[AT] Real farmers problems - a discussion of land use related to farming - was fuel problems get expensive - perspectives and reactions

Grant Brians sales at heirloom-organic.com
Thu Jul 1 07:36:48 PDT 2010


Cecil, I totally understand where you are coming from. After being laid off
and not finding another high-technology full time job, I went back to full
time farming (notice the back to) in 2005 at age 45. It has been tough, but
since I had accumulated a considerable amount of equipment and experience
over the years since I first started farming at age 14 in 1974 and I finally
had an operation that seems to work well, I have held it together so far and
expanded every year.
     The urban sprawl is a problem here in California, there where you are
and nearly everywhere. I was talking to the last farmer in I think it was
Lexington Massachusetts about 15 years ago and he was saying that they were
doing fine because they just shifted much of their production to New
Hampshire and bought Dutch greenhouse production and flew it in for their
distribution operation! Now really how sustainable for our country and the
local area was that???? As far as I know they no longer farm.
     As I drove back from the San Jose airport Tuesday evening, I looked at
the Santa Clara Valley beyond the San Jose City limits and was thinking
about the thousands of acres of phenomenal farmland that although not in
cities yet was covered with 1-5 acre lots that are not farmed and are
largely weeds. What a waste in arguably the best farming valley in the
world. Climate excellent, crop choices nearly unlimited, available
irrigation water if the wells have not been abandoned or damaged, urban
markets and animals to eat hay all not far away, but yet much of the land no
longer farmed due to greed, lack of interest and/or lack of farm workers....
            Grant
p.s. Part of the reasons I farm vegetables and orchards only now is that
there is just not enough land available to operate dairies, hay/grain farms
or much other animal operations here. I still have ny hay equipment and will
probably use it in the future, but who knows when or if.

-----Original Message-----
From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
[mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com]On Behalf Of Cecil Bearden
Sent: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 8:17 PM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: Re: [AT] fuel problems get expensive - perspectives and
reactions


There is a young lady who I cannot remember where from, who has written a
paper, her thesis I think, on development sprawl.  She had some realistic
numbers as to how this development was going to be the downfall of the
country, not global warming.
I have to deal with this every day.  I am losing farmland to development and
cannot afford to buy anything and make a living from it.  I need to pick up
a 1/4 section across the road, but how can I buy it on retirement and
farming, wnen it is $3k per acre?  Only thing to do is pick up and move,
then start all over.  At 56, I really don't know how many more years I can
keep going and with having to pay nearly $3500 a month for care for my
father, it is just about impossible.  All I ever wanted to do as a kid was
farm, and it has taken 50 years to finally get the chance.  Now, care for an
invalid parent, health problems, hail storms and development has nearly put
me out of business the first year I really tried to farm.
Cecil in OKla

----- Original Message -----
From: "Grant Brians" <sales at heirloom-organic.com>
To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 7:49 PM
Subject: Re: [AT] fuel problems get expensive - perspectives and reactions


> Cecil, I understand what you are going through. The John Deere I just
> bought
> has a similar High-Pressure fuel system and it has multiple sensors to
> determine if there is any water there to cause any problem at all. The
> issue
> I see is these modern high pressure systems. Any fuel tank can sweat some
> water into the diesel, but I personally think the plastic tanks migh be
> more
> prone to it especially if they have a crack.
>     In the case of the John Deere design, I have heard they have far more
> problems from false readings on the sensors than actual water in the fuel.
> I
> believe it based on many factors....
>     The primary filters on the John Deere I have and also the NH6610S (the
> 7610 is the predecessor to the TS110 and is just a turbocharged 6610S) are
> anything but just a sediment bowl, but both DO have a bowl to drain off
> moisture intentionally. The "low" pressure injection systems common in
> older
> diesel engines such as the Detroit in our HD5, the Oliver Diesels, the
> Caterpillar Diesels are all not prone to the same level of damage, but DO
> have the ability to be destroyed eventually by water in the system. The
> electronics are the real bane of all of the new equipment even though they
> do give some pretty cool features....
>            Grant Brians
>            Hollister,California
> p.s. I was on a business trip this last week in New Mexico and saw some
> beautiful country, visited some interesting ag areas and was impressed by
> how terribly we control useless ag and wildland destroying development
> sprawl all over this country!
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
> [mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com]On Behalf Of Cecil Bearden
> Sent: Friday, June 25, 2010 4:48 AM
> To: Antique tractor email discussion group
> Subject: Re: [AT] fuel problems get expensive
>
>
> I know this is not an antique tractor, but this problem applies to all
> diesels.  The late model diesels that are listed as emissioned are the
> real problem ones.
> My TS110 New Holland that I was so proud of died last Monday morning at
> 1:00 am while baling.  The fuel tank problem I had had allowed enough
> water to get in and overload the fuel filter and ruin the injection
> pump.   I have to buy a new pump, my pump is so destroyed.  Pump and
> injector tips will be a little over $3000.00
> The primary filter on this $60K tractor is a big sediment bowl!!!
> I am installing a double filter assembly from a Ford.  My 500 gallon
> tank is clear and We keep final filters on all pumps for fuel transfer,
> and they are clean.  The tractor tank was the problem.
>
> Cecil in OKLa
>>
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> AT mailing list
> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
>
> _______________________________________________
> AT mailing list
> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at

_______________________________________________
AT mailing list
http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at




More information about the AT mailing list