Choosing a tine harrow

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Radio interview source: Dean Wingfield, owner, Wingfield Distributors

Got too many mud clumps? A tine harrow breaks up clods of soil and gives the area a finer finish so you can seed and plant.

That's not all it can do. A harrow tills through manure piles and evenly spreads them to fertilize the pasture. Livestock have a tendency to spend more than 75% of their time on less than 25% of the pasture. Use a harrow to spread the manure across the entire pasture.

Dean Wingfield owns a company that makes harrows and says before you buy one, evaluate the materials you'll be dragging it in, such as tough ground or pastures, and what you'll use to pull it.

"We make them all the way from 4 to 50 feet," Wingfield says. "We ask customers how many acres they farm, where they're located and what type of a pulling unit they have. I'm a big believer that if you have a tractor with a 3-point hitch, you should put the harrow in a frame so you control the harrow. If it's on a draw bar, the harrow controls you."