A few days ago, a horse drawn-walk behind plow known as a scuffler was installed at the community garden in Kelly Park. After over 30 years of weathering away outdoors, it has been preserved and lovingly restored this past winter by Bill Dyer. The fact that it was originally owned by the O’Rourke and Griffin families of Outer Cove adds a personal touch to its history. Kudos to Bill Dyer for bringing it back to working condition!
This scuffler is over 100 years old and was manufactured in Brantford Ontario in the early 1900’s by the Cockshutt Plow Company. The scuffler holds a special place in the history of farming in LBMCOC, representing a time when farming was done with the help of horses, allowing farmers to cover larger areas in less time. It was used for weeding and earthing up potatoes. The scuffler has two arrow-head style moldboards attached in the rear that would cut the soil, lift it, and turn it at least partly upside down, making it ideal for earthing (hilling) up potatoes. Removing the moldboards allowed the scuffler’s tines to clear weeds between rows. The plows were adjustable for width and depth and could do multiple drills at once.
This artifact serves as a valuable reminder of our town’s farming heritage, connecting us to the past and the hardworking farmers who shaped the land—special thanks to the Griffin Family for donating the scuffler to our community garden.
