Texas Spring/Summer Thread

[EddieWalker]

the dozer and it had hinged scarifiers mounted on the back of the blade. So he'd lower the blade and back up with scarifiers tearing up the ground. Then when he'd go forward the back side of those scarifiers would just drag along behind the blade. It was just absolutely amazing how much work those guys could get done in a short time.

I've heard about this and thought about adding them to my blade, but I was almost done with my pond at the time and didn't feel like taking the time to do this when I figured I'd be done digging by the time I got it all figured out and built.

I ran a JD 450G for a little while and realized that it was too light to dig into hard dirt, or push anything on the ground. It was great for spreading piles and shaping. In fact, I've often thought of downsizing to a smaller dozer because it was so much easier to manuver and shape dirt piles.

It takes weight and HP to dig in the dirt with a dozer. If you are too light or underpowered, you will spin your tracks and waste a lot of time. For digging my pond bigger or a straight blade would have been better. But like in everything related to tractors, money and what you can get the job done with is what matters more then what is the very best tool for the job.

Eddie

 

[jinman]

I ran a JD 450G for a little while and realized that it was too light to dig into hard dirt, or push anything on the ground. It was great for spreading piles and shaping. In fact, I've often thought of downsizing to a smaller dozer because it was so much easier to manuver and shape dirt piles. . .

. . . But like in everything related to tractors, money and what you can get the job done with is what matters more then what is the very best tool for the job.

Eddie

Eddie, I've thought about 450s and 550s (even Cat D3s) since the newer ones (less likely to break) seem to be in my price range. Ron has mentioned my flip-flopping, but it's really not that. I know how much I need something that can give me better grading abilities than my TLB. Except for caliche, most of my ground is soft. Even the gumbo clay can be ripped with scarifiers to make it workable. I'm getting to the projects where the distance I have to move materials is in the range of a dozer. However, when I go to look at a machine and see that it is huge and old I start getting anxiety and doubt (the Cat 977K was late 60s/early 70s). It boils down to the fact that I have money to spend, but none to waste. I'm not as young as I used to be, and working on a big ol' machine is not something I can do. I'm in fear of having a big hulking piece of rusty yard art. If I had a good 450 for grading, spreading, and levelling, that would sure be nice. It's also far easier to transport and work on. The bottom line is that I'm still looking for a dozer, but haven't found the one that will make me go for my checkbook yet.

 

[pacerron]

Eddie, I've thought about 450s and 550s (even Cat D3s) since the newer ones (less likely to break) seem to be in my price range. Ron has mentioned my flip-flopping, but it's really not that. I know how much I need something that can give me better grading abilities than my TLB. Except for caliche, most of my ground is soft. Even the gumbo clay can be ripped with scarifiers to make it workable. I'm getting to the projects where the distance I have to move materials is in the range of a dozer. However, when I go to look at a machine and see that it is huge and old I start getting anxiety and doubt (the Cat 977K was late 60s/early 70s). It boils down to the fact that I have money to spend, but none to waste. I'm not as young as I used to be, and working on a big ol' machine is not something I can do. I'm in fear of having a big hulking piece of rusty yard art. If I had a good 450 for grading, spreading, and levelling, that would sure be nice. It's also far easier to transport and work on. The bottom line is that I'm still looking for a dozer, but haven't found the one that will make me go for my checkbook yet.

Jim,
Good to hear you weren't "Evolving":thumbsup: End of subject...
I used to command a civil engineering outfit with lots of heavy equipment.
Be sure to get a scarifier on whatever dozer you find. It will save a lot of time
for your type of projects. At your age you might want a "tushy cushion and sun umbrella too. Dozers aren't the most comfy thing to operate.

