Smaller Drop Spreaders for Ag-lime

[RGrizzzz]

Does anyone have any recommendations for a drop spreader in the 4'-8' range that's ideal for ag-lime? We had a 10'/half ton model, that was just too big for us. We used it a few weeks ago to spread 28,000 lbs of ag lime. It was hard to get into and out of some of our plots. We sold if yesterday and are now looking for something in the 6' range for when it's time to spread again.

Ideally, I'd like to find something that avoids bridging of (barely damp) ag lime, above the auger. Getting off and have to knock down the clumps 1-3 times per load was a hassle. We have a 6' Garber drop spreader, but it wouldn't spread ag lime. (fertilizer worked well) I've found Groundbuster models with dual augers, but they're pricey. (Looking for a used one) Does anyone have any other recommendations? (Or thoughts on how to find reasonably priced pelletized lime)

It seems like everything out there is geared towards farmers, and not food plotters.

 

[DocHolladay]

Buy pelletized lime in bulk, by the pallet or bulk bag. I know TSC offers a 15% discount on pallets and throw in your Tax Exempt number and it gets affordable.


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[RGrizzzz]

Buy pelletized lime in bulk, by the pallet or bulk bag. I know TSC offers a 15% discount on pallets and throw in your Tax Exempt number and it gets affordable.

It's just so much more expensive. The ag lime was $25/ton, delivered. Even if I could find 40lb bags for $1, it's double the price. I realize there's a cost for a lime spreader, but that cost goes down pretty quick.

I've found places to rent the Groundbuster, but they're an hour away from home, and then we have to get it to camp and back, and then returned.

 

[Mennoniteman]

It's just so much more expensive. The ag lime was $25/ton, delivered. Even if I could find 40lb bags for $1, it's double the price. I realize there's a cost for a lime spreader, but that cost goes down pretty quick.

I've found places to rent the Groundbuster, but they're an hour away from home, and then we have to get it to camp and back, and then returned.

Cut your access roads to 10' wide? That seems to be the size that's most readily available. There's a small john deere availabe;
https://www.homedepot.com/p/John-De...ERCH=REC-_-pipsem-_-202638982-_-100609656-_-N

 

[KSQ2]

Buy pelletized lime in bulk, by the pallet or bulk bag. I know TSC offers a 15% discount on pallets and throw in your Tax Exempt number and it gets affordable.


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How many bags do they put on a pallet?

 

[DocHolladay]

How many bags do they put on a pallet?

50. It weighs 2000lb.


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[RGrizzzz]

Cut your access roads to 10' wide? That seems to be the size that's most readily available. There's a small john deere availabe;
https://www.homedepot.com/p/John-De...ERCH=REC-_-pipsem-_-202638982-_-100609656-_-N

Some places it's just not possible to widen the road, due to ditches or terrain. A 10' drop spreader is more like 12'+ wide. With that small Deere, you'd be there forever, even if it worked, which I'm skeptical of. Was just hoping someone knows of other smaller drop spreaders that work with ag lime.

 

[DocHolladay]

We do it this way because of small foodplots, access(to small for lime truck/trailer), ease of application for us, no one rents a small lime spreader here. Would love to use ag lime, just no way to spread it evenly.


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[Mennoniteman]

Some places it's just not possible to widen the road, due to ditches or terrain. A 10' drop spreader is more like 12'+ wide. With that small Deere, you'd be there forever, even if it worked, which I'm skeptical of. Was just hoping someone knows of other smaller drop spreaders that work with ag lime.

A friend has an inaccessible half acre and wanted to spread a ton of powdered lime last winter. I told him if he wheels the bags in and scatters them across the plot I'll spread it by hand. 40-50 lb bags, dump a half bag into a 5 gallon bucket, hold it under your arm tilted slightly sideways and sling the lime about 8 feet out the side with your other hand as you walk along, so you're covering an 8' wide row. In about an hour and a half or less I had the ton spread relatively evenly. This may be a method for you to consider. Just stay upwind as you walk along and take a shower afterwards.

 

[RGrizzzz]

A friend has an inaccessible half acre and wanted to spread a ton of powdered lime last winter. I told him if he wheels the bags in and scatters them across the plot I'll spread it by hand. 40-50 lb bags, dump a half bag into a 5 gallon bucket, hold it under your arm tilted slightly sideways and sling the lime about 8 feet out the side with your other hand as you walk along, so you're covering an 8' wide row. In about an hour and a half or less I had the ton spread relatively evenly. This may be a method for you to consider. Just stay upwind as you walk along and take a shower afterwards.

Did something similar with 5 gallon buckets for a few small areas. Messy and tough on the back, but effective. Not something I'm interested in doing for multiple acres if I can find the right tool. We're a year or so out from another soil test and application. We have time to find the right spreader. Just need to know what to look for.

 

[FarmerD]

Just throwing an idea out there. Take your 6 foot gerber spreader and find a "mix" of pelletized lime and AG lime that works for you. You can also mix fertilizer in there. 1 bag of pelletized lime mixed with (approx) 200 pounds of AG lime? Something to try before you spend too much money.

I took our 10 foot International spreader and cut two, 2 foot sections out of it, to get it down to 6 feet. It works well with dry AG lime, but not as good with moist AG lime. Now, our trails are wide enough that we can get a Lime truck in, so I haven't used it in a while.

 

[Mennoniteman]

Just throwing an idea out there. Take your 6 foot gerber spreader and find a "mix" of pelletized lime and AG lime that works for you. You can also mix fertilizer in there. 1 bag of pelletized lime mixed with (approx) 200 pounds of AG lime? Something to try before you spend too much money.

I took our 10 foot International spreader and cut two, 2 foot sections out of it, to get it down to 6 feet. It works well with dry AG lime, but not as good with moist AG lime. Now, our trails are wide enough that we can get a Lime truck in, so I haven't used it in a while.

View attachment 19212

That's genius! Is that thing for sale?

 

[FarmerD]

Thank you .... It's my Grandfathers 1956 lime spreader, which he took very good care of and I just couldn't part with it, but I have helped several people in cutting theirs down.

Here's the inside.

 

[FarmerD]

It was a very useful tool, in it's day

 

[RGrizzzz]

We thought about cutting ours down, but opted to sell and look for a smaller one.