[AT] Plows, was Re: Supervision

[Grant Brians]

As an organic farmer, I can tell the list that plowing is an effective 
disease and weed control technique. Best used VERY occasionally. As a 
vegetable farmer, I can also attest that here in the vegetables growing 
country of California irrespective of organic or chemical growing that 
most medium to larger operations use plows for those two purposes, but 
very sparingly. Deep is the way to go for the purpose - to below the 
depth that our furrows for the beds will reach. On my farm we plow a 
given piece of land no more frequently than once per five years. Some 
fields have been plowed twice in the past ten years, some once and none 
more than once.
      In December / January when we opened up a new field that had been 
in rangeland for 40-50 years we plowed the soil after ripping (22" deep) 
and before application of compost and completion of field preparation. 
The only places where there were tumbleweeds in the crops were at the 
ends where the plow was less effective due to the lifting and turning. 
Now my standard practice is that when I get a new field or ranch, the 
moldboard plow comes out as part of initial field preparation. By the 
way, the Potatoes planted in February in that field started harvest 
Saturday. The Purple potatoes and Yellow Potatoes are fantastic with 
excellent yield. The other varieties too. The Purple, Yellow and White 
Carrots did very well in most areas too! The topsoil depth in that field 
is about 12 feet of Sandy Loam.
           Grant Brians - Hollister,California farmer of vegetables, 
herbs, flowers, fruit and nuts
On 6/29/2015 8:20 AM, Carl Gogol wrote:
> Organic farmers still use a moldboard plow. 1- for sod, 2- when they think
> they can more effectively kill weeds.
> Here in central NY, at least
> Carl
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
> [mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of Spencer Yost
> Sent: Monday, June 29, 2015 10:51 AM
> To: Antique tractor email discussion group
> Subject: Re: [AT] Plows, was Re: Supervision
>
> I used to at least see people with large gardens plowing with their 8N or
> some other small tractor.  But now-a-days even gardeners have gone no-till;
> utilizing various raised beds methods.
>
> I haven't seen a plow in the ground in 5 years
>
>
> Spencer
>