I'm new to all this... field maintenance

[Abacus]

Having always been in livery I am lucky enough now to have my own land of 10 flat acres. There are 2 fields of 1.5 acres, two of 3 acres, and a starvation paddock. Two of the fields are grazed quite well down, two have quite long grass and the starvation paddock has almost nothing.

I have of course been reading lots about when to top, harrow etc... but not being the most practical person, I don't really know where to start! I have no equipment and am browsing the options of quad bikes and attachments - or could I use a ride on lawnmower (I happen to have one) for topping and harrowing?

Having bought the land I don't have vast amounts of spare cash to go buying stuff.

Alternatively I could pay the neighbouring farmer to deal with it for this year and then take it on myself next year...

What would you do?

Incidentally I am loving the challenge, just a bit clueless! Loads to learn!

 

[TheMule]

I would say essential equipment is a harrow (I have a 6ft chain harrow that I tow with the tow bar on my 4x4 car), a strimmer (for nettle patches and hedges
lines) and a decent backpack sprayer with a good all round weedkiller for spot spraying. I've managed my own land with those items perfectly adequately.
How many horses will you be grazing? I have fertilised by hand before but it is a bit of a chore!

 

[9tails]

How exciting! How big is your ride on lawnmower and does it have a tow attachment? Although it may take you ages if on the highest setting I see no reason why it won't do a basic topping of the long grass. Does the farmer have sheep? He may graze them down for you.

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

If fencing is OK, get a few sheep, 2/3 young cattle and a farmer.

 

[Enfys]

We used to top with our ride on mower set at the highest level, 6" I think. Word of warning, walk the land first and pick up any rocks, sticks, bits of baler twine etc because they can, and will (with great delight) screw up your blades

If you can get one, an ATV (Quad) is the way to go, our old Arctic cat 400 has harrowed, rolled, dragged stuff around, taken hay to fields, hauled fencing etc, anything, they really are worth their weight in gold, I even move our horse trailers with it. We also had a seeder/fertiliser that fitted on the back somehow (don't ask me - I just drove it) oh, and you can get plough blades, great for snow clearing too.

The sheep idea is great if you want rough land cleared, or cattle.

Enjoy your land, there is nothing like standing there and thinking "this is mine " and then, "oh crap, why did that tree have to fall right on that bit of fence "

 

[Mike007]

A cheap sound old tractor is a much better bet than a quad. Quads are stolen all the time but you could leave an old international tractor with the keys in it and a sign saying "please steal me".But they still do the job better than a quad.

 

[Dry Rot]

Make local enquiries and find out who your most obliging nearest neighbour is (you may have several). Call around early evening and introduce yourself as the ignorant townie next door! Then pick his brains.

I cannot emphasise enough how valuable local knowledge is. Your neighbour will probably have all the equipment already and might do your 10 acres when he does his own for a returned favour. (Free grazing for his sheep?). That's how things should work in the country, but sometimes they don't. Keep your lawn mower for mowing your lawn. Don't buy the knapsack sprayer as you won't be able to buy the professional weed killers without a licence. Take your time and only buy what you really need. A soil test might be a good investment though grass is pretty easy going and will grow almost anywhere. (I found out I have some mineral deficiencies here). Most of all, have fun! It's great to have your own acres but you'll find maintaining them is expensive.

 

[JillA]

I would let your obliging neighbour do it for you for the first year while you get your bearings and find out what's what - it will cost a bit but is too easy to make expensive mistakes buying the wrong stuff. Then massage his ego and let him give you the benefit of his expertise lol while you shop around for a mini tractor/quad/old sorned 4x4 etc and harrow/roller etc.

 

[Enfys]

A cheap sound old tractor is a much better bet than a quad. Quads are stolen all the time but you could leave an old international tractor with the keys in it and a sign saying "please steal me".But they still do the job better than a quad.

Oh yes, forgot, UK, land of the light fingered steal anything brigade You are right Mike and yes, they do have more power, we had one of those too for haying and logging.

My quad lives outside the house with the keys in it in full view of the road and no ****** has pinched it yet

 

[PeterNatt]

I use a grass land contractor as he has got all the right equipment for maintain grass land fields.
A good grass land contractor will have all the latest equipment which will keep your fields in tip top condition.
My advice is to find a local one and get him to do it all for you then he can have all the aggravation with the equipment etc.

 

[PorkChop]

For that amount of land I would definitely ask your nearest farmer for help this year.

Sheep are the best thing for land if you can beg, borrow or steal!

We have 12 acres and have a quad, which tows the flail, harrow and a trailer.

We do have a very fancy ride on mower, like they use on gold courses, but only because I am totally obsessed with my fields looking nice and I don't have enough animals to keep the grass down!

Next on my list is a roller, which I think I would use more than my harrow.

