Teams of draft horses and their handlers took to the fields at Howell Living History Farm for its annual plowing match, putting traditional horse-powered farming skills on display while beginning preparations for the farm’s fall crops.
The competition featured experienced teamsters guiding horses and plows through the farm’s west crop fields, where they were evaluated on the quality of their plowing. Novice and “Old Timer” plowing events also gave others an opportunity to try their hand behind a team of draft horses.
But the furrows created during the competition serve more than a demonstration.
The plowing marks the beginning of a roughly 10-month growing cycle for Howell Farm’s fall crops, including wheat, rye, barley and spelt, an old-fashioned variety of wheat.
Plowing is the first step in preparing the soil for planting. Turning the soil loosens compacted earth, allowing water and air to enter while burying weeds and other organic material.
After the competitors finish their work, Howell Farm’s farmers complete the field by joining the individual sections, or “lands,” plowed during the match. Horses then pull a roller to pack the field and a harrow to break apart remaining clods of soil. A plank is dragged across the ground to flatten it before the grain is planted later in September.
The cycle continues through next summer, when the grain will be harvested with a horse-drawn reaper-binder, threshed with the help of a steam engine and eventually ground into flour.
The day’s competition also included exhibition hitch demonstrations and an afternoon obstacle course, where teamsters were judged on their precision and control while maneuvering a wagon through a series of turns and obstacles.
Fall plowing continues at the farm on Sept. 19. To learn more about all of the events happening at Howell Living Farm visit.
