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Implement Alley Discussion Forum

Mowing down a cover crop

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Bill57

02-06-2005 09:46:49




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Wasn't sure where to post this. We're new to farming and are planning a few acres of vegetables for marketing on the farm and at markets in Alabama. I have a Super A. Question: What implement should I use to cut my cover crops and alfafa? I need something that will cut several inches off the ground, as I want to cut some of it at least two times and probably three or four. Will a shredder do it, or a flail mower, or something else, and can you raise the cutters? We've got winter peas, vetch, crimson clover, and cereal rye.
I have a sickle mower, but I don't think the bar can be raised, and I don't guess it'll cut the wiry stuff.
Thanks in advance.
Bill

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VaSlim

02-07-2005 12:16:27




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 Re: Mowing down a cover crop in reply to Bill57, 02-06-2005 09:46:49  
Look for a Lilliston Roto-Speed also called a Seven-6 or 7-Six. Has three sets of lightweight bush hog type cutters. Belt drive, requires little power and will cut about anything. Cuts a 7 1/2 swath. Tongue hooks to drawbar and, on some of them at least, has three positions. Wheels adjust by crank or hydraulics depending on the particular version so you can adjust cut height and angle.



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Bill57

02-07-2005 14:16:58




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 Re: Mowing down a cover crop in reply to VaSlim, 02-07-2005 12:16:27  
VaSlim, Thank you very much! and to all who responded. Don't know what I'd do without this resource. It's priceless.



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leland

02-06-2005 22:07:32




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 Re: Mowing down a cover crop in reply to Bill57, 02-06-2005 09:46:49  
Go to www.redpowermagazine .com some IH nut may have the tool laying around your looking for.



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leland

02-06-2005 22:06:43




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 Re: Mowing down a cover crop in reply to Bill57, 02-06-2005 09:46:49  
Go to www.redpowermagazine .com some IH nut may have the tool laying around your looking for.



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leland

02-06-2005 22:06:28




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 Re: Mowing down a cover crop in reply to Bill57, 02-06-2005 09:46:49  
Go to www.redpowermagazine .com some IH nut may have the tool laying around your looking for.



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wolfmantractor

02-06-2005 13:54:26




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 Re: Mowing down a cover crop in reply to Bill57, 02-06-2005 09:46:49  
You can adjust the end shoes to make your cutter bar cut 4 or 5 inches up. Takes less fuss to "top" cut.



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Tim(nj)

02-06-2005 10:26:31




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 Re: Mowing down a cover crop in reply to Bill57, 02-06-2005 09:46:49  
I have seen mid-mount flail mowers on Super As on occasion. I"m not sure who made them. Advantage of using a flail instead of a Bush Hog in cover crops is the flail will leave residue evenly distributed while a rotary mower will put it in a row to one side.



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paul

02-06-2005 09:55:16




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 Re: Mowing down a cover crop in reply to Bill57, 02-06-2005 09:46:49  
Are you attempting to harvest the hay, or make a multch to leave on the gound?

Sickles can be raised with the shoes, but don't cut as well then in difficult stuff. They will cut the 'wire' great, it's the damp fine stuff that gives headaches....

Some type of disk mower costs more but will get through difficult crops a lot better - disk or drum mower.

A rotory Bush Hog type of cutter is the common one to make a multch, but a flail works well too.

--->Paul

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Bill57

02-06-2005 10:03:58




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 Re: Mowing down a cover crop in reply to paul, 02-06-2005 09:55:16  
Thanks, Paul. We're using it for mulch. All the flail mowers I've seen mount with a 3 pt hitch, and I have a drawbar. Are there any w/o 3 pt? Sounds like a bush hog will fit the bill, but can you amplify on what a drum mower is, and who makes them, and, if possible, where I can see a picture? Actually, I'm not sure what you mean by disk mower either, for that matter. Thanks a lot,
Bill



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paul

02-06-2005 12:19:10




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 Re: Mowing down a cover crop in reply to Bill57, 02-06-2005 10:03:58  
Drum & disc mowers would replace a sickle mower, do a very similar job, but use a series of disks instead of a sickle knife. It would be like lining up a gang of weed whacker heads in a line & using that to cut your hay. Only they are all metal, durable.....

Hay Doctor sells drum mowers, and has posted a pic of one here many times, perhaps he will join the thread & do so again. Disc mowers are more typical up here in the north, sounds like he sells a lot of drum mowers in the south.

Anyhow, for you, yes a flail would leave a more even mat of multch. I'll expect you could find a belly mount, I don't know of one off hand, but then I've never looked. :) A corn stalk chopper/ shredder would be the ticket, they pull like a trailer, but most are 12' wide or wider & take much more power than you have available. Perhaps you can find a pull-type flail mower of your size, they make pull-type Bush Hogs? Would be easily portable from tractor to tractor - for the money you invest in one, want to keep it a long time!

--->Paul

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paul

02-06-2005 12:23:39




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 Re: Mowing down a cover crop in reply to paul, 02-06-2005 12:19:10  
Yup, Hay Dr posted a pic of a drum mower down just a couple messages in the 'mowing downed hay' thread. These are more for making hay, they leave it long, do not multch it as you want. The drum mower is more limited in width and is driven from a shaft over the top of the 'drums'. A disc mower has perhaps smaller disks and is driven from a shaft or set of gears along the bottom.

--->Paul



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barryinmn

02-06-2005 16:39:30




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 Re: Mowing down a cover crop in reply to paul, 02-06-2005 12:23:39  
I use a Gyramor pull type mower. They come in different widths & cheap. Mid 60's deere implement. Height is adjusted by a hyd cyl moving 2 outboard wheels. It's considered rear discharge & cuts about 3" minimum if the frame is dragging. 5.5' cut works my JD A pretty good.



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Bill57

02-06-2005 20:06:22




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 Re: Mowing down a cover crop in reply to barryinmn, 02-06-2005 16:39:30  
barryinmn, Thanks for the tip. Any idea where I can find one. I've Googled, checked the usual sites, and posted a couple of want-ads, but if you can point me in another direction, I'd appreciate it.
Bill



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