Brian, the same question came to my mind as I was reading down to your post - why? California obviously doesn't have the freeze/thaw cycles but why does anyone anywhere need to go 36" deep??? I am also glad to finally hear someone mention the "soup" you can get after deep ripping! The soil looses it's structure, compacts more and further "proves" the need for deep ripping....a self fulfilling loop. And 35-100 gallons of diesel per hour???? with very heavy D-9's (I think of them as a tool used building highways through the mountains) compacting the soil just ahead of the ripper which is barely as wide as the tractor?? And this 36" is required to grow lettuce, etc? I guess I am just an east-of-the-rockies person. Jim at Dawn |