In established sod, such as the field that FarmerZeb is plowing, I would have taken the vegetation down with herbicide, (like Roundup, or, if it's all broadleaf, 2,4-D) disced it and planted soybeans. I do this with either a Great Plains no-til drill or, if I decide it would be better to apply liquid fertilizer, with a JD conservation planter. Deeper tillage will be automatic as the roots of the previous crop decompose. Subsequent tillage following the harvest of the soybean crop will be with a deep conservation ripper with no-til shanks and points and left until spring at which time the field cultivator will be utilzed just before planting corn with just one pass. In answer to your question as to how to pull a field cultivator in established sod, I haven't tried it but I do remember breaking up sod with an 8' JD quack digger many years ago. The trick is to use narrow sharp points and to just "hen scratch it" the first time or two and then go deeper. The field cultivators now days have ample trash clearance and with sharp narrow points, it would probably be very do able. But, with such tools as roundup and no-til planters and drills there is no need to do that. Also, with the many tillage choices available to the farmer today it blows my mind to see anyone moldboard plowing anymore. Many of the Amish farms I drive by don't even employ it. They just hire their neighbors with tractors and chisel plows. Getting back to Farmer Zeb's field, he has taken what appears to be a nice smooth field and made a total mess of it. Discing, several times, with a cultipacker behind, might get it back into some semblence of order but think of the time, fuel, wear and tear, etc. You'll never convince me that moldboard plowing has any place on a modern farm. OK as a demonstration, like threshing, or chopping wood, or hand pumping water, or lighting lanterns or hand milking or using horses, etc.
We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]
Today's Featured Article - Third Brush Generators - by Chris Pratt. While I love straightening sheet metal, cleaning, and painting old tractors, I use every excuse to avoid working on the on the electrics. I find the whole process sheer mystery. I have picked up and attempted to read every auto and farm electrics book with no improvement in the situation. They all seem to start with a chapter entitled "Theory of Electricity". After a few paragraphs I usually close the book and go back to banging out dents. A good friend and I were recently discussing our tractor electrical systems when he stated "I figure it all comes back to applying Ohms Law". At this point
... [Read Article]
Latest Ad:
Oliver 550 Diesel runs like a watch three point hitch pto engine gone threw about two hundred hours ago nice clean tractor
[More Ads]
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy
TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.
