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New Tool Removes Brush With Minimal Ground Disturbance
During his teen years in the 1960’s, George Garton’s job was to hand dig brush from pastures with a mattock. Grubbing the brush and roots was the most effective method for long-term elimination.
Fifty years later, in 2013, Garton had a tissue biopsy performed. The dermatologist used a sharp, curved metal blade that easily and quickly scooped out the tissue and it also healed faster than with a scalpel.
A few days later, Garton had an “ah-ha moment” and thought that such a curved blade could work on a tractor’s 3-pt. hitch and skid steer as an implement to remove brush.
He decided to design an implement that, in addition to easily removing brush, would have minimal soil disturbance, be affordable, have few moving parts, require minimal operator skill and reduce or eliminate the use of chemicals.
The goal in designing the implement was to simply be able to drive over the brush, drop the implement, scoop out the brush with its roots, and then move on to the next one.
After performing several tests in different soil types with the Brushband, as he calls it, Garton was encouraged by the results. The soil passed through the band and scooped out the brush while leaving the soil intact, leaving no holes in the ground. He also recognized that a few modifications would increase its effectiveness, especially when removing larger coppiced stools and roots.
Garton has filed a patent. He made the implement’s 3-pt. hitch from a discarded sub-soiler, and the band was water-jet cut out of 1/2-in. steel at a machine shop and rolled to the desired shape.
When he builds the next one, Garton will make the band wider, have a sharper cutting edge, and add tractor weights to assist in cutting the roots of much larger brush.
After a year’s use, Garton’s pasture looks better, is healthier and grows more grass which means a larger stocking rate per acre. He believes the Brushband would have a short payback time and it could have other uses around the farm as well.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, George Garton, 6512 Blue Quail Rd. NE, Rio Rancho, N.M., 87144 (ph 505-206-5679; georgegarton46@yahoo.com).


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2022 - Volume #46, Issue #3