Virtual Ploughing Tuition

[Howard150]

He had a right to be smiling! He ploughed an absolute cracker of a plot, right from opening to finish there weren’t many plots that day in the vintage mounted that looked as good as Bobby’s! @Howard150 Did you win the British that year as well?

Did indeed thanks David. In the bank of plots nearest the road the first 3 plots were covered for the greater part in laid straw. I had the first plot and was lucky that the straw could be thrown sideways off the plot Great sportsman that he is, Stuart Burden came over to me to tell me that I could not move the straw once ploughing had started. Lucky for me I had the end plot. Stuart and Mike Holloway had the next two plots. Both covered in straw. The rest of the field wasn’t too bad. Mike was really wound up and aggravated about it as the stewards soon found out. As if the straw wasn’t enough, the star tube I had for sliding the depth wheel in and out split as I started to chip back in. Ploughed the whole plot with the finishing wheel and no marker. Happy days.

Just as an aside for those faced with a magnitude of laid straw. Always have a good hay rake with you. Look closely at the direction the straw is laid in. Just hope this is the right way round! Any laid toward you rake it off. Any laid away from the work rake it off. If you don’t have time leave that that’s laid away from you or that that’s laid toward the work. If you have any spare time then rake that off next that’s laid to the work. Leave that that’s laid away from you down the plot till last as that will normally plough in unaided, as will that laid toward the work.
hope this saves you some work.

 

[wuddy]

Did indeed thanks David. In the bank of plots nearest the road the first 3 plots were covered for the greater part in laid straw. I had the first plot and was lucky that the straw could be thrown sideways off the plot Great sportsman that he is, Stuart Burden came over to me to tell me that I could not move the straw once ploughing had started. Lucky for me I had the end plot. Stuart and Mike Holloway had the next two plots. Both covered in straw. The rest of the field wasn’t too bad. Mike was really wound up and aggravated about it as the stewards soon found out. As if the straw wasn’t enough, the star tube I had for sliding the depth wheel in and out split as I started to chip back in. Ploughed the whole plot with the finishing wheel and no marker. Happy days.
View attachment 883644
Just as an aside for those faced with a magnitude of laid straw. Always have a good hay rake with you. Look closely at the direction the straw is laid in. Just hope this is the right way round! Any laid toward you rake it off. Any laid away from the work rake it off. If you don’t have time leave that that’s laid away from you or that that’s laid toward the work. If you have any spare time then rake that off next that’s laid to the work. Leave that that’s laid away till last as that will normally plough in unaided, as will that laid toward the work.
hope this saves you some work.

I was the same at soham one year, can’t remember if all the plots were chopped straw or just mine as I had the end plot next to the headland! Cleared it off the start, ploughed the rest in and finished 5th!! Good old epics saved some work that day!

 

[Ley253]

I well remember Wittering, looked like a deep litter chicken shed, minus the chickens, and over cotswold brash! I did well, won a prize, pity it was the chance to plough some more of it on the Sunday!

 

[arcobob]

I was the same at soham one year, can’t remember if all the plots were chopped straw or just mine as I had the end plot next to the headland! Cleared it off the start, ploughed the rest in and finished 5th!! Good old epics saved some work that day!

I think that was the second Soham champs just after Crockey Hill or maybe Lincoln. I think the land had been in strawed carrots the previous winter, covered with about 60 tons per acre of straw. I also recall that they irrigated it just before the match. My plot was not too bad as I was in the middle but I can well imagine anything near a headland would have been murder. The high cut boys were moaning because their work looked rubbish. As usual the elite were on the best ground near the road where the vintage had been two years earlier.

 

[wuddy]

I think that was the second Soham champs just after Crockey Hill or maybe Lincoln. I think the land had been in strawed carrots the previous winter, covered with about 60 tons per acre of straw. I also recall that they irrigated it just before the match. My plot was not too bad as I was in the middle but I can well imagine anything near a headland would have been murder. The high cut boys were moaning because their work looked rubbish. As usual the elite were on the best ground near the road where the vintage had been two years earlier.

