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61

'round the pot-bellied stove / Western Ohio Update

« on: January 05, 2014, 08:44:12 PM »

Ralph, another fun video, as usual.  Looks like you were having a good time on that trike!  I can imagine why you're not out riding around in this weather, though...it looked pretty darn cold to me even in that video.

Charlie, yes indeed, this new place is well equipped for tractor storage!   The block barn farthest northeast from the house has a great lower level with concrete floor, big sliding doors, and must be ten or eleven foot clearance below the underside of the second-floor joists, perhaps even 12 feet.   A guy could get dozens of tractors in there without trying hard.  And the old bank barn could hold another six or eight easy also on the upper level.  Then there's the garage/shop/corncrib/miscellaneous barn to the south...  I'll have to work hard to figure out where *not* to park something.  

Nearing 9 pm on January 5th as I write this, still pretty warm outside (~35 F) but supposed to start falling fast and far.  We'll see how tomorrow goes.  Hope everyone is under cover with the power on.

62

'round the pot-bellied stove / Western Ohio Update

« on: December 29, 2013, 12:24:53 PM »

Thanks, Charlie and Gene--it is indeed an exciting time, and we're looking forward to settling in.  

Gene, I just looked at Google Maps and there seem to be two Nettlecreek Roads in the area, one each north and south of US 36.  I'm on the one south of 36, just east of Kite Road.  Figure maybe half an hour up to your place?  And Charlie, do let me know if you're in the area, I'd be glad to say hello to you in person as well.  Delaware is perhaps an hour east of me, right there on 36, and it's a nice drive.

Dean

63

'round the pot-bellied stove / Western Ohio Update

« on: December 28, 2013, 04:45:55 PM »

Western Ohio update, as it were:   We closed on the new property yesterday, in Saint Paris, Ohio.   It'll be nice for the Super M to have some room to breathe.

Dean Vinson
[ATTACH=CONFIG]689[/ATTACH]

64

'round the pot-bellied stove / Western Ohio Update

« on: November 06, 2012, 10:26:30 PM »

You're welcome, Ralph.  I have to confess to being one of the folks that doesn't post much anymore, but I do enjoy checking in now and then.  I still live in the suburbs but still intend to move to a more rural setting within the foreseeable future--have even set up initial contact with the realtor and made some visits to properties currently for sale to start getting educated on what's achievable--so hopefully one of these years I can put my Super M to good use (and post some videos to keep yours company).

Dean

65

'round the pot-bellied stove / Western Ohio Update

« on: November 05, 2012, 10:08:13 PM »

...it wasn't too bad sitting out on the Cockshutt 40.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieIg5iKliJM
[video=youtube;ieIg5iKliJM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieIg5iKliJM[/video]

Ralph, that is one fine-running machine.  Gotta love that smooth six-cylinder sound.  Thanks for another great video!

Dean Vinson

66

'round the pot-bellied stove / Western Ohio Update

« on: July 08, 2012, 07:33:22 PM »

Hi Gene.  Were you at Greenville this year?  I made it up there briefly today, but it was already mid-afternoon and the sawmill had been taken down and a lot of exhibitors were packing up.

We also enjoyed a stop at the old Pennsylvania Railroad interlocking tower at Bradford, about ten miles east of Greenville, on the way home.  A museum volunteer and former tower worker opened the place up for us and gave a little tour, which was fun.  Neat to imagine that tower back in its heyday, and the trains that would have run back then, and the tractors that would have worked the surrounding farm fields, and the folks that made it all tick.

Driving along the small highways between Greenville and Dayton, I sure saw a lot of short, spiky-looking, tasseling corn.

Dean Vinson
Dayton, Ohio

67

'round the pot-bellied stove / Western Ohio Update

« on: July 04, 2012, 10:56:44 AM »

Thank you, Charlie--that little farm remains one of my all-time favorite spots.

Glad you got the funds transfer situation straightened out.  Not much riles me up, but that would qualify.  I hope the agency was suitably humble.

And I know what you mean about the great photo of the partially-cut wheat field.  If I had some land (still hoping to make that a reality in just a couple of years now) I'd be powerfully tempted to plant some grain crops just because they look so doggone good.

This morning I spent an hour and a half cleaning up dead-fall branches and twigs from my yard, the remnants of last week's storm, and being thankful that's all I had to contend with.  Hot and humid already out there.

Happy Fourth of July, folks!

Dean Vinson
Dayton, Ohio

68

'round the pot-bellied stove / Western Ohio Update

« on: July 02, 2012, 05:57:52 PM »

Gene, sorry to hear that storm took such a toll up there.  I know it hit hard over in Steve Sewell's neck of the woods as well.  Here in Dayton, Ohio, I was fortunate to miss any serious damage from the storm--just a few branches down here and there in my yard--although many others nearby weren't so lucky.  Lots of traffic delays due to power lines fallen across roads or knocking out traffic lights.  Back to dry and hot now.

