Good morning!!!!

[lostcreekranch]

38° this morning. Called dad last night, he's been alone in the house 16 months since my mom died. He gets lonely, so i call more often, but am way overdue for a visit. One brother is there this weekend.

Mowed the yard thursday night, but didnt do along the creek since i was short on daylight, maybe do that today. Havent been too busy since ive had some health issues. Got a lot that needs done, work never goes away.
View attachment 527335 been trying to decide if i want to keep this tree, leaves are pretty, but the trunk isnt. Down over the hill where i planted several oaks, just because i like planting trees. The little pine behind this tree is one my youngest son started in a class in gradeschool. Tomorrow's his birthday.

Buckeye, I attended a Texas Agri-Life Tree Care & Management Seminar yesterday. We discussed trees similar you yours. You need to pick one side or the other and remove it using proper pruning techniques.

In 2-3 years that tree will balance itself out and look near normal. If you leave it like it is you’ll probably lose entire tree at some point.

Follow Proper Pruning Techniques | Earth-Kind(R) Landscaping

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Buckeye, I attended a Texas Agri-Life Tree Care & Management Seminar yesterday. We discussed trees similar you yours. You need to pick one side or the other and remove it using proper pruning techniques.

In 2-3 years that tree will balance itself out and look near normal. If you leave it like it is you’ll probably lose entire tree at some point.

Follow Proper Pruning Techniques | Earth-Kind(R) Landscaping

Thanks, might do that just to experiment. I don't care if this one dies, was thinking about removing it altogether.
these are sugar maples, from my parents. These are keepers. We used to tap a couple of our trees for syrup yrs ago.

 

[daugen]

Thanks, might do that just to experiment. I don't care if this one dies, was thinking about removing it altogether.
View attachment 527362these are sugar maples, from my parents. These are keepers. We used to tap a couple of our trees for syrup yrs ago.View attachment 527363

I agree; unless you wire the two sides together, one will definitely split off in a windstorm and likely wreck the entire tree in the process.

Tapping a sugar maple in the winter must be great fun. Roy, you have any on your property you can tap into?

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Follow Proper Pruning Techniques | Earth-Kind(R) Landscaping

Was looking thru your link, I'm about to do the non recommended "chain saw massacre" to this one. Lol. It's too close to the house. and apparently is laying sideways when i post the picture. Lol

 

[CWB Wyo]

The low this morning was 37*, yesterday's high was 57*. Partly cloudy this morning with a 60% chance of rain snow mix. They say it's going to be like that tell Monday. The high is going to be in the 40's with lighter winds.

Going to help a neighbor move a snow cat so the owner can get in and out of her place this winter. Then a trip to town to pick up a truck that needed worked on.
Think those two things maybe a all day job.

Hoping for 6-8 inch of snow so I go out find a elk.

Hope everyone has a nice day.
CWB

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Randy, your family is still in our prayers. Be sure to talk with loved ones to help. Thank you for keeping us updated.



I see the warm spell that is going to be near 90F will also reach Denver and get up to 70F.

The saga on the 5420 front tire (that I took on and off 3 times) appears to be at a stalemate thanks to some Slime sealer. I sure didn't want to use it, but caved and it seems to be doing a great job. I just know that over time, the stuff drys out internally and things go downhill.

I got the steering wheel tilt adjustment fixed, but need an oring to put the deere symbol center cap back on. I adjusted the main clutch cable, and the PTO clutch cable.

I got a lot of shredding done. But the blades were so dull, they were the prime reason for the PTO clutch and PTO shaft clutch having problems. I was going to pull the bushhog off and stand it up to grind/sharpen the blades, but had trouble getting the driveshaft off the PTO shaft. Had to remove the big spring that holds the ball retention collar, remove the balls, and still had to tap it off. Got a file on the tractor's shaft to debur the high spots caused by the balls. Then I lost a ball. So I went to the deere house to get a ball and one of my favorite parts guys offered me a $42 per blade price for new blades. So I bought 2 new blades, a new retention ball and headed home with a bit of worry in the back of my mind. Folks, if you haven't ever changed out Bush Hog blades on a 286 shredder, I would recommend you ask your dealer what they would charge to do it. It is NOT an easy task. This is my 3rd or 4th time to change theses and I keep telling myself that NEXT time, I'm going to pay to have it done. Well, next time was yesterday... To do it, you will need a large amount of brute strength, fair amount of tools, at least one, 5 lb sledge, and a bottle of Advil. It takes a 5 or 6 foot cheater, 3/4" breaking bar on the 1 11/16" socket to start. My 3/4" blue point Snap on impact wouldn't even come close to breaking the nuts loose. Maybe if I had a really big airline and about 175psi....But getting the nuts off isn't the hardest thing. Getting the keyed, pressed in, BushHog blade bolts out is a chore.... Once you have the bushhog raised on safe jack stands, you have to put something under the blade or adjacent stump jumper like a 4 x 4 cut to length, to shore it up from the bottom while you hammer the bolts downward. This is where the 5 lb sledge comes in handy. I also have a really large 3lb ball peen to place over the bolt to use as something to hammer on, holding it by the handle. This operation, will make you curse. Also, put on some ear protection to keep the Advil necessity to a minimum. Once you get the bolts driven out, clean them up with a wire wheel and I like to put some anti sieze on them (for next time ).

