Sunday 4 August 2013

When Is A Smallholding Lawnmower not a Lawnmower? (When it looks like a fire engine!)


This is a welcome new addition to our smallholding fleet. She sits proudly next to my 2 Ford tractors.   She only cost me 75 Euros and 40 for a new battery.  I saved 27 Euro on the battery.  It just shows it pays to shop round, doesn't it?  Number 1 son painted her up and she goes like a bat out of hell.  I bought her off a tractor mechanic who rescued her from the scrapyard.  Have you brought anything back to life from a skip or a scrapyard?

We have another (Fordson Super Dexta) tractor arriving soon.  She's 50 in December.  Guess what?  So am I.  She's the best early birthday present I have ever had.  She's also painted blue like my other the two Fords.  Fordson means "son of Ford".  Not many people know that.  Will show you pictures of her and the restoration very soon.  Could this be the start of our very own tractor museum?

Joke:

What do you call a man who likes tractors.  But he doesn't any more?

An ex tractor fan!

Sorry!

12 comments:

  1. A Mountfield no less, top of the range, should go for ever. Perhaps a blue paint job to match the Fords? Or are all Mountfields red?

    And another tractor to play with, your cup seems to be running over.
    Looking forward to pics of it.

    Definitely cooler here today, cloudy with patches of blue, and strong breeze.

    Raggy cat back to its routine, waiting on the window cill this morning, presently sleeping on my desk again, seems happy enough.

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  2. The Mountfield was originally red. So we painted it with 'Post Office'red. She doesn't have a grass collecting box, so we mow every week so there isn't much grass.

    I couldn't resist the Fordson. She's mechanically sound. So it's just a matter of cosmetic (new mudguards) tlc with a paint spray, a new wheel bearing (couple of quid) and a oil change. Going to put the log splitter on her. The engine sounds like a Spitfire Merlin engine purring. Wish I could get hold of a Spitfire! Saw a tank for sale on the Internet the other day.

    We keep getting very heavy downpours. Supposed to rain at the test cricket in Manchester later today and tomorrow. Hopefully it will help England retain the Ashes.

    Domino left me another rat on Friday. It's very good that he does his work. But why is it always me who gets the rodent undertaker job?

    Thanks!

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  3. Sounds good, a permanent attached log splitter, I used to keep the log fire going with a small chainsaw and a hand-wielded splitter (armstrongs patent we called them), good exercise it was, and effective when you get used to it, even the chainsaw sweepings went on the fire. The shoreline provide a never-ending supply of seasoned logs, non-sparking, just needed hauled home. In a grate I opened up and used a cast iron basket, it took 2' logs and burned most of our rubbish, I miss that fire, we put so much rubbish out now.

    Keeps dull here, a light shower earlier, its warm and muggy now, wind's gone, feels like a thunder storm could be on the way.

    Good to hear Domino's earning his keep, it's easier to get rid of a dead rat than a live one, Raggy cat's never brought me a rat, but I suppose there's time yet.
    It's getting a bit too domesticated, started sitting on Mrs chair arm and it's realised that dinner time means the possibility of goodies, today was rack of lamb, it got the bones, seems to like them.

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  4. Some people here make driftwood furniture and art and sell it. It's amazing what gets washed up after a storm. I have seen red bricks honed into pebbles. Often wish I had a metal detector for around the farm and the seashore nearby. Think metal detectors aren't allowed in Ireland?

    Our range is lit every day now. It heats three radiators, cooks the meals and gives us hot water. Number one son says he's going to save up for an articulated lorry of trees from the forestry. Then he'll cut them up with the chainsaw and we will split them with the tractor logs plitter, so they will fit in the stove.

    The last week was terrible here and grass is running out. I can't get the silage fields too grow despite 3 bags of fertilizer and lots of sun and rain.

    Domino and the terrier seem to be earning their keep at the moment. I hate rats. You never seem to be able to eradicate them. Terrier prefers cat food to dog food.

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  5. Yes, driftwood can throw up some amazing shapes, I've seen furniture and art stuff for sale in some places, Rye I think it was.
    First time I knew metal detectors weren't allowed in Ireland, it's quite a common hobby here, I have one but never found much with it, specialise in bottle tops, although I once tried under one of the piers at Blackpool and dug up a load of old pennies and halfpennies.

