Plow buying advice needed

kyabrams66 · Jan 26, 2017

I have absolutely no experience with plowing but want to do 5-10 acres this spring. I'm looking for some advice on these particular plows. I've been watching the local CL and it looks these two would fit the bill. I have a JD 5101E (101 HP 4WD). Assuming they can each be had for the same $$ , which would be better and why. I'm guessing that the JD would be easier for parts but what do I know?

MF plow

John Deere 3 bottom plows

Shaneard · Jan 26, 2017

If you have 101 HP & 4WD you need 5 bottom plows, not 3. John Deere plows pull hard, MF plows pull easier. MF 43's are really good plows but hard to find. Look how available wear parts are for certain plows, shares, shins, land slides, mold boards etc. Ford 101 plows are really good plows but getting hard to find parts for. A lot of farmers have gone to no-till thus reducing the need for plow replacement parts. Agri-supply has a good selection of plows parts. Also get a set of 16" or even 18" plows for your HP not 14". If you can find a set of rollover plows that would be good for your tractor as well, may have to drop back to 3 bottom because of weight if you go that route. My dad has been pulling 3-16"s with a 2 WD 40 HP John Deere since 1970 and we have red, tight land here. One other thing, if your going to plow in 4WD you'll need a fuel tank near by, if your going to work the horses you got to feed them!

arrow · Jan 26, 2017

kyabrams66 said:
I have absolutely no experience with plowing but want to do 5-10 acres this spring. I'm looking for some advice on these particular plows. I've been watching the local CL and it looks these two would fit the bill. I have a JD 5101E (101 HP 4WD). Assuming they can each be had for the same $$ , which would be better and why. I'm guessing that the JD would be easier for parts but what do I know?

MF plow

John Deere 3 bottom plows

I have an acquaintance that does 30 acres on his commercial farm with a rototiller attach on his 85 hp tractor. He's gone both routes and likes the "one pass" deal with the rototiller. He now plants in rows with the rototiller but he needs to provide paths for pick it yourself clients.

HCJtractor · Jan 26, 2017

you have plenty of power. The more bottoms , the faster. But after you plow, I think you still will need to disc and drag a harrow of some kind to break up the clods and level it. So expect many passes.
I would use a heavy disc harrow instead. Then it still will need smoothing. And a tiller would certainly work. But I've never used that method. From what I've seen, larger areas are usually disked, with enough passes to break it up, then drug over to level, or even cultipacked

oosik · Jan 26, 2017

I have opened virgin acreage with a plow - 10 acres. Its a multi pass operation - plow, disk, then some type of drag. I would much rather have the option of one pass with a rototiller.

kyabrams66 · Jan 26, 2017

Everybody here has gone to no till long ago too. The purpose for the tilling is really because my 6 yr old son has become very interested in arrowheads, takes after his old man, so I promised that I would till up a few acres on a likely ridge for him to be able to search. Additionally, I promised the wife I would plow her a good sized garden. I'm trying to not break the bank and figured a 3 bottom plow and a disc would set me back about 7-8 hundred. If it wasn't for the arrowhead aspect I would much rather go the rototiller route.

Shaneard · Jan 26, 2017

kyabrams66 said:
Everybody here has gone to no till long ago too. The purpose for the tilling is really because my 6 yr old son has become very interested in arrowheads, takes after his old man, so I promised that I would till up a few acres on a likely ridge for him to be able to search. Additionally, I promised the wife I would plow her a good sized garden. I'm trying to not break the bank and figured a 3 bottom plow and a disc would set me back about 7-8 hundred. If it wasn't for the arrowhead aspect I would much rather go the rototiller route.

If your only wanting to look for arrowheads get you an offset hare, do that first and do your search then get you a plow and roll it over. Let it rain on it several times etc. and keep looking. That way what ever is near the top will still be near the top and you won't plow it under the first time.