My daughter has her friend over and they are making pancakes for breakfast. A real comedy show. Hopefully they get fed. Coffee on the way. More shredding today after I adjust the Bush hog drive shaft clutch a bit tighter. Might be time for some new springs, clutch plates, and bolts. Another hunerd dollars...Why does everything hundred dollar one nearly to death or so it seems?

 

[sodamo]

68°F and .07 inches rain last 24 hours.

Mowed yesterday. Can give it a couple days before having to start again.

Cottage tenants shared the good news that they have an 11 acre parcel under contract. Now the real fun of planning their build and actually getting work started. They hope to close 27th of this month. Interestingly, when the question of needing a tractor came up, my wife was the first to loudly proclaim they surely needed one and then schooled his wife as to why. I was proud.

Continued prayers and best wishes Randy. I suspect you are in most of our thoughts every day.

Be safe
Have a great day

 

[daugen]

She's a keeper too!!
Of course did she get extra credit by mentioning that if they bought a tractor they could join TBN?

Unsuccessful attempt to set up cultivator this morning. Adjustment chains frozen, not freed up like I asked the dealer.
GRR. Could not budge them, need to take them totally off and put in vice and beat on them. Small things, probably cost 200 bucks each from Iseki. The lower lift arms were 350 each; my balls are loose.... No this is not a personal problem, if those hitch balls come out one could have a real accident...So I bought new Cat 1 hitch balls from Speeco and will have the old ones cut off by welding shop and the new ones welded on. But in the meantime I figured I could use the existing ones, loose as they are. But could not tighten up the side by side motion and couldn't have the cultivator wagging around back there. So I was beat before I got started. Another day, likely tomorrow.

So instead I spread organic fertilizer on all my roses, and fruit and nut trees. Mostly fancy chicken manure, a bit pungent. Off to take a good shower to get that fertilizer smell off me, going out to dinner tonight and unlikely it would be good to smell like a chicken manure spreader.

 

[lostcreekranch]

Was looking thru your link, I'm about to do the non recommended "chain saw massacre" to this one. Lol. It's too close to the house.View attachment 527364 and apparently is laying sideways when i post the picture. Lol

Another issue we discussed was planting an appropriately sized tree for a specific location.

This site is specific to Texas but perhaps you can find something similar for your area of MD? Do you have County Extension agents?

Texas Tree Selector

Our Extension Agents, now called Texas Agri-Life, are a great resource for us “country kids”.

Edit: You might have a chance of saving tree by completely removing the left leader in your picture, the one closest to house. Like the other tree, it will take a few years for the tree to balance itself out.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Maybe i shouldn't have planted a garage so close to the tree. Lol

 

[lostcreekranch]

Maybe i shouldn't have planted a garage so close to the tree. Lol

Yeah, there’s that too.

 

[wngsprd]

Another issue we discussed was planting an appropriately sized tree for a specific location.

This site is specific to Texas but perhaps you can find something similar for your area of MD? Do you have County Extension agents?

Texas Tree Selector

Our Extension Agents, now called Texas Agri-Life, are a great resource for us “country kids”.

Edit: You might have a chance of saving tree by completely removing the left leader in your picture, the one closest to house. Like the other tree, it will take a few years for the tree to balance itself out.

I'd be worried about roots as the tree ages...I believe maples like this will develop surface roots that may cause a problem

 

[ronjhall]

Got filter installed on Kubota. Then remembered I had a new seat for JD mower stored in barn loft. Got it installed on mower. My back is going to thank me every time I use it from now on. The JD seat shocks were completely wore out. New one sure makes the ride better.
Got all tools cleaned and put away. Still have 10 gallons of used oil to return to Walmart and TSC.
Storm moved in about 4:00 pm. Not too bad. But the MSU in East Lansing was postponed until sometime after 5:30. From the looks of radar that may be to soon.