 

[Bird]

In the Texas Fall/Winter thread, we talked some about birdseed and prices, so I thought I'd bring up the topic again. Having nothing particular to do today and mostly just killing time, I decided to do some comparison shopping.:laughing: I visited a Walmart, a Home Depot, a Lowe's, and a Tractor Supply and calculated their price per pound of Year Round or Classic Mix birdseed, as well as their Black Oil Sunflower seed, using the price of their largest bag of each. For their mixed seed, 40 pounds was the biggest bag at Walmart & Home Depot, 35# at Lowe's, and 50# at Tractor Supply. Prices per pound were $0.4849 at Lowe's, $0.437 at Home Depot, $0.436 at Walmart, and $0.3398 at Tractor Supply. For sunflower seed, 20# was the biggest bag at Home Depot, 25# at Walmart, 35# at Lowe's, and 40# at Tractor Supply. Prices per pound were $0.849 at Home Depot, $0.7376 at Walmart, $0.7137 at Lowe's, and $0.6999 at Tractor Supply.

So Tractor Supply has the biggest bags and the best price per pound, so I bought a bag of each which should last me quite awhile.

 

[jinman]

So Tractor Supply has the biggest bags and the best price per pound, so I bought a bag of each which should last me quite awhile.

That's what I thought too, but Rocket J. Squirrel keeps imitating a Kamikaze pilot and diving from the tree limbs above until he can hang onto the feeder. Until I move the feeder, a refill of sunflower seeds only lasts two days. If it weren't for hurting the birds, I'd dust those sunflower seeds with cayenne pepper and give that thieving squirrel a surprise.

 

[pacerron]

In the Texas Fall/Winter thread, we talked some about birdseed and prices, so I thought I'd bring up the topic again. Having nothing particular to do today and mostly just killing time, I decided to do some comparison shopping.:laughing: I visited a Walmart, a Home Depot, a Lowe's, and a Tractor Supply and calculated their price per pound of Year Round or Classic Mix birdseed, as well as their Black Oil Sunflower seed, using the price of their largest bag of each. For their mixed seed, 40 pounds was the biggest bag at Walmart & Home Depot, 35# at Lowe's, and 50# at Tractor Supply. Prices per pound were $0.4849 at Lowe's, $0.437 at Home Depot, $0.436 at Walmart, and $0.3398 at Tractor Supply. For sunflower seed, 20# was the biggest bag at Home Depot, 25# at Walmart, 35# at Lowe's, and 40# at Tractor Supply. Prices per pound were $0.849 at Home Depot, $0.7376 at Walmart, $0.7137 at Lowe's, and $0.6999 at Tractor Supply.

So Tractor Supply has the biggest bags and the best price per pound, so I bought a bag of each which should last me quite awhile.

Bird,
Good job on the comparison pricing.
I picked enough black sunflower seeds out of a bag of Royal Wing Classic from TC that we were feeding last winter to cover about 1/2 inch deep in a
30 oz Mayo jar. The wife planted a 60' long row in the garden 1.5 weeks ago.
They are up through the ground a couple inches already so at least we know they haven't been treated with anything to keep them from sprouting. There's enough still in the jar for at least 2 more rows, maybe 5 more, I didn't watch her plant them.
I've raised the tall white big headed sunflowers before but never black ones.
Had to stake and tie the white ones up as they got about 6-7 feet high.
I've heard the black ones only get about 3 feet high and have smaller seed heads.
I figure you and Dennis would know? Anything special about drying and storing the black ones versus the white ones?
90 degrees at the garden right now so I'm headed for the covered front porch that faces North with a popsicle.
Ron

 

[Bird]

That's what I thought too, but Rocket J. Squirrel keeps imitating a Kamikaze pilot and diving from the tree limbs above until he can hang onto the feeder. Until I move the feeder, a refill of sunflower seeds only lasts two days. If it weren't for hurting the birds, I'd dust those sunflower seeds with cayenne pepper and give that thieving squirrel a surprise.

I know most folks want to keep the squirrels away from their bird feeders, but I just let'em eat all they want. I get a kick out of watching the squirrels tease our Chihuahua. We have one squirrel I know will be there every day, and it doesn't worry about me unless I get closer than about 3' from it. A second squirrel also frequently visits and is a little more spooky.

I figure you and Dennis would know? Anything special about drying and storing the black ones versus the white ones?

Jim (jinman) and Dennis may know, but I don't. I've never had anything to do with the black ones except buying the bags of them for birdseed. When we lived down in Navarro County, I quit buying any kind of birdseed except the black oil sunflower seed since that's all the birds and squirrels down there wanted. Here in town, we have several squirrels, but also a big variety of birds, so I'm buying both kinds of birdseed.

