[AT] Thoughts on small combines, other harvest machinery and where it takes us (continued)

Wed Nov 10 17:12:17 PST 2010

I may have access to an antique seed cleaner for our ongoing seed
activities. As far as working combines available in this area it is beyond
slim as most were owned and operated by the vegetable and flower seed
companies that are now long gone parts of multinational conglomerates....
The amount of grain production from the 1980s onward is miniscule and mostly
harvested by two farmers who specialize in grain production. They are set up
to harvest rapidly albeit not on the scale or speed of the midwest operators
or the plains contract operators I saw there.
     With the items that I currently grow and likely will grow, the seed
production will be an interesting sideline that keeps the challenges in
place... LOL. By the way I have had a two day gap in messages coming from
the list, I wonder why?
           Grant Brians
           Hollister,California
           Vegetable, Nuts and Fruit farmer

-----Original Message-----
From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
[mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com]On Behalf Of john hall
Sent: Friday, November 05, 2010 5:36 PM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: Re: [AT] Thoughts on small combines,other harvest machinery and
where it takes us (continued)

Grant, you might luck up and come across a fairly modern pull type combine.
IH and John Deere were making them up until the 70's I think. They appeared
to be the same basic unit as some of the self propelled machines. If you are
only going to harvest a few bushels of seed, ever considered a small
threshing machine? You may want to consider a seed cleaner as well.

John Hall

----- Original Message -----
From: "Grant Brians" <sales at heirloom-organic.com>
To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Friday, November 05, 2010 7:33 AM
Subject: [AT] Thoughts on small combines,other harvest machinery and where
it takes us (continued)

>I hope to get one of my AC All-Crop 60's back operational. With our very
> small scale seed production, we have so far not even needed a combine, but
> I
> can see that changing in the near future. I have never operated a self
> propelled combine, actually never even cut grain with one. What I have
> done
> is operated the AC60 for hand feed applications. Hmm, why would someone
> take
> that seeming inefficient route for threshing? I have only done vegetable
> seed production and most types of vegetable seed production require the
> extra step of cutting and windrowing the plants for drying or the seed
> will
> end up on the ground before harvest.
>     A moderately common sight here in years past was the flower seed
> harvest. Usually the companies would go through with a two bed vacuum and
> literally suck up the seed off the top of the plants (or maybe it would be
> out of the top?) to not lose much of the seed. We currently produce
> somewhere around 300 or 400 pounds of seed so the hand methods are still
> cheaper than machines, but I can see that increasing dramatically
> eventually.
>     All of this said, I sure can understand the appeal of owning and
> operating an old SMALL combine for the satisfaction of performing that
> harvest yourself. Our "new" 1950's walnut harvester and sweeper arrived
> yesterday here at the ranch and I am looking forward to getting this
> equipment refurbished and doing custom harvesting this next fall. They are
> crude machines by todays standards, but they not only work but they are
> totally effective when correctly maintained and operated.
>     One thing I see happening around here as in most parts of the country
> is the gap between the older people who KNOW how to perform so many
> equipment operation and other tasks and the younger ones who either have
> been steered away from the knowledge or never took the opportunity to
> learn.
> That was a characteristic that I have never understood. When I was younger
> I
> started doing something that I hope I never lose - seeking out those with
> potentially interesting knowledge or skills and asking them to let me
> learn
> from them.
>     Maybe rekindling that spark is the real benefit and goal of taking
> machines to the antique farm equipment shows that we so enjoy?
>             Grant Brians
>             Hollister,California
>             Vegetable, Nuts and Fruit farmer
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
> [mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com]On Behalf Of Ralph Goff
> Sent: Thursday, November 04, 2010 8:02 PM
> To: Antique tractor email discussion group
> Subject: Re: [AT] Massey Harris/Massey Ferguson 35 SP Combine?
>
>
> Theres at least one of these little Massey combines out in B.C. Canada. I
> had a picture that a friend took at a farm/car show there a few years
> back.
> I'm surprised Al doesn't want the IH equivalent, the model 93. That had a
> little 153 engine. Theres a local guy has the newer version (203?) that he
> drove in a parade a few years ago. Sure looked small by today's standards.
>
> Ralph in Sask.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <MasseyH at aol.com>
> To: <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
> Sent: Thursday, November 04, 2010 12:28 PM
> Subject: Re: [AT] Massey Harris/Massey Ferguson 35 SP Combine?
>
>
>> Hi Al & Herb,
>>
>> I have a working MH 35 combine.  To say the least it is a small thing
>> compared to today's standards.  The grain table is only 7 feet.  It  has
>> a
>> 140
>> Continental engine mounted on top.  It can struggle to cut  the heavy
>> producing wheat so we normally just cut a half width.  It does an
>> excellent job of
>> cleaning the wheat.  Great piece to haul to shows. Just  fits on my 20'
>> low-profile trailer. Occasionally you will see a #22 2-row corn  head for
>> them
>> as well.  They have the same problem - it just can not handle  200 bu
>> corn
>> so most only pick a row at a time.
>>
>> Massey Collectors Assn. has a website at _www.masseycollectors.com_
>> (http://www.masseycollectors.com)  with a  discussion board.  You might
>> want to
>> start a thread there.  I know of  several here in the Midwest.
>>
>> I just saw an old promotion film highlighting the 35 combine.  Hope to
>> get
>> it on DVD soon.
>>
>> If you can find one and have the money and storage you will want  one!!
>>
>> JMO
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>> Gary
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> In a message dated 11/4/2010 10:03:13 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
>> metz-h.b at mindspring.com writes:
>>
>
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