[AT] Windbreaker out of storage

[Ralph Goff]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Indiana Robinson" <robinson46176 at gmail.com>
To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Sunday, November 23, 2008 8:02 PM
Subject: Re: [AT] Windbreaker out of storage


> The coldest I ever worked at field work was back when we were having a
> farmer/school teacher friend doing our soybean combining (we were
> still picking ear corn). We ran
> about all night at 14 below zero. He had to run with his cab door open
> or his windows frosted up so bad he couldn't see. I was running wagons
> up and down the road on an open tractor > "farmer"

Farmer, I'd say you win the prize for coldest combining story. Of course I 
have nver combined in January either. I have seen crop harvested when there 
is snow on the ground. Not fun, the grain will be tough or damp and storage 
problems ensue.
I have ridden open tractors at -14 though . No problem if the heat houser is 
installed, otherwise it is a numbing experience that can lead to frozen 
extremeties.
The fall of 69 when my Dad worked half the night harvesting, it had been a 
wet harvest with early snow that shut down harvest . Everyone waited for the 
grain to dry and finally settled for harvesting tough grain when it got into 
late October and November. Another problem was that the ground froze 
overnight and when the sun came out next day, the combines had a hard time 
climbing any little incline as the surface was like grease. I recall that 
the wheat was so tough that it would not run well out of the hopper wagon 
unless one side was jacked up to increase the slope of the wagon.
At those temperatures the grain was safe for the winter but next spring the 
guys with grain dryers were kept busy going around doing custom grain 
drying.
Interesting times.

Ralph in Sask.