Selectamatic's Farming Thread.

[Boohoo]

This 996 spends plenty of time with it's nose pointing skyward, I have a set of weights to add to her when I get a chance. The idea of putting this on a 880 or a 885 makes me shudder!

I don't know how an 885 would handle it, we've got a loader on the 996 and you can still lift the front wheels if you drive up hill with the loader up

 

[Thomas5060]

Good thread @Selectamatic makes for good reading been up to much lately?

 

[Selectamatic]

Good thread @Selectamatic makes for good reading been up to much lately?

Ploughing!

Same tractor and plough as last year, albeit the 1494 has a brand new set of rear tyres on, and all the better for it.

Ploughed the old swede and spud plot tonight, and made a start on the barley stubble. Roundup has done it's job, although some stingy nettles seem to be resistant to it, they are not resistant to my skimmer, stingy little buggers!!

Fiskars three furrow plough, cracking little plough, just the job for silly little fields like these, saves there being headlands all over the place! I rather plough with the 1212 than the 1494, seems to suit the plough better somehow, but it's in hospital at the moment with a blown head gasket, to be cured when I get the chance (at this rate, sometime between now and the next millennium!)

Ploughing well, the ground seems to be in good condition, and interestingly was ploughing more of last year's sod up than I expected, still, it wont do any harm I suppose.

To avoid last year's problems, the ploughing will be left now until cork dry, harrow it, then sowing.

 

[Thomas5060]

Ploughing!

Same tractor and plough as last year, albeit the 1494 has a brand new set of rear tyres on, and all the better for it.

Ploughed the old swede and spud plot tonight, and made a start on the barley stubble. Roundup has done it's job, although some stingy nettles seem to be resistant to it, they are not resistant to my skimmer, stingy little buggers!!

Fiskars three furrow plough, cracking little plough, just the job for silly little fields like these, saves there being headlands all over the place! I rather plough with the 1212 than the 1494, seems to suit the plough better somehow, but it's in hospital at the moment with a blown head gasket, to be cured when I get the chance (at this rate, sometime between now and the next millennium!)

Ploughing well, the ground seems to be in good condition, and interestingly was ploughing more of last year's sod up than I expected, still, it wont do any harm I suppose.

To avoid last year's problems, the ploughing will be left now until cork dry, harrow it, then sowing.

Doing a good job take it the 1212 is handier around the place with it being 2wd?

You putting a crop in or just reseeding it?

 

[Selectamatic]

Putting in some crops...

Spring barley, swedes, and a few rows of taters.

Looking forward to getting the barley in, its about the right time about now around here...

 

[david]

Nice bit of ploughing there Selectamatic !

 

[Sonoftheheir]

I like this thread too.

 

[Selectamatic]

Doing a good job take it the 1212 is handier around the place with it being 2WD?

Yes, partly, and because it has the silly tall cab, predating the Q Cab, you sit on it, rather than in it, closer to the plough and easier to see what it's doing.

1494 is a nicer place to spend your day, but the 1212 is the favorite for this job.

The head gasket has gone though, for the third time in as many years. I've checked, and cant see a John Deere badge on it, so will have to investigate deeper when I get a chance, the head was skimmed the first time so should be ok, I'm thinking perhaps the block may be out of line?

I bet it will have gone in the same place again, between bores 1 and 2.

Any suggestions what it might be anyone?

 

[Ray996]

Does indeed sound like the head warped, have you checked for hairline crack in block?maybe small imperfection on block !

 

[Thomas5060]

Does indeed sound like the head warped, have you checked for hairline crack in block?maybe small imperfection on block !

Was think an imperfection on the block myself

 

[J 1177]

Yes, partly, and because it has the silly tall cab, predating the Q Cab, you sit on it, rather than in it, closer to the plough and easier to see what it's doing.

1494 is a nicer place to spend your day, but the 1212 is the favorite for this job.

The head gasket has gone though, for the third time in as many years. I've checked, and cant see a John Deere badge on it, so will have to investigate deeper when I get a chance, the head was skimmed the first time so should be ok, I'm thinking perhaps the block may be out of line?

I bet it will have gone in the same place again, between bores 1 and 2.

Any suggestions what it might be anyone?

Ours keeps doing this in the same place as yours. Im not sure why

 

[Selectamatic]

Evening all,

In this lovely spring weather, my ploughing had dried out well, so I took a chance and Power Harrowed it.

Listening to the advice (but not taking it!! ) from last year, I have been on the lookout for a little spring tine harrow instead of beating the land into submission with a Power Harrow, however time and budget did not permit this time so a change of tack with the Power Harrow, not ideal I admit, but ok, and better than last year I recon...? Higher forward speed, less rotor speed resulted in a rougher seedbed, still perfectly fine, and deep enough to bury seed, but more cloddy, and not like the dust that it turned to last year. Live and learn I suppose...?

The 1690 had his first outing of the year, easily man enough for the Machio Power Harrow, which is a replacement, and a definite step forward from the Lely it replaced from last year, the downside to it is that it is heavier, and I would not like to put it on the 1494, the 1690 is a bit heavy, but i recon it was dry enough, so it should be ok.

Does anyone remember the days were 100hp was a contractor's tractor, and far too big for farmers? I remember the days where 100hp chopped silage, pulled four furrows, pulled subsoilers, did the round baling etc etc etc. Not big enough to be the yard wheelbarrow these days, where did it all go wrong?

I remember Dad buying a Case 2290 to pull the forager about, 139hp, the biggest tractor in the parish, or even the county, talk of the town for years, he obviously lost the plot, why oh why would he ever need such a big tractor?! Pretty modest, 30 years on.