I have a very close relationship with my strimmer, I strim A LOT

 

[Dave's Mam]

Get a good contractor in, they are worth their weight in gold.

 

[case895]

A cheap sound old tractor is a much better bet than a quad. Quads are stolen all the time but you could leave an old international tractor with the keys in it and a sign saying "please steal me".But they still do the job better than a quad.

Oi! Mine is an International!

 

[case895]

Don't waste your time harrowing with a towed chain harrow. Get a farmer or contractor in with a proper mounted spring tine harrow.

 

[Dry Rot]

The first few years here, I had a share agreement with my neighbour. He supplied the machinery and I (mostly) supplied the labour, then we shared the crop. That worked well until his tractor started regularly breaking down and he couldn't be bothered to fix it. So I bought my own, then a cheap cutter bar mower, hay turner, and finally got a contractor in to bale it for me.

The contractor (inevitably) let me down in the end but made the mistake of leaving his baler and tractor on site while he went away on a course. When he got back, all the hay was in the barn! I'm afraid people will let you down but sharing is a good way to get started. Just be careful about rushing out and buying kit because folk will be only too delighted to dump all their worn out rubbish on you! Old machinery that has been well maintained can still do the job. My tractor (MF135) was made in 1974 and always starts on the button. It is actually increasing in value! But I do have a larger one.

 

[Mike007]

Oi! Mine is an International!

I think you can get help on the NHS. The only thing that makes an international (or case) interesting is never knowing which gear you are going to get!Masseys all the way for me!lol

 

[Enfys]

I think you can get help on the NHS. The only thing that makes an international (or case) interesting is never knowing which gear you are going to get!

LMAO.

 

[case895]

I think you can get help on the NHS. The only thing that makes an international (or case) interesting is never knowing which gear you are going to get!Masseys all the way for me!lol

With a 4 speed box, I am not sure how you could fail to get the gear you wanted on mine...

 

[GoldenWillow]

We've less land than you, our neighbours are fantastic and we do as Dry Rot suggested, a sort of barter system of favours. We also all get our hedges cut together which saves costs with the contractor.

Neighbours also tend to have useful information about where the drains are, what sort of soil and what local problems are.

I think it tends to take a year or so to work out the best way to use/rotate land.

 

[turnbuckle]

Neighbours probably the best way for the first year, might be hard finding a contractor who can be bothered with somewhere that small.

But getting kit is FUN. Agree about the tractor.

Idea - if your ride-on isn't high enough, think about putting bigger wheels on it...

And if you want to get a cut of hay, there's no reason why you can't do it by hand on something that size - get some friends over and make a party of it. You'll need somewhere to store it of course...and do remember to read up about frowsting (after which you'll never want to store hay ever again...)!

Have fun.

 

[popsdosh]

Neighbours probably the best way for the first year, might be hard finding a contractor who can be bothered with somewhere that small.

But getting kit is FUN. Agree about the tractor.

Idea - if your ride-on isn't high enough, think about putting bigger wheels on it...

And if you want to get a cut of hay, there's no reason why you can't do it by hand on something that size - get some friends over and make a party of it. You'll need somewhere to store it of course...and do remember to read up about frowsting (after which you'll never want to store hay ever again...)!

Have fun.

10 acres LOL good luck to you.

Tractor every time you will get a decent tractor for less than a quad and they will be up to it all.

 

[Abacus]

Ha ha, exactly as you say, I could get the farmer to do it but there is part of me that's enjoying browsing quads, tractors, harrows and all that. We've lived in the village for a long time and already know the farmer, he really is very obliging and happy to help, as long as I listen to his stories and make him tea! Oh and pay him a bit, but that's ok.

Also I am hoping that my OH and the kids (we have boys) will enjoy the fields and fencing part of all this while I play with the ponies...

Seriously though thanks for all the useful advice. I worked out on the back of an old envelope that it would take me about an hour to top just one of the smaller fields with the ride-on, so that might be a bit too labour intensive. I'll keep browsing...

And yes I am LOVING having it. Watching my old horse 'at home' for the first time was bliss.

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

We used to scythe for two weeks when the farmer went on holiday, one hour sat on a mower ..... lol

 

[turnbuckle]

OK OK, the cutting might want to be mechanised! But everything else can be done by hand...and it really is a very good work out...and no I'm not a wearer of hand-woven sandals and eater of organic lentils.....

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

Making hay by hand is really interesting, you need a hay rake and two pronged pitchfork, or even a four pronged "grape/gripe" as used for straw beds.
Check the forecast, you need 4 days of good weather...........

 

[turnbuckle]

Las time I helped do it a coachload of tourists stopped and snapped us. Negotiated a £20 modelling fee with their guide!

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

Las time I helped do it a coachload of tourists stopped and snapped us. Negotiated a £20 modelling fee with their guide!

If you wore smocks and " nicky tams" [gaiters] you would get a lot more!