The old methods of sowing potatoes were totally different from the modern way of sowing them.

It was lea land that the farmers of long ago chose to sow their potatoes in. First they dug the gripes and threw the diggings out on the headland as manure. At that time no iron ploughs were to be had, so it was all wooden ploughs that were used. Those were made in the district by the carpenter. The parts of the plough that came in contact with the ground were bound with iron to keep those parts from wearing out too quickly. This plough was pulled either by two asses or a jennet as the case might be. When the lea was ploughed a bundle of course "sgeac s" were tied together and dragged across and along the field by a jennet.
Then the farmers cross - cut the long ploughing and when this was done, the field got another few runs of this harrow. This process gathered all the ... in rolls and those had to be all collected and brought home. Then a piece of ploughing about the length of the field and about eight foot wide was done until the whole field was in ridges