Mowing This Makes Me NERVOUS! Is There a Better Way?

How to brush hog a pond bank E327
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We are six years into a seven year effort of transforming 20 acres of "Piney Grove" in Northwest Florida into our dream homestead/mini farm to be filled with animals and joy. We plan to have a variety of miniature critters on our pastures, raise free-range chickens, grow fish in our pond, garden, plant fruit and nut trees, and harvest wild game. Our goal is
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[@PineyGroveHomestead]

One of my favorite Brush Hog videos to make: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aH3XfH-CgtyGiKc Cutlass Mower Blades cutlassblades.com/shop-cutlass-blades/ Discount Code: BRB123 QC-Mate X-Boom Hydraulic Coupler Clamp: www.skidsteersolutions.com/ Use PINEYGROVEHOMESTEAD for 5% off anything on the website! New way to fence your land! Cat's Claw Fasteners. Use code PGFREE for free shipping! fencingstaples.com/ Or Amazon Affiliate Link: amzn.to/4dDcaJ7 This is our Amazon store with affiliate links to products we use on the channel. It doesn't cost you anymore and it helps support the channel, THANKS! www.amazon.com/shop/pineygrovehomestead-tractorsandoutdoors Some of our favorite products on Amazon (affiliate links): Blade Sharpener Guide: amzn.to/4dGYZa5 Dewalt 20V Cordless Grinder: amzn.to/4bF2trS Flap discs: amzn.to/3UKEzo0 Grinding wheel: amzn.to/3K95ipi Proven Industries Trailer Lock: amzn.to/3WVzytv Flex Tape: amzn.to/3R4MdWm Mechanix Leather Gloves: amzn.to/3HjoZZf Titan Post Hole Auger: amzn.to/3toHEx2 Ratcheting Fence Tensioner: amzn.to/3aEfSX0 Pope and Pipe Level: amzn.to/3tqUhHX Fence Post Puller: amzn.to/3QbcNhy T Post Manual driver: amzn.to/39dwt3J Come Along Winch: amzn.to/3aQMqND Clip bending tool: amzn.to/3xlqrG0 Mechanix Leather Gloves: amzn.to/3HjoZZf 6’ Digging and Pry bar: amzn.to/3vH5Agx Dewalt 20V ½” Impact Wrench: amzn.to/3UOcXNH Dewalt 20V brushless Leaf blower: amzn.to/3zwJcYm Dewalt 20V brushless ½” drill: amzn.to/3HGXJ7z Welcome to our channel! 🎥 What to Watch Next: Fixing Leaky Pond: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hHbahIedZsaCjcU Transforming Our Property: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y5uleHiPf8qUZ7s Clearing Thick Brush with Mini Excavator: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h4exmqqFfbiKmtE Mowing Large Acreage: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYm5Znadh9hmpM0 ➤FOLLOW US on Social Media: Facebook - facebook.com/PineyGroveHomesteadAndMiniFarm/ Instagram - instagram.com/pghomestead/ TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@pineygrovehomestead Our Story: We are six years into a seven year effort of transforming 20 acres of "Piney Grove" in Northwest Florida into our dream homestead/mini farm to be filled with animals and joy. We plan to have a variety of miniature critters on our pastures, raise free-range chickens, grow fish in our pond, garden, plant fruit and nut trees, and harvest wild game. Our goal is to escape the stresses of corporate life and embrace all that country living has to offer as we enter the next chapter of our lives. Follow along on our journey! Thanks for watching and please Like and Subscribe to help our channel!! Brad & Deb

[@shanebiggers8437]

You can get a brush cutter for the mini

[@JohnDoe-id9hi]

One idea I've seen was a person used a push mower offset from his riding mower and it was approximately 10ft away connected with what looked like conduit on swivel points. He used it to mow the steep ditch on his road. There's a video of it on here somewhere.

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

That's wild!

[@charmainevandiford6622]

My Wife works with Honey and bee pollen. If your allergies bother you get some local Bee pollen Capsules. They really help but I have been told they have to be from your area to cover the things that cause your issues. The honey is good for you and we love it. I live in Eastern NC. Not too terribly different from your area. The bee pollen really helps a lot of people. They have it all natural but it doesn’t taste that good so we use the capsules. Hope this helps you!

