Cost of mulching rushes

Connemara Farmer

I have the option for use of a field for an idea I have, about 1.5 acres. It's been very neglected and full of mature rushes. There's a local man with a quad and one of those tow behind mulcher type affairs (flail mower I think). I saw a field he did last year and in fairness he did a great job as you'd not know it was full of rushes last year.

Would ye know what sort of money I would be looking at paying him for doing the 1.5 acres?

djmc

I don't know but at a guess I wouldn't think it could be much
Lads mowing grass were around 20 an acre but big acreage I would be thinking 1 to 2 hundred max
It would be his time more than anything else that would cost you.

Connemara Farmer

Just had a chat with him, €200 a day, and he wasn't sure how many days, could be 1,2,or 3... I said it wouldn't be 3.

Bullocks

Connemara Farmer wrote: »

Just had a chat with him, €200 a day, and he wasn't sure how many days, could be 1,2,or 3... I said it wouldn't be 3.

Would be slow going with a quad and I presume the mulcher is petrol powered aswell which wouldn't be light at that kinda work .
Would a tractor and topper travel there ? Be alot quicker but wouldn't mulch the rushes as well as a mulcher

Connemara Farmer

Bullocks wrote: »

Would be slow going with a quad and I presume the mulcher is petrol powered aswell which wouldn't be light at that kinda work .
Would a tractor and topper travel there ? Be alot quicker but wouldn't mulch the rushes as well as a mulcher

Coincidentally the neighbour across the road here done some topping last week, left the place in a bit of a **** IMO. The field in question would also need machine work to drain it, it's fairly waterlogged, I wouldn't be at all keen on a tractor going in there. As you say the topper won't do as good a job either, that's part of the attraction with the flail which shatters the rushes.

Bullocks

Connemara Farmer wrote: »

Coincidentally the neighbour across the road here done some topping last week, left the place in a bit of a **** IMO. The field in question would also need machine work to drain it, it's fairly waterlogged, I wouldn't be at all keen on a tractor going in there. As you say the topper won't do as good a job either, that's part of the attraction with the flail which shatters the rushes.

Can't beat the mulcher in fairness . I use a disc mower but it leaves them almost in rows and takes a while to rot that way .
I couldn't blame your man looking for €200 a day between petrol and wear anf tear . Any chance he would hire the mulcher for you to use on your own quad to save yourself a few quid ?

Connemara Farmer

Bullocks wrote: »

Can't beat the mulcher in fairness . I use a disc mower but it leaves them almost in rows and takes a while to rot that way .
I couldn't blame your man looking for €200 a day between petrol and wear anf tear . Any chance he would hire the mulcher for you to use on your own quad to save yourself a few quid ?

I haven't the time to be honest.

djmc

Hiring to do yourself is like hiring a taxi and walking after it you're paying for his time and experience.
I find doing myself something I'm not used of doing I'm neglecting something else and it takes longer than the lad that's at it every day.
I have used disc an flail mowers on rushes
The disc mower is very fast but takes the rushes a long time to rot if that brothers you
You will also break blades it there is stones
The flail mowers are very slow as you have to travel at snails pace for a clean cut but they will turn everything into dust.
I got great satisfaction doing a field once taken over by briars furze that were over the bonnet of the tractor in front and level dust an inch high behind me.

Nekarsulm

For mature rushes, I wouldn't go near them with a topper. They're not designed for that abuse. I would mow with a disk mower, going really slowly, then get them round baled. Ask the baler man not to net wrap them. Draw to a corner with a bale lift, not a spike. Hit the regrowth with MC PA.