my first time plowing yesterday went o.k.

[funny farmer]

I would like to thank everyone who has left their posts and replies in the past, it was really helpfull, I had no idea all the things that one has to do to set up an old plow. ( it's a two bottom ferguson 14a) F.w.j. had the most info on this subject. By the way, did he ever start the accually starting new ground yet? The starting new ground thread was very good.
Anyway, right after begun I started expirencing problems with the plow. The cut sod would fall back into the furrows, but before I could adjust anything I ran into roots, and lots of them. The land owner said that the field had never been worked up, I didn't take it that serious cause i thought that at one point it had to been cause it was growing grass and weeds fairly good. Now I belive him cause I brought up a fairly old looking stump, whitch would have been brought up if it had actully been plowed in the past. Back to plowing, I was about to give up and I hadn't gone 100 ft yet. I was pulling clump of sod and piling it in lumps all over, pretty ugly looking, but I kept going, when i got through the roots towards the other side of the field I started adjusting the hieght with the three point controls and got to a place where the tractor would pull it easier, ( it's a ford 4000) I'm wondering now if I could move it all the way down, I'll try it today. After I made it to the other side of the field, the sod still laying back into the furrow, I drove to the other side of the field and started my way back, this side was easier not as many roots, so I started my adjustments. First I brought out the top link so the back end of the plow would be deeper, this seemed to help with the rolling issue but some of it still falls back, don't know what else I can do, with it set like this it's hard to start plowing when i start a new furrow. Made another round, fighting with the roots of course, and had to actually loosen up some bolts on the plow and move the whole thing over so that when my wheel is in the furrow the plow is cutting where it's suppose to. After a few more rounds and some minor adjustments I think I have it working pretty good, I'm away frim the edge of the field enough so the roots arn't a factor. Suppose I'll just have to rip them out by hand and disk the area as best I can for now, when i plow it again in a few years it should be easier. The thing is, it seems like it's still pulling hard, it's laying the sod down now, most of the time, but i'm working the tractor more now then i was when i was putting up hay, it's only a two bottom and I was told my tractor could pull a three bottom, but i don't think so. It's and older tractor and probably doesn't have the power it used to, but then again i might be missing something in the set up that i'm overseeing. The field is 15 acers, it might take me a while but i guess it's part of the fun. Thanks for all the advise in the past, and let me know if there is anything i can do to make it a little easier.

 

[Oleozz]

I'm sure you know this but speed is important when you are plowing. If you go to slow the sod will drop back into the furrow. What you are experiencing is fairly common in that type of ground. Every year things will get better and easier. Does your plow have draft and position controls or just the position?
In the ground you are describing even a 2 bt plow will give your tractor a workout.

 

[DANOCHEESE]

What you are experiencing is pretty normal. You have some sod bound ground. The sod is very heavy. Just keep working it. Plow it and then disc. Next years it will be better. Your tractor will pull a three bottom plow in good dirt. Also try and drop oneof the arm down so the plow looks like it is listing to the right. this will help the mold boards with rolling the sod.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

For the record, I'm planning on plowing 12 acres of old hayfield in about 2 weeks, weather permitting. It needs rain! The ground is so dry here a plow might not even get into the ground. As I'm plowing, I'll be taking a number of pictures. After that, as I get time, I'll do a follow-up on the old "Plowing New Ground" thread.

 

[funny farmer]

just the postion control on the plow, the draft I can control on the tractor, The problem i'm having now is when I first start on the first row, no matter what, it seems to want to fall back into the furrow, bout the only thing I found that helps is to make the second round half way into the first one, if that makes sense, then it seems to roll it up o.k. once it's up and over the next rows go really good. I found that 5th gear works the best, ( its a selecto speed) I'm not one to move real slow. I think when I start the next field I'm gonna drop the right control arm as low as it will go and extend the top link some more to get the back end down and see what happens otherwise i'll just have to drive over the first row twice. I only plowed 6 or 7 acres today in 8 hrs I don't know if thats slow or not but it's all I can do till I can get some bigger equiptment to play with. thanks again. and ya, whos got time for pictures? Can't wait to see them. I"m always learning something.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

How deep are you trying to plow? Too deep and the sod will almost always flop back "green side up". Remember, a 12" plow is designed to work 6" deep, 14" @ 7" deep, and 16" @ 8" deep. You can usually "fudge" an extra inch or so, but not much more. In sod, it's usually best to stick close to those depths.

A 2X14" plow, averaging around 4 mph, (which is bordering on slow) should cover about an acre per hour (or slightly MORE) 6 or 7 acres in 8 hours would probably indicate too slow ground speed. I try to plow @ or near 4-1/2 to 5 mph.

 

[funny farmer]

thats another thing, sometimes it will take 4 inches and other parts i would say its around 8 inches. must be the different conditions in the field but generally speaking it's around 6 to 7 inches, as far as speed i'll try 6th gear for a while next time and see what happens. probaly won't get out there till saturday.

 

[JoeinTX]

Hey, ff, there isn't a better teacher than getting out there and doing it.

Learning your machine, your piece of ground...........I can write paragraphs about plowing where I'm at and it won't mean a tinker's darn for what you're trying to do where you're at.


Fiddle with it, adjust it, do what looks right to you, get a few opinions from places like here.........and go with it.

Most of all, have fun and make a little scratch in process or you're just spinning your wheels.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

thats another thing, sometimes it will take 4 inches and other parts i would say its around 8 inches. must be the different conditions in the field but generally speaking it's around 6 to 7 inches, as far as speed i'll try 6th gear for a while next time and see what happens. probaly won't get out there till saturday.

Inconsistant depth is usually the result of one of several conditions;

Soil too dry/hard.

Plow shares worn.

Plow incorrectly adjusted (usually too low in rear...top link too long. Plow needs to be LEVEL front to rear when at operating depth. "Nose down" attitude can cause inconsistant depth also)

Draft control out of adjustment and/or being used incorrectly. Plow/tractor is a matter of balance. Too large (or even too small) of a plow in relation to what the tractor is designed to handle can cause poor performance of draft control system.

Subtle combination(s) of all the above

 

[funny farmer]

I think it's all 4 of the above, We've had plenty of rain but the soil is pretty hard, an inch of the share on the back bottom is broke off, I'm not sure how to tell if the plow is level so it probably isn't, and the tractor is alot bigger then the plow. I was reading a post a while back and someone was talking about their 14a ferguson, he said it was made in the early 40's. I'm just surprized that something made that long ago still works today, then I think of the tractors they had back then and how small they were compared to my tractor, and they still pulled the plow, it must have been alot more work (or they just knew how to use it)