In Reply to: plow set up posted by Earl on February 19, 2024 at 14:30:56:
Earl, FYI & FWIW:
Plowing with a 2-bottom plow can be and is a fun experience. Learning and working a field makes you feel like an old time farmer again. That being said, know that plowing today is considered obsolete as the modern NO-TILL FARMING practice has been used for a few decades now. All the mega-farms use it as soil erosion was researched years ago it was found that when a field sat with soil fully exposed months, natural wind and weather erosion removed and destroyed a lot the topsoil.
You will rarely see a plowed field anymore but there are many still around. I see a few in my area now today. The old method was, after the crop harvest in the fall, the corn stubble and other dead vegetation would be plowed under and the field would sit like that til spring. In the spring the farmer would then begin to work the field in prep for planting a new crop. Usual procedure was to plow again, run the disc harrow, then plant/seed. Now some farmers planted winter wheat and rye with a grain drill and by spring the crop would be ready for harvest.
With NO-TILL Farming, the farmer would leave all the stubble and vegetation in the field all winter which prevented severe soil erosion. In the spring the farmer then needed to only run a disc harrow across the field to turn all the old vegetation under and then he could plant his new seed beds.
There are plenty of folks still plowing though. As stated before, NO-TILL FARMING is mainly done today on the bigger, commercial agricultural farms geared for high volume production. Many of us still love to plow with our little gardens and food plots. I used to work my garden and food plots as well as a few neighbors too. We’re talking ¼ to 1-3 acre plots. I’d plow in the spring. Then run the disc harrow real good. This prepared the soil for a good seed bed. For deer food plots, I’d plant seed with an old hand seeder, sprinkling rye or wheat in some fields and brassicas, clover, and turnips in others. Then I’d hitch up my disc and set it so only the front gangs were lightly engaged. This was very effective in getting the fallen seed buried but not to deep it wouldn’t grow. In a week to ten days you’d see little sprouts appearing.
The wheat and rye would stay all fall and winter and in the spring would shoot up. The deer ate this up like candy in the cold months. Around Memorial Day I’d then bush hog the wheat/rye down, plow to bury the trash, disc for a smooth seed bed, then prep for another planting season.
You can find plowing demonstrations at tractor shows all over in the spring, summer, and fall as members will bring their machines to actively show off their plowing techniques. You can learn a lot from these fellas and they’ll be glad to share their advice with you. What's your story? Enjoy.
1948 FORD 8N & DEARBORN 10-8 MOLDBOARD 12”, 2-BOTTOM PLOW – TIM DALEY, OWNER/OPERATOR:
Tim Daley (MI)