 

[pacerron]

Bird,
Good job on the comparison pricing.
I picked enough black sunflower seeds out of a bag of Royal Wing Classic from TC that we were feeding last winter to cover about 1/2 inch deep in a
30 oz Mayo jar. The wife planted a 60' long row in the garden 1.5 weeks ago.
They are up through the ground a couple inches already so at least we know they haven't been treated with anything to keep them from sprouting. There's enough still in the jar for at least 2 more rows, maybe 5 more, I didn't watch her plant them.
I've raised the tall white big headed sunflowers before but never black ones.
Had to stake and tie the white ones up as they got about 6-7 feet high.
I've heard the black ones only get about 3 feet high and have smaller seed heads.
I figure you and Dennis would know? Anything special about drying and storing the black ones versus the white ones?
90 degrees at the garden right now so I'm headed for the covered front porch that faces North with a popsicle.
Ron

Bird,
Ok, they may chime in later.
The popsicle stick asked, "Why didn't the chicken go to the other side of the road?
The answer was: "Because he was chicken"
That should qualify as a farm topic:laughing:

 

[Bird]

at least we know they haven't been treated with anything to keep them from sprouting

That reminds me of something my dad did years go. He asked the guy at the seed store why he couldn't just plant pinto beans from the grocery store instead of buying the much higher priced "seed" beans from the seed store. The guy said the grocery store beans were treated and wouldn't sprout. Dad just had to try it to see, and sure enough the grocery store beans did much better than the seed store beans.:laughing:

 

[jinman]

That reminds me of something my dad did years go. He asked the guy at the seed store why he couldn't just plant pinto beans from the grocery store instead of buying the much higher priced "seed" beans from the seed store. The guy said the grocery store beans were treated and wouldn't sprout. Dad just had to try it to see, and sure enough the grocery store beans did much better than the seed store beans.:laughing:

That's absolutely true, Bird. We've never had beans quite like the ones we planted from a grocery store bag. We just finally quit picking them because we had our freezer full. Snapped for green beans or shelled, they were delicious. Fresh pintos are MUCH better than the dry ones in the bag even though the dry ones are the seed source. Store bought blackeyed peas are good seed too. Probably any dry bean in the store could be used.

Ron, the only black oil sunflowers I've ever seen will come up volunteer under the bird feeder. Since I mow the lawn, they never get a chance to get going. I did move some dirt once that had some seeds in it and had a nice big bloom until a 'coon decided he wanted it. Sorry, but I can't tell you if the bagged seeds are good to plant.

 

[pacerron]

Ron, the only black oil sunflowers I've ever seen will come up volunteer under the bird feeder. Since I mow the lawn, they never get a chance to get going. I did move some dirt once that had some seeds in it and had a nice big bloom until a 'coon decided he wanted it. Sorry, but I can't tell you if the bagged seeds are good to plant.

Ok, Dennis must be at work. Good thing somebody makes money on this forum. I think most of us just spend it

The experiment with the black sunflowers is on then. May not last long if we don't get some rain. It's like August up here. My wife soaks the garden plants every other evening to keep them alive, we hope, but compared to a rain that's like spitting in the wind..
The deer stop by the pond to drink at all hours of the day. They are back to their old trick of drinking all the water out of the bird bath at night, probably while they are looking at TV through the window.

 

[Western]

Ron, your right!! Working nights is getting harder on the "spine":laughing:

Two main types of Sunflower seeds and a ton of varieties. The first is Oilseed, the small Black ones usually found in birdseed since it has a very high oil content, (used to make SF oil ) The second is the White and Black striped and is the bigger seed, a basically non-oil seed used for baking breads and confectionery type stuff.

I have planted both types from "birdseed" as well as the small black ones (Maximilian I believe) from the seed store. I have had far better luck with the small Back oil seed. This year my little "trial plot " did poorly, got up to 3" and then got dry, but this is on a 2-3% slope so bottom land would be great. From what I have seen, the Striped varieties tend to grow taller with bigger heads.

