I need a history lesson

FarmerZeb · May 15, 2013

the smallest tractor I have is my 960 ford at around 45 hp which appears to be a good size tractor for 1955 or so. If you go back to 1945 it seems to me many tractors were in the 20 or 30 hp range.

so...

how much land could one man farm with a 30 hp tractor???

for the sake of this argument lets say this guy is growing wheat in Missouri or Eastern Kansas

-paul

MSD · May 15, 2013

My dad farmed 320 acres with an A JD for years.

GordoSD · May 15, 2013

In 1945 a farmer here would be doing about 240 acres of ofcrop or oats/wheat with a 38 hp Farmall M. He would start disking in the spring, twice,then pick, then plow. He basically was on the tractor 10 hours day6 days a week, until fall plowing was done.

jon f mn · May 15, 2013

Most farms of that era weren't all one crop, simply because they needed the variety to spread the work load. My dad did over 300 acres in southern mn with a dc case, about 35 rated hp. and a ford jubilee. But he raised corn, oats and hay. I'm not sure if he ever did any soybeans then or not.

Will Herring · May 15, 2013

(quoted from post at 22:13:41 05/15/13) In 1945 a farmer here would be doing about 240 acres of ofcrop or oats/wheat with a 38 hp Farmall M. He would start disking in the spring, twice,then pick, then plow. He basically was on the tractor 10 hours day6 days a week, until fall plowing was done.

I think grandpa farmed 120 acres up through the 70s with just a WD. It's just a matter of how much time you have to spend in the field. Still kind of mind boggling.

VicS · May 15, 2013

My Grandpa and two uncles, farmed more than was possible with a F12 Farmall and a 10-20 McCormick Deering. Between them they farmed over 640 acres in the hills and 120 acres in the bottoms. Probably 350 acres of row crops, plus a lot of hay, wheat and oats. Dad said they drove in shifts, never shutting them down while the sun was up. And ran at night if could see. They had nine or ten drivers. Said they even poured gas in the F12, while plowing corn. They were still planting with at least two teams. By the time I came along were planting with 2- H Farmall's and mounted 2 row planters. It was my job to run behind with a coal bucket and fill the boxes on every round ,while planting beans. Gave us plenty of time to get into trouble! They ran right together and the one in front started to turn then backed up to let the one behind get in front, then followed. We tried to fill the boxes while he was stopped for about 15 seconds. By then they were probably row cropping a thousand acres with 2 M's 3 H's IHC and 1 G JD . Then we got a 490- 4 row JD planter with bushel boxes and a 8N Ford. You can plant the world with such a rig!

Vic

Wheat Farmer · May 15, 2013

Dad and Granddad farmed 960 acres dry land wheat in the Nebr. pan handle. They had a 1941 IHC M,30 hp and then a 1947 WD9,42hp. Most equipment was 12-15' wide.I stopped farming only the 320 acres in 2007 with a CIH 7110 132hp. With 25-33' wide equipment.

ben there · May 15, 2013

my grandfather and i raised 400 acres of watermelons with a '62 Ford 2000 every year till he passed.

Anonymous-0 · May 15, 2013

When I was a kid we had a hundred acre mixed farm,75 acres cleared that we farmed with an (you guessed it) 8N.I had tractor envy as everyone else had "real" tractors W4,Cockshutt30
Case D and J.D. D. and unstyled AR etc.

Bret4207 · May 16, 2013

From what I've read it depended on the area. The guys that had my farm, about 340 acres, did everything for years with a McD, the a Fergie, then a Case all of about 35hp. You should see the ditches the did with a disc harrow and scraper blade.

Geo-TH,In · May 16, 2013

The old JD D was a work horse. So was the IH MD. Case had a large work horse too. My dad had 3 JD A. Back then he had hired help that worked shift work, day and night. Can't say how many acres he farmed, but lots.

The ford N's may have only been 20 hp, but there were much larger tractors and there were many more small time operations than today.

I need a history lesson

FarmerZeb

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MSD

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GordoSD

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jon f mn

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Will Herring

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VicS

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Wheat Farmer

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ben there

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Anonymous-0

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Bret4207

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Geo-TH,In

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