Farmer facing massive fines for … plowing his own field

a reply to: Shamrock6

I figured. Whenever a story sounds this outlandish (pun?) it's probably a lot more nuanced and people are falling for clickbait BS.

that were not to be plowed because they were part of the drainage for Coyote and Oat creeks

Hurr Durr mudholes.

Francois conceded that some of the wetlands were plowed but not significantly damaged.

Is he an expert?

a reply to: Tardacus

there you go.

a reply to: ketsuko

Rowan At-ketsuk-son

What a sad state of affairs - poor farmer

a reply to: ketsuko

Has anybody ever heard the term "railroaded"(heh, its even in my autocorrect)? Because, that is exactly what this crap is.


I had all intentions of debating this with all posters. After reading the comments, I've decided that I won't quarrel with low knowledge folk. (Suppose I should find another forum)

a reply to: 38181

There always is more to the story, like, for example plowing vs ripping.

Two very different things.

a reply to: Chadwickus

Care to explain the difference?

TheRedneck

originally posted by: TheRedneck
a reply to: Chadwickus

Care to explain the difference?

TheRedneck

Allow me to introduce you to Google...

Though I suspect this was nothing more than a loaded question from which to pontificate further, but hey just in case. Google.

originally posted by: Chadwickus
a reply to: 38181

There always is more to the story, like, for example plowing vs ripping.

Two very different things.

I wonder how many people know what a ripper is, what it is used for.... and what interest a farmer would have in using a ripper when he is planting wheat.

Here is a link for those that are truly interested:
The Farmer's Life
Read it and you will learn that although the ripper does go deeper, it also disturbs less surface topsoil than conventional plowing. There are photos for those that don't like reading.

a reply to: butcherguy

Um yeah...but you want to disturb the top soil when growing wheat...

So why was this guy using a ripper?

originally posted by: Chadwickus
a reply to: butcherguy

Um yeah...but you want to disturb the top soil when growing wheat...

So why was this guy using a ripper?

You must be an old time farmer.
Are you not familiar with no till wheat?
No till has been around for a long time.
Linky
Notice the photo at the start of the article... that is a farmer planting wheat in a previously picked cornfield that has had no soil preparation.

Disturb the soil... you must want erosion to occur.

a reply to: Shamrock6

I Google things I don't know. I know a fair amount about farming. My grandfather's were both farmers, one a share-cropper. My uncle is a commercial farmer who works thousands of acres. About half the people who live here are farmers. In my youth, I worked for farmers, doing everything from hoeing cotton, to picking cotton, to hauling hay.

I know full well what an aerator (you guys call it a 'ripper') is. I was interested to see if others here did.

But, since you spoiled the plan...

A turning plow ('plow') cuts through the soil with a curved blade designed to actually turn the top layer of soil over, bringing nutrients from deep layers back to the top layer. It leaves very loose soil that is well-mixed but somewhat 'chunky.' A tiller does a better job of mixing the soil layers, but also takes longer and is more expensive. An aerator is similar to a plow, but instead of turning the soil, it de-compacts compacted soil by expanding it from deeper depths than a plow.

The plow or tiller is used to mix and prepare the soil for conventional planting. The tiller provides the best results, but is much slower; typically tillers are used for gardens to make hand cultivation easier, while plows are used for commercial farming where speed is more important and cultivation is mechanized. Aerators are used to prepare heavily compacted soil prior to plowing, or in some cases, as a substitute for plowing. The term 'ripper' is not accurate... it actually disturbs the topsoil much less than a plow.

TheRedneck

a reply to: Chadwickus

So why was this guy using a ripper?

Soil compaction issues.... was covered in the linked write-up..... written by a farmer that practices no till farming.
No till farming.... something that limits erosion.

a reply to: butcherguy

Well it would depend on the soil type, but there ya go, no till wheat. The farms where I grew up either used discs or tillers.

a reply to: butcherguy

Yes, and typically 6-10 inches is more than enough.

This is what I call a ripper..



Obviously not the same thing as what you're talking about

originally posted by: Chadwickus
a reply to: butcherguy

Well it would depend on the soil type, but there ya go, no till wheat. The farms where I grew up either used discs or tillers.

Then the farmers where you grew up are simpletons.
Modern no till farming methods use far less fuel and grow more crops per acre than the old tilling methods.
AND
No till saves topsoil from erosion.
I am 54 years old and no till methods were being used when I was a teenager.

originally posted by: Chadwickus
a reply to: butcherguy

Yes, and typically 6-10 inches is more than enough.

This is what I call a ripper..

Obviously not the same thing as what you're talking about

It is in fact a ripper.
My father was a heavy construction equipment operator, so I am familiar with that piece of equipment.

But most farmers don't use bulldozer mounted rippers for planting wheat. Those babies are for ripping rock.

a reply to: butcherguy

Hard to believe you've lasted so long on a diet so heavy on feline...

originally posted by: Shamrock6
a reply to: butcherguy

Hard to believe you've lasted so long on a diet so heavy on feline...

Cats mostly only kill you while they are alive.
At least since the invention of modern food preservation methods.

a reply to: butcherguy

Hence why I mentioned it.

Tillage and seeders in Australia

They are what farmers use.

Hardly simpletons...as its one of our biggest exports.

(Not all for wheat, obviously)

originally posted by: Chadwickus
a reply to: butcherguy

Hence why I mentioned it.

Tillage and seeders in Australia

They are what farmers use.

Hardly simpletons...as its one of our biggest exports.

That is why earlier, I made sure to post a link to a ripper that is used by farmers. And the farmer is accused of ripping to a depth of 10 inches, similar to the depth that you stated as being normal... 6-10 inches.

I was stating that if a farmer is still using a conventional plow, he is wasting fuel and topsoil. That doesn't sound like smart farming to me, nor is it an ecologically sound practice.