Good morning!!!!

[sodamo]

Day has suddenly shifted focus. As per my routine, walked out to the Tractorshed to read my solar electric numbers. I keep a daily log of production/use of previous 24 hours.
As I walked out back I see this fountain of fine water spray at the doorway. A quick mental check and the only hose hooked up didn’t even have a nozzle, hence would not be under pressure. As I got closer I could be the spray coming from the pump itself. Apparently there is a small diameter poly tube that sprung a leak. Pulled the power to pump and cut the flow from the tank, ending the fountain.
Contemplating how to repair as I enjoy my coffee. Luckily the pot well was full

 

[sodamo]

when I moved to NC I knew absolutely no one in the area. My wife had died, I was fairly messed up emotionally, and
I had orchards to plant. Which I did and the world got back on its axis. But what I didn't have that whole time was my "old friends"
which I see I refer to. My three guy friends from high school and one from simply long ago here, met at Meeting.
Reaffirms to me how much I missed my old friends by moving way far away from them.
I'm lucky that I get to go back to a small town that is still fairly small. Other than completely unaffordable housing, it has everything I want.
So I rent this little cottage and dream of tractors.
that's ok to do, isn't it?...

I think of David and Sophie and others who have moved pretty far away.
Very different than retiring to Florida where some of your old friends likely wound up.
So David has built, and continues to build, his own paradise. Thank goodness for Zoom. Really.
Being able to see my sister smile at me from California is a delight.

Great perspective, Drew.
And some I have thought about from time to time.
I guess in many ways we are what we grew up. As a kid we moved fairly often, especially when my Dad worked construction. Mom put her foot down after my freshman year in HS and they relocated to 110 acres just 10 miles up the road. But again, a new place, new school, new church, etc but also a complete break with all the old. By the time I finished HS I was still considered an out of towner. I’ve pretty much continued the pattern over the year, just longer intervals. Sophie’s childhood wasn’t so different growing up a military brat. Sometimes it is amazing that the 17 years we’ve been here is the longest either of us has lived anywhere in our lives. No plans to move either. But I guess if there is a downside, neither of us have those longterm friends like grace your live. I don’t think it’s something we try to do on purpose, just kinda happens. Precovid we were pretty active, knew and interacted with a fair number of people we think of friends. Guess a sign of these modern times, but many on here, that I’ve never met in person I consider a friend.

 

[daugen]

first pass done, had to come in, 92 and sunny, just sweating too much.
At least this afternoon I can work in the shade.
Battery died in Gravely and friend put in a used Red Top. Promptly died on me after click click click.
I put it on a charger on agm setting and it got to green, but the battery dies quickly. I'm going to leave it on my
5amp smart charger overnight, see if that rescues the battery. It sits there for months on end not getting used.
Am pretty much figuring on a trip to TSC for a new battery tomorrow.

once I cool off will head back out to take plate off top of gearshift area, which exposes all the levers you can't normally get to.
I'll be hosing that down with oil later. Got a lot of black gunk off; wondering where it comes from, basically a new engine.
Now the old Kohler was an oily beast, but new Vanguard shouldn't pump out oil nearby. Now it's clean so we can keep an eye on it.
when I powerwashed the cloth seat,made of some sunbrella like material, very durable, I had to laugh because years ago I had washed the seat and I guess
I got too much detergent in it. When I hosed it down today, it foamed up all over. Looked almost like new when it dried.

front hitch worked like a dream

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Buckeye, is it a 3600 rpm or 1800 rpm generator?

3600 rpm
Generac model 7210 air cooled
200A transfer switch

They said at least 300 gal propane tank for 2-3 days depending on load. I really don’t want a huge tank in my back yard. Really don’t like generator there either.

generators direct can ship it Friday for $5757

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Took the weed burner for an hour walk.... I have to admit, a lot easier and more effective than the string trimmer. Granted, I can only use it in the gravel and walkway areas, won't risk starting a brush fire.
I have been monitoring the propane use (just by weight of the 20 lb tank) and hasn't gotten too much lighter. I believe that it is another good tool in the arsenal.

Supposedly, the burner will also eliminate any seeds, so I will pay attention to how long it takes them to grow back. The perennial weeds might take a few 'treatments' before being eliminated, but that's ok.
When you hit them, even briefly, you can watch them literally wilt over!

