We have had a week of nice weather. On Saturday it rained all day in Lloydminster. At Waseca it just spit, the windshield wipers on slow intermittent kept the window cleared so I could see. I have hoar frost rain marked for the June 10 and June 12 and four days of rain starting June 16. We will see.
On the home front we finished combining at last. We had to buy two relays to start one of the combines. We also had to buy a little valve for the fuel line to prevent the fuel from running back when the combine is not running. Both a pain in the butt items and a trip to Lloydminster. We also had to buy a hydraulic motor that runs the chaff spreader. It got broken off during one of the many tows (I didn't do it). Another trip to Lloydminster. Some people you can tell them, carefully explaining to them and then they still don't listen. Princess Auto had the hydraulic motors and I just had to get a different fitting as the original motor had ORB thread and the new ones had pipe thread. Keranda had the adapters.
I had to buy four new pick-up belts, the old ones were worn and the lacing was coming apart. Running flat to pick up the crop was hard on them. I see I will need four more new belts for this harvest. I also have a flat pick-up wheel to get fixed. Nothing serious but it seems the list goes on and on and on.
One day of wheat left to seed. This is the latest that I have ever seeded wheat in my life. Barring some miracle I am expecting Canada Feed. I have penciled out the return for wheat, canola and oats and at the present price they all return about the same. I hope the present price holds, even feed wheat is a good price.
Grandpa Hult always said wheat needed to be seeded by May 10 if you wanted good grades. I don't know what Grandpa Hult would have done with a year like this? Things were very different back then. Wheat was seeded only on summer fallow that was plowed the year before. They didn't bother trying to work up the sloughs since that was where you watered your horses. Horses don't sink and get stuck like modern equipment does. One thing they must have put up with that we don't is the darn mosquitoes and horseflies. The repellent that we buy is not working too well as these little mosquitoes are landing stinger first. I hate the little buggers!
I want to tell you about a visitation from one of my readers. He arrived at coffee time with a big grin on his face. He declined having coffee, water or juice just a visit. He came in carrying a gift bag, and apologized to Bev that the gift was not for her, but he did indeed have a present for me. Jim Karpluk is an avid gardener and a retired CN man. He didn't like what I wrote about sending a brick to the CN men. He gave me a short letter and cut my column out of the newspaper and highlighted some of the things I had written. In this nice gift bag along with the letter and clipping he had wrapped a brick. He told me that the wood in the crossing has to be below the rails otherwise the gladhands will hit the crossing and become uncoupled and that would allow the train to lose air and the brakes would come on. He even told me to keep a six foot straight edge and level in my truck! When he decided to leave he asked for his brick back he actually asked for his brick back! (He took it out of his flower bed.) Can you believe this guy? He actually asked for his brick back!!
Joke of the week: My sister-in-law Bonnie sent me the joke this week. Remington has brought out a new pistol. It is called the "Duffy." It doesn't work and it can't be fired!