    Remember one guy used to get the slab sides of trees from a sawmill, by the wagon load, he had a table saw but no splitter, made a bit of a living out of selling logs, but there's not much demand now, too made areas made smokeless zones.

    Don't know why your grass won't grow, ours is thriving, the barley's about ready as well.

    Got the rain back this morning, river looks swollen and brown, a good worm beck as we say, so it must have been heavy through night.

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  6. I also use to own a metal detector, Cumbrian. Most of the things I found were cigarette gold foil, lead pipe, drink can ring pulls and assorted coins - none really old. I think its like fishing. It's part tactics (squaring a field into areas) and part luck.

    Ireland is supposed to be using only smokeless fuels from 2016. Rural area will still burn wood, turf and bought smokeless fuels. Don't suppose they will ban the cars though. How much pollution must cars make? Then they say smoking is wrong. I am sure cars release more carbon monoxide and other pollutants.

    The grass is growing slowly. But it's difficult trying to save fields for silage and pasture for cattle. They seem too devour it when it's raining. Perhaps I should pay 35 Euro for bales. JS used to say:

    "When you buy hay, you buy land."

    Don't think you save much growing your own winter feeding.

    Wish I had a small lake full of Tench and Crucian Carp and Perch...? Not forgetting a keepnet full of cans of bitter.

    Thanks!

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  7. I doubt if there's such a thing as smokeless fuel, anything that burns must produce gases of some sort, it's just that some are invisible and odourless; that's why gas fires need proper sealed flues and ample ventilation, there are cases of people dying because of gas poisoning due to incorrect ventilation, and not even being aware of anything wrong. Personally I love the smell of woodsmoke, and if it gets too thick or makes me cough I know it's time to move out of the way.
    And all the open fires in the world won't cause anything like the pollution of vehicles, whether land, sea or air. But as you say they won't ban transport.
    As for smoking, I doubt a full years smoke from tobacco would amount to a single hours pollution by transport.

    Of course, having got us all hooked on mains supplied fuels, they have us at their mercy and can increase the price and tax as they see fit, but they get nothing from a log fire of turfs.

    Tilapia seems to be the favoured farmed fish at the present time, not sure if there's a variety that would be suitable for our UK climate, might be worth investigating.
    What about a few set nets on the shore at low water?

    Dull, cool and breezy today.
    Raggy cat established a new routine, still preferring to sleep on my desk, don't know what the attraction is.

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  8. I agree with you Cumbrian. There is no clean fuel. I have read that some cities in Canada have even banned wood burning stoves because of pollution. Don't suppose we will ever see all the cars running off electricity sourced naturally from wind or sea or river (your waterwheels)or even chip pan fat. Even organic farmers and growers have to drive petrol or diesel fueled cars, vans and tractors.

    Often think oil companies pull the strings not the politicians.

    Nice here today. Nights closing in really fast.

    Thanks.

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  9. Dave, re great rock ballads how about Bohemian Rhapsody, Summer of 69 or Layla??? Cheers

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  10. Yes Carole, they are great rock ballads. I would also include 'Wuthering Heights' "Hey, Hey, My, My, Rock and Roll will never die".

    Thanks!

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    ReplyDelete
  12. i visited different hospital but they gave me list of expensive drugs to treat the symptoms and never cured me. A closed friend of mine introduce me to a Herbal Doctor who cured her. I was scared to contact him because of what i experienced from fake doctors. she encouraged me and gave me his whatsapp contact,and i contacted him and i asked him series of questions, i also ask him to show me the results of those he have cured with his herbal drugs,and he gave me all the information i needed that gave me hope. He send a Herbal medicine to me that i took and it seriously worked for me. am now Hepatitis negative. God bless you for being a sincere and great man. Am so excited and am free from herpes virus. you can reach him via email;dralikaherbalhome@gmail.com or whats-app/call on +2348116570358{1}HIV/AIDS{2}DIABETES{3}EPILEPSY{4} BLOOD CANCER{5} HPV{6} ALS{7} HEPATITIS{8}LOVE SPELL{9} SICKLE AND ANAEMIA{10} HERPESor add him on email dralikaherbalhome@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete

Onion Set Planting.

I still managed to plant up two of the new planters/raised beds with onion sets in the rain yesterday. Notice the white root sock in the com...