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1 acre smallholding to plough near Naul, can't find ploughing service?

  • 07-03-2014 09:51AM
    #1
    Syracus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 41 ✭


    Hi,

    New to this thread but I suspect I will be a regular visitor from here on in :)

    We have just bought a small cottage on 1 acre near Naul in Co.Meath with the intention of turning it into a smallholding, gradually, no rush. We both only have small backgarden growing experience.

    My question is, I want to plough about 1/2 acre at the moment but don't fancy doing it with a rotovator, I will if I have to but from experience it's tough going. Is there somewhere to find the services of someone with a plough and tractor that could be hired to do this small job? Say in a farmer's journal, or on the interweb? I've looked around this forum, adverts, done deal, etc., and can't seem to find anything. Am I asking a stupid question? :o

    Any advice appreciated....


Comments

  • #2
    getupthatyard
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 51 ✭✭getupthatyard


    If you don't know anyone in the area i would ask in a local shop or agricultural merchants, they may know of someone with a tractor and plough to do such work.

    Hopefully someone would be able to point you in the right direction.


  • #3
    The_Pretender
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 594 ✭✭✭The_Pretender


    Have you thought about using part of it to raise a few pigs or chickens or the like? You wouldn't need to rotovate all of it if that was the case.

    If you're fine with doing it gradually, it might just be better to do 1/4 or 1/2 it this year and work on the rest of it next year. It'll be hard enough going from backyard growing straight into growing on half an acre. :)


  • #4
    Syracus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 41 ✭Syracus


    getupthatyard wrote: »
    If you don't know anyone in the area i would ask in a local shop or agricultural merchants, they may know of someone with a tractor and plough to do such work.

    Hopefully someone would be able to point you in the right direction.

    Thanks, yes I'll do that. I was also thinking of the local pub, great excuse to go down for a few pints;)


  • #5
    Syracus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 41 ✭Syracus


    The_Pretender wrote: »
    Have you thought about using part of it to raise a few pigs or chickens or the like? You wouldn't need to rotovate all of it if that was the case.

    If you're fine with doing it gradually, it might just be better to do 1/4 or 1/2 it this year and work on the rest of it next year. It'll be hard enough going from backyard growing straight into growing on half an acre. :)

    Absolutely. We've had chickens in the past so we'll be getting more when we get a bit sorted. Would love a pig or two also, might leave that for a year or so, but they are part of the masterplan:)

    I agree, probably a 1/4 would be more than enough for us at the moment.


  • #6
    micraX
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 752 ✭✭✭micraX


    Where abouts in the naul and how wides the gate?


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  • #7
    micraX
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 752 ✭✭✭micraX


    Where abouts in the naul and how wides the gate?


  • #8
    Syracus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 41 ✭Syracus


    micraX wrote: »
    Where abouts in the naul and how wides the gate?

    PM sent...

    Gate clearance measured: 3.5mtrs


  • #9
    Askim
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 307 ✭✭Askim


    You will need a small tractor with about a 2 sod plough, local vintage club should have lads that could help you out. They also might have a small grubber, would leave a nice bed for you then hire a 2 wheel tractor with rotavator, dead easy to use & very little effort to turn or use, just walk behind. This is how I till the ground I use, its about 1 acre
    https://www.google.ie/search?q=2+wheel+tractor+attachments&tbm=isch&imgil=BWvW8e38IssdrM%253A%253Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fencrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com%252Fimages%253Fq%253Dtbn%253AANd9GcRceFUiG6Q3PnRoQHh04hNAaQ81Q7WqH7kU4U0MW_I_nYAdy_ayGQ%253B324%253B244%253BzgRmxQkMNxWX2M%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fkk.org%25252Fcooltools%25252Farchives%25252F4669&source=iu&usg=__gNGa3833wLpVJgmNvK4aTAetK4A%3D&sa=X&ei=8cEZU6uKL-up7AaI_YCgBQ&ved=0CDwQ9QEwAw&biw=1024&bih=1378

    A


  • #10
    Syracus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 41 ✭Syracus


    Askim wrote: »
    You will need a small tractor with about a 2 sod plough, local vintage club should have lads that could help you out. They also might have a small grubber, would leave a nice bed for you then hire a 2 wheel tractor with rotavator, dead easy to use & very little effort to turn or use, just walk behind. This is how I till the ground I use, its about 1 acre
    https://www.google.ie/search?q=2+wheel+tractor+attachments&tbm=isch&imgil=BWvW8e38IssdrM%253A%253Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fencrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com%252Fimages%253Fq%253Dtbn%253AANd9GcRceFUiG6Q3PnRoQHh04hNAaQ81Q7WqH7kU4U0MW_I_nYAdy_ayGQ%253B324%253B244%253BzgRmxQkMNxWX2M%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fkk.org%25252Fcooltools%25252Farchives%25252F4669&source=iu&usg=__gNGa3833wLpVJgmNvK4aTAetK4A%3D&sa=X&ei=8cEZU6uKL-up7AaI_YCgBQ&ved=0CDwQ9QEwAw&biw=1024&bih=1378

    A

    Thanks for reply. You'll have to excuse my inexperience here but do you mean;

    Small tractor with about a 2 sod plough Or Small grubber, then hire a 2 wheel tractor with rotavator

    Small tractor with about a 2 sod plough And Small grubber, then hire a 2 wheel tractor with rotavator

    I'll check out local vintage club, however you wouldn't happen to have a link to a hire company for a 2 wheel tractor with rotavator would you? I can't seem to find on line.:o

    I just found this from a Drogheda hire firm. It's €90 for the full weekend, which seems fine. Do you think it would do the job, if I was to aim for just 1/4acre for now?
    http://www.droghedahire.com/search_result.php?page=2&offset=5&prod_name=rotovator


  • #11
    yellowlabrador
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,216 ✭✭✭yellowlabrador


    You could fence off a 1/4 of an acre and get pigs to do the job. They are great at clearing land.


