Oh, you want to detect the laser, not the receiver. Big task for a beginner.
I would make the laser send out pulses (1 ms?) of 38kHz (or 36 or 40kHz) modulated beam, and build the receiver starting with a IR detector module from a VCR or such.
But without the rotating laser and the scrapper (scraper?) controls you'll really have nothing.
I know it's not electronic, but I would use a visible laser and shine it at a mark on the tractor or scraper.... and do the leveling in the evening (or moonlight) if the sunshine is too bright during the day. It's not like any particular field will need leveling every crop.