees. But you're right - it's a good idea to keep an eye on things. Usually we have plenty of frost in late Feb early March.

 

[Brian662]

What variety switchgrass did you wind up with?

If I were you I'd make darn sure your corners are marked good or it'll be easy for that farmer to start eating away slowly on your property lines.

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

What variety switchgrass did you wind up with?

If I were you I'd make darn sure your corners are marked good or it'll be easy for that farmer to start eating away slowly on your property lines.

I went with RC Bigrock, really looking for height to block our house and a neighboring house. You're absolutely right, they never had pins set on the property so I set stakes to satellite lines and he plowed to them. Probably really need to have a survey and put up corner posts.