Odd Jobs

[Carl Russell]

Just came in from 4 hours of brush-hogging with my horses. We bought a 13HP DR tow behind field/brush mower, and it runs pretty quietly, mows heavy grass, and mulches saplings the size of my thumb.

With all the rain recently, I can’t get in the garden, or the woods, so it felt really good today to knock back some of the brush that has been encroaching on me.

Carl

[jen judkins]

I really wanted to see that machine in action yesterday, but the rain made the roads alittle ‘iffy’ with my rig and I chickened out at the bottom of the hill. Next time…

[Carl Russell]

There is a lot of brush to cut around here. I haven’t had a photographer with me yet, but possibly soon. Otherwise it will be demonstrated at NEAPFD.

Carl

[LStone]

Over the weekend I cut some storm damaged birch trees in the yard and the horses skid’ the tree lengths to the wood yard for plugging and storage. Since I had the team hitched yesterday for our 4 hour haul to the feed store for a months worth of grains, we spent the last part of the afternoon hauling brush from the tree project to the burn pile for celebration this weekend. The trip went well but it rained twice; fortunatley I was prepared for it. I continue to admire the stamina and persistance of our predacessors of another time when the gas engine wasn’t an option and day to day horse power was the horses and other animals. Of course I am sure that in those days the feed store wasmore centrally located and I probably could have done several more “chores” at the same time. Unfortunatley no other places to get anything done at the same time along that route.

Larry

[Carl Russell]

Here is a link to You Tube. A video of me using my new DR Tow Behind Brush and Field Mower.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO_ZPWLrOZc

Carl

[jen judkins]

@Carl Russell 10434 wrote:

Here is a link to You Tube. A video of me using my new DR Tow Behind Brush and Field Mower.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO_ZPWLrOZc

Impressive feat, videotaping and driving at the same time 😉

[Rick Alger]

We’ve used a similar mower for about six years. Knocked down one inch alders as well as goldenrod, steeple bush etc. I’ve had to reinforce the deck and replace a couple tires, but overall it’s been a good acquisition. Will mow all day on a couple gallons of gas, and I believe it’s easier on the horses than a sickle bar mower.

[Carl Russell]

jenjudkins;10435 wrote:

Impressive feat, videotaping and driving at the same time 😉

Don’t do this at home:D.
Carl

[Carl Russell]

Rick Alger;10436 wrote:

We’ve used a similar mower for about six years. Knocked down one inch alders as well as goldenrod, steeple bush etc. I’ve had to reinforce the deck and replace a couple tires, but overall it’s been a good acquisition. Will mow all day on a couple gallons of gas, and I believe it’s easier on the horses than a sickle bar mower.

Yes Rick, I also have finished a field that had a lot of woody brush. Because it is so heavily built, it doesn’t rattle and bang as much as a typical 3pth bush hog.

I agree it is much easier on the horses, both in terms of maneuverability, and for mowing the brushier stuff with a sickle bar requires a very steady pace, and clogs etc. can be very frustrating.

No clogging this thing.
Carl

[jen judkins]

Not to take away from your marvelous mower, Carl, but check this little gadget out! Its a garden harrow, kind of like a mini cultipacker.

I haven’t had Peanut out for work in weeks, but he was a complete star! We ground drove to the arena about 1/4 mile then did some practice stops (he has a tendency to want to take a step back when he stops, sometimes stepping on the singletree or chain). Once he was stopping without the extra steps, I hooked him up, put those tines in the sand and off we went. It was hard work for him and I took the opportunity to practice ‘whoa’ alot. He really seemed to enjoy the work and stood like a statue for unharnessing and a shower. He actually had that seasoned look in his eye by the time we were done. Very satisfying little bit of work!

[near horse]

Carl,

I thought about buying one of the DR mowers like you have (partly due to your post) but in looking into DR products, there seem to be a lot of folks that have had a “bad experience” with them. Lots of breakdowns, expensive repairs etc. Plus, I found them to be very expensive to purchase – I do like the idea of being able to mow like that (behind a forecart) – am I missing something or misreading the product?

[Rod44]

I sure would be a little leary about pulling a brush cutter behind a forecart. I have had stuff fly forward out of my tractor brush cutter and hit me and the tractor hard. If they would have hit a horse you would have been in trouble. Maybe they have a good front deflector so stuff doesn’t fly out???

[Carl Russell]

Yes the DR mowers are very expensive. I have not heard of breakdowns, etc. Up close the machine seems to be very well built. Heavy duty all around. I just think the sticker shock is tough on people. To me it is a matter of being serious about managing our pastures, and although I have used my sickle bar for years, I just couldn’t get ahead of the tough brush. If I were to pay for the brush-hogging that I will do this year alone, I will have paid for the machine.

As far as projectiles coming forward, there is a deflector made of heavy rubber that hangs down in front of the cutter. Also my cart has a solid steel back plate, although that doesn’t really matter, as I run the thing in the offset position, ala sickle bar. I have hit rocks big enough to stall the motor, 1 1/2 inch saplings, and rotten logs, all of which have made loud noises, and there have been several instances where material has been thrown up and hit one of the horses. Not to mention the stings from angry bees knocked from golden rod flowers.

I would not have bought, nor would I suggest anyone buy one, if I didn’t expect my horses to be able to handle this. Yesterday I hit a piece of wood about 6″ in diameter, and 4′ long, hidden in the grass. The machine chewed this up, thumpity thumpity thump, and a piece of wood about 4″ long shot up and bounced off my mares rump. She jumped, and high stepped for about twenty feet, and as I asked her to, she calmed back down to a walk. I would have jumped too, but there was no “trouble”. I train my animals to take things in stride, and there is, in my mind, no reason why they can’t have a natural startled reaction, and learn to return to a normal working demeanor.

Carl

[Carl Russell]

jenjudkins;10443 wrote:

Not to take away from your marvelous mower, Carl, but check this little gadget out! Its a garden harrow, kind of like a mini cultipacker.

I haven’t had Peanut out for work in weeks, but he was a complete star! We ground drove to the arena about 1/4 mile then did some practice stops (he has a tendency to want to take a step back when he stops, sometimes stepping on the singletree or chain). Once he was stopping without the extra steps, I hooked him up, put those tines in the sand and off we went. It was hard work for him and I took the opportunity to practice ‘whoa’ alot. He really seemed to enjoy the work and stood like a statue for unharnessing and a shower. He actually had that seasoned look in his eye by the time we were done. Very satisfying little bit of work!

Nice job Jennifer. Glad to see him coming along so well. Looks like you might want some longer lines, or shorten the heel chains. Nice work shoes!!

Carl

[jen judkins]

@Carl Russell 10451 wrote:

Looks like you might want some longer lines, or shorten the heel chains.

Yeah, the first thing I did after unharnessing was to run to the house and order longer lines from Meader. I actually dropped one of the lines today. Scared the sh#$* out of me, but there was plenty of incentive for a ‘whoa’ with a simple voice cue and I collected the rein without incident.

[Author]

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