Farm update

I don't feel like we have accomplished a thing this month ... but then I get to thinking about what has gotten done and feel a bit better.  Let's see, we did some rearranging in the tool room and put in a bolt bin full of metrics, we have 3 augers in the shop right now in various states of repair, the black truck has the heater out of it and parts setting there to fix it,  I guess we have made a bit of progress.

Sue and I made a whirlwind trip to Wisconsin last week to buy some truck parts.  The Kenworth will need a Power Take Off to drive the hydraulics to raise the bed.  I found a farmer online with exactly what we needed, and bought the PTO, pump. hoses, controls, and tank for about what Ralph said the PTO was going to cost me. Which reminds me, I need to take a photo of the right side fuel tank on the KW.  We plan on removing one of them and I know a guy looking for one.  I took a camera ... forgot to take any pictures...

While we were getting ready for that trip the Farm Pride salesman showed the John Deere to a customer.  We had it plugged in so the engine was warm, she fired right up ... and died.  We think the hydraulic oil is so thick from the temperature that the pump couldn't handle it.  That or maybe it had just a little moisture in it. We never run the tractor when it is that cold.  I hope to fire it up this week when its a bit warmer and it works right.

I've been working on paperwork this weekend.  First of the week I need to take some tax papers in to the accountant for W-2's and 1099's.  I sat at this desk all day Saturday and right now the papers are stacked higher than they were before I started.

Oh!  I was going to put up a link for this but the online edition isn't out yet. I was mentioned in an article in Successful Farming this month.  It was about text messaging.  I had answered some questions from Cheryl Tevis of SF last fall and they used my response in the article.  Yes, I did cut out a copy for my scrapbook.  January 2010 page 32.

Here is an excerpt:
Mike Bumpus, West Union, Illinois, also finds that texting is a useful tool. “We use texting because it’s more flexible and reliable than voice cell coverage or cell voice mail in our area,” he says.

“We use it quite a bit to get in touch with employees of our contract seed corn company. Their corporate safety policy doesn’t allow cell phone use while driving. If you call someone, by the time they find a safe stopping point, you’re into voice mail. Texting allows them to read messages in a safe and convenient way,” Bumpus says.