Fine Country Living

I spent some time this morning learning, and practicing, how to load a John Deere 60D excavator on and off a 10-ton M322 LT military trailer. The truck and trailer provide a rock solid platform, so it really is just a matter of learning the process (or method) and practicing it over and over and over. As you will hear me say more than once, it is really all about entergy management (e.g. DO NOT get ham handed with the controls, because you can trigger an instability that could cause an accident) and weight & balance (e.g. using the weight of the boom./stick/bucket to your advantage to help the machine get “over the hump” of the ‘teeter” at the apex of the climb up, and crawl down the trailer ramps. This trailer ain’t no “low boy”, with a deck height about 4’ 3″ off the ground over the two axle ‘humps.’ That is butt puckering height when your machine is teeter-tottering over the apex, or when you swing the cab around 180 degrees while perched precariously that high up. I think I loaded and unloaded about 5 times this morning. Learned a bit. Developed some confidence. Identified a few things to keep a close eye on. Etc. ALL good … when you walk away sans injury to yourself, your machine, or others. 😉 No chickens where actually injured making this video. Promise.

Just purchased a used (2012) John Deere 60D mini excavator, which was delivered this morning. I spent about a hour running it through its paces, just to see how much operational ‘knowledge’ I actually picked up watching “how to” videos on YT. I think I have the basics down. Now … time to dig a $%^& moat around the property. Why? BECAUSE I CAN!!! ;)-

This is now the fourth piece of equipment I have recently purchased through Ritchie Bros. Financial Services, either via auction (GovPlanet or IronPlanet) or direct from a dealer. As a quick shout out … if anybody is interested in acquiring a piece of farm, military, OTR or construction equipment and needs expert help finding and financing same … I’d encourage you to reach out to the account manager I have been using. She know’s her way around equipment, has most answers tip of tongue, and works her tail off to find answers to the rare question she can’t answer off-the-cuff. Contact Becky McLardy, Account Manager, Equipment Specialist, CPPA, Richie Bros. Financial Services, (833) 422.9115 or bmclardy@ritchiebros.com.

*** WARNING: GRAPHIC / GROSS *** Had to intervene to “patch up” my buck rabbit that had been running loose in a garden pasture for a month or so. He accumulated three bot fly bites (two with larvae present) and about 6 ticks in his ears. ALL removed. Medicated and dressed his wounds. UPDATE: About a week post-surgery, he’s doing well, gained some weight, looking much healthier … but not yet back into fighting form (i.e. not ready to breed).

A month or so ago, when I picked up 19 PALCON containers from a local military surplus auction, you may recall that I said I might build a goat fort out of them. Well, today was PALCON goat fort building and testing day until, you know, a $%^&* thunderstorm cell moved in and started a tornadic development right over head. Yikes. A little “goat heavy” in today’s update content, but today was itself a little goat-heavy, so there you go!

Basically, I decided to pull the job box off the top of the observation deck with the M1084A1 crane, so I can mount the box in the back of the truck bed to lock up my growing invetory of crane rigging hardware and general hauling gear.. Got the box down and mounted in the bed, didn’t kill anybody or break anything in the process … so a successful outcome!SHOW LESS

Got the M322 10-ton trailer air line fixed, so I decided to spend pretty much a whole day getting my F-250 winched up onto the trailer as a test. Succeeded, but basically tore the transfer case skid plate off backing the truck off the trailer. No biggie. Got the big pasture mowed down again in preparation for 7/4 (read: reduce fire hazard from fireworks). Saved a mamma hen from being Zen’s next meal. ALL good in the neighborhood! God bless!

Got the emergency air brake line on the M322 LT trailer repaired, then removed about 70% of the hugelkultur I build a few years ago to create a clear path to be able to turn the trailer about 120 degrees in order to park it such that it can then be re-hitched for a straight out departure when needed. And I thought backing a 16′ trailer behind a F-250 was tough! Yeah, NOT! Zenobia disappeared for a few hours during the day, probably hanging out in the cool/shade of the woods, but still technically a “run away” … so she’s in the proverbial dog house for awhile. Received a WONDERFUL set of Father’s Day paintings from Becky and Danika up in BC. Love ’em. 😉

I spent a LOT of time in “Stewie” today. First, in the early AM, I hitched up the M1102 trailer to the M1084A1 truck, and drove them over the Lake Michael to do some minimum turn radius testing, which happens to be ~62 feet (OD). Then, I bought a M322 LT 10-ton equipment trailer in another GovPlanet military surplus auction, and took Stewie out to pickup the trailer. Talk about your butt-puckering ride home. Yikes. The whole way home I was worried about the last 3 turns, all single lane, 90 degrees. The guys at the equipment yard that help me hitch the trailer to the truck (not easy!) told me the last guy that picked up the same trailer, with the same truck, turned too sharp and severed one of the two compressed air lines that feed the trailers air brake systems. No air … brakes lock up (safety feature). Imagine doing that at 55 MPH on a highway. I made it home safelly, but did indeed pinch and sever one of the two gladhands couplers, rendering the trailer an instand 36,000 pound boat anchor. Brakes locked. Managed to get the truck unhitched, then drove across town to pick up my neighbor’s backhoe buckets and a big ol’ John Deere 410 spare rear tire. LONG day! But … a GOOD day.

Still learning (DIY) how to operate the “Stewie” crane. So far, so good. Greenhouse update (floor silage tarped).

Fixed an issue with the M1084A1 cab tilt hydraulics; drove the truck to a local diesel station,, then tested the crane with a 2,500# tank of water. Bred Adriana (goat) today … no video (wink). Look how BIG Zenobia has gotten! She’s also become VERY independent. Does what she wants to do. A rooster made the mistake of getting locked in her pen today, and she chewed him up like a play toy. Can’t really blame her … he was trying to take her morning kibble. Don’t think he’ll make that mistake again!