Free: Contests & Raffles.
You’re opening a can of worms you may regret. Aside from all the implements you will need, it’s going to be a lot of work for a 26hp tractor. I just finished a 5 acre project that took three years using a 30 hp tractor. The smaller tractors have a hard time cutting the ground do to size. It’s also tough to move dirt in volume with the small tractors, it needs to be pretty dry.I’d start by rolling the sod over (this fall). Next summer it should be decomposed enough so as it’s not to clumpy. When the soil is dry enough you can start moving dirt. I used a 6 ft box scraper. On the back of it I welded a receiver so I could put a ball on it for towing. I ended up making a lawn roller out of a 300 gallon propane tank (2700 lbs when filled with water). When I would scrape I would roll at the same time. It did two things, compact soil and push rocks in the ground. After moving dirt I would drag it to smooth it out. I ended up making a six foot wide drag out of some large I beam. I rolled it after that too.Don’t have to much fun.
A couple racks of High Life and you're good to go.
I like to turn sod in the fall (plow) then disk in the spring. let winter work for you
Quote from: KFhunter on October 21, 2021, 01:01:13 PMI like to turn sod in the fall (plow) then disk in the spring. let winter work for you Also….don’t over think it!! It really isn’t that hard and it becomes a labor of love.
After breaking acres of new ground in Central Texas with 40-50hp equipment I can say without reservation that if I had to break new ground again I would hire it out and save the beating on my tractor and my body for the day to day work and maintenance. At the very least I would rent a beast of a machine and save days of bouncing around and running over the same rows repeatedly because the tractor was undersized for the soil and scope of work! But I am many years over the idea of “seat time” as somehow recreational. My recommendation from one internet stranger to another is find a farmer with a 100hp machine just depreciating in a field and hire that farmer to cut your ground!
Quote from: KFhunter on October 21, 2021, 01:01:13 PMI like to turn sod in the fall (plow) then disk in the spring. let winter work for youI plan to grow winter cover crops like vetch, rye, etc.
Quote from: Angry Perch on October 21, 2021, 01:49:36 PMQuote from: KFhunter on October 21, 2021, 01:01:13 PMI like to turn sod in the fall (plow) then disk in the spring. let winter work for youI plan to grow winter cover crops like vetch, rye, etc.If you want to grow this winter ouch!I was talking about the 1st year, not every year