Question or SW MO and NW AR homesteaders.

[donsgal]

We have a piece of land that is virgin. I want to till it up and put in some spring wheat next year.

Obvioiusly, a tiller isn't going to cut it. Not with rocks as big as a softball (and bigger) one on top of another. Dh says to get it plowed. How do you do that? Put an ad in the paper? It's only an area that is roughly 20X40. Who is going to want to load up his tractor and plow that???? How much would it cost to get plowed anyway?

I don't know what to do.

Any suggestions? Help!

donsgal

[WolfWalksSoftly]

Living in southern Missouri and having 2 inches of top soil at best, tilling does nothing more than bring up rock and red clay.
What we have done over the years is compost, compost, bring in dirt and add lots of manure,rabbit, chicken, alpaca and this year cow.

[Big Dave]

Do you have an ATV? There are attachments for them.Ask at the feed store you would be surprized at the people that will do that for a small fee.

[Watkinsman]

20 by 40 is a mighty small patch to be working up with a tractor if it is fenced in. You might try to rototill it (after you pick out as many rocks as you can). Our garden area is about 40 by 50 and we have spent years getting the rock out and adding compost. We still pick more rock out every spring. The winter freeze always brings more to the top. You are probably looking at an on going battle in this area

[Pat]

It's too late now (they will take longer than planting time), but I'd use a pig tractor to till it. They'll push the bigger rocks to the side, till it down about 8 to 10 inches, and fertilize it. I run 3 feeders in a pig tractor (4 by 16 luggable pen) through our garden every winter. I use the wide row gardening, but you could just moved them over as well as up and down (insdead of leaving the grass walkways between the rows like we have). That way you'd have pork to take to freezer camp, and have it tilled at the same time.

When I first get them, it may take them 10 days to 2 weeks to clean and till the 4 by 16 area, now I'm moving every 2 or 3 days... and when they finish it's once a day. I'll put them in a 16 by 16 pen to finish them for freezer camp (and it's after planting time anyway).

Pat

[Tricky Grama]

Hey donsgal-

I waved at you when we went past your exit on I-44, coming & going to see G'kids in St Louis & IN.

Happy New Year.

Patty

[donsgal]

Originally Posted by Tricky Grama

Hey donsgal-

I waved at you when we went past your exit on I-44, coming & going to see G'kids in St Louis & IN.

Happy New Year.

Patty

Was that you????? I wondered who was waving at me with Texas license plates.

donsgal

[donsgal]

Originally Posted by WolfWalksSoftly

Living in southern Missouri and having 2 inches of top soil at best, tilling does nothing more than bring up rock and red clay.
What we have done over the years is compost, compost, bring in dirt and add lots of manure,rabbit, chicken, alpaca and this year cow.

Well, our top soil level isn't too bad - the soil scientist said it was about 18 inches when we got the perk test for the septic. But I think your idea about bringing stop soil in is probably the best solution for me. The rocks are just tooooo insane.

donsgal

[Siryet]

We live in a river valley and have rock growing as our main crop.LOL

I first disc the land a few times before wife runs the rototiller over it.

You might ask a neighbor or at the local feed store if someone has a disc setup on a small tractor, who would be willing to disc it a few times for hire.

Then a gas powered roto tiller works fine. Wife uses rocks in other places around the house.

[big rockpile]

Well this year I'm not going to fool with rocks.Going to Boxes and have some Topsoil brought in.

big rockpile