Can’t remember the year to be honest but yes The second time being held there and was definitely irrigated beforehand! It was really nice ground to plough would have been excellent without the Straw!!

 

[arcobob]

I well remember Wittering, looked like a deep litter chicken shed, minus the chickens, and over cotswold brash! I did well, won a prize, pity it was the chance to plough some more of it on the Sunday!

Can`t remember that Harry, but then I am not as old as you. ? ?

 

[Ley253]

Was on Farmers weekly farms I believe. RAF Wittering was the other side of the hedge

 

[arcobob]

Was on Farmers weekly farms I believe. RAF Wittering was the other side of the hedge

You mean the A1. All crap land anyway, I know it well.

 

[TrickyT]

Uncut or lots of straw left is a PITA for a Fergie!

This was a match in 2018 where there were a few plots that the combine didn't do properly, the stubble was 12" tall in places and it looked like the baler driver had a bad day.

I cleaned off what I could, but was a losing battle.

@MrNoo had it even worse. This was just some of what he had to try and remove.

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

Uncut or lots of straw left is a PITA for a Fergie!

This was a match in 2018 where there were a few plots that the combine didn't do properly, the stubble was 12" tall in places and it looked like the baler driver had a bad day.

I cleaned off what I could, but was a losing battle.

@MrNoo had it even worse. This was just some of what he had to try and remove.

View attachment 883898

Trevor you need to buy half a tonne of gravel from builders merchant for that

 

[Ley253]

One nr Silverstone like that, except rumour had it that father wanted the match, son didnt! Son was combine driver, and I dont think they baled much straw that year!

 

[ploughman61]

One nr Silverstone like that, except rumour had it that father wanted the match, son didnt! Son was combine driver, and I dont think they baled much straw that year!

2018 was at twycross near Tamworth, they fell out with sop site should have been on nice level ground before the fall out, then put it on banky ground and ended up loaning a field from next door neighbour.

 

[Ley253]

I cant remember when the Silverstone area national was, but would think it must have been in the 1990`S, I seem to remember that it was wet as well.

 

[ploughman61]

I cant remember when the Silverstone area national was, but would think it must have been in the 1990`S, I seem to remember that it was wet as well.

Well it is wet most years

 

[Fergie Ploughman]

I ploughed for years with repro’s, nothing wrong with them, got me placed at the National a few times. Mine came off Westlake originally. They’re more flexible and wear out quicker than the genuine Kristeels. My repro’s were worn down to a couple of MM when I swapped them out. My Kristeels were fitted brand new and it’s taken several years for them start and shine up! I can’t say I really notice any improvement in ploughing to the repro ones, but glad I invested as I’m sure they’ll be better longer term.

 

[Cordiale]

I have read in the Ransomes plough book that there is a match tcn as well as a commercial one. If so can anyone explain the differences please.

 

[Howard150]

Generally the TCN frogs used on TS86’s had only one hole in the top and one on the side for attaching the share. They are also slightly further forward at the top of the shin/mouldboard but you can replicate this by putting a washer in there between the frog and the board/shin. You can get too much of a good thing though. Don’t overcook it.
Early frogs on conventional ploughs had the same hole configuration. Sometimes a bit more push in wet sand will give you a better shine on the work. In heavier land too much push on the board will put a few osses’ eds up and leave the work open. Don’t make the furr hole any wider than you need for your tyre. Generally speaking Ransomes boards when fitted need 2 flats of push on the adjuster from being at rest. Ensure adjustable mouldboard stays Are well oiled and free.

As tractors got bigger so tyres got wider. The next generation of frogs had two holes in the top and one in the side. They are more abrupt and leave a wider furrow bottom. OK if you can’t find anything else but not ideal.

As far as I am aware the latest ones had just 2 holes in the top. Best left to the reversible ploughmen amongst us!

hope this helps.