Ridging Plow

Baetogi, or ridging tool, was used for piling soil in a barley field. It was also called joryeom. Using baetogi, farmers dug and scattered soil in heaps over the roots or lower stems of barley so that the crops grew well and did not fall. The shape of baetogi is similar to that of jori, a strainer used for separating stones from rice. It was made with metal wires bent into a wire ladle, which was connected to a long wooden shaft. Farmers held the shaft, scooped up soil into the wire mesh, and shook the baetogi above barley to scatter fine soil. In doing so, farmers were also able to remove weeds growing amongst the barley, since weeds were buried under the soil. Soil scattering facilitated drainage and raised the temperature of the soil, which helped barley roots to grow. Since stones in the soil remained in the baetogi when it was shaken in a certain direction, it had the additional function of sorting stones from the field.