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The Massey
- Thread starter KSQ2
- Start date
KSQ2
Well-Known Member
A little bit different pursuit in life here. This is the first time in 21 years the old Camaro has left my folks driveway; I think I posted something about it last fall. My dad has been a bracket racer for years and I raced at the local drag strip with him back when I was in college. I bought this ‘70 in 1994 and Dawna said we could rebuild it when we paid off our house. That was several years ago and now we’re finally getting to it. The engine, a somewhat built 350, and transmission are done and waiting. Now it will set in our pole barn until the paint/body guy is ready for it. Hopefully he’ll begin the spring of next year. I’m a little nervous about it, it costs a lot to build an old car (not looking for a show car restoration, but the fella who will do the work isn’t cheap, but he’s excellent); so I’m happy to go somewhat slow and spread the cost out a little.
catscratch
Well-Known Member
Nice! You're probably going to hate this... but I figure-8 one of those yrs ago. Wish I could get back all old cars I tore up one way or another.
KSQ2
Well-Known Member
Had a fun evening at the Massey yesterday. I got word from our farmer that our farm ground was put to prevent plant beans for the year, which means they missed their planting window and get paid a smaller amount from insurance to not plant. He said he had no problem with us scratching up a few acres along the creek and throwing some beans in, as long as we don't combine them.
There was a mixup at the coop, I was wanting some bin run beans to put in, and was told none are available right now. The sales guy told me he could get some in that would be a mixture of field beans that have been cleaned and they would cost about $15 a bag. I ordered some and was planning to lightly disk about 4 acres and throw 10 bags. Well, I got to the coop and found out the "mixture of field beans" was actually Laredo hay beans, and they cost $66/bag!!! There's a chance these will not even germinate if we don't get rain; there's NO way I'm spending $600 on this experiment. I was tempted to say forget it, but I went ahead and bought 3 of the bags. The sales guy was pretty sheepish, so he didn't give me any grief for not buying all of them.
I ended up lightly disking about 18x400 yards, so I'm guessing around 1.5 acres. If the beans do nothing, I'll throw winter wheat and some radishes in later; actually, I'll prolly do that anyway. Here's a few pics of the experiment.
The cleth I applied about a week ago is doing its job in the clover below the barn.
Also, I can't hardly believe how big this apple is getting on this chestnut crabapple! I decided to leave one on this newly planted tree, just to see what happened. So far, I'm pretty impressed with these blue hill trees!
There was a mixup at the coop, I was wanting some bin run beans to put in, and was told none are available right now. The sales guy told me he could get some in that would be a mixture of field beans that have been cleaned and they would cost about $15 a bag. I ordered some and was planning to lightly disk about 4 acres and throw 10 bags. Well, I got to the coop and found out the "mixture of field beans" was actually Laredo hay beans, and they cost $66/bag!!! There's a chance these will not even germinate if we don't get rain; there's NO way I'm spending $600 on this experiment. I was tempted to say forget it, but I went ahead and bought 3 of the bags. The sales guy was pretty sheepish, so he didn't give me any grief for not buying all of them.
I ended up lightly disking about 18x400 yards, so I'm guessing around 1.5 acres. If the beans do nothing, I'll throw winter wheat and some radishes in later; actually, I'll prolly do that anyway. Here's a few pics of the experiment.
The cleth I applied about a week ago is doing its job in the clover below the barn.
Also, I can't hardly believe how big this apple is getting on this chestnut crabapple! I decided to leave one on this newly planted tree, just to see what happened. So far, I'm pretty impressed with these blue hill trees!
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KSQ2
Well-Known Member
Got 2” in the neighborhood last night — incredible rain for the end of July! Those beans should take off now, subsoil moisture is still really good too, since the farmer sprayed the crop ground, to keep it from going too crazy. Rain came with a price though.
My little car “stitches” got yet another war wound. Hopefully it still drives ok, Dawna backed it out from the under the bigger branch.
My little car “stitches” got yet another war wound. Hopefully it still drives ok, Dawna backed it out from the under the bigger branch.
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T-Max
Well-Known Member
KSQ2
Well-Known Member
Stand prep began today. Just a taste so far though; I hung a set at family ground that I’ve been eyeing for several years. This year there will only be 3 of us besides my father-in-law, hunting. Two nice bucks shot last season took two families out of the running this year.
Also, tomorrow I’ll be checking out a new permission property. The landowner is going to show me around tomorrow afternoon. It’s been a while since I’ve checked out a brand new property; I’m pretty excited about it.
Here’s a couple pics from today.
Also, tomorrow I’ll be checking out a new permission property. The landowner is going to show me around tomorrow afternoon. It’s been a while since I’ve checked out a brand new property; I’m pretty excited about it.
Here’s a couple pics from today.