Sowing tomorrow, weather permitting, and looking ahead, what would you do next? Last year I balls'ed up by rolling when it was too damp, keen not to fall into the same trap I'm planning on not rolling it at all, it's bound to rain soon and on light land like this that will pat it down all it needs. I remember not having time to roll for a customer once, left it as it was after the drill and it came fine, very well in fact, so perhaps this is the answer? Suggestions folks?

 

[green giant]

Let it dry then roll it

 

[Selectamatic]

Does indeed sound like the head warped, have you checked for hairline crack in block?maybe small imperfection on block !

No, not yet, It's going to be a stripdown job when I get a chance, but there is something wrong somewhere...

I have thought perhaps there is a waterway blocked somewhere, it's getting hot and causing these problems?

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Evening all,

In this lovely spring weather, my ploughing had dried out well, so I took a chance and Power Harrowed it.

Listening to the advice (but not taking it!! ) from last year, I have been on the lookout for a little spring tine harrow instead of beating the land into submission with a Power Harrow, however time and budget did not permit this time so a change of tack with the Power Harrow, not ideal I admit, but ok, and better than last year I recon...? Higher forward speed, less rotor speed resulted in a rougher seedbed, still perfectly fine, and deep enough to bury seed, but more cloddy, and not like the dust that it turned to last year. Live and learn I suppose...?

The 1690 had his first outing of the year, easily man enough for the Machio Power Harrow, which is a replacement, and a definite step forward from the Lely it replaced from last year, the downside to it is that it is heavier, and I would not like to put it on the 1494, the 1690 is a bit heavy, but i recon it was dry enough, so it should be ok.

Does anyone remember the days were 100hp was a contractor's tractor, and far too big for farmers? I remember the days where 100hp chopped silage, pulled four furrows, pulled subsoilers, did the round baling etc etc etc. Not big enough to be the yard wheelbarrow these days, where did it all go wrong?

I remember Dad buying a Case 2290 to pull the forager about, 139hp, the biggest tractor in the parish, or even the county, talk of the town for years, he obviously lost the plot, why oh why would he ever need such a big tractor?! Pretty modest, 30 years on.

Sowing tomorrow, weather permitting, and looking ahead, what would you do next? Last year I balls'ed up by rolling when it was too damp, keen not to fall into the same trap I'm planning on not rolling it at all, it's bound to rain soon and on light land like this that will pat it down all it needs. I remember not having time to roll for a customer once, left it as it was after the drill and it came fine, very well in fact, so perhaps this is the answer? Suggestions folks?

These days, you need a tractor weighing at least ten tons to 'fight compaction'
Plus over-cultivated soil takes more and more work to break down.. we had a mighty Fordson super Major on the plough back when I was a learner and it pulled fine up and down with the diff locked. 30 years on the same paddocks get ploughed with 2 extra furrows but 200 extra BHP (JD HP though) and I would have had my nuts handed to me if I'd left such a mess as a 7 year old....
I'd let it sit for a week if possible and then roll it before the next rain is due. If it's possible to dig with your fingers and not pull them out damp then it's well fit to roll, no innuendo intended there's no point undoing good work getting air in there by rolling it too damp. A slight sealing off isn't a problem if the underneath is good.

 

[DeeGee]

Evening all,

In this lovely spring weather, my ploughing had dried out well, so I took a chance and Power Harrowed it.

Listening to the advice (but not taking it!! ) from last year, I have been on the lookout for a little spring tine harrow instead of beating the land into submission with a Power Harrow, however time and budget did not permit this time so a change of tack with the Power Harrow, not ideal I admit, but ok, and better than last year I recon...? Higher forward speed, less rotor speed resulted in a rougher seedbed, still perfectly fine, and deep enough to bury seed, but more cloddy, and not like the dust that it turned to last year. Live and learn I suppose...?

The 1690 had his first outing of the year, easily man enough for the Machio Power Harrow, which is a replacement, and a definite step forward from the Lely it replaced from last year, the downside to it is that it is heavier, and I would not like to put it on the 1494, the 1690 is a bit heavy, but i recon it was dry enough, so it should be ok.

Does anyone remember the days were 100hp was a contractor's tractor, and far too big for farmers? I remember the days where 100hp chopped silage, pulled four furrows, pulled subsoilers, did the round baling etc etc etc. Not big enough to be the yard wheelbarrow these days, where did it all go wrong?

I remember Dad buying a Case 2290 to pull the forager about, 139hp, the biggest tractor in the parish, or even the county, talk of the town for years, he obviously lost the plot, why oh why would he ever need such a big tractor?! Pretty modest, 30 years on.

Sowing tomorrow, weather permitting, and looking ahead, what would you do next? Last year I balls'ed up by rolling when it was too damp, keen not to fall into the same trap I'm planning on not rolling it at all, it's bound to rain soon and on light land like this that will pat it down all it needs. I remember not having time to roll for a customer once, left it as it was after the drill and it came fine, very well in fact, so perhaps this is the answer? Suggestions folks?

 

[DeeGee]

Roll it when the soil has dried a little, usually flat roll but a Cambridge will do. Remember one Spring we rolled a field after sowing with the triple Cambridge rolls, and then did half the field a second time with the ballast roller; the half that was rolled twice emerged quicker and stronger that year. Maybe in other years the results would have been different.

Personally, with spring sowing I think the more it is rolled the better.

 

[multi power]

Nice bit of ploughing there Selectamatic !

I recon he has done a spot of ploughing before

 

[multi power]

@Selectamatic what tyres did you get ,?

 

[Flat 10]

Shame to spoil that neat ploughing with a power harrow......
PH's are for those of us that can't plough to cover our mess.
Roll it when dry. Don't farm for last year.