[@lefthandedarcher2126]

That rear tire looks normal for that model brush hog, they have a bend in them brand new

[@Hunterworks]

Buy a sickle bar cutter it is the best thing I ever did for cutting around my ponds

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

We tried one last year: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5XHk4yjeq-rnrM

[@Hunterworks]

@@PineyGroveHomestead ok, why are you not still using it, better than this method for sure I would think.

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

@@Hunterworks It wasn't ours

[@Hunterworks]

@@PineyGroveHomestead I see, back to my original comments, buy one if you can and now you know what you missing out on

[@mcpiddler1135]

Best money I've spent for bush hogging is a hygraulic top link. It works great on my New Holland TN75 and Bush Hog 3308. You can pick the rear wheels up to cut up a slope and lower them way down to cut down a slope. Generally the link stays fully extended with the wheels on the ground and all the weight on the lift arms. Of course you do need rear hydraulic remotes.

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

Thanks for the tip! I don't have rear remotes on this tractor.

[@kdegraa]

Yes a hydraulic top link is the go with any mower on the back of a tractor. I don’t have one but will save up to buy one. They cost around $800 from a ag business in Australia and cost around half this off eBay.

[@georgewest2096]

I hit the blades about every eight hours because I just do it quickly with a grinder which also means I have to go under there and look. That has lead me to replacing big lots and removing a lot of wire and old fence. Also my Toro 72" has always slid with out any feeling that it is going over on a 2 to 1 or 45 degree slope. And never do what I do. I have rolled both a tractor and an excavator. In no case I was surprised. Digging for rescue or recovery on a mountain land slide.

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

Be careful!

[@RichardLisboa]

Like your video as always, and even antecipate the haters being nice and asking politely to take easy... Thanks for sharing have learned a lot from you guys... Thanks again...

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

Thanks for watching! There's always gonna be rude people....just part of this crazy social media business!

[@tracksandterrain]

Great work on the pond maintenance. Do you have any fish in there?

[@whalerlife53]

Time to buy a Ventrac.

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

We used one in this video. Nice machine. : kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6CTpWCgmsaIZ6s

[@TheRustyGarageandHomestead]

i leave my blades alone. When im brush hogging im not looking for pretty. You are right about leaving them dull when chopping down saplings. it helps alot leaving them dull. Great video Mr Brad

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

Lucas and Brock say they never sharpen. I like to give them ammo to make fun of me!

[@Skessu]

I wouldn't mow this pond bank almost at all. Maybe at one side that has the shallowest slope for access. Would just cut down saplings every couple years and maybe leave some if they are of a brush / tree species I wouldn't mind.

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

We want to be able to see snakes before they see us!

[@Skessu]

@@PineyGroveHomestead oh yeah, if it's an area with a lot of snakes that's a no brainer. On my family farm no snakes (except a couple small harmless species) have been seen for decades, though it has a lot of suitable habitat for Adders. Hence why I don't think about it at all! 😄

[@georgewindsor4182]

One of those offset flail mowers might work good on this Brad I think they are a little pricey though Good works tractor sells them and has some video showing how they work

[@rfb7117]

I agree I switched to a flail mower sometime ago just cuts grass much better and small limbs and has even survived rocks. When I had the bush mower I found new blades were extremely cheap. Bob

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

I don't have rear remotes on this tractor and the Summit is too narrow to go sideways on this slope! I need a really long sickle bar! Like in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5XHk4yjeq-rnrM

[@lorenyoder8696]

I'm here from the Ventrac video series you did a few years ago, would one of them not work better?

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

The Ventrac would be the best machine, but that wasn't ours. We own a tractor and zero turn!

[@brokenarrow2835]

I take the bushog and turn it over ,take the nut off the stump jumper and drop the whole blade assembly then you can turn it over where you can sharpen the blades with a 7'' grinder ,never block up, deadly accident waiting to happen, good luck stay safe.

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

Stump Jumpers can be hard to take off!

[@brokenarrow2835]

@@PineyGroveHomestead take the nut off the gear box shaft and drop the whole assembly, yes it is a job, I do this once a year and get a good bevel that will last longer.

[@roberthenrymatthis]

I’m a newbie and I’ve been trying to determine whether to sharpen or not… I mostly use my brush hog for field grass mowing so what say y’all???

