My neighbour just soiled the street..............

Good morning Riley,

Yeah, you could almost launch a missle from those pipes!

So today is hump day, we'll be 1/2 done seeding unless something really bad happens.

It actually started out to be a super day until my first fill of fertilizer. Dad forgot to switch the value from the cart auger to the fan and I missed this too. There is a monitor in the cab but it gives erratic readings and so I ignored it. But the little voice in my head was yelling at me the whole time so after I went over 20 acres I stopped and as soon as I opened the door it was - oops - I don't hear the fan! It also turns out that the wrap spring clutch on the fertilizer metering roll drive broke - it had a coil break already but there must have been enough to allow the shafts to still be coupled. Anyway, while I really cool design I won't bore you with the story. I had a previous wrap spring clutch issue about 5 years ago with the other drill so I'm sort of Ph. D. level with them and also had spares. Put the new one in and off I went. Had to go over the 20 acres again and so lost about 2 1/2 hours but still finished the 2nd and 3rd fields and started the headlands on 4 of 8 fields.

So feeling positive for the day, should get to #5 field and if things go good even finish it..............

Still no word from Steve..............

Cheers,

Garry
 
Finally, an almost 100% great day.

We finished the canola on the homeplace, moved to Cargill, knocked that in and moved to Tissington's and I got a headland round done when it started to shower so I decided to shut down. Some plugging problems here with volunteer canola from last year that dad decided was not worth combining but I can't ever remember seeding in three different fields in one day!

The only problem was a feeling that my NH3 meter might be acting up again. The pressure gauge seemed to be about the 10 or 11 o'clock position a few days ago and now seems to be hanging around the 8:30 position now. And it does seem to be taking longer to empty the tank out. So this morning I'm going to pull those two screens out and see how they look.

But yeah, on field 6 of 8 so we're all pretty happy and the end is indeed near..............

Cheers,

Garry
 
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Awesome. That's some pretty good progress! Interesting how, even with modern tractors (Not sure how old your are) and technology, there's still things to look at and evaluate and fix as you go. Farming doesn't seem to be a simple, just go into the field and drive, type of activity. The fixes and repairs you've had to complete make me think that it'll be a loooong time before farming becomes fully automated.
I had to drive out to Prairie River yesterday for work. Quite a few tractors out in the field. I wish I knew more as I could only tell some were seeding. But some seemed to just be putting ammonia in the ground as I didn't see anything besides the tank being pulled. Others just seemed to be scratching the ground so I don't know what they were doing??? Quite a few other fields were being burned.
 
Now that we have Garry's Farming Report ...
even though he's not always actually on the task at hand,
this guy is getting things done :thumbs:

it's like I achieve absolutely nothing each and every day ...
... so here's my (daily) YYC Urban Report ...
"Hi Everyone ... I got stuck in traffic today ...." :Rage:
 
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Trust me Spence, if I only had news on the car but still nothing from Steve yet.

A not so good day yesterday. We can't seed this field due to the volunteer canola that is plugging the drill. I had started to combine it last fall but dad (his field) told me to stop as it wasn't worth doing. And sadly the RTS which would have done a good job went to a different farmer after sitting in the yard for 8 days! Bad luck. So I suggested to dad to go and borrow JR's disc and we could chop up the straw with that. He goes off and yeah it is free and we can use it. I told him that I was going to help by bringing a combine out to the field, not as wide as his 40' disc at 22' but some help and get us seeding sooner. Next thing I know Dad changes his mind and brings out my other combine with a 25' header. Using a 25' machine instead of a 40' machine I thought?????? And also a more complicated machine and easy to damage trying to cut this low to the ground. Shortly after he starts he picks up a rock, damages the header and also feeder house chain so we have to park the combine until it gets repaired. I got done about 2/3 of the field and Jackie is seeding again but I need to get seeding too.

Option would be to let dad combine again with the one I'm using so I can start seeding but I can't afford another broken combine. Dad can't seed with my 58' drill either as he is way out of his comfort zone.

Yep, not a happy day yesterday.

But today dawns bright with new hope. We'll get out of this field today somehow but just how remains to be seen...........

I sure could use a Z06 ride this morning to boost my spirits!!

