Yeomans Keyline Plow

[Haz]

Has anyone ever heard of P.A. Yeomans or a type of chisel plow called the Yeomans Keyline Plow. I just read a book called "Water for Every Farm" and it is a very interesting book about improving soil and preventing erosion. It is very popular in Australia. Here is a link to their website and also to some information about the Keyline concept of soil and farm improvement. Yeomans Plow Co.

Haz

 

[ScottAR]

Looks like the same princple as a subsoiler or root plow. In Cailfornia, they use deep rippers usually pulled by a large crawler. Here's a D9 pulling a 7ft. ripper.

 

[ScottAR]

Another. **Really Pullin'!**

 

[mick21]

The Yeomans Keyline plow is not quite as popular as it once was in OZ. The concept was to break into claypans caused by years of shallow culivating, normally discing at the same depth over and over.
Root growth is restricted by this and the idea of the plow was to crack into the pan for the roots to grow deeper and for better rain penetration.
Unlike the dozer type ripper the yeomans plow was designed to work just below the pan, whereas the ripper works much deeper.
The negative to the ripper is the high horsepower requirements and in Australia the soil profile is generally only shallow. Horsepower requirment for the Yeomans plow was around 11hp per tyne, this may vary with soil types.
Often coulters were fitted so as to cause minimal pasture disturbance.
Another similar unit made by Agrowplow is also popular in Australia and in my opinion the better unit.

 

[Slamfire]

Sounds and looks like the "zone building" concept currently touted on "AG PHD". The object is to break though the second layer of compaction. It ain't caused by tractors and implements running over the ground, but by the weight of the ground itself. Current practice is to cut a slot every 18" in a field using 36" rows. They claim you have to get down 20" minimun, and prefer 2'. The one at the US site doesn't go deeper than 18 inches. Keep the tractor off the slots, and they'll last for 20 years or so. I've seen films of holes dug in fields that show the 2 compaction layers and crop roots going down as deep as the slot itself. Benefits are drought resistance, the moisture is present down there even when the surface is powder dry. You alternate the planting rows by half row width every year. Claims of 200 bushel corn and 90 bushel beans are common. They are currently t banding the fertilizer applications. Good idea, but I think the wrong premise, Volcanos release more CO2 than the soil in the midwest. The sun causes the perodic warming and cooling cycles of the earth. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Haz]

Mick21,

Are you from Australia? I did notice some mention of the Agrowplow but haven't run across any pictures of it. I did talk with Market Farm in Western PA and he has the Yeomans rippers mounted on a US made frame. They run about $3500. Have you done this type of plowing and what makes you prefer the Agrowplow? I am quite new to all of this. My soil on my farm is very compacted and drains water poorly with shallow root growth. There are still some very large rocks throughout the fields that I have to deal with so I may end up getting some big equipment to come in at least to start with. One or two ponds may be in order to deal with the tremendous amount of water runoff that we get on this farm.


Haz

 

[mick21]

Haz,
yeah mate I'm an Aussie.
The Agroplow may not be available to in the States. It is manufactured in Australia, and the principles and tyne designs are very similar to the Yeomans. They are seprated easily by their colours, The Yeomans plow is silver and the Agrowplow is blue or purple.
The Agroplow has a stronger frame and is available in wider widths, mainly to suit broadacre use and the cotton industry. The Yeomans is still a good unit and better matched to your L3430, just don't over do it width wise.

One problem you may encounter is with you rocks. Are you considering a spring tyne unit or a shear pin type? If you are real rocky you may like to look at an Aer-way type aerator (if available). These units are more popular in stony areas because they can rise over large rocks and not bring any to the surface, whereas the yeomans can bing some rocks to the surface defeating the minimal disturbance idea.
The aer-ways are like a knife aerator that you see on golf courses but much much heavier. Their reps claim to be magic on allowing water to penetrate into the ground, but I doubt they are as effective with clay pans.
A Yeomans plow will be the cheaper option, however just not great with rocks.

The Autralian machinery industry is dominated by US made equipment so it's great to see some of our machinery over there.

Regards
Mick21

 

[tomnky]

Aer-Way
Is this the type?

 

[mick21]

That indeed in the machine that I am speaking of, One of my friends used one of these machines with good results, however there needs to be a reasonable amount of moisture in the soil. You may find that in takes a couple of workings to get the desired effect, first time up.
This is a good site which may answer a lot of your questions, just remember that a lot of it is sales talk.
Don't discount the Yeomans plow though. It is an old proven principal.

 

[Haz]

Thanks Mate!

I wonder why this type of plow has not caught on in the States. It seems like a good way to improve soil health without a lot of fertilizer and it also helps improve water problems. I do have a lot of rocks on my property so the Aer-Way may be a good option. I will have to check it out.

Thanks
Haz