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

For grass, it's a definite YES from me! Here's a video I did on it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nX7YaZmoiM6DbtE

[@roberthenrymatthis]

Thanks for the advice 👍👍

[@kensayre6919]

Let me tell you about my 45 year old King Cutter. Blades never sharpened. Have abused it with saplings and rocks. Gear box leaks, so I filled it with grease instead of oil. Can't kill it, it still cuts good. Like the way you mow the bank.

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

This King Kutter is 16 years old....and it has not been babied. Would love to see your blades!!!

[@TripleTAcres]

I wish there was a better way. I have yet to find it.

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

Excavator with boom mower!!!

[@TripleTAcres]

@@PineyGroveHomestead yeah for sure! Now that would be fun.

[@lyndonhamby7432]

Nice tractor 👍🏻

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

Thank you. IMO the L series is a great tractor for most properties.

[@lyndonhamby7432]

@@PineyGroveHomestead 👍🏻👍🏻

[@mrfurb73]

Have you tried to mow the bank with your toplink disconnected from the top pin of your cutter? The dealer mentioned that for me to try and it works great, esp for backing down the pond bank... the cutter 'rides' on the rear wheel and 2 lower links of the tractor and will follow the downward slope of the bank without all the raising and lowering of the 3pt arms.

[@curtwinkle2010]

If possible, get a sickle for your tractor :-) I've been considering one for my ditch as it's really soft and sandy on one side of the driveway and it's always muddy on the other side of my driveway, often pooling water after a rain.

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

We tried out one.....I want one! kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5XHk4yjeq-rnrM

[@patrickobrien5424]

Enjoyed the video and explanation of “how we do things” but if you have a better idea, let me know too. As a fellow open cab tractor guy, adding a roof over top of the tractor has made for a much more enjoyable tractor time in the summers.

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

Thanks for watching. I put a canopy on the Summit tractor recently. Getting something for the Kubota too, but with our new forestry mulcher, I'm not sure it will survive the woods!

[@patrickobrien5424]

@@PineyGroveHomestead I've only hit my canopy in the woods twice in all the years of having it. Being plastic, it just bends in and shoots back out into shape.

[@chaseledbetter5186]

You can take the top link completely off and the bushhog will just ride the breakover. Or use a chain as a top link with some slack if you need to pick it all the way up for some reason. I live on a pond with much steeper bank in the foothills of NC and thats how most ppl around here use a bushhog. Too many hills and gulleys to have a top link or yould bend the frame or at least the brace arms

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

Do you have this link between your top link and the brush hog? kzbin.info/www/bejne/aX7EfWiZeJWYhNk

[@chaseledbetter5186]

@PineyGroveHomestead no my brush cutter is made by tar river. It has a pivot link but it's only 3.5 inches from pin to bolt so it isn't nearly enough for all the hills and gulleys we have. It helps for sure but most people around here just use a chain as a top link. Unless they are transporting, if not they use nothing as a top link and let thw back just ride on the tail wheel

[@jameslaszlo-tf5nw]

Brad, 2 yrs ago you were testing the Ventrac 4520 on your property. That was a Great cross angle cutter on your banks of your pond However, is it worth the costs of another piece of equipment? For someone who has the money, that would be a good compliment equipment to have. I enjoyed your video as always. GOD Bless

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

I think about that Ventrac every time I need to mow this pond bank!

[@jameslaszlo-tf5nw]

@@PineyGroveHomestead That Ventrac is an Awesome piece of equipment, can mow your fields, brush hog through your woods, and cross mow the banks of your pond

[@johnhelbig7110]

I typically leave our rotary cutter blades dull if I’m primarily cutting brush and saplings. You mentioned the shattered stumps; that also keeps the stumps from regenerating growth and kills the roots.

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

We've got a new machine for stumps now....video coming soon!

[@JohnSmith-kd5ck]

Been a while since I last communicated with you. Two things on your pond mowing. Have you ever looked into a hydraulic rotary mower for your excavator? I have the MTL mower and a Prinoth mulcher for my Kubota KX057-5. This is a great combination for working rough, sloping, and/or tight terrain. MTL for grass and small brush and mulcher for heavy duty big brush terrain. Also, You ought to consider adding a canopy to your tractor. Sure makes a difference in this Florida heat.

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

Our KX71 is a little small for a mower BUT we are working with a company that may provide us one to demo in the future. And yes, a unique canopy solution for the Kubota L3901 is coming soon too. Thanks for watching.

