Expert: Richard Clark - 1/23/2008

Question
Richard,
I am about to purchase a rental property on 1/4 acre of land. I have little desire to mow the thing this summer. I do have a  chevy pickup and was wondering if there is a way to cut the grass/brush/weeds while my pickup tows something behind it. I recall seeing on a ranch years ago what appeared to be a chain link fence being drug behind a tractor. Would this work? Do you have any ideas?

Thank you so very much,

Richard
Colorado Springs, Colorado

Answer
Richard
  Dragging a chain link fence behind your pickup would be so light that it would ride on top of the brush and do nothing.If you were to put enough weight on it to hold it down, your pickup could not pull it to do any good.
  If you could rent a tractor and a brush hog, you could cut all vegetation down to start controlling it. But nature takes over and it will start growing again.
  You could get some livestock and keep it grazed down if there is enough for them to eat. You need some way to cut it down instead of dragging a harrow like the fence over it. This would only lay the grass over for awhile.
  This is my suggestion without knowing what is growing on the property.  Good luck.
Richard