Friday, October 30, 2009

And everyone said when it stopped it would really stop ...

All summer folks were saying when the rain stopped it would really stop.  Guess what folks, it hasn't stopped yet!  But I guess we are doing better than a lot of people.  We are about half done with commercial corn ... but then we didn't have a lot this year.  If we could get 3-4 good days of corn shelling we could probably be done with it.  Beans, well, I don't want to talk about beans.  We  have a little over 100 acres around Mom's and around 170 acres out west, with 40 - 50 acres of double crops left.  And 10 acres of milo.

I have made a few calls about renting a second combine.  Apparently I am slow, because everything has already been rented.

Oh well, Romans 8:28 still works.  I keep telling myself that.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

WHEN YOU THOUGHT I WASN'T LOOKING

Image


The picture is priceless, but the verse below is wonderful!

WHEN YOU THOUGHT I WASN'T LOOKING
A message every adult should read because children
are watching you and doing as you do, not as you say.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you hang my
first painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately
wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you feed a
stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind
to animals.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you make my
favorite cake for me, and I learned that the little
things can be the special things in life.

When you thought I wasn't looking I heard you say a
prayer, and I knew that there is a God I could always
talk to, and I learned to trust in Him.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you make a
meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I
learned that we all have to help take care of each other.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you take care
of our house and everyone in it, and I learned we have
to take care of what we are given.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw how you
handled your responsibilities, even when you didn't
feel good, and I learned that I would have to be
responsible when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw tears come
from your eyes, and I learned that sometimes things
hurt, but it's all right to cry.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw that you
cared, and I wanted to be everything that I could be.

When you thought I wasn't looking I learned most of
life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and
productive person when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking I looked at you and
wanted to say, 'Thanks for all the things I saw when
you thought I wasn't looking'

I'd like to credit the author but I haven't a clue who it was.  I found this on an Ag Forum and borrowed it

Sunday, October 18, 2009

More Stir-Ator repair

I got the Stir-Ator going again.  Now if I can just get the blog software to behave!  Remember the bent pulley mount?  Repaired it. Straightened the guide arm.  Put it together and it all worked.  But you see that little curly wire in the background of the photo of the pulley mount?  THAT was going to cause trouble.



The wire got loose enough it caught on the trolley as it moved and pulled in two. Since that fed the track motor the machine stopeed moving ... but continued to run. Long term we need to install an update kit.  But that will have to wait until the bin is full so we can stand on top of the corn and work. I got it fixed Sunday afternoon. But while doing that I spied this

The big pulley in the middle is going to need replaced. When you take off the nut holding it on everything falls off. It's going to be fun.
If you have a Stir-ator you don't need a hobby

Friday, October 16, 2009

Used to be we said we didn't need a hobby, we had a Do-All. During harvest I tend to feel that way about a Stir-Ator. We tried some corn at Mom's and it was too wet. So we put it in the bin to put a little heat on it. Well, the !@#$!! mice had gotten inside the dryer fan control and made a mess out of things. I rewired until I reached a point of needing parts I didn't have and called an electrician. What has that to do with this? While they were working on the fan we found the Stir-Ator wouldn't start. Finally figured out the problem was in the fuse box bolted to the bin roof. They suggested a solution to get by until the bin was full enough to stand on and work on things. The only risk was it bypassed a shut down feature on the Stir-Ator. But it ran. So when the wheel jumped off the track (sorry for the poor photos, all I had was my cell phone) the machine did not stop.

The result was some things got really tight. Like this guide arm that is supposed to be straight.
And this pulley bracket that is supposed to be square.
But it DID shut down ... when it pulled the electric wire in two. Of course that is all overhead as well. I'm not really sure where the break is, if it is in the troublesome fuse box or in the box on the Stir-Ator or in the wire between the two someplace.

And of course this is 18 ft off the floor in a bin with 2 ft of corn in it. Which means a 20 ft ladder just does reach. Well, it doesn't reach everything. But that also means fighting a 20 ft ladder inside a bin with 2 ft of now dry corn in it. Remember walking in dry corn? You sink almost up to your knees.

I got the mechanical repairs all finished and was getting ready to start on the electrical when Mom stuck her head in the door and asked if I wanted to go downtown and eat supper.

I have to finish the electrical part tomorrow.

Monday, October 12, 2009

You know, some seed companies give away ink pens. Some seed companies give away thermometers. Some seed companies give away hats and jackets. Some seed companies give away trips. Becks gives away 4 wheelers...
The IH sticker is optional ...

I know, I actually paid for it. But the seed did not cost any more than the competition and is performing very well. So why not get everything you are paying for?

The plastic box is one I put on to hold the battery for the sprayer.
David and Adam spent the afternoon with Grandpa and Grandma Sunday. David found Grandma's lawn mowing glasses and gloves. He has on the glasses and the Dale Earnhart gloves and is trying to get his hand with the glove on inside a puppet.
Sorry about the quality. My camera was in the truck and all I had was the cellphone

Sunday, October 4, 2009

nothing profound to share

It's going to be a long fall. As I mentioned on the farm site (www.BumpusFarms.US) it had been a start and stop, get ready and wait fall so far and will probably continue that way. Our driest corn is 28% (15.5% is where you want it). We have cut the dry milo, what is left is over 23% (you want 14% with it). We've cut nearly 200 acres of beans, but are at the point of having 5 acres of dry beans in the middle of 40 acres of replanted beans and everything else is green. Wheat planting should start this week ... all day of it.

I don't feel very profound. I should be outside doing something on a beautiful day but had to get the minutes together for the church board meeting tonight and got to updating web sites and blogs.

The church web site is current again (www.wucc.us)
The farm web site/blog is current (www.Bumpusfarms.US)
the West union start page is current (www.westunion.blogspot.com)
and once I hit Publish this blog will be current.

Think I'll go for a 4 wheeler ride on my new seed corn Polaris. Some companies just give out hats and jackets.

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