[@billydeesullivan537]

You could save some money up, and have the bank graded back. To lower the angle of the bank, you can mow it easier and safer

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

We don't want to go back to this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p2S4fmV9esSfe9E

[@KingsOutdoorLife]

I sharpen every few years whether it needs it or not. I handle slopes the same way. I mow as far as I can fee comfortable "long ways first" then when I am backing up and pulling up I don't have to go as far and not leave unmown patches. Now that I have a hydrostatic drive, this is much easier to do. Much less pucker factor when you don't have to take it out of gear on a slope. Great work!

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

I definitely would not want to do with a manual transmission!

[@PeeksPeakHobbyHomestead]

I know a guy who put his in his pond... Stay safe out there!

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

Nobody wants to be "that guy". Or the guy that drops a tree on their UTV. Who does that anyways???

[@brokenarrow2835]

Find you a old sickle mower to mow your pond edges to the water.

[@stevesams1]

I agree with you, I had better results with a sharp blade. I believe, and I could be wrong that I was able to cut closer to the ground in areas and that removed danger to my tires as well as cutting grass cleanly.

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

Sharp blades cut instead of rips!

[@jimmaag4274]

I've got a Ferris 3300 and would absolutely mow that sideways. I routinely mow banks that steep.

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

We had a Ferris on the property recently: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bnK6ZnmDo7mjnZo

[@tripler3724]

I bush hogged for over 40 years before father time and a rough life caught up with me and left it to my sons and grand sons. I have three rotary cutters, two Land Prides and a Woods 10' pull behind. My starting point is to "usually" go by the manual, no "sharp" edge blades factory profile with the leading edge of the blades about an inch lower than trailing edge. This uses less horsepower. As you noted circumstances will dictate changes in blade sharpness; used them all. As to sharpening I go with as needed. We have farms in the flat-lands as well as hills and most use Woods 15' bat-wing mowers so you can see the blades it's hard to imagine how they cut. As to cab vs open station the best is both if possible. Breathing issues put me in a cab tractor but we own several open stations. I fully understand going with an open station.

[@comlbbeau]

My pond banks are a bit steeper than yours, and due to neck issues it's pure agony for me to back my Bush Hog around the edges, so I go low and slow with my gear-drive MX4700 laterally around the edges, getting within about two feet of the water's edge, four-wheel drive, and using differential braking if I need it. I can see with a cab tractor the higher center of gravity would make me very nervous, for sure. I use a weedeater a couple of times a year to take care of the edges. It's a lot of work, but definitely worth it!

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

I have to do this about 4 times a year! I need a really long sickle bar mower!

[@AdamDeal-KF0PRI]

some times there is no other option! you just gotta do it the way thay makes you feel comfertable!

[@rodgerneeb301]

The way the question is asked in the title is somewhat open ended, so the honest answer is yes, absolutely, but the realistic answer is only if you throw money at it. There are sickle bar mowers, offset flail mowers, and boom mowers, not to mention, a Ventrac and another way to deal with it, is a bat wing pull type rotary cutter. So the real question becomes how much money you would like to throw at the problem.

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

Agree! We've tried several! Sickle bar kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5XHk4yjeq-rnrM Ventrac: kzbin.info/www/bejne/kHrQdnSGrMiGp8U

[@braydenrudzinski]

Out of curiousity, why wouldn't you use one of your zero turn mowers?

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

We are not comfortable with doing that. Even with the Ventrac, it was sketchy! Ventrac video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6CTpWCgmsaIZ6s

[@braydenrudzinski]

@@PineyGroveHomestead Thank you for the response! It must be steeper than it appears on video. Great video as we are looking into ways to mow our property near Laurel Hill. We have a tractor with a brush hog but are looking for ways to be more efficient on the steep rough terain. Tractor Hard!

[@aaronburford5701]

I love Piney Grove and Brad's commentary!

[@allenbartlett3567]

what you call a top link most farmers call it a third arm

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

I grew up farming and we always called it a top link. Bush Hog / Brush Hog / Rotary Cutter, right??!!

[@johnhelbig7110]

I grew up on a farm here in Missouri and then spent my career in the farm equipment business. We always called it a top link.

[@Hfoutdoorsyt]

I've never even heard the term third arm. It's always been top link.