fertilizing pastures

Doc · #1 04/09/08, 07:47 PM

Don't know if this is the right forum, but I figured if you have cows, you have pastures. I'm having a time finding someone to fertilize my pastures because I only have about nine acres that need it.

I'm looking to put triple 17 on them, 250-300/lbs per acre. The last quote I got from SS was $900. Can't afford that.

I'm thinking of doing it myself. Does anyone know if there are spreaders that attach to riding lawn mowers (not tractor)? I can't see pushing a cart over nine acres to spread the fertilizer, but I could easily pull a spreader behind the mower.

Any suggestions??

agmantoo · #2 04/09/08, 08:04 PM

You need a tractor with a PTO and a seed/fertilizer spreader. The spreaders sell sfor $325 up. They are nice to have as you can reseed as well as spread fertilizer. Some of the spreaders are lime capable also. Good universal tool. Nice thing about doing it yourself is that you can apply more in the poor sections and less in the more fertile areas of the pasture. Additionally, more frequent intervals of smaller amounts of fertilizer will give better results than one application of the same amount of the total smaller applications.

BlackWillowFarm · #3 04/10/08, 05:50 AM

Doc-You asked the question I was thinking. We have about 10 acres of hayfield that needs to be fertilized. Our tractor is a Ford 8N and didn't handle the ag company spreader very well. It did the job, but it was scary to watch.

I have a friend that can do it, but he's so busy he would get here later in the season than I would like. We should be fertilizing here soon.

We have a tow behind spreader for our yard and I've been thinking about using it with our 15 horse John Deere lawn tractor for the hayfield. It holds about 100lbs. I know it would work. It will just take forever to overspread that much ground. But, I guess I'd rather do it that way than have the Ford flip over trying to handle the larger spreader.

If you decide to do it that way, let me know how it worked for you.

Haggis · #4 04/10/08, 06:49 AM

Both my Grandfathers farmd and kept cattle, one used tractors for everything, and the other did most of his work by hand or with a mule. The one who used tractors spent a lot of time talking about how much work he had to do and the one who did his work by hand spent a lot of time working.

If one were to "broadcast" fertilizer by hand over 9 acres and did just an acre an evening (209' X 209' is roughly an acre) the fertilizer would be on the ground in just a bit over a week.

By the by, the Grandfather who used tractors died before he was 70, and the Grandfather who did his work by hand lived well into his 80's continuing to farm and keep cattle until the very end; he never did use a tractor.

Ronney · #5 04/10/08, 07:00 AM

Doc, I have a Kawasaki Mule and a little towable spreader that hitches up to it which will spread both fert and lime. It holds about 100kgs. Quoting prices at you from this side of the world is probably a bit useless but it wasn't cheap at $NZ1,500 new but I've more than had my moneys worth out of it.
It doesn't require a PTO as it has it's own gearing. I think this is probably what your after and they must be available.

Cheers,
Ronnie

Doc · #6 04/10/08, 08:01 AM

Ok, I can see it is doable (and I'm not above pushing the spreader and just taking my time), but if I do decide on one to be pulled behind a mower, not tractor, anyone have suggestions for where to look? I wanted to rent it, not buy it. The fertilizer alone is going to set me back, so I'm not in the market at this time for buying one.

jim/se kansas · #7 04/10/08, 09:06 AM

The first year that I put on fertilizer I used my pickup truck. The next year I used an 8N ford tractor. I went to Co-op and used their spreader which ran off one tire which was gear driven.
Blessings, Jim

Doc · #8 04/10/08, 11:21 AM

Ok, here's what I've been able to find out.

Lowes has a towable for $150, with gears, and will hold up to 125 lb.

They also have Triple 13 fertilizer for $10. bag. HD has Triple 17 for $18/bag.
Question is this: can I "get away with" using the Triple 13 this year to fertilize the pastures, or should I sticke with the Triple 17? No one has Triple 15.

mtman · #9 04/10/08, 03:01 PM

go to your feed store tell them what you want they will mix it put in into a buggy tow behind your truck spread it that way then return the buggy easy

genebo · #10 04/10/08, 11:07 PM

I used to pull a spreader I bought from Agri-Supply.com with my Kawasaki mule. It worked fine, was slower than using a big tractor spreader. I wore out two of them at around $50 each. They looked just like a push spreader, except it has a pull bar to attach to the tow hole in the back of a riding mower.

