White clover / wheat / soybean plot

[wolc123]

I started working on this plot today.  The first step was Bush-hogging the buckwheat and sweetcorn that was holding the spot.  I picked about 2 dozen ears of sweetcorn from that patch today.  We got about 3 more dozen off it earlier.  The coons got at least that much, but I got 3-1/2 of them.

I count the one as 1/2, because it escaped with one of my Duke dog-proof traps.  Most likely it was "freed" by a coyote because I don't think any coon would be strong enough to shear a no 10 grade 5 bolt.  I saw a big coyote run out of the corn one day while I was checking traps.  At least they did not dig up any of the coon carcasses this year so far.

After Bush-hogging, I went over the plot a couple times with a serrated blade disk.  I will hit it once more with that, after a good rain.  Hopefully, I will get it planted in early September.

 

[BizCT]

Looks good. Must be nice to have flat open farm areas


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[wolc123]

27 minutes ago, Biz-R-OWorld said:

Looks good. Must be nice to have flat open farm areas


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It is actually kind of boring.  I much prefer hunting in the mountains, and I am very thankful that my in laws chose to move up there when they retired.  They almost went to PA.

An Adirondack spike buck or doe is worth more to me than a flatland WNY 8-point.  The scenery and solitude up there make all the difference.

Having that Adirondack option has caused me to be more fussy with my buck tags.  So far, that has panned out ok.  Had they moved to PA instead, that would not be an issue, but it is nice not needing to purchase an expensive, non-resident licence.

I am hoping to spend the whole early ML season, a day or two of cross-bow, and Thanksgiving weekend up there this year.

 

 

 

 

[Otto]

Wolc, what model John Deere is that?  Is that new to you?

[wolc123]

1 hour ago, Otto said:

Wolc, what model John Deere is that?  Is that new to you?

It is a 4120 that I bought new in 2005.   I looked at Kubota, NH and JD back then.  The JD was tied with the NH for lowest price (same hp, similar feature Kubota was a bit more).  The main reason I went with the JD was because it was the only one that was American-made, including the engine, (NH and Kubota engines were from the far-east).    It has held up good for 15 years.  I did need to change out the starter at around 5 years, but the aftermarket one that I found on-line (Power-strike) was less than $ 200 and has lasted much longer than the OEM Bosch.   It is also on it's second battery, but that is it for parts, aside from oil filters every 100 hours.   It is getting close to 950 hours now, when it will be due for another oil change.

I had up to (5) tractors at a time, which is why it has so few hours.   Now, I am down to just that JD, and the old, 1951 Ford 8n, which was my first tractor.   I paid the widow of the original owner $ 1200 for that one, back in 1989, and it only had 1200 hours on it.  All her husband used it for was working a half acre garden each year.  It had a burned out valve (the OEM ones can't handle unleaded gas) when I got it.   I fixed that one, got a year or two out of it, then burned out a few more when I used it to dig a 1/4 acre pond. I used that lead substitute crap but it did not help. I got a buddy to do a full valve job then, and it did not give me any more trouble until last year, when it needed a distributer, and a new 6 volt battery.   Now it has 2200 hours on it.   I like it for food plots.  It will still out work any $ 10,000 side-by side.        

[Otto]

Thanks, I have a 4410, yours looked same size as mine.  

[wolc123]

11 hours ago, Otto said:

Thanks, I have a 4410, yours looked same size as mine.  

The 4410 is a little smaller and lighter at 2900 pounds without the loader (the 4120 wieghs 3700 pounds without the loader).   The thing I liked most about the 4120 was the JD Power-Tech American-made engine.   I think that JD has stopped making their own engines, for smaller tractors since Tier-4, and now uses the far-eastern Yanmars in them.    You probably need to go up to 75 hp or so to get a Power-Tech American-made engine in a JD tractor today, unlike the Tier-3 days, when I got one at 43 hp.   75 hp would be a little too big for my food-plotting.    

[Otto]

Yes, mine is a 38HP Yanmar, and I have had zero issues with it.  I just replaced the battery a couple of weeks ago, it was dated 2007.  I run the tractor all four seasons.  I bought it used 8 years ago for $15K.    It had less than 200 hours on it. It has just under 1000 hours now.  I am pretty sure I could get my money back and then some.  

[wolc123]

It has been a while since I caught any coons in the 6 traps that I have around this plot.  I moved the traps over to the fieldcorn, after I Bush-hogged the sweetcorn.  I think I learned why yesterday, while I was checking the traps.

Grave-robbing coyotes had swiped two of the coon carcasses that I had burried 2 ft deep.  Burying them seemed easier than burning them, but I may give burning a try if I catch any more.

 

[wolc123]

I got this plot planted today, along with two smaller ones (less the soybeans), farther out back.  No trouble with any equipment, and just enough daylight to finish.

[wolc123]

Everything Is up and growing now in this plot, mostly wheat, lots of tiny white clover, volunteer buckwheat, and a few soybeans.  Tonight's frost ought to set back the buckwheat and soybeans.