Good morning!!!!

[Eric Salop]

I have held off going round the sheep this morning as it is still a little wet. Think I will treat myself and do it within the comfort of the tractor cab.

Ron, you sound to be having a busy time while your wife is away at that quilting retreat. My wife likes all sorts of crafts and occasionally has friends here for a few days to do that sort of thing, then it is me doing the retreating - into the fields.

Kev, you are right about it being a dogs life, only working 2 hours a day. Not too bad though when you compare it with farmer2009's experiences, his hired help often doesn't show, yet dog is always ready to work and for much less pay.

I'm still trying to get another good mowing year out of the 68 year old tractor.

68 years is a good age to be in regular service. On Friday I tried to help a friend with a problem on an old TEF Ferguson tractor like mine that had a major engine rebuild earlier in the year. He still uses it as a working tractor too and doesn't ever intend to retire it for parade only duty. The tractor now runs very well, but he thought there must be an electrical fault draining the battery. I have a dc ammeter that clips over a cable, making it really easy to see where current is going (most clip on ammeters only work on ac).

Nothing was leaking and when running normally the dynamo/regulator was putting plenty of amps into the battery. Turn the throttle down to tick over and it was constantly sucking 4 amps out of the battery. All it needed was a tweak to raise the rpm when idling.

Unfortunately the starter motor sounds like it has some other issues. At least every single component part of a Ferguson is still readily available and most of them at very sensible prices. Doubt that will be true of any of our newer machines if they ever make it to 60 years of age.

 

[RoyJackson]

Roy, it sounds like you could do with a bit more time for yourself. Could you go part time and cut down the working week by a day at least ?

No, I'm afraid I can't afford that...

2015-06-28, 0539

55 right now with moderately heavy rain coming down. Not going to warm up much...the predicted high is 57.

I did get home earlier than expected so I put a new battery in the mower and mowed most of the lawn. Didn't get the trimming done though.

Today...going to finish putting our newly purchased Weber grill together and then putter around.

 

[ronjhall]

Need to pour a cup of coffee. 56° with cloudy skies this morning. Heading to 77° with some sun later in the day. Wife made it back from her quilting retreat. Spent the whole evening telling about her good time. I did find out it rained a lot in OH while she was there. Not much planned for the day. In house projects are up to date. Lots of limbs on the ground from yesterdays winds. Then some NASCAR from sunny CA.
Good Morning All.

 

[vtsnowedin]

Steady rain here this morning. Got to move one of the daughters home from a job that ended. At least she has already got a new job and won't be at our house for long. It is a transition year for us. Two daughters moving south and this one moving back close to home. The Missis doesn't like having them move away and I know I'll be taking regular trips to Dixie from now on.

 

[daugen]

73 out going up to high 80's in somewhat cooler weather. Rain has left, .45 inches yesterday,just a perfect amount to water things. Except for my 80 or so newly planted trees which will need a water run this week.

Mostly, I know you are working hard on your new place but I hope it's fun. Slow and steady wins the race and if possible enjoy the ride.
Eric, get the stereo tuned in to your favorite station, the a/c set just right and all those little vents pointing in the right direction and those sheep will just obey every command. Perhaps you could get a cd of sheep noises, you know, like the one that says "hey there's food", install a PA speaker on your tractor and just let them follow you around to where you want them. I'm sure it will be just that easy. :thumbsup:
Your dogs might get peeved and start a work action though. Only one hour a day from now on, plus three meals and leg bone.

Normal Sunday stuff to do today. Some quiet time, do the wash, and then maybe put some drawer fronts on a few of my wood shop drawers.
Farmer, you must work 12-14 hours a day to get all your stuff done. In some miserable weather at times. Most of us are play farmers but you are the real thing.
What's the bumper sticker say:
If you eat, thank a farmer!

Roy what's for dinner on your new grill?
A very old friend of mine has a charcoal Weber that must be 50 years old.
He makes the fire with one of those firestarters with some paper stuffed underneath, and it works.
seems to take more time and attention for sure than cranking up the gas BBQ. I keep suggesting he break down and get
into the modern age but he loves his charcoal. Actually, it does taste better if one uses regular charcoal instead of the petroleum infused stuff. I'd rather taste hickory than Exxon.

time to scrounge up some breakfast. A nice omelet with a home grown tomato and finely diced chicken in it.

