Getting Used To Winter

Although the calendar won't admit it, we are well into winter here in Sask. A good layer of snow everywhere now and down to -20F this morning. If that isn't winter weather I don't know what is. Although it was not a bad day since the sun was shining bright and no wind at all. Anybody that spends much time outdoors in Sask. knows that it is not just the temperature that determines whether a day is nice. Like this caller to CBC radio last week. He got it right and that clip went viral.
Have a listen
I took the opportunity of this cool though sunny day to haul a tank of water from the well before the truck's license expires end of the month.
That went so well that I was inspired to head to the hundred acre woods and pick up a hay bale that I had missed when hauling last month. It was not worth running the tractor and trailer five miles (one way), plus way too cold to sit on an open tractor. So I used a little ingenuity along with a cable winch and ramp to pull the bale up onto the truck box and haul it home in comfort.
The sun was getting pretty low by the time I took this photo.

Back before it got too cold or snow too deep I finally got the 30+ year engine oil change done on the 39 Ford. And of course there is video evidence.

Winter Work

Not a whole lot happening on the farm this time of year. Below normal temperatures, miserable wind chill factor are not conducive to working on old vehicles but I did get the 39 fired up and warmed up enough to do it's 30+ year engine oil change. A little overdue for sure. The video was a little long so I made it a "two parter". This is part one. 

Progress on the 52 Merc is slow as it is parked outdoors and subject to the slings and arrows of outrageous weather. There were snow flakes blowing into the spark plug holes this morning as I worked on un-sticking some of the valves.

Got the flax hauled out last week. No need now to worry about it heating in the bin or having to plow snow for a day to get the truck in there. Plus the ground is frozen solid now so now danger of getting stuck. 

Not such good news on the wheat though. Fusarium and vomitoxin levels tested high and it graded feed. So I guess we struggled through the mud to raise a crop that will sell for 1980s prices. Maybe I need to invest in a grain burning stove?

Will it Run? Episode 18: 1959 Chevy Biscayne! Part 1 of 3

Guys like this are an inspiration to me. I thought the Merc I hauled out of the bush recently was beyond hope but compared to this 59 Biscayne, its not so bad.

Put Away The Combine

I think the time has come to unhitch, clean up and park the combine in the shed after this scenic snowscape greeted me this morning . Short days, damp weather and poor drying are not going to let those last few acres of flax  dry in the field.

Funny, I was just thinking yesterday as I carefully picked my way through the field with the tractor and harrows that the last thing we need is more precipitation of any kind. I am literally "losing ground" as can be seen in each consecutive trip over the fields. The ruts I left in the soft ground with the combine a few weeks ago now have water in them which has come up from below. The sloughs that were full of water are now running over to the next one. Today's snow will add to the problem. The municipal pump has finally been shut down this week in preparation for freeze up. The pump, literally running for weeks (months?)  has kept the water level down on one of our major grid roads but heavy winter snow could put us right back where we were by spring.
In other news, in the tradition of Mr Toad I hauled another "classic" out of the woods last week while waiting for the ground to "dry" from the latest precipitation. This 52 Merc has been here for over 50 years and has spent the last 40 or so in outdoor "storage" so it has suffered the ravages of our harsh climate (and raccoons)
It has rust holes in the floor, not quite like Fred Flintstone's car but pretty bad. From the floor up it is not bad at all and should not take much to make into a "runner". At this point I am still in the assessing stage while I clean up the mess inside. It certainly has patina .