Got home form Rochester Tuesday afternoon. The wife's surgery went well(Monday). She is still up there until next Monday. They wanted to keep a close eye on her. Plus they are doing rehab on her three times each day. She ran me off. LOL saying I was making her nervous.
So I am helping do the livestock chores with all the cold. It just takes time to keep everything going.
The JD 4440 I bought in 1981 would not start today. That is the first time I can remember it would not go when I needed it. It has right at 14,000 hours on it, it had 250 on it when I bought it. The trouble was not too serious. The coolant heater element went bad. So the block was cold. I just took a K-1 space heater and two sheets of plywood and let that warm it up for about an hour. Took right off then.
With all the cold weather and more livestock (tonnage) that we have ever wintered, chores are taking some time. My son and I are putting in 12-14 hour days. Nothing real hard just time consuming.
Example: The Brood cows usually never have to have water provided to them. There are several springs in the pastures that usually never freeze. Well they froze this winter. So I am having to haul them water. Had to break out the old propane tank heater. That will take a 100 lbs. cylinder ($60 exchange right now) a week in this real cold weather. Usually can let them into the barn/cattle yards where there are automatic waterers. All the yards are full plus some. LOL So I have to haul 1000 gallons twice each day. That takes an hour.
Then just the regular bedding and feeding the critters. Plus I don't move as fast in the cold anymore either. I really watch my step with all the ice we have.
I will be glad when the weather warms up a little bit.
So I am helping do the livestock chores with all the cold. It just takes time to keep everything going.
The JD 4440 I bought in 1981 would not start today. That is the first time I can remember it would not go when I needed it. It has right at 14,000 hours on it, it had 250 on it when I bought it. The trouble was not too serious. The coolant heater element went bad. So the block was cold. I just took a K-1 space heater and two sheets of plywood and let that warm it up for about an hour. Took right off then.
With all the cold weather and more livestock (tonnage) that we have ever wintered, chores are taking some time. My son and I are putting in 12-14 hour days. Nothing real hard just time consuming.
Example: The Brood cows usually never have to have water provided to them. There are several springs in the pastures that usually never freeze. Well they froze this winter. So I am having to haul them water. Had to break out the old propane tank heater. That will take a 100 lbs. cylinder ($60 exchange right now) a week in this real cold weather. Usually can let them into the barn/cattle yards where there are automatic waterers. All the yards are full plus some. LOL So I have to haul 1000 gallons twice each day. That takes an hour.
Then just the regular bedding and feeding the critters. Plus I don't move as fast in the cold anymore either. I really watch my step with all the ice we have.
I will be glad when the weather warms up a little bit.