# New To Me



## glasswrongsize (Sep 15, 2015)

To some, it may appear that I have went "antiquing" man-style; I bought a "new" tractor. I started out this year haying @ 20 acres and about 17 acres of row-crop. The Kubota 5040 (not "mine", but stays here for my use) completed all of the heavy lifting and the Farmall 300 was the other all-around tractor. It was a little light in the britches, tricycle front end, the brakes were poor-at-best, the T/A only worked in Direct, but I have 3 point adapters and it runs like a champ.
Ended this year haying about 65-70 (actual) acres and the desire to run an accumulator and grapple next year, I knew the 300 was a little light and had too-few speed selections to run the baler. (I want to allow the Kubota to be on grapple duty while another tractor is baling)
Had a sheep guy wanting some hay from me (I'm a sheep guy also, so you can imagine the lack of intelligence between the two of us ). He is the owner of a one-owner Farmall 460, wide front, rear tires less than 1 hour on them, fresh rebuild on engine (sleeves, pistons, head work, etc) new seat, all sheet metal, working T/A, etc. :wub:
After a week or so, he priced the tractor to me :huh: . I advertized and sold the 300, sold a couple of loads of hay, robbed the cookie jar, and drove to his house yesterday. We agreed upon a (much lower)price, and he threw in the 2 point quick hitch 4-14 plow, blade, and bale mover. Drove it home and it runs like a champ. 
As I was driving it home, I was thinking that life is pretty good to me. Started out (when I was a tad bit younger) disking with a 1937 McCormick Deering F-12 (steel wheels front and back!) :angry:, then moved up to a 1942 Farmall H , next I got the Farmall 300 :mellow:. Now, I'm into the 1960s with a 50 horse-pressure tractor with wide front and a cushion seat &#8230;finally, I've made it to the big-time! Well on my way to stop putting fingerprints on idiot bricks. If I ever get rich and famous, I may get a umbrella for it. 

73, Mark


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## NewBerlinBaler (May 30, 2011)

Mark,

Every time I see a posting from you, I smile when I read your location entry.

Before retiring, I was a field-service road-warrior for a company that makes industrial gas turbine engines. From the '96 to '04, I worked out of the company's Naperville, IL office. Did a lot of jobs with a native-Illinois, ex-Caterpillar coworker. He explained the whole northern-state versus southern-state thing. I get the "People's Republic" comment.

Gary


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## azmike (Jan 4, 2015)

I have been a trapshooter for my adult life. A few years ago the ATA (trap association) moved the home grounds from OH to Sparta, IL. The "Peoples Republic" just this last month closed this huge facility due to lack of funds. The ATA had very good land donations to move to Amarillo TX. To add insult the ATA just finished a multi-million $$ Hall of Fame Museum on the grounds!

Sorry to rant off-subject but the deal is just too stupid to not share.


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## glasswrongsize (Sep 15, 2015)

AZMIKE, what subject?...Heck, yours is better than mine was anyway . I've sent pounds upon pounds of 700x or Unique following an 1 1/8 ounce of 7 1/2s or an ounce of 8s...Sometimes 7/8 ounce for first shot on doubles. I'm sorry to say that I never made it to The Grand American (had enough targets, but not the time to be absent from work). If anyone could spend millions to build a first-rate facility (World Shooting Complex), lose money and lose The Grand, it would have to be one of my Comrades from dear ole illinois. :angry:

73, Mark


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## Wethay (Jul 17, 2015)

I'm not that old of guy myself but the first tractor that dad and I farmed with was a John Deere AR, hand start, radiator shutters and steel wheels. When we upgraded tractors it was getting another of the same thing but it had rubber tires. They were both dual fuel so if a guy forgot to switch over from the gas tank to the main fuel tank when the tractor warmed up it didn't take long to figure it out. I was to small to turn the engine over so it meant a walk back to get dad if he wasn't in the same field. The ARs weren't collectible at that time they were obsolete, meaning cheap. We traded those in on a brand new 384 Corn Binder, all 38 or so Hp. Electric start, diesel, lights, a pad on the seat and a thermostat. For a few years there we did cut, rake and bale for us and a couple of neighbors, 200 tons of idiot cubes.


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## Thorim (Jan 19, 2015)

Anything I've just bought is new to me even if its old to everyone else... Good luck on the new tractor may she bring you years of great service.


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## glasswrongsize (Sep 15, 2015)

azmike said:


> I have been a trapshooter for my adult life. A few years ago the ATA (trap association) moved the home grounds from OH to Sparta, IL. The "Peoples Republic" just this last month closed this huge facility due to lack of funds. The ATA had very good land donations to move to Amarillo TX. To add insult the ATA just finished a multi-million $$ Hall of Fame Museum on the grounds!
> 
> Sorry to rant off-subject but the deal is just too stupid to not share.


News clip from local on-line rag:

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS SHOOTING COMPLEX REOPENS WITH LIMITS

(04/07/16)AP

A large shooting complex in southern Illinois has had a limited reopening after it was closed nearly seven months ago due to the lack of a state budget.

The World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta held its first shooting event Saturday.

An Illinois Department of Natural Resources spokesman tells the Southern Illinoisan that the facility isn't totally reopened, but shooting areas are being used on a limited basis. He says the facility is allowing organized groups and events to use the shooting areas.

Democratic state Rep. Jerry Costello of Smithton says the limited reopen is the result of negotiations between the Amateur Trapshooting Association and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

The complex regularly draws thousands of people each summer for a pair of national competitions.

73, Mark


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## azmike (Jan 4, 2015)

I heard that there was a substantial outstanding electric bill plus who knows what else...I am NOT a fan of mixing any government entity into my recreation. Thank you for the news of Sparta.

My son and I are proud to say we have recieved "0" government funds for our farm/ranch and will hold that line. We are in an area where EQUIP and such money is standard for irrigation!

Mark, If I had my way I would fritter away my days and family legacy shooting doubles! Although I do have everything for my own ring!


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## glasswrongsize (Sep 15, 2015)

Doubles...bout the most fun a feller can have with his britches on!!
73, Mark


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