[AT] Thanks! Re: Question - Follow-up

[charlie hill]

Greg,  this is advice from a guy that gave up on farming a long time ago so 
take it for what it's worth.  Here goes:

If you're planning on staying in farming for the long term you've got to 
think down the road and stop worrying about what one year brings.  That kind 
of optimism is what it takes to be successful and what I lacked.  I know you 
realize that but I repeated it to make a point.  Lots of times in drought 
years there are low interest loan programs.  This year might be a good time 
to look into financing a decent barn or shed.   I don't really like the idea 
of tarping up tractors and combines.  Here in the S/E it is much to humid. 
If you leave it sit out it's wet for a while and dirty all the time.  If you 
tarp it up tight it's clean but wet all the time and rusty.

That is why I suggested using multiple tarps.  Overlapping them and keeping 
them up off of flat surfaces allows some air to get in and circulate.  I 
didn't mention it before because I couldn't find it online but some of the 
boat supply houses have or atleast used to have some vents designed to go 
into tarps for boats.  Also, you might consider putting a fan inside the 
tarp somewhere so that it pulls air through under the tarp or tarps and 
blows it out somewhere near the top of the cab.  Please don't just wrap it 
up tight and leave it.

Good luck with your crop.  The corn on our place looks about like you 
describe yours.  I'm sure glad it's not mine (this year).  If it were a good 
crop I'd be jealous but that's the way it goes.

Charlie
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Greg Hass" <gkhass at avci.net>
To: <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Saturday, August 04, 2007 1:35 AM
Subject: [AT] Thanks! Re: Question - Follow-up


> One of the things that is greatly hindering any bulding project has been
> the crops.  We have received only an inch of rain since
> May 1, although a mile either direction from us has had more than we
> have.  However, everyone in the area is now in drought trouble.  Our wheat
> was about 2/3 of a normal crop.  Half of the corn is already mostly dried
> up with no cob formed.  The edible beans and the soybeans are in bug
> trouble, although we may get 1/2 crop if we get rain within the next 3 to 
> 4
> days.  On top of that, we have just had 10 straight days of near record
> temperatures with full sun.  (Normally, because of the lakes, 2/3 of our
> days are overcast.)  A cousin of mine who farms about 10 times the acreage
> I do told me in the coffee shop yesterday that he figures his crop losses
> are going to run around $200,000 because of the drought.
>
> Greg Hass
> Michigan
>
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