Farming Equipment and Methods

Photograph of an alfalfa-sweet clover drill. James McBride, Work Unit Conservationist [WUC] and Soil Conservation Service [SCS], shows the advantages of a special alfalfa-sweet clover drill. Push-type double disk openers (International) are spaced at 8 inches on a strong angle-iron frame. Small seed boxes (Planter Jr. Type) are used, which permits a much lower and controlled seeding rates. In this area much land is subject to blowing and it is necessary to seed in a trashy cover. This type of equipment gives excellent performance with excellent stands almost guaranteed. The cost of this type of drill is approximately $700. It is furnished to the District Cooperators on a rental basis of 50 cents per acre. The Greer County SCD has two of these drills available. They seeded over 1,000 acres each last planting season. OK-253-11.
Date: April 19, 1956
Creator: Gamble, M. D.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Wind, Wind Erosion, Sand Storms and Dunes

Photograph of a large field subject to severe wind erosion recently deep plowed. Note the large chucks of soil brought to the surface by deep plowing. This mechanical practice gives temporary resistance to wind erosion on this type of deep sandy soil (Soil Unit 12). Widespread use of this practice is not recommended by the Soil Conservation Service. Vegetative control measures that improve the physical structure of the soil should be given first consideration. OK-253-8.
Date: April 19, 1956
Creator: Gamble, M. D.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Site of the First Shelterbelt

Photograph of the site of the first Shelterbelt in the United States. A Shelterbelt is a a line of trees or shrubs planted to protect an area, especially a farm field, from strong winds and the erosion they cause.
Date: October 19, 1961
Creator: Frie, Jimmie W.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Deep Plowed

Photograph of R.H. Gieck, Area Conservationist, SCS, examining large chunks of soil brought to the surface by deep plowing. This mechanical practice gives temporary resistance to wind erosion on this type of deep sandy soil (Soil Unit 12). Widespread use of this practice is not recommended by the Soil Conservation Service. Vegetative control measures, that improve the physical sturcture of the soil, should be given first consideration.
Date: April 19, 1956
Creator: Gamble, M. D.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Roy McMertry Deep Plowed Farm Pasture to Prevent Wind Erosion

Photograph of Roy McMertry's Farm pasture deep plowed to prevent wind erosion. The back of the photograph proclaims, "A large field subject to server wind erosion recently deep plowed. Note large chunks of soil brought to the surface by deep plowing. This mechanical practice gives temporary resistance to wind erosion on this type of deep sandy soil (Soil Unit 12). Widespread use of this practice is not recommended by the Soil Conservation Service. Vegetative control measures, that improve the physical structure of the soil, should be given first consideration."
Date: April 19, 1956
Creator: Gamble, M. D.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Deep Plowed

Photograph of a large field subject to severe wind erosion recently deep plowed. Note large chunks of soil brought to the surface by deep plowing. This mechanical practice gives temporary resistance to wind ersoion on this type of deep sandy soil (Soil Unit 12). Widespread use of this practice is not recommended by the Soil Conservation Service. Vegetative control measures, that improve the physical structure of the soil, should by given first consideration.
Date: April 19, 1956
Creator: Gamble, M. D.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Farming Equipment and Methods

Photograph of an alfalfa-sweet clover drill. James McBride, Work Unit Conservationist [WUC] and Soil Conservation Service [SCS], shows the advantages of a special alfalfa-sweet clover drill. Push-type double disk openers (International) are spaced at 8 inches on a strong angle-iron frame. Small seed boxes (Planter Jr. Type) are used, which permits a much lower and controlled seeding rates. In this area much land is subject to blowing and it is necessary to seed in a trashy cover. This type of equipment gives excellent performance with excellent stands almost guaranteed. The cost of this type of drill is approximately $700. It is furnished to the District Cooperators on a rental basis of 50 cents per acre. The Greer County SCD has two of these drills available. They seeded over 1,000 acres each last planting season. OK-253-12.
Date: April 19, 1956
Creator: Gamble, M. D.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Wind, Wind Erosion, Sand Storms and Dunes

Photograph of R. H. Gieck, Area Conservationist, Soil Conservation Service, examining large chunks of soil brought to the surface by deep plowing. This mechanical practice gives temporary resistance to wind erosion on this type of deep sandy soil (Soil Unit 12). Widespread use of this practice is not recommended by the Soil Conservation Service. Vegetative control measures that improve the physical structure of the soil should be given first consideration. OK-253-9.
Date: April 19, 1956
Creator: Gamble, M. D.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Grass, Legume and Forb Cultivation

Photograph of Range. Close-up view of dead grass on the range land that was deferred in 1954. The poor condition of this range is due to five years of continuous drought. See OK-90-6. OK-90-8.
Date: July 19, 1955
Creator: McConnell, John
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Trees, Tree Farms, Woodlands, and Forests

Photograph of a shelterbelt. Site of the first shelterbelt in the US. OK-1523-7.
Date: October 19, 1961
Creator: Frie, Jimmie W.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Roy McMertry Deep Plowed Farm Pasture to Prevent Wind Erosion

Photograph of R. H. Gieck, Area Conservationist, SCS, examining large chunks of soil brought to the surface via deep plowing to prevent wind erosion on the Roy McMerty farm. The back of the photograph proclaims, "R. H. Gieck, Area Conservationist, SCS, examining large chunks of soil brought to the surface by deep plowing. This mechanical practice gives temporary resistance to wind erosion on this type of deep sandy soil (Soil Unit 12). Widespread use of this practice is not recommended by the Soil Conservation Service Vegetative control measures, that improve the physical structure of the soil, should be given first consideration."
Date: April 19, 1956
Creator: Gamble, M. D.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Roy McMertry Deep Plowed Farm Pasture to Prevent Wind Erosion

Photograph of Roy McMertry's Farm pasture deep plowed to prevent wind erosion. The back of the photograph proclaims, "A large field subject to server wind erosion recently deep plowed. Note large chunks of soil brought to the surface by deep plowing. This mechanical practice gives temporary resistance to wind erosion on this type of deep sandy soil (Soil Unit 12). Widespread use of this practice is not recommended by the Soil Conservation Service. Vegetative control measures, that improve the physical structure of the soil, should be given first consideration."
Date: April 19, 1956
Creator: Gamble, M. D.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History