Homeland

I took some pictures of my sister's that she took when visiting my parents on their land.  Man, I miss that place and my heart is pulled toward it.  I wanted to share this piece that is still there along with the description my Dad wrote about it.

This one is called a two-bottom tumble-bug plow. It is a model that was used previous to hydraulics being popular on farm equipment. This was one of the first that was used behind a tractor. I'm guessing that is was a model from somewhere around the 1920's or 30's. As you were plowing, and you reached the end of the field, you pulled on a rope. That resulted in the whole thing being lifted up by the forward tumble. The bottoms that were plowing tumbled over forward and the opposing bottoms were then lifted up and ready to be let down, so that when you pulled the rope again, down it would go and pull furrows going the opposite direction. The tongue would also switch from one side to the other to make the plow follow at the angle you needed for the return trip. It was quite primitive in ways, but it was complicated in other ways. I know it's difficult for me to give a good description of how it works. I've operating this one quite a bit over the years.. It actually does a real good job when in proper working order and you've figured out how to keep it "in time" (correct bottoms down, the correct wheels up, and tongue locked to the side you need). It's interesting that the only thing that lifts it and allows the correct wheels to be up or down, is the tumbling over of the plow. I wish I was better at explaining it. Of course, the modern plows pulled by a modern tractor can be like 6 or 8 bottom plows.... and maybe more.