Farm fields

[Ledfiremanrfd]

Hi, I am making my first HO layout it's going to be something simple.

I want to make plowed field scenes like a town in ND,

any ideas on making the fields?

Thanks for your help.

[steinjr]

Hi, I am making my first HO layout it's going to be something simple.

I want to make plowed field scenes like a town in ND,

any ideas on making the fields?

Thanks for your help.

 Did a search on google for H0 "plowed field". Seems like at least Busch makes sheets of plastic plowed fields, e.g here: http://www.reynaulds.com/busch/temp.asp?item=7182

 Went to Walthers (www.walthers.com) and did a search for "plowed field" - seems like both Busch, Faller and an outfit by the name of "Pre-Size model specialities" make plowed fields. 

 Maybe one of these would be useful to you ?  

 Smile,
 Stein

 

[jktrains]

I seen two options.

First, Busch makes a plowed field.  It's basically single sided corrugated cardboard with a brown texture added to it.  You could do this your with single sided cardboard.

The other is a technique by Lou Sassi.  It's from his book Basic Model Railroad Scenery.  It uses his ground goop mixture and a grooved spreader.  Get his book and check it out.

[pcarrell]

A corrigated cardboard box with the corrigation exposed and some basic ground goop (google it if you don't know what that is) and you're well on your way for just pennies.

[larak]

I used structolyte and a notched trowel designed for spreading adhesives under tiles. This gives a nice "not too perfect" series of furrows. Two shades of paint and you're ready to go.

The field was so productive that that the farmers were able to have windows and interior walls installed in the house this past spring. (It's an older photo).

 

Karl 

[snowey]

YEARS ago I read a method of doing this by using an old toothbrush or a comb, cuting out every other row of bristles (or every other whatever those things on combs are called) and dragging it across an area of wet plaster, scultomold, WS flex-paste, etc.

[Mark R.]

MR did an article recently using that Busch corrigated stuff, and frankly, it looked terrible !!! A plowed field is not that neat and even. Then, to make matters worse, it ended abruptly right at some shrubs .... how did the farmer turn his plow around ???

The other ideas of using spreaders to create your own plowed fields will yield a much more realistic field. Use your "fingered" spreader just as a farmer would a real plow. Start in one corner, work your way across, turn, and come back with the next row. The real farmer has no magical way of running his plow straight to the end of the first row, lifting it out of the field and setting it right back down parallel to the first row.

Most of us don't have to drive too far to observe a real field that has been plowed. Take a good look - take pictures are even better - at how the rows are terminated. This minor observation will go a long ways towards making a much more realistic looking plowed field.

Mark. 

 

[mikesmowers]

  I agree somewhat with snowey here, I used real very fine dirt and used a comb, you can take out some of the bristles to get the furrows like you like them. Simply drag the comb throu the loose dirt until you get the look you are looknig for then use glue/water misture to set it. You will want to dapen the dirt with wet water before the glue/water mixture.   Hope this helps.           Mike

[reklein]

I'm from MT originally and visit there a couple times a yr. If you want plowed fields like that you'd better paint em on a back drop,so's you'll get the effect of the broad vistas involved. when I think of ND I think of millions of acres of summerfallow pierced by the ocasional group of grain elevators or maybe a giant statue of a buffalo. All in all sounds like the dirt and a comb method should work for the foreground.Don't forget the jackrabbits.

[jawnt]

In the "for what it's worth" dept. --- most rows in a plowed field are spaced  from 24" to 36" centers, ie. the channels between the rows are 24" to 36" centered and would be the same spacing all the way across the field. In the days of horses and mules, such was not so uniform. Farmers usually make their rows parallel roads, fences, property lines or terraces in the field. Many fields are not square, so you pick what you are going to parallel and have some short rows on the far side of the field.

At least there are some ideas to play with ------------ John T. who has plowed more than one crooked row 

[reklein]

North Dakota wheat fields are seeded on 12" centers,and these days using no-till farming that stubble lasts a long time. The mold board plow hasn't been used in MT and ND for decades. Not a big deal,however I wish the original posters would participate more in these questions asked threads so we could better answer their questions.

[ARTHILL]

Welcome to the forum. I use a modified ground goop and a putty knife.

My ground goop: lightweight premixed drywall seam cement, saw dust(course for plowed field) artist acrylics for color (I live in black dirt country) and a little Lysol to keep the mold down. Sometimes I add water if things are too stiff, but for plawed dirt, I like it pretty stiff. I spred the goop on about 1/16 inch thick and slowly draw in the grooves with a putty knife.

Here you see it as the base for the pheasant hunting scene. The cut corn is from a whisk broom.

[larak]

Wow Art!

Our local gun club raises pheasants and has the cornfields, but not the hunters' excursion train.

I'll have to recommend it to them   The guys in the field must REALLY trust the others not to fire too early in the swing through.

Karl 

[tstage]

I was watching Allen Keller's Great Model Railroads - Vol. 56 last night and this was one of the projects that Cliff Powers discussed and demoed on the DVD.  Cliff used the corrugated section of a piece of plain 'ol cardboard.  It's natural curvy and has the peaks and valleys that you'd see in a furrowed field, with the right amount of distance between rows.

In order to get to the center, corrugated section, Cliff soaked the card board in warm water for 30-60 seconds, until the glue loosened up.  He then peeled the two outer layers off and was left with just the center section.  Once the center section is exposed to water, it tends to flatten out somewhat.

Once the center section dried for an hour or so, Cliff then cut and glued the corrugatged cardboard piece to the area he wanted the field in.  After a generous dose of straight white glue over the top of the cardboard, Cliff used a wetted brush to evenly distribute the glue over the entire area.  Dirt was applied over the glue, a single bead of white glue was applied along each ridge, then ground foam was sprinkled and lightly tamped down on top.  It looked very realistic.

Here's a pic of the fields from Cliff's MA & G web site:

Click to enlarge picture

Hope that helps... 

Tom

[kpolak]

Make the plowed field removable, and have inserts of varoious other planting boards to change thru the seasons.  This will keep the layout fresh and interesting, especially to visitors who want to see what's growing this month.  Hide the edges with overgrowth.

Kurt