This historic soil-preparation technique involves ploughing one furrow slice and flipping it directly onto the neighboring unploughed strip of land. It creates a ribbed or ridged field surface that exposes half the soil to winter weather while burying weeds and stubble under the turned slice. Farmers used it to improve drainage and break down heavy soils without the labor of a full pass.
Heard on the job
We should whipstitch the lower field before the hard frost sets in to help break up those heavy clay clods.
Insider tip
This older technique is rarely seen on highly mechanized operations, but it remains a labor-saving way to manage heavy clay soils with minimal tractor passes.
Also heard as
- raftering
- half-ploughing