Grassland opening with a Horticultural plough ( single furrow)

[LeakyRabbit]

Hi,

Can some one give me a simple explanation of how to do a grassland opening with a single furrow plough. ( Horticultural class)..

 

[rick_vandal]

If nobody else wants to help, set the disc low and open a 4" deep furrow between the pegs. Turn right and do the same again so the brown bits butt up together. It will be interesting where your right wheel runs!

 

[wuddy]

i plough vintage mounted and have only ploughed grass once! Did a standard stubble opening and were allowed to roll it. As said above I don’t think you actually have to do an opening on grass and just put two furrs together to form a crown, it will depend on the match rules (if it’s a match your attending)!

 

[Mydexta]

There was a match up here reincarnated a few yrs ago and they were all on grass.

the vintage sections didn’t do a conventional style opening, the basically did a throw in.

first time up the field, between the poles, they cut a narrow shallow strip, and turned it in.

at the other end, they turned and did the same again, to leave 2 parallel strips with what was cut out, turned in between the open strips.

the strips were the width apart that each ploughman usually leaves his opening split after his chip, so once that had been done, the opened strips were where the tractor wheels ran when ploughing the first to rounds.

Hope that makes sense

 

[MrNoo]

Surely it would be very similar to the old Fergie opening, take a 3" furrow one way then drop it to 4" so the landslide has something to run against and plough another furrow out going the other way?
Have seen it done all sorts with 2 furrow ploughs from just folding 2 furrows in and another 2 the other way.
Seen 2 very shallow strips (chips) ploughed against each other then fold 2 in and another 2 on the way back, think you are actually allowed to manhandle the 2 chips, know they do with high cut.
Also saw a chap take a shallow front and 3/4 depth rear go one way then fold 2 3/4 depth furrows back over with the front sitting on top of the last shallow front, 11 furrow but it did work out well.

 

[Fergie Ploughman]

I think in my 20+ years of ploughing matches, I could count the amount of grass plots on my fingers!

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

I think in my 20+ years of ploughing matches, I could count the amount of grass plots on my fingers!

on one hand at that

 

[MrNoo]

I think in my 20+ years of ploughing matches, I could count the amount of grass plots on my fingers!

Snap but only been at it 3 years! I am always amazed what a complete mess I can make on grass!

 

[Howard150]

This is the basics of what you need. Throw two scratches out toward each other. Width between furrow walls will need to be what you normally chip in at. This one is just a tad too deep but you might struggle to do much more with a horticultural plough with no lateral tilt. The next round lay a couple of furrows half to 2/3 depth, over the top of the scratches to meet in the middle and form a crown.

Hope this helps

 

[Howard150]

Surely it would be very similar to the old Fergie opening, take a 3" furrow one way then drop it to 4" so the landslide has something to run against and plough another furrow out going the other way?
Have seen it done all sorts with 2 furrow ploughs from just folding 2 furrows in and another 2 the other way.
Seen 2 very shallow strips (chips) ploughed against each other then fold 2 in and another 2 on the way back, think you are actually allowed to manhandle the 2 chips, know they do with high cut.
Also saw a chap take a shallow front and 3/4 depth rear go one way then fold 2 3/4 depth furrows back over with the front sitting on top of the last shallow front, 11 furrow but it did work out well.

Normally there is no opening as such in grass for vintage. The one I described earlier is sometimes called a ‘tommy rig’. It is how high cut ploughmen form a start. It relies on sealing up the crown which would normally kill any underlying unploughed grass.
There is another method which relies on turning out 1 and a half furrows. On the return, the tractor tyre runs on top of the half furrow which is then buried by the first furrow of that second run.

 

[Mydexta]

View attachment 843411
This is the basics of what you need. Throw two scratches out toward each other. Width between furrow walls will need to be what you normally chip in at. This one is just a tad too deep but you might struggle to do much more with a horticultural plough with no lateral tilt. The next round lay a couple of furrows half to 2/3 depth, over the top of the scratches to meet in the middle and form a crown.
View attachment 843523
Hope this helps

It’s easier explained with pictures!!!!

 

[Fergie Ploughman]

Pictures speak a 1000 words!

Its when some crazy fool wants you to do a double split in grass.....recipe for disaster!! Brailsford did it one year, mine was semi ok, but some peoples were a right f*** up, with great clods sticking up and turf rolling back down the furrow. My nemesis made a perfect job , as always!

It is lovely to plough grass, just don't get the practice on it.

 

[MrNoo]

Very lucky last year, a friend who ploughs managed to get a grass ley (on sand) to plough, was only about 8 acres but spent a couple of days over there, was some lovely ground and went over like butter, couldnt get it to skim mind as was very thick, needed some sheep on it or better skims!! Am assured he has managed the same again for this Spring.

 

[LeakyRabbit]

Surely it would be very similar to the old Fergie opening, take a 3" furrow one way then drop it to 4" so the landslide has something to run against and plough another furrow out going the other way?
Have seen it done all sorts with 2 furrow ploughs from just folding 2 furrows in and another 2 the other way.
Seen 2 very shallow strips (chips) ploughed against each other then fold 2 in and another 2 on the way back, think you are actually allowed to manhandle the 2 chips, know they do with high cut.
Also saw a chap take a shallow front and 3/4 depth rear go one way then fold 2 3/4 depth furrows back over with the front sitting on top of the last shallow front, 11 furrow but it did work out well.

I used to plough Fergie and unfortunately it’s not but thanks for the thoughts.

 

[LeakyRabbit]

View attachment 843411
This is the basics of what you need. Throw two scratches out toward each other. Width between furrow walls will need to be what you normally chip in at. This one is just a tad too deep but you might struggle to do much more with a horticultural plough with no lateral tilt. The next round lay a couple of furrows half to 2/3 depth, over the top of the scratches to meet in the middle and form a crown.
View attachment 843523
Hope this helps

That’s the kiddie and thanks for the pictures it has explained a lot.

 

[LeakyRabbit]

Thank you all for your replies and yes it was for a match which has now been cancelled thanks to the monsoon season arriving.

All of you have helped and I am hoping to change classes next year to go to vintage or back to Fergie as all this walking is ruining my boots....