Disking and Leveling a Field After Heavy Rain: A Step-by-Step Guide

It finally happened! We got a lot of rain in the last two to three days, and it was just the perfect amount for disking. The rain provided about two inches of moisture, making the soil moist and soft for disking. As a farmer, I was thrilled and ready to get started.

Initially, I had planned on hiring someone to disk my farm and level my field for me. However, the person I reached out to was going to charge me a whopping $3,000 for the job. Fortunately, my neighbor, who owns a big tractor, offered to do it for me at a much more reasonable cost of $500 since he already had the equipment.

After deep ripping the field with a D-10 dozer, there were clusters and nods of soil left in the ground, and the trenches were about 2 feet deep. So, disking was the best option to break up the clusters and fill in the trenches. My neighbor's 160 horsepower tractor was ideal for the job and was pulling a 21-foot-wide disk behind it.

Disking the entire field was an intensive task that took several hours to complete. But, it was essential to ensure that the field was leveled correctly. Once the disking was done, the next step was to level the field with a two-ton float. The float worked like a scraper, smoothing out any imperfections in the ground, and preparing the field for planting.

After the leveling process was complete, we created berms, which are raised mounds of soil used to separate the rows of crops. This step is critical in preventing water from pooling between the rows and helping to channel it to the crops.

In conclusion, disking and leveling a field after heavy rain is a critical step in preparing the ground for planting crops. It can be a time-consuming and intensive task, but it is crucial to ensure that the field is level and ready for planting. With the right equipment and techniques, farmers can achieve a well-prepared and leveled field.