Month: June 2021

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!

Made an early AM trip to pickup 19 PALCON storage containers I recently procured through a GovPlanet auction. Another big-ass thunderstorm (to drive through, AGAIN!). All’s well that ends well. What are the storage containers for? Dunno … maybe an isometric, pyramidal goat fort?

Took me two months to procure (thanks Becky!), but finally took possession of our new farm implement …. a 2004 Stewart & Stevenson M1084A1 cargo handing truck. Things a beast. Had to meet the delivery driver 5 miles out and drive it home in the rain. Spent a little time today figuring out how to articulate the HIAB 133 ADT-2 crane. Yowza.

Animal updates. Major downpour. Go the caterpillar tunnel ‘roof’ and end walls installed. Whew.