• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • News
  • General Store
  • Little House on the Prairie Books
    • Little House in the Big Woods
    • Farmer Boy
    • Little House on the Prairie
    • On the Banks of Plum Creek
    • By the Shores of Silver Lake
    • The Long Winter
    • Little Town on the Prairie
    • These Happy Golden Years
    • The First Four Years
    • On the Way Home
    • West From Home
    • Boxed Sets & Special Editions
  • Other Little House Books
    • Little House Chapter Books
  • Other Series
    • The Martha Years – Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Great Grandmother
    • The Charlotte Years – Laura’s Grandmother
    • The Caroline Years – Little House Series about Laura’s Mother
    • The Rose Years – Books About Laura’s Daughter
  • Teachers & Homeschool Printables
    • Little House in the Big Woods
    • Farmer Boy
    • Little House on the Prairie
    • On the Banks of Plum Creek
    • By the Shores of Silver Lake
    • The Long Winter
    • Little Town on the Prairie
    • These Happy Golden Years
    • The First Four Years
    • Entire Series Worksheets
    • Unit Studies For Homeschoolers & Teachers
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Music
  • Crafts & Activities
  • Recipes
  • Research
  • Family & Friends
  • TV Series
    • Frequently Asked Questions About Little House on the Prairie TV Series
  • Historical Sites
    • Pepin, Wisconsin
    • Rothville, Missouri
    • Independence, Kansas
    • Walnut Grove, Minnesota
    • Burr Oak, Iowa
    • De Smet, South Dakota
    • Vinton, Iowa
    • Spring Valley, Minnesota
    • Westville, Florida
    • Mansfield, Missouri
    • Malone, New York
    • Cuba, New York
    • Keystone, South Dakota
    • Pomona, California

Laura Ingalls Wilder Little House on the Prairie Definitive Guide

Laura Ingalls Wilder & the Little House Books

Home » Frequently Asked Questions About Laura Ingalls Wilder & Little House Books » What is a plow and how is it used?

What is a plow and how is it used?

Pa had a new plow, a breaking plow. It was wonderful for breaking the prairie sod. It had a sharp-edged wheel, called a rolling coulter, that ran rolling and cutting through the sod ahead of the plowshare. The sharp steel plowshare followed it, slicing underneath the matted grass roots, and the moldboard lifted the long, straight-edged strip of sod and turned it upside down. The strip of sod was exactly twelve inches wide, and as straight as if it had been cut by hand.

They were all so happy about that new plow. Now, after a whole day’s work, Sam and David gaily lay down and rolled, and pricked their ears and looked about the prairie before they fell to cropping grass. They were not being worn down, sad and gaunt, by breaking sod that spring. And at supper, Pa was not too tired to joke.

“By jingo, that plow can handle the work by itself,” he said. “With all these new inventions nowadays, there’s no use for a man’s muscle. One of these nights that plow’ll take a notion to keep on going, and we’ll look out in the morning and see that it’s turned over an acre or two after the team and I quit for the night.”

The strips of sod lay bottom-side-up over the furrows, with all the cut-off grass roots showing speckled in the earth. The fresh furrow was delightfully cool and soft to bare feet, and often Carrie and Grace followed behind the plow, playing. Laura would have liked to, but she was going on fifteen years old now, too old to play in the fresh, clean-smelling dirt. Besides, in the afternoons Mary must go for a walk to get some sunshine.

Chapter 2: Springtime on the Claim, Little Town on the Prairie

A plow is a tool used for breaking up and turning over soil in preparation for planting crops. Pioneer farmers on the prairie used plows extensively to prepare the land for farming.  This saved a lot of work from doing it by hand, particularly on the open prairie that had never been used to grow crops previously.  Any land used for planting crops would need to be plowed before any crops could be planted, otherwise the seeds would not be deep enough into soil to grow properly, especially with tough prairie grasses already growing.

A typical plow consists of a long, narrow blade that is attached to a frame and a handle or handles. The blade is designed to cut into the soil and turn it over, exposing fresh soil for planting. The plow is typically pulled by a draft animal, such as a horse or ox.  There were a few different types, but the ones that pioneers tended to use were more basic.

The plows used by pioneers on the prairie were often made of wood and iron, and were designed to be sturdy and durable enough to withstand the harsh conditions of the frontier. Some plows were equipped with additional features, such as adjustable blades or depth gauges, to help farmers achieve the desired depth and consistency of their plowing.

Using a plow was hard and physically demanding work, requiring farmers to spend long hours in the fields and to navigate difficult terrain and weather conditions. However, it was also an essential part of the pioneer lifestyle, as it enabled farmers to cultivate the land and grow crops that were necessary for survival.

Sometimes, pioneers would go together to purchase a plow, which could then be used by all the families who went in together to purchase a plow.  Or someone would loan out their plow for a small fee. Because plows were so expensive – and sometimes hard to  find one to purchase – this could make a plow more easily available to pioneers, especially those without a lot of funds.

Share your love of Little House

Related Posts:

  • What are pokeberries that are used for yarn and fabric dyeing?
    What are pokeberries that are used for yarn and fabric…
  • What is isinglass used in stoves and lanterns?
    What is isinglass used in stoves and lanterns?
  • What is Saleratus Used in Baking in Little House Books?
    What is Saleratus Used in Baking in Little House Books?
  • What is a currycomb like Almanzo used on the horses?
    What is a currycomb like Almanzo used on the horses?
  • Aunt Docia, Uncle Hi, Lena and Gene - Biography
    Aunt Docia, Uncle Hi, Lena and Gene - Biography
  • On the Banks of Plum Creek for Homeschoolers and Teachers
    On the Banks of Plum Creek for Homeschoolers and Teachers

Primary Sidebar

General Store

  • Biographies, Research, Letters & Articles (32)
  • Collectibles (23)
  • Collector Books & Boxed Sets (10)
  • Cookbooks (5)
  • Crafts (6)
  • Dolls (21)
  • Home Decor (2)
  • Homeschool Resources (22)
  • Laura Ingalls Wilder Quilting Patterns & Fabric (18)
  • Little House Book Series (1)
  • Little House on the Prairie TV Series (19)
  • Other Pioneer Books (19)
  • Pioneer Clothing for Cosplay, Reenactments, Dressing Up & Costumes (126)
  • Pioneer Food (11)
  • Pioneer Living (8)
  • Related Little House Book Series (5)
  • Sewing Patterns (15)

Free Little House in the Big Woods Unit Study

… Our free exclusive unit study for Little House in the Big Woods with 32 worksheets plus additional activities, recipes, songs and more. about Free Little House in the Big Woods Unit Study

Sew Little House Costumes

… Patterns for making pioneer dresses, bonnets, aprons and mores for women & girls about Sewing Little House on the Prairie Pioneer Costumes

Little House Collector’s Editions

… Discover special editions and boxed sets of the Little House Books about Boxed Sets & Special Editions of the Little House Books

Some of our posts contain affiliate links and we will receive an affiliate commission for purchases. This is a great way to support what we do and see more great content!

Copyright © 2023 · Lifestyle Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Visit our new General Store for books about Laura and pioneer life, along with DVDs, pioneer food, sewing and quilting. Dismiss