[AT] Too many tractors- reply to John Hall

[Greg Hass]

The guys at the coffee shop do spread it pretty thick. The worst is the 
owner; he sure likes to pass it out but can't take it when it comes 
back. He has a few acres and a IH compact with loader of about 35hp.  . 
So far he has no health problems (early 50's) so changing implements 
hasn't hit him yet. Another one is a relative; they plow liquid manure 
down on about 1200 acres a year with a 6 bottom roll-over plow at about 
9 MPH. A couple  of years ago they were using a JD 8400 on the plow but 
were lacking power and a couple of times had to remove a bottom. I asked 
him if he was going to get a new tractor for the plow and he said they 
would NEVER get a new tractor to plow manure (it really makes a mess of 
the tractor). Well, he bought a 300hp. JD tractor with 200 hrs. on it- 
not exactly new b----u----t.
As for me, I grow 26 acres each of corn, wheat, and edible beans. The 
last 20 or so acres are soybeans. I use conventional tillage, moldboard 
plowing about two thirds and chisel plowing the rest. I work all the 
ground before planting. So none of my old tractors get a huge amount of 
hours on them. One thing I forget to mention is I do have a Ford loader 
tractor along with the rest, also around 40 years old.
       Greg Hass