Farming Implements Used by the Settlers of Bluff

Farming Implements Used by the Settlers of Bluff. . Melvin Gaines, a local farmer and life-long resident of Bluff, donated farm equipment that was utilized by the original settlers of the Fort. , The collection includes the following:, Slip or Scoop Scrapers , Scrapers played an essential role in road building and clearing sediment from their irrigation ditch. As the scraper was being pulled by a horse, the scraper scooped up dirt when the handles were lifted up by the farmer. Once full he lowered the handles while guiding the horse to the side to unload the dirt., Fresno Scrapers , This was a larger version of the slip or scoop scraper. It had the ability to scrape and move a larger quantity of material. The Fresno Scraper in the collection was modified by the Gaines family for a more narrow cut and lighter load., Walking Plows , Plows were the basic farm tools used in Bluff. Holding the handles as well as the lines of the horse, the farmer could steer the plow and control the depth of the furrow. Unless he had an assistant, the farmer also had to manage the lines of the horse., Hand Tools , Hand tools were important before and after horse-drawn equipment was available. Some examples on display include a hay knife, a weed cutter, a brush cutter and a two-handed scythe., Walking Cultivators , This was used by the pioneer farmers to cultivate cornfields and gardens. The serrated bar was used to remove weeds. The cultivator in the center of the collection had small plows at the back to remove weeds. The walking cultivator on the cabin wall was donated by the Black family in Monticello., Sulky Planters , Melvin Gaines' father bought the two Sulky Planters from Bluff pioneers. The planter on the right had the right wheel replaced when a horse bolted and broke the wheel., Sulky Hay Rakes , These rakes were used by the Bluff settlers to gather the hay in the fields. In addition to a seat for the farmer to ride on, it included a handle to trip the load when the rake was full., Jackson Fork , This hay fork was used to gather and lift hay into stacks where it was stored and later cut with a hay knife to feed the livestock. Settlers who had a barn with a loft used it to lift loads of hay to the loft using a derrick and pulley., Text and photos courtesy of Leon Kent Jones