Cheers,

Garry
 
Funny Garry, that seems like something a son would do, go against the recommendations of their dad and bring out a different piece of equipment only to have it fail and the dad be like "See son? You should listen to your dad. " but this scenario is "See dad? You should listen to your son." :rofl:.
Well, it's not really funny funny, but just funny how the roll is reversed. Thinking of dad stories, I was at Home Depot looking at brackets to build my garden boxes. Brackets are expensive so I don't want to over build these things, but I don't want it to fall apart as soon as I put dirt in them (30" high by 4' wide by 14' long at the longest part). Lots of pressure from dirt on the walls. I called my dad who was an architect with his own firm for 30 years. He asked how I'm going to build them. I say by using a frame of 2x6's and then using corrugated metal to hold in the dirt. Then he says to used corrugated metal with rounded corners, like cattle water troughs. I like the idea of rounded corners but he keeps carrying on about how I should just abandon my project and use cattle troughs (I already purchased all the wood), recommending I only start with 2. But he should know my wife doesn't want cattle troughs in her back yard. However, he kept pushing them and so finally I just agreed with him that they'd be a good idea to get the conversation moving as I was under a tight timeline......He never did answer my question. Long story short, I'm going to screw the wood to the metal as my support and just build as I go. It should be interesting. :D
 
HEY EVERYONE! NEWS FROM STEVE! He was working hard behind the scenes for me!! To quote:

"Camshaft is installed, car is running – Valve springs were fine, our machinist checked clearances
Upgraded wiring harness has been installed
Power steering had a leak, we replaced an o-ring to correct, nothing serious but was making a mess
Air conditioning was low on refrigerant, when we evacuated it during job, we just topped up to spec.
Your drivers side tie rod end was ripped ( probably a rock ) and there was no grease in it, we replaced it, not a big deal
We checked the Meth system and it appears to be working but will confirm once its on the dyno for calibration.
The vehicle will be tuned later on next week, and will report results on completion"

Wow after yesterday in the field could this morning's email been any more timely!!

Don't get me wrong Riley, some things dad is great on but agronomy is not one of them................the sad part is he just can't see that.

Looks like if I can last that long car pickup will be June 7th after my cancer checkup in the morning.......................

Cheers,

Garry
 
Garry, you know there's at least a timmie's rendezvous required too ... keep me posted on your patience/timing (sorry that's full of pun) ... Spence
 
Good morning Spence,

Of course! And there be a whole lot more Corvettes out this time too - no trucks allowed!!!!!!

That news really made my day. Steve said that he wouldn't touch the heads as well but I'm still prompting him for an opinion on the intake while he has the car but he doesn't seem to be biting.

Maybe 2 days of seeding left. We lost some time yesterday and will today as well as the fertilizer dealer is out of 11-51-0 and not expecting to have any more until this afternoon. So I think we're going to go to the local pancake breakfast this morning to treat ourselves. Still the end is in sight and the last two fields are also not full 160 acres, maybe 150 and 120 depending on the size of the wet spots. No doubt I do want to get this all wrapped up but at the same time I feel zero pressure which is a nice feeling.

Odd but really hot, windy and dry. No rain in the forecast but we're going to be needing some soon. I always sort of look forward to rain in seeding time, you get a break that you an't do anything about and it is good for whatever you have seeding already. Nothing wrong with being done and having it rain but nothing within the next week.
 
Still no fertilizer. We ran the drills empty and have perhaps 1/2 of the field done. They were expecting more fertilizer late last night so perhaps this morning. It should be an easy finish if so and on to the final field which should be an easy run to do as it is only 120 acres at the most (full quarter is 160 acres).

This will be out final truckload of granular fertilizer which will be nice and our final field with the NH3 wagons as field peas when inoculated have the ability to take the nitrogen they need from the atmosphere.

One bit of bad luck, my gf hit a hole in the field and one of the tires on the NH3 wagon broke off. We were able to lift it and block it and are using the old tank which we wanted to empty anyway.

Getting hotter and still no forecast for rain within the upcoming week..........

Steve is teasing me with some unrevealed strategies he wants to try after the car makes it first dyno run with the camshafts.........sounds exciting and I wish I was there in person to see the car go through this process.

I find it funny that had I not had this cancer surgery in Calgary I would probably have not taken the car to him. Funny how these things turn out.

Cheers,

Garry
 
On the last field!

GF ran out of fuel on the 7th field. If we get a 2" soaker I think I'll look into getting the fuel gauges repaired.

Started the 20 ac west piece with wheat and the 100 ac main field with peas.

Maybe, if there are no issues, 4 hours tomorrow and we'll be done with the exception of 20 ac of soybeans dad wants to try.

The end is near!

Cheers,

Garry
 
DONE!

Outside of the 20 ac of soybeans anyway.

It was a bit of a struggle. I started having some 3" main lines plugging and it took me a while to realize that with the pea seeding rate and granular inoculant that the fan couldn't blow all that volume through the system. After this happened a few times I remembered from two years back when the solution was to drop a gear and slow down. Problemo solved! I also took the time to write this information on the side window in the cab so I have less of a chance of forgetting in the future!!

