Lime spreader

[BenG]

I need to spread a few tons of lime on some food plots. The problem is access. Our lease is in a mountainous area and the only roads in to our plots are ATV trails. With a little work, we could widen the roads but I'm not sure we could ever get a trailer-type lime spreader up the hills, and a truck spreader is out of the question. I've looked at the small spreaders (1/2 ton to 1 ton) that can be pulled by small tractors or ATVs but they're generally cost prohibitive...at least for my budget. Does anyone know of anywhere in the general East Tennessee area where one of these small ATV lime spreaders can be rented? Or have any tips for how to make a gravity-fed spreader work?

 

[dr]

I have the same problem, one of my plots is on top of a mountain. I have used my tractor and pto driven fertilize spreader to spread 10 mesh lime which is coarser than powdered lime, so it will take longer to dissolve. I had 10 ton delivered for about $150.

Or, buy the pelletized lime by the ton, if you can get someone to deliver it. I take a grain shovel to load it into the spreader hopper. I can put 400 lb. in the spreader in about 5 minutes. I have read of people spreading the powdered lime with one of these, if it's good and dry.... I also back my tractor up the road to my ridgetop, to avoid flipping it over backwards.

 

[BenG]

Thanks for the suggestions, dr. I could get the pelletized stuff in without a lot of trouble...I just hate to pay so much more for it plus wait longer for it to work into the dirt.

I've found one of the old chain-driven pull-behind deals that require lime to be shoveled in from a trailer. It might do the trick since I can haul lime in 500-600 lbs. at a time on a small trailer, but it has been laying in a briar patch for the past 20+ years. It will be interesting to see if it still works.