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  • #12
    Base price
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 12,037 ✭✭✭✭Base price


    Syracus wrote: »
    Hi,

    New to this thread but I suspect I will be a regular visitor from here on in :)

    We have just bought a small cottage on 1 acre near Naul in Co.Meath with the intention of turning it into a smallholding, gradually, no rush. We both only have small backgarden growing experience.

    My question is, I want to plough about 1/2 acre at the moment but don't fancy doing it with a rotovator, I will if I have to but from experience it's tough going. Is there somewhere to find the services of someone with a plough and tractor that could be hired to do this small job? Say in a farmer's journal, or on the interweb? I've looked around this forum, adverts, done deal, etc., and can't seem to find anything. Am I asking a stupid question? :o

    Any advice appreciated....
    Head to Killanes pub and ask the bartender or contact: http://www.fingalvintagesociety.ie/
    TBH if the ground is old lay then you would be better off getting it all ploughed and tilled at the one time.


  • #13
    Askim
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 307 ✭✭Askim


    I ment is plough it, let it dry a bit then get a small grubber to break it down, then a couple of passes with the rotovater, the vintage club might have a tractor mounted rorovater.

    I would agree with base price get it all done, but spray it first to kill any old grass.

    A


  • #14
    Syracus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 41 ✭Syracus


    yellowlabrador wrote: »
    You could fence off a 1/4 of an acre and get pigs to do the job. They are great at clearing land.

    Yes, pigs are longer term plan.
    Base price wrote: »
    Head to Killanes pub and ask the bartender or contact: http://www.fingalvintagesociety.ie/
    TBH if the ground is old lay then you would be better off getting it all ploughed and tilled at the one time.

    If I can get someone to do it I probably will, cheers. Will spray beforehand also, cheers.

    Thanks for all your input guys, it's given me a good idea of what I should be thinking about :rolleyes:


  • #15
    Misty Moon
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 294 ✭✭Misty Moon


    I thought Naul was north county Dublin, or are there two Nauls? At any rate, when I still lived in Dublin I used to buy veg from the McNallys, who have a farm in Naul. They sold at Leopardstown on a Friday (I think) and Temple Bar on a Saturday morning - so if the pub doesn't work out you could always head to the market and get chatting there. Good luck.

    Edited to add: just googled and they have a facebook page, too, so if you do facebook, you could contact them via that.


  • #16
    Syracus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 41 ✭Syracus


    Misty Moon wrote: »
    I thought Naul was north county Dublin, or are there two Nauls? At any rate, when I still lived in Dublin I used to buy veg from the McNallys, who have a farm in Naul. They sold at Leopardstown on a Friday (I think) and Temple Bar on a Saturday morning - so if the pub doesn't work out you could always head to the market and get chatting there. Good luck.

    Edited to add: just googled and they have a facebook page, too, so if you do facebook, you could contact them via that.

    You're right Misty Moon, N. Co. Dublin. We are just accross the border in Meath. Will check them out, thanks, at least until we're growing our own hopefully...:)


  • #17
    mrswalton
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 209 ✭✭mrswalton


    Why spend your cash on ploughing and poisoning spraying your precious acre. A couple of pigs as suggested before will do the job for you?
    If you are not ready to look after livestock yet, cover the ground section by section with cardboard and a layer of tasty mulch. Check out some alternative ways of dealing with your soil before destroying it. :)


  • #18
    Username John
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,237 ✭✭✭Username John


    mrswalton wrote: »
    Why spend your cash on ploughing and poisoning spraying your precious acre. A couple of pigs as suggested before will do the job for you?
    If you are not ready to look after livestock yet, cover the ground section by section with cardboard and a layer of tasty mulch. Check out some alternative ways of dealing with your soil before destroying it. :)

    Pigs I agree could do a good job, but is putting bits of cardboard a feasible suggestion for such an area?
    I know people do it successfully in raised beds and the like. But to clear an acre?


  • #19
    El Kabong!
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 293 ✭✭El Kabong!


    There is an allotment center just near you on the road to Garristown, perhaps some of the people who work there, or some of the more active members, might have some contacts?

    I have 4.5 acres near you for similar purposes.

    Armstrong machinery have moved over to Hedgestown, somebody there might know. You could also call into the tractor parts place in Ballyboughal www.agrilineproducts.com


  • #20
    Syracus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 41 ✭Syracus


    El Kabong! wrote: »
    There is an allotment center just near you on the road to Garristown, perhaps some of the people who work there, or some of the more active members, might have some contacts?

    I have 4.5 acres near you for similar purposes.

    Armstrong machinery have moved over to Hedgestown, somebody there might know. You could also call into the tractor parts place in Ballyboughal www.agrilineproducts.com

    Great information, thanks :)


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