Prairie Preserve Showcases Old Implements

Prairie Preserve Showcases Old Implements PLANTING EQUIPMENT Miscellaneous Nothing new under the sun applies to one-pass planting and practices like seeding other crops between corn rows Visit the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in Kansas where two implements are displayed that prove the old adage A McCormick Deering two-row lister planter and a John Deere-Van Brunt five-disk drill sit in the haymow of the large stone barn at the Preserve’s interpretive center The lister planter consists of a subsoiler plow share planting unit disc coverers and press wheels In its day in the early part of the 20th century it would’ve been drawn by a tractor A large disc with a dozen protrusions at the front of the lister planter appears to provide depth control for the subsoiler plow shares The planter plate mechanism is driven by a chain from the right-side press wheel which like modern planters was equipped with scraping blades The drill is a one-horse machine designed for seeding between rows of standing corn Recognizing the benefit of interseeding it was promoted as a One-Horse Fertilizer Drill A lever on the right-hand side controls the seeding rate A chain drive from the single front wheel powers the seeding mechanism An angled fender bar along each side of the drill turns aside leaning stalks high weeds or trash Meanwhile angled bars on the outside of each hand grip protect the operator’s hands from being cut by corn leaves A sheet metal corn turner or shield could be attached to the front of the drill to keep from damaging standing cornstalks Neither implement has been restored although all components appear to be accounted for Nevertheless they provided a clear window into past practices being renewed today if in different ways Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve 2480B KS Hwy 177 Strong City Kan 66869 ph 620-273-8494 x270; www nps gov/tapr/index htm

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