I Just Disked My Regenerative Farm — Here’s Why

Turning a worn-out row crop farm into a regenerative pasture isn’t always as straightforward as people think.

Sometimes, it means doing things that look counterintuitive.

I’m in the middle of transforming this 78-acre farm into healthy, productive pasture. On a previous mission, I ran a chisel plow across this field to break up heavy compaction left behind from years of conventional farming.

That worked — but it left behind something new.

Big soil clods. Big enough to bounce the tractor. Big enough to slow progress. And too big to plant into.

So on today’s mission, I disced the field — and here’s exactly why.

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The Problem With “Clouds” of Dirt

After chisel plowing, the soil surface was broken up, but not refined. What I was left with were large clods of dirt — about the size of beach balls in some areas.

Those clods create three problems:

1. They’re hard on equipment
   One pass over clods that size makes the tractor bounce. That’s not good for the machine — or my back.

2. They prevent good seed-to-soil contact
   You can’t establish pasture if seeds fall between massive chunks of soil.

3. They slow regeneration instead of helping it
   Regenerative farming isn’t about disturbance or no disturbance. It’s about the right disturbance at the right time.

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Why I Ran the Disc (And How)

Instead of going full-speed and beating up the field, I took a slower, more intentional approach.

I overlapped each pass halfway.

Here’s what that accomplished:

• One pass took soil clods from beach ball size to football size

• Overlapping took them down further to softball size

That overlap made the ride smoother, reduced stress on the tractor, and produced a more consistent seedbed.

Once the clods reached that softball size, I stopped discing. Any more and I’d risk overworking the soil — something I’m actively trying to avoid.

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Field by Field Progress

I started with the small field first.

Once that was finished, I moved on to the medium-sized field, taking it slow — about 3.1 mph — just to get the first cut in. Speed can always come later. Precision comes first.

The large field behind the woods will wait until spring. Timing matters just as much as technique.

Before moving on, I stopped to check the soil. Some areas broke down a bit too far — closer to golf ball size — but overall, the field hit the goal.

Manageable. Plantable. Ready for the next step.

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Regeneration Is About Layers

While discing, I had time to think — and even time for a dad joke.

Why do dirt clods go to therapy?

Because they have a lot of layers to break down.

Corny? Maybe. But true.

This land has layers — physical, biological, and historical. Each mission peels one back.

And sometimes, you need the right tool to do that carefully.

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What’s Next

The disc helped refine the surface, but the work isn’t done.

Next mission:

• Chisel plow again, down 8–12 inches

• Follow it with another light discing pass

• Bring soil clods down closer to baseball size

That’s when this field will be truly ready for pasture establishment.

This isn’t about rushing.
It’s about doing things in the right order — with intention.

If you want to follow along as this farm continues its journey from worn-out ground to regenerative pasture, you’re in the right place.

I’ll see you on the next mission.