Dean Vinson

69

'round the pot-bellied stove / Up at the farm

« on: July 02, 2012, 05:53:01 PM »

I visited my dad and stepmom this past weekend, their 35th wedding anniversary, and enjoyed a nice time at the old farmstead in northeast Ohio.  They're not as young as they once were (nor am I), but they keep the place looking good.

Dean

70

'round the pot-bellied stove / Raking leaves

« on: October 22, 2011, 04:16:23 PM »

I live in the suburbs but have a fairly nice wooded back yard, and a small front yard on a street with plenty of trees, so the annual leaf-raking ritual is a task of some significance.  I gave it a good start today, probably three hours' worth, just using a rake to create big piles and then an old sheet to bundle them up and haul them back to the corner of the yard where last year's crop is now nothing but spongy compost.  Three hours' worth got the front yard and most of the side yards done, but didn't touch the back--and there's still a whole bunch of leaves yet to fall.  The oaks will thin out some more over the next month but will hang on to their favorites, it seems, until early spring.

Some light frost this morning gave everything a nice crisp autumn look, but the sun was warm and the air pretty still and by mid-afternoon the thermometer was in the high fifties.  One heck of a nice day.  Too nice for just raking leaves, so I poured a little bottle of Sta-Bil into the Super M tank and took the tractor out for a spin around the neighborhood to get it warmed up and give the gas a chance to mix up a little bit.  Looked good, sounded good, felt good.  Posed for a snapshot in the (unraked) back yard later on...

Dean Vinson
Dayton, Ohio
www.vinsonfarm.net

71

'round the pot-bellied stove / Okay, it's not Portland, but still a good day

« on: July 22, 2011, 04:47:48 PM »

Today was the day for the annual company picnic, and it was everything a summer company picnic ought to be:  Mostly a goof-off afternoon, lots of tasty artery-clogging food, blissfully few speeches by the boss, blazing heat.

One of the recurring events at the picnic is an all-comers cruise-in, where people from the various shops and departments show whatever vehicle they want to display.  An old Studebaker, couple of new Mustangs, '57 Willys jeep, 2007 Mercedes-Benz Crossover, big old beautifully restored Plymouth, gorgeous mid-50s Chevy pickup, etc.  Last year I admired the pickup and thought my faithful Super M would look good next to it, so this year I drove the tractor to work (about 12 miles, 45 minutes) and parked it next to the pickup at the cruise-in.

I told the show organizers I didn't want the tractor to compete in the popularity judging, just wanted to display it with the other old vehicles, but they decided if the show can include a 57 jeep and a 2007 Mercedes it probably has room for an old tractor.  So I cleaned up:  First prize in both the "People's Choice" and "Ladies' Choice" categories.  I was embarrassed, but eventually decided that I've been waiting 50 years to be the Ladies' Choice in something so I might as well take what I can get.  

Dean Vinson
Dayton, Ohio
http://www.vinsonfarm.net

72

'round the pot-bellied stove / Western Ohio Update

« on: July 22, 2011, 04:45:00 PM »

Mighty hot here in Dayton too, Gene.  Last night at 10 pm it was still 90 degrees out... can't say I ever remember that happening around here before.

I've been reading the occasional news item about that couple--what an awful story.

Dean

73

'round the pot-bellied stove / The Cockshutt 40 in Summer Surroundings

« on: July 09, 2011, 08:49:38 PM »

Hi Ralph. Great photo.  I'm curious about the right-rear tire on the 40, though... is it facing that way for some operational reason, or just easier to mount it when you needed to get it done?

Dean Vinson
Dayton, Ohio
http://www.vinsonfarm.net

74

'round the pot-bellied stove / Gene and the LA on the sawmill

« on: July 09, 2011, 08:24:04 PM »

I enjoyed the annual Farm Power of the Past show today in Greenville, Ohio, and watched for a while as Gene Dotson and his Case LA powered the sawmill.  Thanks for another good show, Gene!  We're lucky that folks like you and the Fox brothers share your time and energy with everyone.



[video=youtube;rf2NSN9BJ0A]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf2NSN9BJ0A[/video]

Dean Vinson
Dayton, Ohio
http://www.vinsonfarm.net

75

ATIS General Tractor Discussion / Pulling the dogwood stump

« on: June 06, 2011, 07:40:52 PM »

Hi Charlie and Ralph.  Yes, a good day for the old tractor...although I suspect it (and I) would have enjoyed a few hours' worth of a little harder pulling.  One of these years.  And yes, that chain holds my attention every time I look at the photo.   I think the photo must have been taken at the very instant the stump hit the ground after being pulled free, so the part of the chain closer to the tractor hadn't yet had time to go slack.  I'm glad my neighbor happened to be there with his camera!

Dean