Short discs cover crop drill project.

Phil P

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
North West
So I’ve got a little bit of time on my hands while I’m waiting for the last field of winter barley to come ready so thought I’d start a project I’ve been wanting to have a go at for a while.
Past few years I’ve been establishing cover crops with the combine just scratching the surface with the PH but it’s still a fairly steady job and burning more fuel than I’d like!
So think of using my proforge short disks and front hopper, I’ve got some donor parts from an old lely combi.
2EF25B2B-E0A6-4653-A98C-5E0D0B8BDDEA.jpeg


I’ve got the distribution head mounted which was pretty straight forward

EE7650AE-A2DE-4CF0-A645-8CA3BB81AE6C.jpeg


Now, I just can’t decide what to do at the back? I don’t really want to add massive amount of weight so attaching the tool bar is out the question (hate Suffolk coulters anyway!). I’ve seen a few people just broadcasting grass and other small seed just behind the packer and then some following tines, will this work for larger seeds like rye etc? Don’t want it to be a pigeon feeding frenzy behind me!

I was thinking of maybe putting some pipes just in front of the packing ridges so they push the seed into the soil something like this maybe -
496F49C5-A80D-4ED3-8702-AAE1B61F8887.jpeg


I always find we get a good chit when working stubbles in that position so can’t see why it wouldn’t work but don’t want the seed sticking to the packer at the same time! I’ll still be putting a following Harrow on so my thinking is it would bury the seed in the hollow.

Any suggestions before I get too carried away 😂.
 

Chae1

Member
Location
Aberdeenshire
I just have a little horstine microband pda seeder ontop of our shortdiscs. Using spreader plates as suggested above. Just 4 plates for 3m. I spread large seeds on first with fert spreader at 12m. Disc them in with short disc and put smaller seeds on with little seeder.

Use same machine with simba st legs on front for osr and forage rape/stubble turnips
 

Phil P

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
North West
I’m pleased I’m not the only one that likes fitting distribution heads to random cultivators 🤔. If I were building this machine I would fit a row of fishtail spreaders in front of the packer roll . That’s a huge head 32 outlet ? An 18 with 9 blocked would probably do if you have one .
I got the donor parts through a bit of a trade so didn’t cost anything, I know it’s excessive but but I don’t care when it’s cheap 😂. I’m making it so it’s easy to remove so it may come in for other projects as well.
 

Phil P

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
North West
When broadcasting in front of a packer the seed will be at random depths so a greater chance of some seed growing if it comes dry .
I go like the idea of the packer firming the seed, I may just space all the pipes evenly across the length in front of the packer and see what happens🤔
 

Chae1

Member
Location
Aberdeenshire
When broadcasting in front of a packer the seed will be at random depths so a greater chance of some seed growing if it comes dry .

Mine are distributed behind packer. If soil starts sticking to packer I can carry on as don't have to worry about seed being lifted out again with mud.

Would you have a following harrow to cover seed behind packer?
 

Phil P

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
North West
Mine are distributed behind packer. If soil starts sticking to packer I can carry on as don't have to worry about seed being lifted out again with mud.

Would you have a following harrow to cover seed behind packer?
I’m thinking of using a following harrow yes, that was on of the reason I was going to place the seed in the troughs as my tines would stagger the rows perfectly.
 

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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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