It's going to take a lot longer to do it with a riding mower. Mowers run about 6 mph. My Mule can go much faster. If it's possible, use your truck.

I quit doing that because I discovered that my local feed store would spread my 7 acres for the price of the fertilizer. Saved my time and effort. Today, they charge $6 per acre to spread it, due to the fuel increases.

I had the same problem with SS. They were booked by larger farms and didn't have time for little ol' me.

An added advantage: I took my soil samples in. They mixed 5-10-30 for me, which suited my soil perfectly. I saved on the nitrogen costs by not buying more nitrogen than I needed. Actually, that's not true. I didn't need any nitrogen, but they had to start with 5-10-10 and add to it to bring it up to 5-10-30.

The cost of fertilizer has gone up so much this year! Grass seed, too. I had to pay $145 for 50# bags of orchard grass.

genebo
Paradise Farm

tyusclan · #11 04/11/08, 05:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doc

Ok, here's what I've been able to find out.

Lowes has a towable for $150, with gears, and will hold up to 125 lb.

They also have Triple 13 fertilizer for $10. bag. HD has Triple 17 for $18/bag.
Question is this: can I "get away with" using the Triple 13 this year to fertilize the pastures, or should I sticke with the Triple 17? No one has Triple 15.

I agree with genebo. Depending on what you have in your pasture, and if you've been grazing it, you may not need any nitrogen at all.

I haven't put a pencil to it, but looking at the prices you quoted above, it seems that the triple 13 is a better buy. The triple 17 is nearly double the price for only 4% more of each element. But on second thought the triple 17 could have more trace elements than the triple 13. You'd have to check that.

Anyway, all you would have to do is figure out how much t-13 you would have to buy to get the same pounds of nutrients, compare that to the t-17 you were going to buy, and see which way is cheaper to go. But again, compare the trace elements on each. You may be getting some additional stuff in the t-17 that isn't in the t-13.

Doc · #12 04/11/08, 07:58 AM

Genebo & Tyusclan: Thanks for the info. I'll check the trace elements. Would that the feed store I use do all that for me that yours does, Genebo. They do not. In fact, around here it is becoming harder and harder to find anything "agricultural" -- only a fingerful of people will actually spread fertilizer (including SS). They just don't want to bother with the small, micro farms, like mine.

Good idea to use the truck, but need to ask: how slow do you go in the truck? Also, the added benefit of using the truck is having the bags there to add as we go. [I also have a tractor (601 Workmaster) that I could use if that's even better.

As for the t-13, all I want is to make some hay off the pastures this year so I don't have to worry about finding it next fall if our drought continues. Too much of a hassle, too $$ and low-quality hay as a result. If I can get my own bales, then I know what my girls are eating.

agmantoo · #13 04/11/08, 10:24 AM

Doc,
Get one of these and a truck driver. Put the fertilizer in the truck and ride in the bed attending the spreader. This spreader will also permit you to apply seed for over planting. Keep the unit cleaner and oiled when not in use and it will last many years. The problem with getting small amounts of fertilizer will only get worse with time. This is a USA made device!
http://www.herdseeder.com/i92.php
http://www.herdseeder.com/m3b.php

translplant · #14 04/12/08, 01:13 PM

I saw a photo of 3 push spreader "ganged" together. I think they used a piece PVC pipe and baling wire. Could be interesting.

scorpian5 · #15 04/12/08, 01:40 PM

why not spread manure on it. If it ever dries up that is what we do with the manure from our cattle sheds and bedding

Jay · #16 04/12/08, 02:02 PM

Read this thread here on the cattle area for some other (better?!!) ideas:
A Bold Statement by Greg Judy
(if you haven't already!)

Doc · #17 04/12/08, 06:22 PM

Jay -- not clear about your message.

Jay · #18 04/13/08, 12:14 PM

This thread:
http://http://www.homesteadingtoday....d.php?t=243788