Getting ridge and furrow out of a field?

We have 12 acres of grass that needs re-seeding next year but it's got ridge and furrow which I want to get out as I want to be able to silage it.
There are no environmental restrictions on it
The field is very heavy clay (called Brickyard Bank) as it used to have a brickworks on it to supply the local estate
 

MrNoo

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Cirencester
We did several fields back in the 70's, would think the ridges were a tad taller than yours. Used a Cat D5 with a blade, did the job. Still have one field in R&F but in environmental scheme.
 

johnb5555

Member
Location
Co Durham
Contractor just done 10 acre with discs, power harrow and leveller. Working at an angle to furrows is key I think. Though this field were only about 6-8 inches.
 

bert

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
n.yorks
Try to keep the topsoil on top, we have a field that they say was steep rig and furrows and must have been levelled out badly, leaving subsoil on top, doesn't grow much to this day except for a few stripes where it must be proper topsoil
 
Location
East Mids
If it's anything like ours (we've got over 200 acres) there will be 4-6 inches of wonderful fibrous topsoil and then several feet of heavy clay It may also not be underdrained and you may regret it for ever more. And such a pity that more of our rural heritage disappears. We mainly graze or make hay on ours but some we used to do big bale silage on with no probs. A neighbour got rid of his by dumping topsoil in the furrows which at least avoids bringing up the clay.
 
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rose pilchett

Member
Location
ie
i've done 20 acres before in 2011 with an old 4f reversible

some older locals told me to plough slowly at approx 15 degree angle to the ridges

then power harrowed twice then in with combi- again at a slight angle

it was still fairly uneven on the worst bits at harvest- but we did not want to bring all of the clay up to the top straight away

i combined it with 18ft header and i had to go easy the first year in some places- managed to scoop up the occasional bit of dirt here and there

gave it a good dose of muck after then second year i ploughed at the different 15 degree angle, soil was then cultipressed in spring before spring barley

I don't farm it anymore but i believe it is pretty level now and the contract farm outfit uses a 25 ft header fine
 
Location
East Mids
Always wanted to ask about these ridges, are they protected or can you level them as you please ?
Most are not protected unless part of a larger Scheduled Ancient Monument. Some farmers are drawing a bit of money from them as they can be used to gain points in English stewardship schemes at least but then of course you must keep them for the duration of the agreement. If you go for any planning permission on a rig and furrow field then all of a sudden everyone starts jumping up and down about them and admittedly I would be very sad if they all disappeared, they tell us a lot about the old open field systems.
floodandridges.JPG
 

rose pilchett

Member
Location
ie
Most are not protected unless part of a larger Scheduled Ancient Monument. Some farmers are drawing a bit of money from them as they can be used to gain points in English stewardship schemes at least but then of course you must keep them for the duration of the agreement. If you go for any planning permission on a rig and furrow field then all of a sudden everyone starts jumping up and down about them and admittedly I would be very sad if they all disappeared, they tell us a lot about the old open field systems. View attachment 159800

no problem locally for large national leisure operators getting permission to level and fill 60acres with caravans (might be something to do with local lib dem MP being retained year in year out on 40k+ a year as a 'consultant')

not a peep from environment agency/ dethra etc.
 

PSQ

Member
Arable Farmer
I would dig a trench first so you know what your getting into. At £10k/ acre it would be a waste to fudge it up doing a botched job. I'd be tempted to take off the top soil with a 360 and level it before reinstating the top soil. But I'm fussy about soil quality.

Edit: Having said that, I've got a serious texture problem in an area of an amalgamated field, the 1843 map shows it as ridge and furrow, and the modern satellite GAI maps show it as 'buggerd'. It doesn't take a genius to se that someone has screwed up the soil profile.
Proceed carefully.
 
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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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