Topping overgrown pasture

[Will Heal]

Hi all,

As part of a job I have just looked at the client wants this paddock topped.

He thinks it hasn't been cut for about 6 years. I have walked around it and although there are no young saplings growing in it and very few brambles the grass is tussocky and thick and feels lumpy underfoot. I'm guessing that a small tractor and topper is just going to struggle and make a mess. So what would be the best option? The reason for cutting it is that the property is now on the market and the owner wants to tidy it up.

The field is about 2 acres and I would have to use a brush cutter fount the edges. Also what would be the approximate cost of getting it done.

Thanks Will

[woody paul]

Biggest flail mower that will go through that gateway .

[farmer rod]

looks like it would take a morning just to open the gate!

 

In the book of words pasture topping and setsaide topping both are listed at ££13.20 per acre, bearing in mind pasture would be grazed off before hand and setaside would be in 50 acre fields but quite heavy going, 6 years worth of mole hills and you have got to be talking £250 for the job, add on your brushcutter round the boundry...

[rustcutter]

2 acres - 50 sheep or 20 cattle for a couple of weeks wouldn't be much left to tidy up and probably pay for the privilege.

[farmer rod]

2 acres - 50 sheep or 20 cattle for a couple of weeks wouldn't be much left to tidy up and probably pay for the privilege.

 

Agreed, except this year everyones got grass coming out of their ears and dodgy paddocks with no fencing or water come at the bottom of the price range, maybe park the rams there till November, but thats not going to turn it into the bowling green of dreams!

[Will Heal]

Biggest flail mower that will go through that gateway .

 

 

Yep that's what I thought.

[Will Heal]

looks like it would take a morning just to open the gate!

 

 

 

In the book of words pasture topping and setsaide topping both are listed at ££13.20 per acre, bearing in mind pasture would be grazed off before hand and setaside would be in 50 acre fields but quite heavy going, 6 years worth of mole hills and you have got to be talking £250 for the job, add on your brushcutter round the boundry...

 

 

That's the figure I had in mind plus a day to cut round the edge

[rustcutter]

I know I am from a different farming area but any of the farmers I ever worked for would snatch a chance to rest their ground this time of year. Two in particular had neighbours with smallholding type farms with tiny undulating fields with narrow gates; the owners would want haymaking done, this would be a pain in the arse so these certain areas were grazed by arrangement in exchange for hay made on the main farm on the fields so released from needing to be grazed; which was much more convenient (and more people involved is more people to help bale carting!). I also had some land I worked by this arrangement; I had hay/silage from the farm I worked on in exchange for a certain amount of summer grazing. Make tidying up with a topper part of the deal. The result of smashing that long growth with a flail mower will be far from the bowling green of dreams.

Edited July 14, 2016 by rustcutter

[Will Heal]

2 acres - 50 sheep or 20 cattle for a couple of weeks wouldn't be much left to tidy up and probably pay for the privilege.

 

 

Think animals would just trample it down and then still have to top it after. Plus to much hassle for me and owners.

[Will Heal]

Thanks for the replies. Does anyone want to come and give me a price for a large tractor and flail topper to do the job?