Plowing 101

Depends a bit on the size and shape of the field but given a large one you figure out the longest distance you want to travel on the end then multiply times 1 1/2. Then from the edge of the field step off that distance and put a flag in the fence or on a stick that you can see from the far end. Go to the far end and step off same distance and mark somehow. Go to that spot drop the plow and STOP. Find the flag on the far end and take off. Do not take your eyes off the flag and you will have a straight headland, everytime you take your eys off that flag you will have a crook in the furrow. Plow that land inwards (headland) until it is as wide as the unplowed distance to the starting edge or fence. Then plow outward (properly called a dead land I think??) the remaining ground between your headland and the fence to a dead furrow. Repete next land over until done. In differant times you would properly finish the dead furrows and neatly plow the ends so everybody and the feed store wasn't kackling about your sloppy plowing, LOL. Now a days you dont get out of the cab and guess the land, finish the dead furrows only if you want to and who gives a rat about the ends, the big disk or digger will make it all OK in the spring.

For plowin a garden just plow one way!

Back in the day when we used to plow every field every year, we would alternate the headlands and dead furrows.  The dead furrows would always end up just a little lower (below grade) and you could tell where they were at from plowing last year.  We would then start the headland in the low spot that last year was the dead furrow, and that would help to keep the field level over time.  The dead furrows were usually used to channel the runoff water to the ditches.  there was usually a furrow around the edges of the field and that would get disked in as you worked the ground, unless it was needed for drainage.

When I plow our garden, I like to keep the dirt contained in the garden and not have it roll over into the grass. So on the edge of the long sides, I start off bymaking one pass on each side, plowing the dirt toward the center then turning right back around and plowing it toward the outside. Then I just put my right wheel in the furrow and I end up with "the trench" in the middle that I just disk in. For a garden it doesn't take me much more time and I can keep all of my dirt in the garden. I don't know plowing terms so excuse my probable poor explaining. Does anybody else do this for small scale plowing? I'm also looking for somebody that might want to have something plowed in PA. I'd like to put my CA and my "Red One" to work.