[AT] potato planting

[Ron Cook]

Charlie,
     When I was growing up, we planted potatoes.  Well, not me 
actually.  My dad almost ran over a half brother during the potato 
picking up operation in 1950 with the landlord's new Dodge pickup. He 
was two at the time.  Last spuds ever raised on that place.  I know they 
were planted in the listed rows, but did not pay any attention at age 7 
as to how they were planted.  I would guess they were hand planted, but 
in the furrow.  Then hilled with the cultivator later.  Probably a 
couple times.  I do know it was some sort of sandy leaning ground where 
they were planted.  Very soft and dusty when my 1/2 brother got pushed 
down with a pickup tire on his arm next to his head.  Saved him.

There is, however the rusted and rotten remnants of a potato planter 
along a fence in the grove.  It has been there since there was a fence, 
probably.  Pretty much gone.  The old potato digger is there and could 
be made operational again.  No wood on that, so it is still in one piece.
Ron Cook
Salix, IA
On 4/15/2013 3:44 PM, charlie hill wrote:
> Ron when I was growing up that was pretty much standard for all garden rows
> as well as tobacco rows.
> Then we had a board or something similar to a grader blade that knocked off
> the top of the row to
> make a flat spot for planting.  Folks still do it here for gardens.   For
> big time farming it's all done
> with one machine as Grant described.
>
> Charlie
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ron Cook
> Sent: Monday, April 15, 2013 2:14 PM
> To: jdat ; Antique tractor email discussion group
> Subject: [AT] potato planting
>
> Has anyone used a lister to prepare a potato patch for planting?
>
> Ron Cook
> Salix, IA
>