Agricultural Implements of the 19th Century (aka: OLD FASHIONED FARMING ) http://www.connerprairie.org/Learn-And-Do/Indiana-History/Artifacts-And-Collections/Argricultural-Tools.aspx

Imagine…how much work it would take to make a wooden shovel!!! Old school tools (1800-1900) Grain Shovel c.1800-1850 49"L x 13 3/4"W (scoop 14 1/2"L, handle 34 1/2"L) This scoop shovel is carved from a single piece of wood. Such wooden shovels were widely used for moving grain as early 19th century farmers believed metal would bruise the seed. Imagine…how much work it would take to make a wooden shovel!!!

Old school tools (1800-1900) Corn Planter 35"L x 4"W To use this corn planter, a farmer would fill the wooden canister with seed and then pull up on the large handle to release one. Around 1850 many different styles of mechanical planters appeared, but a number of reasons prevented the tool from achieving general acceptance. Primarily, farmers did not believe enough time was saved by the planter to justify purchasing one. Old school tools (1800-1900)

Old school tools (1800-1900) Harrow 39"L x 122"W x 10"H Second only to the plow for the preparation of soil before planting, harrows smooth out rough, clumpy soil to ensure an even planting. This is one half of a double frame "Scotch" harrow. Iron spikes protrude from the wooden frame to till and smooth the soil. During the 19th century there were primarily two types of harrows used, the square harrow and the bifurcate (or triangular) harrow.

Old school tools (1800-1900) A square harrow was used to even out fields that were free of obstacles (such as tree stumps) and could cover more ground than a bifurcate harrow. A bifurcate harrow was more easily used in a field that had obstacles because it was smaller, sturdier, and easier to maneuver. By the turn of the century the iron spiked harrow had been replaced by the disk harrow, which is still in use today.

Do you think this pitchfork would be as effective as a metal one? Old school tools (1800-1900) Pitchfork c.1840-1860 -66"L x 9 3/4"W This pitchfork was made from a single piece of hickory. One end of the board is sawn into quarters and each quarter is shaped down to a pointed tine. The four tines are separated, secured, strengthened by a wooden dowel, iron brads and iron rivets. Pitchforks were used to pick up, move and stack hay and straw. The long handle was a great help in building stacks and the curved tines made it possible to pick up and hold the material. Do you think this pitchfork would be as effective as a metal one?

Old school tools (1800-1900) Plow c.1800-1850 7'L x 25 3/4"W x 37 1/16“ The plow was the most important piece of farm equipment. Used to break up and turn soil for planting crops, a whole day was required to plow 1-2 acres of land with a moldboard plow.

Old school tools (1800-1900) Oftentimes a farmer would not personally own a plow as they were considered to be expensive. Generally, a farmer who owned a plow would hire it out to those in need, in exchange for labor or goods. Occasionally, a community would pool resources to purchase a plow.

Old school tools (1800-1900) Grain Cradle c.1830-1860 This grain cradle is a scythe with four wood fingers which gather the grain while it is being cut by the iron blade. It was a very popular implement on the farm. Although developed as a result of a labor shortage, it did not save many hours of work as hands were still needed to collect and bind the grain. The grain cradle did have the advantage of being able to pick up and cut grain that had been beaten down by storms. It was made virtually obsolete by the mechanical reaping machine.

Old school tools (1800-1900) Oxen Yoke This is an example of a straight yoke, the most common yoke used for oxen. This small yoke would have been used to train a team of oxen to pull farm implements and vehicles. The top wooden bar fits on the back of the oxen's neck and the U-shaped wood bows slide up under the animal's neck. The bows are held to the bar with wood or iron pins. Though strong and durable, oxen were eventually replaced by horses which were faster and often easier to work.  

Old school tools (1800-1900) Cheese Press c.1850 a tool for making cheese. A cheese mold (usually a wooden hoop) was placed on the press, filled with curds, which were covered with cheese cloth, and a foller (or cover) was fit over the mold. The screw was then tightened down on the foller to press the liquid out. After the cheese was pressed for eight to ten hours it was removed, salted, and pressed a second time for 15 to 20 hours before it was ready for finishing and storing.

EXTRAS SLIDE NOT TO USEOld school tools (1800-1900) Corn Planter (con’t) In some regions seed corn was tarred before it was planted to prevent birds from eating it. The tarred corn could not be put through such a planter as it would gum up the mechanics. Another reason for not using these planters was the belief that corn grows better out of hill than a furrow. In order to plant quickly using a planter, furrows must be dug, hills cannot be used. Not until the turn of the century, after many improvements were made, were mechanical planters considered a standard farm implement.