The "Nada" Farm Chronicles
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OK, I'm pretty sure I've said this before, but wow this place has it's ups and downs as far as workload and project requirements. I have a book The Farm Wife got me about "5 acres and Independence", which basically claims with 5 acres you can grow or raise everything you need for a comfortable living. I guess this is sort of true with a few givens, given you like to eat grass and there happens to be an abundance of water and probably a gas or oil well on the property to which of course you have full rights. An area of free roaming wild and domesticated animal population seems to be a real plus also. Though we have been enjoying the local deer at meal time, and anticipate rabbit being the next addition, due to some night marauding in the Farm Wife's garden operations, I find many of the suggestions a little hard to implement. But I'll keep trying.
Speaking of implements, now that I have the tractor, WHOOPEE! I am trying to find info on what the tools were that were used successfully with the small machines. I have a single plow that tears up a center row, but I'm guessing that it will be a problem to move it off center it seems to me a plow with a mould board to flip the earth is better, like they used with horses and maybe even two of them side by side would work well or staggered behind each other. Anyway the search continues.
Little update here, I'm an idiot! I know that doesn't surprise some folks, but it is frustrating to reaffirm occasionally. As I was returning the little yellow plow to TSC, I stopped by the neighbors to see what the real farmers were up to. He looked in the back of the pickup and asked what I was doing with a "potato plow?" "I'm taking it back, won't plow what I need to plow." He smiled and as he was shaking his head explained, what I had was to "pop the potatoes up out of the ground" after they had grown for the season. It's a harvesting device for already tilled land. Sort of explains why I couldn't turn over the rocks on my property. The really embarrassing part, was it said that on a sticker, right on the side of the plow, "POTATO BLADE", yep dyslexia strikes every ten sentences whether you need it or not. Or maybe it's just inattention, anyway, the plow went back.
Well Tractor Supply was real nice about taking it back. And they had a single point, moldboard plow that hadn't been there before. I was so tempted. But there is an auction coming up that i'm told is huge. And lots 'a stuff will be there that I might be interested in. So I'm holding fast. yeah right!
Well yesterday, I checked out what is supposed to be used and I was right, a twin plow with mould boards and disc wheels is exactly what I need, so I'm going to start asking around the neighbors and see if anybody has an old set laying around. I doubt they'd be in real high demand , though I have been surprised by the ones I found on websites, all painted up and looking like they never touched ground before and surely never will again. Who wants to ride a silly little tractor in a parade toting plows that will never do anybody any good? Evidently, most of the Americans who used to have a grandpa with a farm!
I went on Craig's List, boy I'm going to have to stop going on line! I found a perfect plow, well I've thought that before, (see above) but anyway. In Old Washington, which is half an hour from me, was a guy selling the recommended plow for my situation. For $25 more than the single plow at TSC. A twin blade 14" flat bottom plow. 
Ain't it purty? Well it works, but also runs into the PTO on the tractor. There is a sprague clutch on the pto so the mower doesn't drive me and the tractor over the hill when I'm mowing, and it works well, however, I have to figure out a way to get it around the plow or buy another tractor for non-pto operations. Glad Chris doesn't read this drivel... I mean the farm wife. Or the NADA FARM wife. it gets so confusing.
The current Bobcat rebuild, caused by another starter burnout. On the last winter page I said how surprised I was that the Bobcat started, and that I got done all that I needed at that time. The reason I was surprised was that it caught fire while trying to start, actually the starter caught fire. I managed to get the fire blown out, not bad for a guy with asthma, and it still started and ran for the time I needed it, but I could tell it wasn't going to start many more times. So I took it in the garage and pulled the engine. Now that might be considered overkill, for a starter replacement. But in fact, the starter is getting burned out due to oil leaks. The oil leaks down on the starter and gets inside, it eventually breaks down the insulation on the wires and, well, fire is the obvious result. Not good for a little electric motor. Take a look.
