Monday, September 06, 2004
I must be completely bonkers
I'll explain - went for my first day at Nailcote Farm for 7.30am and was introduced to John a Berkswell & Balsall Rugby who also happens to do Mondays and Tuesdays at the farm, he also farms 750 acres along with his family in Meriden.
So the first thing involved servicing and checking the tractors and greasing the grease nipples on the grain dryer, managed to insert over the day 5 gallons of oil into one of them. After about an hour of that we set the grain dryer on its way to drying a 10 tonne of wheat, carrying out moisture measurements of the grain to make sure it was dried to the right spec, then we set the meal grinder off, grinding feed for the calves adding in protein and vitamins.
Then I was left to bed down some calves, boy was that tough work for someone as unfit as me, the sweat lashed out off me. After drinking rather too much water and then getting back to doing a bit of bedding I actually puked the breakfast up, it might have been because I was working so hard, but probably the bodies way of protecting itself from too much water.
When John came back we fed the very small calves milk and then they were all given fresh straw bedding, after all this was done, the small and large calves were then given "meal". There were a fair few kittens (some were absolutely lovely)running about the yards, no doubt keep to keep the rats and mice at bay.
As it was now about 11am I was sent off to Fillongley in the "TS" a 4 wheel drive tractor (New Holland took over Fords Tractor operations) with a large trailer capable of holding 10 tonnes of grain. It was a bit of hike and tractors don't have suspension as such it, the suspension is the tyres, driving their was pretty easy, but it is amazing how out of control you can get at very low speeds. The indicators must have been working as the police car that was following me (along with about 5 other cars) didn't pull me over.
Coming back fully laden was an experience, in a lot of ways much smoother, but as the roads are so badly surfaced, it set off a bouncing motion that at times threatened my control of the tractor, it was much better the next few times as I got to know the road much better and where to slow down.
So the rest of the day, right up to 7pm was spent loading grain from the combine, driving back to the grain store, moisture testing the wheat, recording it and tipping the grain up.
Its same time tomorrow, and probably something else - driving the JCB at a guess and loading the grain dryer as well as looking after the calves, as well as finishing of the last of the combining. The thing is tired though I am, I'm actually quite looking forward to it, I must be completely bonkers.
So the first thing involved servicing and checking the tractors and greasing the grease nipples on the grain dryer, managed to insert over the day 5 gallons of oil into one of them. After about an hour of that we set the grain dryer on its way to drying a 10 tonne of wheat, carrying out moisture measurements of the grain to make sure it was dried to the right spec, then we set the meal grinder off, grinding feed for the calves adding in protein and vitamins.
Then I was left to bed down some calves, boy was that tough work for someone as unfit as me, the sweat lashed out off me. After drinking rather too much water and then getting back to doing a bit of bedding I actually puked the breakfast up, it might have been because I was working so hard, but probably the bodies way of protecting itself from too much water.
When John came back we fed the very small calves milk and then they were all given fresh straw bedding, after all this was done, the small and large calves were then given "meal". There were a fair few kittens (some were absolutely lovely)running about the yards, no doubt keep to keep the rats and mice at bay.
As it was now about 11am I was sent off to Fillongley in the "TS" a 4 wheel drive tractor (New Holland took over Fords Tractor operations) with a large trailer capable of holding 10 tonnes of grain. It was a bit of hike and tractors don't have suspension as such it, the suspension is the tyres, driving their was pretty easy, but it is amazing how out of control you can get at very low speeds. The indicators must have been working as the police car that was following me (along with about 5 other cars) didn't pull me over.
Coming back fully laden was an experience, in a lot of ways much smoother, but as the roads are so badly surfaced, it set off a bouncing motion that at times threatened my control of the tractor, it was much better the next few times as I got to know the road much better and where to slow down.
So the rest of the day, right up to 7pm was spent loading grain from the combine, driving back to the grain store, moisture testing the wheat, recording it and tipping the grain up.
Its same time tomorrow, and probably something else - driving the JCB at a guess and loading the grain dryer as well as looking after the calves, as well as finishing of the last of the combining. The thing is tired though I am, I'm actually quite looking forward to it, I must be completely bonkers.