 

[KevT]

Good Morning Everyone. 73 and going to 89 with rain all around, hope some sneaks on to my grass. Had an employee call me 11 last night, she hit a stray calf on her way home. She was okay but pushed the radiator into the fan, so I ended up pulling her car home. Didn't get to bed till 2 am and now I am off to work with 4 hour sleep and one less helper. Luckily she is mainly my painter and today is mostly grunt work.

 

[dave1949]

55F & light rain. That is the forecast too with 1"-2" of rain today. An inside day.

I got sucked into Stephen King's Finders Keepers novel yesterday. I'll finish that this morning while it rains.

Enjoy the day.

 

[wngsprd]

62 and sunny hooray! Got another 1.27 inches of rain yesterday. Over 7 inches in 7 days is a lot around here. Although we do get those occasional 6 inch t-storms. On my walk about this morning, found the ground still soggy, and creek still over its banks. Might be a couple of days before getting to the outdoor chores.

Hope everyone has a nice Sunday.

 

[RoyJackson]

Roy what's for dinner on your new grill?
A very old friend of mine has a charcoal Weber that must be 50 years old.
He makes the fire with one of those firestarters with some paper stuffed underneath, and it works.
seems to take more time and attention for sure than cranking up the gas BBQ. I keep suggesting he break down and get
into the modern age but he loves his charcoal. Actually, it does taste better if one uses regular charcoal instead of the petroleum infused stuff. I'd rather taste hickory than Exxon.

Nothing to grill today...too wet...probably over the 4th of July weekend.
I do have one of those fire starters...hasn't been used yet, but looks pretty easy.

I went with charcoal because food grilled on a charcoal grill tastes better than food cooked on a gas grill. We had a gas grill when we lived in PA. My opinion is you may as well cook on a stove if a gas grill is all you've got.

 

[daugen]

Over 7 inches in 7 days is a lot around here

wow, this time it all went further North of me; that amount of water here would have
been crazy. And drowned more trees...Time to go rent that mini ex and get to work on my ditches before next time it comes further South. Well Wingsprd, you are going to be mowing and mowing and mowing. If the grass gets too tall and the rain keeps coming, perhaps we could put pontoons on our Kubotas...I think Don has a set he could lend us.

I had some good news yesterday come by way of emails. One of my close friends wants to buy my Avalon, which is super convenient, and Mitchell Kubota called and said they had sold my Land Pride mower under consignment in three days.
:dance1: And would I please come down and pick up my cash. About 45% of what I paid for it three years ago. Might have added 10-20% to that if I had sold it myself on CraigsList, but I did not want the public invited onto my property.
Instead they were invited to the dealer who put it right out front, a gleaming tan in a sea of orange, and it sold quickly like I told them it would. Some necessary reductions in fleet size...

and underneath where the mower was, tarped outside, was a nice rabbit den, now vacated with a series of little depressions in it; bunnies on the move. Rabbits are fine with me, until they eat my flowers. They can't get in the veggie garden but if they start eating other things, AFTER I leave little plates of carrots for them far away from the house, well going to need some negative training.

 

[Thomas]

53F now high upper 50's rain steady than showers late afternoon.
Started Friday late afternoon into late Saturday afternoon,I felt 35 years younger so I grab trimmer did small fields and lawn,early afternoon I...me was running out of gas and still had to do 4hours riding mower time,while taking quick break heard the mower running far field,Mrs. mow fields and lawn I was tickle pink as they say,you might say I learn my lesson and it cost me dinner.

All outside work been cancel because of weather...sure can use the much needed rain...so its a slow putter day.

Enjoy the day all.

 

[Buppies]

64 this morning cool breeze blowing and low humidity. Took car to Greensboro for yearly service was supposed to run thru heavy rain but it never made an appearance. Feels like a nice Fall day outside high in 70s and bright sunshine

Grass needs mowed so that's the first order of business after church then get ready for busy week at work

 

[bakerg]

Good morning, 57F here this morning in Southern Ontario. Rain has finally stopped after almost 24 straight hours of the wet stuff. Overcast today with the high of only 70F, feels like October weather not late June weather.

