Contemplating a steerable culvitator for oxen

[Andy Carson]

I am thinking about making a steerable cultivator for use behind a single ox. The plans haven’t made it out of my head yet, but I am thinking of a set-up that would be drawn behind the ox be means of a chain and steered left and right by pulling on one of two lines hooked up the the wheels. One line to turn left, the other to turn right. Not unlike the lines for a horse. If set up right, this would allow someone to work thier ox at the shoulder and still be able to steer an implement that is behind. Having lines would also give the teamster alot of freedom of movement. I would probably have the steering wheels on a caster so that with no line pressure, the implement would go forward and only turns with pressure from one sode of the other.

I am interested in hearing if anyone has heard of or seen an implement like this. No need to reinvent the wheel if I can copy something.

I am also interested in any other techniques whereby a single person can cultivate with a single ox or a team, without needing another person as a helper, esp any techniques that let you do this from the shoulder position (rather than from behind).

I cultivated by sunflowers by hand this weekend, which was a long task… Doable, but long. If I want to grow any more row crops, I will need a better system.

[Kevin Cunningham]

I am really curious to hear what you come up with. I can envision what you are talking about. I see light lines attached to the yoke maybe with pulleys that run back and steer the cultivator but not the steer. If the adjustments needed were only slight the tension might even move cultivator enough to not need wheels. Interesting idea, I need to find a way to cultivate with my steers. Every thing on the farm needs weeding right now pumpkins, corn, potatoes, onions, the possibilities for work are endless!

[Andy Carson]

The thing I can’t get around turning this in my head is that if i am working from the front and the cultivator is in the rear, visibility is going to be an issue. I am now thinking about a cultivator that is pushed ahead of the ox, buck-rake style. This would enhance visibility and pens up more possibilities for steering. Still conceptualizing this…

[mitchmaine]

hey andy,
i had a good friend that worked steers and bulls in the woods. he drove with lines like a team of horses. they had ringbolts in the yoke( like hame rings) and the lines went to their noserings. he sat behind and drove them like horses. wondering if something like that would work for you? hook your pole into the t-pin and go. most of the work cultivating seems to be steering the cultivator and worrying about the plants. don’t know if that would work for you or not. just a notion.

[dominiquer60]

Mine are getting better about driving from behind. I use halters with chains that tighten under their chins, I am having the next pair made so that one comes off the near side and the other (custom) comes off the off side. I use a set of single lines and tie their heads together. If they really wanted to take off they could, but that would be some effort on their part and they are usually not up for such antics. When Andy gets a pair of calves this is a good thing to teach them how do, it will be more of a challenge with the older team, but think of all the possibilities if you can get them driving from behind. Otherwise Andy needs to meet up with a good electrical engineer and devise a self steering sensor for an ox drawn cultivator 🙂

[Andy Carson]

I completely agree with the challenge of teaching my current team to drive from behind. Somehow, the “at the shoulder” position seems more natural and efficient. I really want to examine the possibilities of how to cultivate from the “at the shoulder” position with a single person before going down the “drive from behind” route.

Putting the cultivator in front of the oxen (and driver) seems to have some potential, but I think it will be hard to keep the cultivator from “tipping” one way or the other. I think you would have to have the bulk of the drag come from the back (to keep the cultivator strait) and maybe just have the nearest tine forward. This would mean you would have to make a tool that was as long as the ox plus the chain and the rear cultivator. Big and complicated in my mind, and you wouldn’t exactly be able to pick it up to turn it at the end of the row. This problem seems more complicated than I had origionally thought. I am becoming less suprized a tool like this doesn’t already exist… Still thinking about this, though…

[dominiquer60]

That may be why farmers had large families too, so the kids could trade off steering while Father drove the team 🙂

[henkdemink]

Andy,

You are talking about some kind of implement as the polynol of prommata.
There is a weeding device for it that could work easily, if you could control your bullocks from behind.

Henk.

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