Classic Ploughing

There are even some Cubs working.
Classic Ploughing

Thanks for the link. I've seen similar videos before, Please explain a bit about the rules or guidelines. Why is everyone going so slow?? How deep are they plowing? Why do most of them have a guage wheel on the land side? I've never seen anyone break out a land that way before, why?? Thanks, Chris

Interesting , a lot of Fordsons which I was very happy to see . Didnt see any with the Oliver number seven ,that I get ,just something I like.
Im more interested now from seeing it to look over here for a place to do that ?

Neat video..... Going terrible slow?

It's clearly a neatness competition, not everything is about speed like in the US.

Ahhh .. I always thought the dirt turned better with a bit of speed?

The tradition is still strong in central Mn.




A local girl annually holds her own and is a 3rd generation plougher. An early picture of her grandpa from 1965. The pictures arent great.

Ive posted here before the graphics from an early Fordson catalogue. It seems they were promoting the Oliver plow as the companion to the Fordson in those years before the N series and Dearborn.

Well i went to Jordan Minn, for a threshing show, and they had a plowing competion there,Somebody there told me they reason they plow so slow, is too leave the land with the ripples in it, as to prevent blowing,and with the added straw or stubble in it, it had some merit, all i know the shares would last longer!

Im not familiar with rules .
I see guys picking up clumps and putting by hand, ? to level Why ?
It something no farmer has time to do , I thought was the skill of the operator and his plowing equipment ,tractor ,plows viz.
my thoughts
And I see guys walking behind the and standing on the plows to make them dig in , or level out. Why ?

Lotsa beautiful sounds there, 'specially the first half!!!!

I will try and explain some of the rules but they do vary. The idea is to keep as straight as you can, cut all the ground, leaving no stubble/weeds showing, keep a constant depth, usually between six to eight inches although some go up to ten inches.

Your opening top should be level with the furrows on either side as near as possible and your closing furrow must be shallow as possible. (Something I have great difficulty in doing. I can get the opening top perfect but always make a bit of a mess with the final furrows). the judge will place a level over the starting furrows to make sure they are all even.

The extras on the ploughs are all to help get the perfect ploughed plot, something that you would not do in real life. You will see people clearing straw of the plot which you would not normally do. You will also see people using spades to complete a turned furrow, (I do not agree with either). The plough cross shafts are hydraulically variable to allow the furrow width to be adjusted to the nearest 1/4. Some times Patters are fitted to the rear of the plough bodies to firm the furrows.

Sometimes you will see things called boats pulled along each furrow, this is something called High Cut ploughing and it leaves the furrows with sharp points and deep joins. The reason for this is, when the seed is sown by hand, it falls into the channels and a light harrow will follow to cover it.

I have judged some local ploughing matches. In matches here, the only person allowed on the plot is the tractor driver, until the plot is completed.

I love ploughing but only with an original, as sold unmodified plough. I feel that is where the ploughmans skill comes into play.

Are they plowing their dead farrows first?

I do see some are back farrows.

This post was edited by J.Wondergem on 02/26/2022 at 08:04 am.

Some does while other ground does not. Depends on soil type and type of moldboard, some are high speed while others work best at about 2 MPH.

The rules certainly don't address the paint on the tractor LOL

They plow the open split 2 furrows wide.
After it is judged they plow in the crown.
This way all the ground under the crown is plowed.
All the roots have been cut off.
Jim