Recently, we were allowed to take over a few tillage implements for draft animals from the Sinnpathie farm in Goldwil, which is managed with horses. These included a potato plow, a multifunctional machine and a round harrow - a further development of the classic harrow. The latter has not yet been used this year, as it is too heavy for our draft cow Elly alone. We will have to wait until our ox Milou has grown up and can be harnessed as well.
Then last week we planted potatoes with Elly for the first time. The owners of the organic farm Wingey, where our draft cattle are staying, have left us a corner free on their potato field, which serves us as a trial field. In the plowed and harrowed field we have made furrows for the potatoes with the multifunctional-tool. Since the device makes holes in the ground at regular intervals, you can just drop the potatoes in.
Everything was going well until the furrows had to be tilled. Although we only worked in one row, this was a big challenge for Elly, because quite a lot of earth had to be moved. With the help of Christian Wüthrich, who has a lot of experience in harnessing cows, we finally succeeded. The ridges have not all become straight, but what the heck: the potatoes are in the ground! After the work was done, we were all exhausted, but happy, and Elly was allowed to rejoin her herd in the pasture.