I reseeded 2 1/2 of the headland rounds where I had plugging problems afterward. I should have done two more but I was so tired I just wanted to leave.

But overall, 2018 seeding did go pretty good and we're all happy and relieved.

Cheers,

Garry
 
VelocityYellowRules! said:
DONE!

Outside of the 20 ac of soybeans anyway.

It was a bit of a struggle. I started having some 3" main lines plugging and it took me a while to realize that with the pea seeding rate and granular inoculant that the fan couldn't blow all that volume through the system. After this happened a few times I remembered from two years back when the solution was to drop a gear and slow down. Problemo solved! I also took the time to write this information on the side window in the cab so I have less of a chance of forgetting in the future!!

I reseeded 2 1/2 of the headland rounds where I had plugging problems afterward. I should have done two more but I was so tired I just wanted to leave.

But overall, 2018 seeding did go pretty good and we're all happy and relieved.

Cheers,

Garry
Click to expand...

All good to hear Garry. Everything seeded around my place too. And most of it seeded in the dust.The farmers down here swear by that. Seed in the dust....bins will bust..... was my father-in-laws saying...
 
Funny! One of my crops instructors used to say the same thing! "Seed into the dust and your grain bins will bust!".

I always sort of liked "Seed into the wet and you'll have no debt".

Yes, it is very dry here as well. I mean if you don't till is is not too bad but if you harrowed or say applied fertilizer, zowie you sometimes can't see the machinery inthe field the dust is so bad. Conditions under which you really do need GPS and autosteer.

I always find the next day so strange. The feeling of being pent up and ready to go back into the field has not left yet so I sort of wander around a bit trying to de-pressurize myself. But I find the end of seeding much more happy than the end of harvest, for example.

I still have to get the sprayer boom fixed, empty the drills (after I seed Dad's soybeans with the one), empty the trucks etc. But more relaxed work.

Sort of excited as first dyno numbers should be available...................

And for may 26th, the very first use of the "r" word for the season - RAIN! Bring it on baby!!!!! Fuel gauges for tractors all around!

Cheers,

Garry
 
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Glad to hear the seeding went well! That was a good read. Shocking about the hole in the field knocking off the wheel on the NH3 wagon! That must have been quite the hole! However, I do remember when swathing, I hit some sort of a large hole, the entire swather dove to the side for the hole, but then came back up. I'm guessing it was a badger hole. There was no way I was going to get out and take a look. :D

Looking forward to the dyno numbers! This must be so exciting!!!!
 
And an update from the miracle workers at Davenport!

Currently at 725, looking at a pulley swap to get 2-3 lb more boost and going for 750 next.

So from the start dyno run they are up 85 to 125 rwhp!!!!!

In perspective, with the change in altitude between Breslau and Calgary dropping rwhp by 10%, had Manny done the camshafts one could have expected that it would have dynoed there well over 800 rwhp............

I'm thinking that 750 Davenport altitude rwhp would be in the realm of 825 Dasilva rwhp so my goal is met in the end.

I am also just thrilled that the car is getting a good going over after what is it now, 5 or 6 years?? Peace of mind with a fresh tune and going over by Steve and company. GO TEAM!

Cheers,

Garry
 
That thing will be a monster when it's done......well, it's already a monster....so that would only mean it would be a monstrous monster.
Your street soiling neighbor better watch out! :D
 
Funny Riley but I haven't seen the car out in the driveway or the garage door with him working on it. Gawd I hope he didn't send his out for work too! Still he'd have to really push things to make up for both the power and weight difference.

Two more weeks! I miss the car and would so enjoy it right now but I'm glad I wasn't feeling sad about not being able to drive it on the May long weekend while I was finishing seeding. Who needs such a distraction.

I hope to hear from Steve regarding the pulley swap and what that resulted in...........that may be the final tweek unless he has any other suggestions at this time.

Weather much better, down to +25 today. Putting in our first garden, gf very happy indeed. I know how to guide my life to make it easy!

Cheers,

Garry
 
No news yet on pulley swaps. I hope this will not be a problem for getting the car next week - that would be a disappointment.

Neighbour has a for sale sign on his house. Maybe heard the news about the camshaft and really doesn't want to be living beside the fastest car in town??!!

No rain still, but in the forecast for the 4th and 5th, bring it on!

Cheers,

Garry
 
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Hahaha. Maybe he's selling the house because he needs the money to build his car to be as fast as yours. You can always live in a car, but you can't race a house. :D

We have a forecast of 90% rain today, which is hard to imagine as the sky is a beautiful blue this morning!
 

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