I'm sure you guys know all about these.....

Never used one, but probably should in my driveway.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

but many on here, that I’ve never met in person I consider a friend.

Yes. I’ve met a couple TBN people and it was like meeting an old friend.
I only had 2-3 close HS friends from growing up (living on a farm we didn’t get out much), and they moved away also. Most of my friendships have developed from church, and we know people all over the US because of it.
I went to church In Maui once and knew the first person we met in the parking lot. He had visited his friend at our church in MD once.
I went to church in Germany once, and a member (former US Air Force who married a German) invited me to stay a weekend at his house near the Danube river.
When we went to Alaska to visit my best friend from HS, people from church there let us stay at their house.
Friends of ours used to be snowbirds in Phoenix AZ, they invited us for a week and drove us to Grand Canyon and around.
Last week we visited old friends in TN. They said we could have stayed with them if we would have said something. I didn’t want to impose, but did invite them to stay with us if they visit MD again. We have friends in AR we have stayed with.

 

[daugen]

gen direct been around a long time, seems reputable.
Buckeye, the whole thing is ugly and noisy. The built ins a bit less... Having solar power and batteries/inverters sounds very nice, and quiet too.

wonder what the animals think when all the gens fire up throughout the neighborhood.
Those noisy humans.

you can put small shrubs in front of the tank, small evergreens you can run a power cord to
and have xmas lights there. (spent a lot of time hiding my 1000 gal tank in back yard, as plants in front of it slowly grew.)

now I'm an insurance guy, so the bigger the tank, the bigger your insurance policy. More days of running.
But if you get a big tank, I'd put a lock on it. People steal just about anything in the dead of night.

Or....since you already have diesel there, get a diesel unit. I'd guess ten grand more.
Or...get a Winco 25kw for the back of your larger Kubota and drive it up to house and plug it in. Plug like I have now, only 50 amps but I guess you could have two.
50 amps does an awful lot in an emergency. That 24kw generac I think puts out a full 100 amps, maybe a little more.
If you can live without central a/c this is pretty simple. If you have an all electric house like I had in NC with three hvac systems then it's not simple and downright
expensive for all the add on modules. That 400 amp panel with load shedding modules is held very dear by generac.

too bad they don't make them run on firewood. Hmmm. Steam boiler, little turbine, generator, batteries, inverter. ??

 

[Popgadget]

RNG, I got a chuckle seeing the heads in the dishwasher, you obviously don’t share your kitchen like I do.

Drew, Gravely looks awesome, I would go to warehouse battery in Quakertown rather than TSC though. Better, fresher batteries and generally cheaper.

I was born in Manhattan, lived on Long Island until I was 6, then moved to Berks County, PA until I was 10, then to Bucks County, PA until finally moving to property that I’m on now in the 70’s. My kids all grew up here, the oldest one lives in the original farmhouse in front of me. I am fortunate to have a lot of old friends going back to grade school, as well as many others along the way.
To me, they are the greatest wealth that I have acquired. When I was seriously injured in an accident in 2019 it was humbling to see people coming out of the woodwork to help, especially since I’ve always considered myself to be a bit of a curmudgeon that doesn’t suffer fools well. But nonetheless they came to visit, help, feed us, and just generally do whatever they could to help. My self assessment can’t be too far off, this shirt showed up anonymously-

When I got home from today’s trip, my wife was walking up the lane, which was great to see.

Buckeye, I’ve got a Generac 22kw that I installed myself, none of it was particularly difficult, if you get an electrician to wire it for you, and the gas company to set the tank and run the line and set the regulator, all you will have to do is level a spot and either pour a pad or set a prefab plastic or concrete one to place it on.

 

[PJSprog]

... many on here, that I’ve never met in person I consider a friend.

Same.

 

[sodamo]

The tube from pump body to pressure switch aged out - brittle and cracked just under the switch. 4mm tubing. I have 1/4” available, then remembered an old pump taken out of service. A length of that tube as a temp fix. Had to make a temp clamp from a twist of copper wire. Sl
Till have a slight drip but serviceable until I get to town. This is a HD/ Everbilt pump so hopefully they have appropriate parts.

Back to regular program.