As always there are other issues as well. Like, how the oil gets there, well I have a theory. I was in a hurry, I had rebuilt the Bobcat's "Kohler two cylinder engine", and lent it to a friend. It ended up with a seized rod, long story, but short version, when I fixed it, I was missing a particular gasket. I had wanted to replace a couple other parts as well, but I needed it pretty quickly, so I threw it together, promising myself, when I was done with that little job, I would pull it again and do it right. Fifteen years later, I did. I'm also replacing a couple rubber mounts that should help with the vibration problems it has, and I might even get the oil light hooked up right this time, so it lights up, when the oil pressure is low. Which is probably why the engine seized the first time rather than just getting shut down. Anyway, here are more starter pictures.
You can see how the oil soaked insulation is carbonized, letting the wires short out and causing a tremendous amount of heat, even if it spins it isn't going to last long like this.
As you can see the brushes are hardly worn, though the cap that holds them, is obviously scorched. And even though it doesn't show, the positive connector bolt's insulation, is melted nearly out of the cap. Soon to be a direct short and do some real damage, whenever the key is turned.
The only good thing is, I have a couple of these cases now with these dynamite MAGNETS, and as I am going to build a couple windmills to fool around with, I see these as being very beneficial, long term.
The little Kohler engine doesn't look like much, but does a great job, when it's running properly. I'm sure a newer engine would be great, but for our shoestring operation, I fell pretty secure in my knowledge of this little engine. I know it inside and out.
Bobcat won't tell the age of their machines, I can't find out how old the tractor is, but I've owned it for nearly 20 years....and it was too worn out to continue renting-out, when I bought it. I'm going to have to get it running soon as the weather is causing an upturn in project expectations. Many involving moving mass quantities of stuff, horse stuff, cow stuff, dirt stuff, and well it's going to get stuffy around here for a while.
To add to the workload, (and yes, I realize it's me adding to it) I received a couple packages I had ordered a while back
I'm pretty psyched, but the Farm wife is nervous about the whole affair, I've tried to explain the need to help the planet and how my HazMat training was just a precursor to the obvious feed through on this party. I mean, can you tell what is in the boxes? Here's a hint.
This is the suit I will need to wear to start. Yep, BEES! I'm going to start "goofin' with the bees" I have two hives and the queens are to arrive this week. Now if you know the farm wife at all, you know she really hates things that buzz and sting. She has assured me she will call 911 for me, but only if she can tell I need help through binoculars, from inside the house. She has had a couple great ideas though, but doesn't want anything to do with this part of my little survival project. But I think once everything is set up and working she will like having the little guys around to help with her gardening. And a couple years from now, I expect to collect a little honey.
In case you can't tell I have been writing and updating this as I go. So I might say something, and later (like in the next paragraph) say something slightly different, or totally opposite, I'm not really nuts, it's just that I find out something different or get a or at least find a better tool for a job. And I move on from there. Now some will tell you I'm totally nuts, but, well maybe they're right.....
Cause you see I went to this auction, and bought a tractor, a really big tractor, and.. stay tuned till next installment, and see if Chris is right and I need to hire a truck to bring it home, or if maybe I can get it dependable enough to make the trip on the highway with a chase car.
Personally, I think if it won't drive 15 miles, I shouldn't have bought it. She thinks we're doomed to spend our lives along side the road, with a disabled pile of expensive junk..
That's it for this page, stay tuned for further updates. Is Ray the mechanic he thinks he is? Is the farm wife right? And only an idiot would try to drive an unknown vehicle on a state route and beg for imminent destruction? See if the marriage lasts, if the tractor makes the trip, If the mechanic's back and neck survives the ride? How long does he get to sell off the unused tractors, before divorce sets in? And what other interesting items are now at NADA Farm? AND WHY?
The happy Nada Farmer, trying to find something that will work for the needs of NADA farm, that I can fix. Cause we know I can't afford anything that works when I buy it... (starting to sound like a real farm!)
Keep coming back, page Thirty one follows......if I survive.
