Market Farming

["Wyatt Jones \(netzero\)" <wyatt_jones AT netzero.com>]

this isn't Dave but I have heavy soil with a fair number of rocks and use a power harrow and bedshaping equipment.

 

The power harrow doesn't have a problem with rocks unless they are just the right size.  By that I mean large enough so it doesn't just get passed through and small enough that it can fit between the rotating blades.  Usually its still not a problem if the rocks are somewhat round but if they are an odd shape that the blades can get a grip on it will snap the sheer bolt.  I've had this happen a few times but it happens less and lees often as I get those particular stones out of the soil.  If the rocks are too big for this it usually kicks the rock up to the surface and I throw it in the front loader.  the Power harrow is pretty rugged overall, more so than a rototiller I think.  I run a 5 prong chisel  for the primary tillage and have hit some pretty big rocks as well, some way too big to get out of the ground actually.  If the rock is really huge and well stuck inthe ground the and the sheer bolt snap, otherwise it either brings it to the surface, passes through or it drags it a while, making for a rough trenching action until you clear it.  The ones that make the sheer bolt snap tend to be rather deep though so it doesn't cause a problem with planting and bed shaping, at least in my case but my chisel goes down 18 inches.  The Bed shaping equipment doesn't seem to have any problems with rocks that I've seen. 

 

Spaders are high maintenance and might be a real headache in heavy soil, not to mention expensive which is why I went with the chisel plow power harrow combo

 

I do occasionally use a smaller rototiller for certain things, I have a 34 inch tiller on a BCS 850 which I also use for mowing and other tasks

 

Don't know if this helps but my soil types are Crosby, Celina and Brookston, the Brookston is particularly heavy clay

 

Wyatt

 

Jamestown Ohio

 

 <Dave, do have any rock? >how would this power >harrow work in stoney
>conditions with heavy >soil?  Has anyone with >stones have experience >with
>any bed shaping >equipment and any >recommendations for >Primary and secondary
>tillage?

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