 

[dave1949]

wngsrd: 7" in a week is a lot of rain. I think we are finally catching up on getting some moisture in the ground. The last rain added some water to my rain pond even and today's inch or two will boost it some more. It was 2.5'-3' below full.

I second the charcoal over gas for taste. I use Royal Oak real wood charcoal or just plain wood. Kingsford charcoal has actual coal dust in it. Yuk. Wood or charcoal is messy, takes longer, and more work for sure.

Drew, you could watch some of the old Bugs Bunny & Elmer Fudd cartoons for tips on dealing with those silly wabbits. They do a number on my Mom's little flower bed. The condo association grounds are barren lawn, not a weed or stalk of clover to be seen along with inedible shrubbery, which naturally means the rabbits head for the flowers to stay alive.

 

[deerseeker001]

64 with clouds,Rain moving in later with a high of 75.The Flowers we trans planted will need the Water.

 

[bakerg]

Just checked the rain gauge, over 2 " in the last 24hrs. Gauge was overflowing , so no real accurate measurement, if my dollar store plastic rain gauge is even accurate.

 

[farmer2009]

52 this morning and headed to 82 today. Already up to 70. Two houses of birds leave tonight. So I'm off to get those done. Time for a total clean out. Already have the litter sold and a guy scheduled to come clean them out. That's all he does is clean out chicken barns. 3 sets of equipment. I just have to get everything washed and cleaned up. After a year the dust is stuck to everything and has to be pressure washed off. Goal is to have everything looking almost new when I'm done. I can do about a house a day by myself.

Drew I run 7 days a week. I have 3 employees me, myself, and I. Only problem is we can only be in one place at a time. I have tried many times to keep track of my hours. But I always seem to give up about Thursday when I hit 80. But I'm not alone about that. There's plenty here that own their own business and know what I mean. The only thing I can't get my wife to understand is that her summer vacations put me behind till frost. Nobody's here to do anything. But I'm trying this year to be a week ahead when I leave so I'm caught up when I get home. That'll be nice. But I'm getting birds back 5 days after we get home. I'll need every bit of it to get ready.

Kev. We only have family around Okeechobee during the winter. We started in Virginia looking for a place to use our timeshare. During this week. Only week I can go. And went through all there resorts till we hit south Florida. They only had a hand full of rooms open at this one. Our problem is we can't book 6 months in advance. Lucky to be able to book 6 weeks. And during travel season you take what you can get. Wife was set on a beach vacation. But I bet we spend most of our time in the pool.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I got the new grill bug yesterday. I have a big propane grill that needs some new burner tubes but I decided I want to go back to charcoal. I had an "Old Smokey 14" diameter model that I bought in 1994. It is ready for the trash. So I went and bought a new Old Smokey 22" model. Simplistic BBQ. Loaded about 3 quarts worth of brickets in it and lit it off. Cooked ground round hamburgers with Lipton Onion soup powder mixed in. Also some pork chops and chicken legs. All came off perfectly. No flame ups. Love it. 4.5 stars. PS, you need a place to put the lid when you take it off to turn the meat.

 

[RedNeckGeek]

I have two bolts that keep backing out and down on either side of the Farmall A's steering yoke. When they do steering is limited to 1/4 turn. They already have lock washers so I just cleaned them and put lock-tight on them if that doesn't work I'll try teflon tape, I guess. It's a pain to jump off the tractor and tighten them every 15 minutes. I'm still trying to get another good mowing year out of the 68 year old tractor.

Jumping off to retighten may be a PITA, but I bet it's good exercise! :laughing:

Seriously, if the Loctite doesn't work, could you fashion a steel tab to fit under the end of the bolt with a tab to bend against the hex and the other end folded down over an edge to prevent rotation? Failing that, you could drill a small hole through one of the points on the hex and safety wire it. Then you'd have a racing tractor, so better hold on tight! :laughing:

 

[RedNeckGeek]

PS, you need a place to put the lid when you take it off to turn the meat.

Have you looked for a hook up under the lid? The old Weber I had forever had one, and it was very handy. If you don't find one, make a hook out of some flat steel stock and attach it to the lid with a pair of machine screws. The idea being that the OD of the round bottom will nest up into the ID of the lid, allowing the hook to be placed high enough in the lid so it doesn't hit any of the food on the grill.