Now what?

[totally_addicted]

Last year we planted corn in a 3 acre plot on a piece we hunt in central MN. Now we are left with 3 acres of standing cornstalks. We do not have a stock chopper or utility to mower to use. We were thinking we would just knock it all down with the fourwheeler and then try and disc it.

What do you suggest we do? Will discing those stalks work?

[sticknstring]

3 acres w/ the four wheeler? That's going to be a lot of work. Too wet and it'll be clumpy and too dry and the disc will skip on top. My suggestion would be to find a local farmer to come til it up for you when he's done w/ his fields. The other option is to hit it w/ gly once the weeds are up and broadcast small seed (brassicas, clover, rye) right into the cornstalks before a good rain. You can get surprisingly good results broadcasting right on top. How did you plant your corn last summer?

[totally_addicted]

I would use the tractor and the disc after I knock it all down. It's a 12 foot disc.

Last summer we had a farmer plant our corn for us. This year we don't have that option. It is a pretty sandy soil and I would wait until it dries for a few days before I do it. My question is will it cut up the stalks enough with the tractor or do I need to figure out a way to mow/chop it up?

[vister]

A disc will take care of it better than anything, whether you mow it down or not. The stalks actually make for good fertilizer. Don't worry about knocking it down first. May have to go over it a time or two to mulch the stalks, but hey, no harm no foul.

[LABS4ME]

Can chain a heavy log or railroad tie behind the tractor to 'drag' first before disking. That will have the stalks all laid down... Then you can start to Disk them in. If you aren't using a planter on this year's plot, the stalks aren't going to make a huge difference. As stickandstring said, you can just broadcast on top after a light disking.

Good luck!

Ken