Farm Mechanics

Roscoe is looking to get his farm work merit badge for scouting when he visits us this summer. We figure there is going to be PLENTY of mechanic work around here. This weekend, we knocked out a big one, but there is still lots to be done.

Sat. morning the kids and I picked up the rebuilt lift cylinders for the front-end loader. We got them installed, and after a few gallons of new hydraulic fluid (I think it still needs another gallon or so) it was working great. Here's the evidence as we used the FEL to lift our brush hog into the back of the truck (to haul it into town to consult with the hicks about how to fix it):















FYI, a brush hog, (AKA bush hog) is a field mower that runs off the PTO on the rear of the tractor. This particular version cuts a 5' swath which sounds great until you run it across a field a few times. It takes FOREVER to cut a field with 5' swaths at a time. It is supposed to have a big wheel on the rear of it (the part that is jutting out towards the cab of the truck) that runs along the ground behind it as you mow to keep it from scalping the pasture. Well, the shaft that the wheel is mounted to is SEVERELY worn and after consulting with a few old farmers, we determined that the shaft is just too far worn to allow it to function properly. It binds up and the wheel doesn't track in a straight line and is always trying to turn while the tractor goes straight which causes it to break off. In fact, the last time we mowed, it was grandma that knocked the wheel off the brush hog. It has been sitting around for months waiting for its turn on the never-ending list of things to do around here.


We also did a bit of fishing and pulled in these bass (in addition to some other smaller bass and some bluegill):














The one on the top is actually a pretty sizeable fish (fat!) We ended up turning them loose instead of eating them though.