Heres and interesting read from our state Wildlife Dept.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_rp_w7000_1152.pdf

 

[jinman]

I have planted both types from "birdseed" as well as the small black ones (Maximilian I believe) from the seed store. I have had far better luck with the small Back oil seed.

Dennis, if you'd like more Maximilian sunflower seeds, I'll save you some. I have a gazillion that come up wild on my place. The only thing that stops them is a really dry year. Right now, the plants are about 3' to 4' tall. They'll go 7' tall or more before they bloom later in the year. They sure seem to love my clay soil.

 

[Western]

Jim, I like them, mostly for the dove. I never liked them when they got in my hay fields, but the 2,4-d usually cleaned them up. Your sure right about the weather for them, this year has been tougher than I thought, at least on my place. The high winds and 90+ temps have really been drying my place out.

Pete Delcus said for the year, we are over 3" for rainfall, but for the month of May we are 3" below. According to him, we are listed back in the "drought" conditions again and it is slowly moving towards East Texas...again.

 

[NativeSon]

Yeah we're really needing to get some rain out here in East Texas. Western you're right about that wind, it has dried everything out and doesn't look like it will let up. We're looking at possible rain Tue or Wed. It better come soon.

Charlie

 

[jinman]

If it rains, I'll have to pump out my pond again, but I don't care at all. I'd be pumpin' with a smile on my face.

 

[pacerron]

If it rains, I'll have to pump out my pond again, but I don't care at all. I'd be pumpin' with a smile on my face.

Have all the fish been moved to a temporary hotel?
Which one?
With all the ponds/tanks you are developing you should have
gotten a © copyright on "orthis" for the Rockin Anchor Ranch

 

[jinman]

Have all the fish been moved to a temporary hotel?
Which one?
With all the ponds/tanks you are developing you should have
gotten a ｩ copyright on "orthis" for the Rockin Anchor Ranch

Without turning this into my pond thread, we have gotten all the fish transferred.

. . . and remember. Orthis pond belongs to TxDon.:laughing:

 

[Western]

The way the weather pattern is they showed last night, it will take 3 disturbances in concert to give us a chance of rain, that is asking allot of ma nature. I hope she can hold it together, but for now in my area it is a 20% probability

Charlie, I went to work in SE Texas (*********) Monday, on the way down, as I was driving between Eurika and Cayuga (sp) saw something I have never seen. As I was driving behind another truck/trailer, I noticed an oncoming semi. Suddenly the semi lights started bouncing around, the truck swerved and kept going and passed me. Seconds later the truck I was following, swerved to the shoulder. As I approached the spot, there ways 7-8 dead and dieing pigs (wild I'm sure) some still, some crawling around, the road looked like some one had put a stick of explosives in a bucket of red paint. The pigs where maybe 50-75# . I am glad I didn't hit that "herd" in my 1-ton! BTW, I saw dead hogs the rest of the way to *********, so they must be every bit as thick in E. Texas as every one says.

 

[foreman Etexas]

The way the weather pattern is they showed last night, it will take 3 disturbances in concert to give us a chance of rain, that is asking allot of ma nature. I hope she can hold it together, but for now in my area it is a 20% probability

Charlie, I went to work in SE Texas (*********) Monday, on the way down, as I was driving between Eurika and Cayuga (sp) saw something I have never seen. As I was driving behind another truck/trailer, I noticed an oncoming semi. Suddenly the semi lights started bouncing around, the truck swerved and kept going and passed me. Seconds later the truck I was following, swerved to the shoulder. As I approached the spot, there ways 7-8 dead and dieing pigs (wild I'm sure) some still, some crawling around, the road looked like some one had put a stick of explosives in a bucket of red paint. The pigs where maybe 50-75# . I am glad I didn't hit that "herd" in my 1-ton! BTW, I saw dead hogs the rest of the way to *********, so they must be every bit as thick in E. Texas as every one says.

I live about 15miles from ********* and wild hogs are plentifull around here. Here is some of there destruction . I was able to get 2 behind my house last week,biggest we have shot is 450lbs on our place. It is a constant battle with them in the hay meadows and pastures, I am always dragging and fixing there mess...Total kill in one year between us and the neighbor was over a 100 pigs