Cultivator on the Brain

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  • June 6, 2012 at 12:43 am #43863
    dominiquer60
    Moderator

    A couple years ago I bought a New 4 McCormick Deering 2 horse one row cultivator in the middle of no where NY, I found this beauty on craigslist, http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=445808944041&set=a.274346979041.179721.679389041&type=3&theater.

    It had been in a barn for about 60 years and was hardly used before that, the points show just enough wear to say that it had been used. It was in such great condition that the Mc D and IH decal is still in decent shape. Last week we brought this baby in the shop and got to loosening bolts, lubricating and going over it with a fine tooth comb. Last Friday I called Crossroads Cultivators (see info in equipment section) and ordered a lot of accessories for this unit, sweeps of different sizes, extra shanks and bolts, hillers, a small pair of discs and some old sweeps to cut down into half sweeps (these seem to be very hard to find nowadays). The original pole proved too short for the horses that I have available to me, but a quick look in the shed came up with an original pole off a #9 mower, and it fit just right. I am really looking forward to getting this up and running. Tomorrow night we will tighten up the wheel width, it is 48″ now but I would like 38″ to 40″ better I think, and Thursday we will try cultivating with it for the first time.

    Last week I used a JD riding cultivator, it worked ok and I didn’t kill too many potatoes, it was difficult because I and the mares were new to this. I have decided that I would like a small team of my own to cultivate with someday because trying to drive straight with bellies touching is difficult at best 🙂 The JD did not steer all too well and the angle of the seat vs. the lift lever was very akward. Just looking at my cultivator we can tell already that we will like it better with its more anatomically friendly features and fine tuned adjustments features.

    This year I will try to get good at this equipment with the horses and next year I hope to have the steers on it. I think that there are some crops that the ox creep gear will be handy for, but time will tell.

    I will try to remember to take pictures.

    Happy June!

    June 6, 2012 at 10:51 am #74140
    Ed Thayer
    Participant

    Erika,

    I am glad you have crops to cultivate, mine are under water 🙁

    Sounds like a nice find. I have seen on you tube a McCormick Deering converted to a one horse set up with an offset pole. Neat looking arrangement.

    Ed

    June 8, 2012 at 5:08 pm #74138
    dominiquer60
    Moderator

    Ed,
    Sorry that you didn’t need that last bit of rain. The rocky sandy loam that I was cultivating certainly needed it, that was the first good rain event in a while and well timed for us. I will look into the single set up, I can see that it is a very easy pull for 2, it took a half acre of work yesterday before they started to sweat enough to notice.

    The McCormick Deering cultivator is my new favorite garden tool. It is more adjustable, comfortable and responsive than the John Deer by far. The wooden pole is pleasant too, it makes for a much quieter and peaceful task. I started using it in some soddy potatoes in the garden, it was good but the old breaking down sod made steering a little dull and was difficult to hill with. When I got out to the field and the sweet corn that contained some rye debris the 6″ sweeps and shields shined, just skimming the soil enough to bring up a good deal of tiny white threaded weeds. I lined up to the newly planted strawberries, each with only 2-4 leaves, and took a deep breath, we started and ended with 200 plants, though one or two were stepped on, I am sure that they will survive. We then tended to the field corn until darkness reminded us that it is ok to take a break and rest up for the next day.

    It was great to have a chance to compare 2 makes of riding cultivators in the same conditions. Though the JD does not make the grade for fine cultivation, it will be a great vehicle to attach a 7′ rod tine weeder onto for blind cultivation, especially with a few modifications for creature comforts.

    I hope the weather cooperates for everyone for at least part of the year,

    June 22, 2012 at 6:58 pm #74139
    dominiquer60
    Moderator

    Finally got some pictures up

    http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151060833914042.499489.679389041&type=1.

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