Questions about plowing

Brad Gyde · Oct 4, 2010

Ok guys,

I'm looking for some insights on plowing.. I went to a so called "plow day" over the weekend (4 of us in all) and we did what we could, but we probably made a bigger mess than we did anything.

I'm wondering if some of you all can give me some pointers on how to go about plowing. I was always told it's more of a art than anything.. but no one around here has plowed in nearly my lifetime.

My biggest question I guess would be what is the proper way to "close" the field/land out?

I was also told you're supposed to "plow" the deadfur closed.. How would I go about doing that?

I'll likely never be "perfect" at plowing, but I'd like to learn as much as possible about the subject, so any pointers would be helpful.

Thanks,

Brad

senoj · Oct 4, 2010

One plows the furrows in one year, plow the furrows out the next time field is plowed. Therefore one leaves a dead furrow
for the next time field is plowed. If in sod you can find it. We disced the d, forrow twice.
A large field should have at least two lands,even three for large fields . Otherwise one is traveling to far on the ends.If I remember right lands were made 40 rods wide, to be the most suttable size. gg

RyanTN · Oct 4, 2010

Check out this manual at the link below. The book is called Tractor Ploughing. It was written in Great Britain to show farmers how to use these new gadgets call tractors. The basic principles still apply. Under the "contents" heading on the below link, you can view each page. I printed them and made a little book that I give out to fellow hobbyist that didn't grow up on a farm and don't farm for a living.

http://chla.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=chla;idno=3130197

The Dukester · Oct 4, 2010

If you're going to a plow day the backfurrows (first trips across the field) will probably be already done so all you'll have to do is plow like the others are doing. Just getting your outfit set up properly is about all you must learn to get started and the best way to do that is get someone experienced to help you...it's complicated, believe me. John Deere put out some excellent advise on plowing in their "Care and Repair fo Farm Machinery" books. There are many editions of these books but any of them from edition V on will have the info to get you going. But personal guidance is still the best help you can get.

showcrop · Oct 5, 2010

A friend recently gave me a copy of edition twelve, I've been reading some every night, very interesting.

mkirsch · Oct 5, 2010

Plowing is definitely an art.

At a plow day you really need at least one person that has a clue what they're doing, to get the first round in place. From there, it's just a matter of following the open furrow and rolling dirt over.

I've never heard of plowing a dead furrow closed until today. Usually the last pass is just a narrow strip of unplowed dirt, which you knock over with the front bottom of the plow.

Leroy · Oct 6, 2010

We always did that.

Questions about plowing

Brad Gyde

Member

senoj

Member

RyanTN

Member

The Dukester

Well-known Member

showcrop

Well-known Member

mkirsch

Well-known Member

Leroy

Well-known Member

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