Top Three Equipment Choices to Conquer Your Springtime Farm and Ranch Tasks
Top US Farm and Ranch Equipment Manufacturer Helps You Spring into Spring
March 31, 2011 Dunnville, KY:Springtime brings more than just new calves and green grass to the farm and ranch – it also brings a whole new set of chores. Whether you need to disc up that field or till your garden, there’s a time-saving, labor-saving tool to fit the job.
Todd Harne of Tarter Farm & Ranch Equipment oversees Tarter’s Steel Production Facility and understands how to get ready for spring. In addition to working at Tarter, he also lives on a 150-acre farm where he grows hay for the horse industry and runs 34 head of cattle for his cow-calf operation. Take it from Todd, here are the top three “must-have” pieces of equipment you need to help tackle all of your farm and ranch spring tasks:
1. Rotary Tiller
First and foremost, the handiest piece of equipment for spring is the rotary tiller. A 6-foot rotary tiller is the best thing to help you prepare your garden, smooth out ruts and rough patches around your barn and even till an acre of land in the nearby woods for a deer food plot. Make sure you have a high quality rotary tiller. The tines pulverize the dirt and break up all the clods. The right tiller should allow you to work the land without any trouble even in the hard ground with lots of clay and big rocks.
2. Rotary Cutter
This is something you must have, especially in parts of the country where there’s been a lot of rain – weeds and grass can get ahead of you fast. To keep your pasture grass growing, use a rotary cutter to clip off the seed heads before they get fully developed. Spring is a great time to cut down your pasture field and keep the vegetation lush for your cows. The cutters typically come in 5-, 6-, and 7-foot widths, but 6-footer is great because it mows over your tire tracks. Also for many folks, time is limited, and when they get off work in the evenings, they need to cover as much ground as they can. Get the biggest piece of equipment your tractor can handle so you can spend more time with your family.
3. Heavy Duty Tillage Disc
Because spring is the time to repair fields and areas that have been damaged during winter, consider having a heavy-duty tillage disc with 18″ blades. During hay feeding season many folks designate parts of their fields for roll bale hay feeding. Those areas get mucked up and need to be smoothed. The tillage disc is a versatile piece that’s great for turning over the mangled soil. After that you can sow grass over the top of that area and maximize that acre or two where the cows have made it rough during winter. It will also cut up the hay that’s left over.
Take Todd’s advice, and you’ll be able to conquer even the toughest of those spring tasks around your farm or ranch. To quote a Kentucky farmer, the right equipment can be as “handy as a pocket on a shirt”. If you’re ever in Dunnville, Kentucky, be sure to stop by Tarter Farm and Ranch. If you’re lucky, you just might be able to catch up Todd. He’ll gladly show you true Southern hospitality and answer all your farm and ranch questions.
