Late frost seeding clover pics

[cfpinz]

I know it's a bit late to sling clover, but our fields were under a foot or more of snow til this week. So I came up with this contraption. The seeder flings the clover seed 28' so I took two 16' cattle panels, cut one in two and overlapped the ends like a batwing bush hog to form a 28' drag. Pulled it on a chain 30' behind the seeder. My thoughts were it would agitate the grass and help the seed make contact with dirt, from the places I went back and checked it looked like it helped a good bit. Plus it helped to see what ground had been covered and what hadn't. Covered 45 acres in a little under 3 hours.

Front view.

Rear view.

Close-up of drag. Had to bend the front edge up and attach chains to second row so the first row wouldn't dig in the ground.

Redneck injuneerin.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I see you have a Herd seeder also. Pretty fancy outfit!

Do you need some weight on the panels to keep them on the ground?

 

[Jogeephus]

I do something similar but using a chain harrow. It sure does help seeing where you've been and the little bit of scratching is perfect for clover. In comparison, drag versus no drag, the drag works hands down over the alternative. What kind of clover are you using and is that snow in the trees on the horizon?

 

[cfpinz]

I see you have a Herd seeder also. Pretty fancy outfit!

First time I'd used it, the calibration on that thing is first rate. Just don't stick your finger in the fan by accident, it hurts like a b.....

Do you need some weight on the panels to keep them on the ground?

They did pretty good as-is. I think a little weight would help but I didn't want to put too much strain on the 4 wheeler, it's an automatic transmission. And too, I don't think the panels would handle much weight. Towards the end of the field two of the crossties had come loose from the spotwelds.

 

[cfpinz]

I do something similar but using a chain harrow. It sure does help seeing where you've been and the little bit of scratching is perfect for clover. In comparison, drag versus no drag, the drag works hands down over the alternative. What kind of clover are you using and is that snow in the trees on the horizon?

I would have rather used the chain harrow, but it's only 12 or 14 foot wide. Would have been nice to use it and hook everything behind a pickup, that way I could listen to the radio. I used medium red clover and yes, that is snow in the trees. There's still some patches of snow around the fields in the shade. We've got an 8' high pile of snow left in the yard where I dug out the cattle trailer 3 weeks ago.

 

[bird dog]

Nice barn. Is it full of hay?

 

[cfpinz]

Nice barn. Is it full of hay?

I wish!

 

[lucky7chief]

I do something similar but using a chain harrow. It sure does help seeing where you've been and the little bit of scratching is perfect for clover. In comparison, drag versus no drag, the drag works hands down over the alternative. What kind of clover are you using and is that snow in the trees on the horizon?

I would have rather used the chain harrow, but it's only 12 or 14 foot wide. Would have been nice to use it and hook everything behind a pickup, that way I could listen to the radio. I used medium red clover and yes, that is snow in the trees. There's still some patches of snow around the fields in the shade. We've got an 8' high pile of snow left in the yard where I dug out the cattle trailer 3 weeks ago.

I have a Herd seeder and pull a 12' chain harrow. I set the seeder down because you are double spreading. It works great, almost chokes out the fescue with clover.

 

[rkm]

Nice. I'd like to see pics of that field once that stand of clover is established.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I have a Herd seeder and pull a 12' chain harrow. I set the seeder down because you are double spreading. It works great, almost chokes out the fescue with clover.

I see some ATV sized equipment advertised for deer food plots.

What was the cost and fabricator for your chain harrow?

 

[cfpinz]

Nice. I'd like to see pics of that field once that stand of clover is established.

I would too!

We got some nice rain from Thursday night til today, hopefully that will give everything a jump start.

 

[cfpinz]

I have a Herd seeder and pull a 12' chain harrow. I set the seeder down because you are double spreading. It works great, almost chokes out the fescue with clover.

I see some ATV sized equipment advertised for deer food plots.

What was the cost and fabricator for your chain harrow?

If you limit it down to 12' or 16', you could run it off the back of a pickup or tractor and pull a regular chain harrow. I've seen some pretty big chain harrows around, too. They fold up sideways for transport.

 

[agmantoo]

I found the Herd seeder to be a great but I do not like the adjustment when working fine seed. To correct the calibration and to be able to reset the opening accurately the next time I want to repeat a setting I modified the adjustment by using a modified micrometer. Here is the modification

 

[cfpinz]

Now that's fine tuning! I just stick whatever size drill bit needed in the seed gate as a gauge.

 

[novatech]

I found the Herd seeder to be a great but I do not like the adjustment when working fine seed. To correct the calibration and to be able to reset the opening accurately the next time I want to repeat a setting I modified the adjustment by using a modified micrometer. Here is the modification

I sure hope that mic. was made in china. Personally I would rather waste the seed than ruin a good micrometer.

 

[agmantoo]

That is a USA micrometer bought at a pawn shop. I sow a lot of expensive small seeds and I need to often set the seeder on the fly. A few thousandths can make a big difference in the costs of seed and the results of the planting. Here are some of the results. Instead of buying commercial fertilizer I spread cattle manure and grow the nitrogen in my rotational grazing operation.

 

[gberry]

Agmantoo, it's good to see you on CattleToday. I have read the entire thread on rotational grazing on homesteading today and still check it every few days to see if anything new has come up. For those of you who haven't seen it, you should check it out.

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/showth ... p?t=286704

 

[JHH]

I frost seeded mine in the same time you did cfpinz. Tell me if this is clover or weeds.

 

[agmantoo]

JHH
That is clover!

 

[JHH]

JHH
That is clover!

Do you think its to thick or not thick enough, to early to tell?

The reason I ask is because I get some weeds in that part of the field that look like clover but its not.