 

[RedNeckGeek]

I got a lot of shredding done. But the blades were so dull, they were the prime reason for the PTO clutch and PTO shaft clutch having problems. I was going to pull the bushhog off and stand it up to grind/sharpen the blades, but had trouble getting the driveshaft off the PTO shaft. Had to remove the big spring that holds the ball retention collar, remove the balls, and still had to tap it off. Got a file on the tractor's shaft to debur the high spots caused by the balls. Then I lost a ball. So I went to the deere house to get a ball and one of my favorite parts guys offered me a $42 per blade price for new blades. So I bought 2 new blades, a new retention ball and headed home with a bit of worry in the back of my mind. Folks, if you haven't ever changed out Bush Hog blades on a 286 shredder, I would recommend you ask your dealer what they would charge to do it. It is NOT an easy task. This is my 3rd or 4th time to change theses and I keep telling myself that NEXT time, I'm going to pay to have it done. Well, next time was yesterday... To do it, you will need a large amount of brute strength, fair amount of tools, at least one, 5 lb sledge, and a bottle of Advil. It takes a 5 or 6 foot cheater, 3/4" breaking bar on the 1 11/16" socket to start. My 3/4" blue point Snap on impact wouldn't even come close to breaking the nuts loose. Maybe if I had a really big airline and about 175psi....But getting the nuts off isn't the hardest thing. Getting the keyed, pressed in, BushHog blade bolts out is a chore.... Once you have the bushhog raised on safe jack stands, you have to put something under the blade or adjacent stump jumper like a 4 x 4 cut to length, to shore it up from the bottom while you hammer the bolts downward. This is where the 5 lb sledge comes in handy. I also have a really large 3lb ball peen to place over the bolt to use as something to hammer on, holding it by the handle. This operation, will make you curse. Also, put on some ear protection to keep the Advil necessity to a minimum. Once you get the bolts driven out, clean them up with a wire wheel and I like to put some anti sieze on them (for next time ).

My daughter has her friend over and they are making pancakes for breakfast. A real comedy show. Hopefully they get fed. Coffee on the way. More shredding today after I adjust the Bush hog drive shaft clutch a bit tighter. Might be time for some new springs, clutch plates, and bolts. Another hunerd dollars...Why does everything hundred dollar one nearly to death or so it seems?

Sounds like you're a good candidate for a flail mower. No big rusty bolts to deal with, just lots of hammer blades on short pieces of chain to replace, but at least there's nothing hanging over your head when you're working on it. I've removed, sharpened, and reinstalled the blades on my 60" Bushog "shredder", and my little Snap-On 1/2" drive impact gun loosened the nuts easily. The spritzes of Kroil I used on them the day before probably helped, too. But that Bushog has sat unused since I purchased the flail, so I should probably sell it...

 

[lostcreekranch]

Sounds like you're a good candidate for a flail mower. No big rusty bolts to deal with, just lots of hammer blades on short pieces of chain to replace, but at least there's nothing hanging over your head when you're working on it. I've removed, sharpened, and reinstalled the blades on my 60" Bushog "shredder", and my little Snap-On 1/2" drive impact gun loosened the nuts easily. The spritzes of Kroil I used on them the day before probably helped, too. But that Bushog has sat unused since I purchased the flail, so I should probably sell it...

I use Fluid Film on mine day before. No problems and I have the HF 1/2” Earthquake impact.

1/2 in. Aluminum Air Impact Wrench

I agree on the flail mower. I have one on my wish list.

 

[txdon]

Always like to read you views of pictures. You see what others miss. Is that naturally you or is it from your job training?

I think it's from constantly scanning for snakes out here.

 

[daugen]

I think it's from constantly scanning for snakes out here.

Well, I could have sure used you finding that cabbage worm again. I tried twice, spent fifteen minutes each time and never found it.
So I hosed them all down with two kinds of organic bug spray. Sure going to wash those collards now...
My barber was telling me that cabbage worm would strip the collards down to nothing. Just little eating machines.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Well, finally bought that speed queen washing machine.

At least i paid them, they don't actually stock any in the store, will get it in next week, and i pick it up next weekend. They wanted $50 to deliver.

Was sunny most of the day, but rain came in tonight.

Spent way too long trying to get an older IP security camera to work on my new dvr. Newer cams working great, just the old one.

Whats the easiest way to remove glued down linoleum from a concrete floor? Going to start to tear out basement bathroom. Bought a tile chisel for my sds max.

Extra prayers for Randy tomorrow.

 

[mostly_gas]

Good evening all. 58F for the start, fog again, calm wind. Fog lifted about 9AM, wind started to increase shortly after, and high temp was 86F. 3 of us went riding today. After riding, and lunch, and nap, needed a shower before dinner

 

[300UGUY]

Got a little bit of work done, not much, helped the wife out, then dinner with friends, after church. Tomorrow likely rain all day. No combines running here now, a lot of corn left in the fields here, it will be a few days before they can run again.