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

Thu Jul 1 16:34:18 PDT 2010

Grant Brians wrote:
> 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
>>     
>>>       
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>   
Grant:
Here those five acre lots either have 5 horses on them, or their are 
manicured, and sprayed for weeds every week.   There were some 20cre 
lots left here that needed mowing last year and had some good sheep hay 
on them.  However, the landowners would rather pay $65/hr for a 5ft 
brush hog and 40hp tractor to mow it, than allow my swather and baler on 
it for free.  They were afraid I would leave ruts.....  Talk about a waste!!

I put over $9k  in seed, fert and spray to no till 120 acres of oats and 
it only got up to 8 inches before it headed.  It  suckered out again, 
and again it only came up to 8 inches.  I think it was the seed......   
I could have done well with the 40 acres here on my place if the hail 
had not ruined the best crop ever...  I really think the best solution 
is to start growing houses on it and move to another state.  Somewhere I 
can really farm..

Cecil in OKla