KSQ2
Well-Known Member
Well, I had the chance to to check out the new spot today and lo and behold, the landowner also has control of 60 acres to the north, he has the hunting rights too! I got a stand set just right about where it looked good on the map, eyes on the ground agreed. It looks really good. I’m going to try and get one more set hung on the north property before fall. He said a fella rifle hunts it, but he won’t be in at all during archery season. I waded through the poison ivy to get the tree ready. I even pulled a vine off the tree, so I’m hoping that doesn’t bite me in the butt. I named the tree stand “poison ivy”. lol
Mennoniteman
Well-Known Member
I can't wait to read the next chapter on the poison stand.
KSQ2
Well-Known Member
Took yesterday off to spray the future alfalfa field. I was about at my wits end trying to figure how to get it done without missing a lot and wasting a lot of chemical. I was just about to download a tractor gps app, when our hunting neighbor and good friend suggested I use the onX tracker. Genius!! It’s gonna take a little more practice to get good at it, but I managed to get the job done. I also hit the small bean plot at the edge of the field and a couple spots in the lower barn plot area. Since I’m not that great at it yet, I had to turn the pto off several times and backtrack, but by the end I was getting the hang of it better. Driving the tractor while looking at the phone is kinda weird, I gotta admit, I wouldn’t suggest doing anywhere but an open field!!! lol
Mennoniteman
Well-Known Member
Putting a foam marker kit on the sprayer booms is a a good option for small time farmers without autosteer on their tractors.
KSQ2
Well-Known Member
If I can’t get the hang of the gps driving, I’ll consider that. Our small amount of ag spraying, will consist entirely of spraying the alfalfa within a couple weeks after a cutting. So the gps SHOULD work pretty well. With the small amount of money we’ll be making with the alfalfa, we’re trying to keep the initial investment somewhat limited. They’re proud of those kits and the foam!
KSQ2
Well-Known Member
No update on the stand obviously, but the poison ivy itch, so far, is much more manageable than what I’ve dealt with in the past. Just a mild small rash that I can pretty much ignore on my forearm. From what I’ve read online about pulling vines off trees (NEVER have had the nerve to do that before), it can be really bad for susceptible people!
Mennoniteman
Well-Known Member
I have a $180 glonass receiver in my tractor that links to my phone and I use a free field app that then can use the gps receiver for more accuracy. But I can still drive visually by eyeing up my prior track, I only use the phone after the fact to tell me how my visual overlap is doing and alert me of skips.
Mennoniteman
Well-Known Member
Field Navigator app; you set the outline of our field and save permanently, then set the width of your sprayer, and when you hit start it shows you in real time where you are driving. But it's difficult to use it to steer the tractor, it shows you where you are at but not where to go. so if you steer off course and get 2' too wide, you only see that on the screen after you are already gapped. I have a carpenters eye for distance so I steer by sight parallel to my last track and glance at the phone to see how I'm doing. This system is probably about the same as onx with a little more precise accuracy because my glonass receiver.
Field Navigator - Apps on Google Play
Auto guidance parallel lines in the field while driving tractor or harvester
KSQ2
Well-Known Member
Yes, that’s the general idea of using onX. I set the perimeter by driving the first lap, then stepped off 8 yards from that track. I used a hat set on the ground for multiple 10-15 yard short drive lengths to get a good idea of onX map gap between tracks and then I went for it. I’m sure the process will be easier with more practice. Also, the vegetation was taller than it will be when it’s planted, so many times the old track was completely blocked from view. It did seem onX lagged a couple times, so I had to be really on top of turning, or I would run right into the previous track. Like I said, more practice needed!Field Navigator app; you set the outline of our field and save permanently, then set the width of your sprayer, and when you hit start it shows you in real time where you are driving. But it's difficult to use it to steer the tractor, it shows you where you are at but not where to go. so if you steer off course and get 2' too wide, you only see that on the screen after you are already gapped. I have a carpenters eye for distance so I steer by sight parallel to my last track and glance at the phone to see how I'm doing. This system is probably about the same as onx with a little more precise accuracy because my glonass receiver.
Field Navigator - Apps on Google Play
Auto guidance parallel lines in the field while driving tractor or harvesterplay.google.com
KSQ2
Well-Known Member
I went to give the 3 new crabapples a little water yesterday afternoon, grasshoppers have been working them over, they’re somewhat stressed I’m sure. Lo and behold, a 2” rain came out of nowhere last night and gave everything a good soaking. I plan to get brassicas in the ground this week in the lower barn plot, the soil should be in great shape when I disk it lightly. What an incredible year with precipitation!
KSQ2
Well-Known Member
I didn’t take a pic, but this crazy little sprout has grown about 4” in a little over 24 hours since I took this pic. lol
