Split Shovel Cultivator

Split shovel cultivator CULTIVATORS Cultivators (58C) 11-3-8 William Dunn, Purdum, Neb., made his own "split shovels" for up-close cultivation of corn. "I saw a picture of this type of shovel which was made 50 years ago or so. The ones I saw were much smaller but the idea was the same. I made mine by cutting an 18-in. sweep in half and welding each half to a steel plate that bolts to the cultivator shank. It lets you get very close to plants without covering them up," explains Dunn, who mounts his home-built shovels on an IHC cultivator. The cultivator is fitted with rotary gangs of spider wheels that follow immediately behind the split shovels. The rotary gangs are also shielded from the row with steel plates mounted along one side. Dunn says the cultivator does have some drawbacks. "It's somewhat more difficult to drive and keep on track at all times. It also takes extra time to convert the cultivator for irrigation hilling, and then back the next year to these shovels for first cultivation. We generally band an herbicide to the row and cultivate twice." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, William V. Dunn, HCR 76, Box 32, Purdum, Neb. 69157.

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