Nov 14 working with 2140

This milder weather gave me a chance to get a few jobs done including winterizing the diesel fuel in two tractors. Picking up a couple of un=tied oat straw bales and hauling home for bedding in the cattle shelter. As well as cutting down some big dead trees that were going to fall on the fence line the next time the wind blows.
Still snow everywhere and I don't expect to get back to harvesting until next spring even if we do get a little melting in the next day or so.

Slow Spring

Slow progress on the spring warm up here. True, we had temps in the 70s back on Good Friday but then we have also had overnight temps well below freezing. Days when I need to wear parka and toque working out in the yard. Furnace still runs every day at some point just to keep the house at a reasonably comfortable temp.
So no great incentive to get out in the fields putting expensive inputs to the cold ground. On the positive side at least not many weeds are growing. We missed out on the snow that fell in some parts giving much needed moisture.
Yesterday was nice enough to get out on the open tractor and clean up the worst rocks on a small 60 acre field. Started out with the parka but soon had to remove it. (And yes, I need a new parka). No wind made all the difference. Quiet days seem rare here lately and are a welcome respite from the wind.
So I recorded some of the rock picking fun. Similar to the way I was introduced to it some 50 years ago. Back then we not only had to load the rocks by hand but also had to unload them by hand. I think of that every time I'm near those old rock piles built by hand years ago.

A Little Late

Late to install the snow blower on the 11th of March but I figured it would be easier to park back in it's storage corner of the shed if it was connected to the tractor. So its on and I'm ready now in case we get a late winter snowstorm. Always a possibility here.

Its finally warmed up after a record cold February and beginning of March. We nearly hit the thawing mark today.
Its been a low snow winter adding to the concerns we are in a continuing dry spell. Somehow we grew an excellent crop last year on the minimal amounts of rain we got. I can't see it happening two years in a row.
Our most profitable crop, canola, has taken a serious hit thanks to China rejecting imports from Richardson Grain. Politics. Using the farmer as bargaining chips as usual. That represented about 40 percent of our export market. Prices had been mediocre prior to that and took a drop after the news hit. So its 1990s prices for our canola. Yet the seed companies are expecting us to pay 4 times what we paid for seed in the 1990s.
Got the 4 yearling calves hauled out last week so cattle feeding is a little slower here now with only 4 cows and the bull  left. They seem a little quiet and depressed. Missing the young ones I guess.
The recent warm weather gave me the opportunity to take the drone up for a short flight over the yard. And of course I shot a bit of video.

Snowblower On The John Deere

Never too old to learn, or change I guess. After running the McKee snowblower on the Cockshutt 40 for probably 40 years I decided to try it on the "new to me" John Deere 2140. It took a few adjustments and modifications but I finally got it attached and working.
Last week I would have never expected to be installing the snow blower the first week in March but this recent record high snowstorm has made it necessary. There are places I can't get in with the blade and big tractor and I'd rather avoid shoveling if possible so the little six foot snowblower is the best choice. Beautiful sunny day with blue sky and no wind. You guessed, there is video.

Out In The Snow With The John Deere

We don't have a lot of snow yet and days like yesterday are really taking away what we have. Record high temps in parts of Sask. I think it hit near 40 degrees here. Too warm really as I am getting acclimatized to the cold by now and ready for a few months of snow and cold.
Being a warm day I decided to take the new (to me) John Deere out for some work and get the winter diesel mixed into the system. Tried it out picking up a hay bale for the cattle. It worked but without the hay spear on the loader I had to secure the bale in the bucket with a cable winch. The wet snow proved a bit of a challenge driving up the hill with the hay bale but nothing I didn't expect. Cold dry snow is a lot easier to get around on than this wet stuff.
Anyway, the JD passed the test and will be a good back up tractor to handle hay or snow this winter if the old Massey happens to break down.
Had to record some video just because. Take a look if you want to see me and my cattle and machinery at work and at home.

2140 Wheel Paint

Sounded like today might be the last nice day, nice enough for a little painting anyway. Those rust patches on the rear wheels of the John Deere 2140 always caught my eye and I had plans to do something about it. The valve stems had leaked a bit of calcium chloride over the past 36 years. For those not aware, calcium chloride is added to the rear tires of a tractor for weight to increase traction. It is cheap and effective but the downside is, extreme corrosive rust anywhere this stuff contacts metal.

I found a half decent used valve stem core housing on an old tractor tube and installed it. Seemed to seal up the leak. A few minutes work with the sand blaster got rid of the surface rust. Then a can of rustoleum yellow soon had the wheels looking 100% better. A little steel wool work cleaned up the over spray on the tires that I had been too lazy to mask. Unfortunately I see now the other tire also leaks chloride at the valve stem so I need to remove and replace that one. Those tires are so full of fluid that it is impossible to remove the valve core housing without the chloride spraying out as I found on the first tire. Good thing the shed has a dirt floor to soak up those spills.

Success

At least it looks like I succeeded in the job I started two days ago. Another trip to the dealer for more oil and a couple of filter gaskets. (One for a spare in case I wrecked another one). This time I carefully installed the new gasket according to the advise I'd been given. I have to say it is one of the more awkward and difficult filters I've changed. Heavy cast iron filter body hanging upside down under the tractor.  One hand holding up the filter and body while the other turns the wrench trying to start the bolt. It was almost a 2 man job but I got it done myself. After a test drive I could not find any leaks. Ready to go to work.