March 31, 2010

Just thought I would add an update. Al's hockey team The Yorkton Terriers are going to the league finals. WOO HOO!!!

Now for some harvesting updates...we went to Dauphin to look at a pickup head for the new combine well it wasn't as advertised. We are looking for a 14' model this was a 16' model...so we keep looking.

Sorry no pic on this update but if anyone is looking for a custom harvester for this upcoming season let us know we have a few openings on our harvest run, so maybe we can help you out.

March 20, 2010

View of the day-Moving the 1020 flex header and trailer out of storage from Kim and Marg's barn at Carlyle...

Your eyes do not deceive you...we figured we better dust off the keyboard and get a blog entry in...it won't be long before we will be heading south again and we don't want to start cold turkey...that, and we have started doing some 'harvest related' stuff.

Today for instance, we had spent the night at Carlyle so we would be able to get an early start moving the flex head out of the barn. We had parked it from the back door and there was a sprayer, combine, swather and a few other implements blocking the way out and we really didn't want them started up, so plan B came into action. We borrowed a home built dolly from a friend in Yorkton, mounted a ball on it and it worked like a dream...sort of. We were pulling it backwards with a four wheeler and when we got to the 2 inch drop off in the alley way, the front end of the cart tipped up and it took Al standing on the end by the handle to get it back down...no casualties. We got it pulled out far enough to hook it up to the pickup and back it the rest of the way out.

After having a quick lunch we headed north to Whitewood where we dropped it off at the dealership where we had traded it and the 1020 straight header in on a new header. That's right, we are moving up in the harvesting world, hopefully increasing our production by running a 35ft. FD70 MacDon header. This is a flex draper, so we were able to eliminate an extra header by having it work in both flex and rigid mode. The draper will make feeding a treat...hopefully...which seemed to be the big holdup with the 1010 head on the 2588 combine...it had plenty of power, but there was always a bottleneck at the feederhouse, especially in heavy crops.

So now we have a new header and while it does have it's own built in slow speed transport, we needed to have something for the long hauls at higher speeds, so that meant we needed to get a new header trailer. After a long search, we decided to go with a Horst...another learning curve...but it looks like it is a good heavy unit and after taking it for a test drive, it trails like a dream, something that we were concerned about with the four wheel configuration...we'll see what happens.

Well, now that we have a new header, the issue was getting the adapter plate for the 2588...do we go with one for that combine, knowing we would be updating in the future and then it wouldn't be compatible with the new one, or do we stay with what we have...decisions, decisions. We finally decided to upgrade the combine and will be having a new CaseIH 7088 being built the end of April...that should really up the productivity...but of course that means another learning curve. The first stop should be interesting to say the least...hopefully we can get down earlier so we can get some tweaking done. In the meanwhile, Al picked up a 7088 pedal combine for his collection...a little to big to display on a shelf.

Now we have to go on a search for a new pickup head to fit the new combine because the old one will not fit...very clever, you engineers...so we are on the lookout for a used CaseIH 2016 pickup head...let us know if you are aware of one in your neck of the woods.

Marilyn was on a whirlwind air trip to Raleigh, North Carolina at the beginning of March, to attend a US Department of Labor meeting with another harvester's wife, Kim Taylor from Alberta. She took the scenic route leaving Regina on Monday at 8am then going on to Calgary to meet Kim, then to Edmonton, Toronto and Raleigh arriving at 10:30pm. The meeting was all day Tuesday and we were able to get a flight out that evening and with only one stop in Toronto got to Calgary at 1am. Marilyn stayed at her brother's overnight, then caught a 1pm flight out for Regina on Wednesday...and came home so much wiser. This year the filing for work visas has gone a bit better than last year...a few hiccups...but is now in the final stages and hopefully we will know something this coming week and we can start our planning for the first trip down. We hope to time it right so that we can see the combine being built and drive it off the line like we did with the 2588.

Al has been busy with his Farm Toy Shows...first in Saskatoon, then Yorkton and last weekend in Lloydminster. Marilyn got to take in the Lloyd one, since Jeff couldn't make it and Al would have been on his own. It wasn't the best show, income wise, but we did manage to find a new LaZyboy recliner that we had been looking for, for quite some time...unfortunately it won't fit in the camper...unless we get a new camper. Fat chance this year.

Now Al is elbow deep in tax returns at H&R Block, Marilyn is still making copies at Staples after being moved into the Copy and Print center to cover a maternity leave...quite a change from the computer department...not near as many miles put on in a day. And the theatre thing is keeping her busy with an upcoming performance of the Queen of Bingo...she is directing this play and has had a couple of 'rehearsals' at the bingo hall with the cast...to get them immersed in all things bingo...a good excuse to play a some games and win a few bucks.

That should keep you for a while...