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One tough little tractor!

3K views 14 replies 9 participants last post by  9MMMAC 
#1 ·
I am a professional beekeeper and I recently moved a few hives to a lufelong friends family farm. Its a small farm thats been in the family for 3 generations and just 3 miles from home. Jer mom is now living with her 2 hrs away so no one at the farm. Most of it is leased to a local farmer but she asked if Id move some bees there to make it feel like the old days. After a while I thought about putting in a small field of buckwheat to experiment making buckwheat honey. Coincidentally there is a .75 acre field next to the bees. Its been hay for years but hasent been turned over in a lo g time. The farmer hates baling it because its small and odd shaped. I decided to take a try at working it with my 1025r and County Line 4 ft tiller. I mowed it short with my Woods Brushbull first then took the tiller over. I already had a backup, a neigjbor with an old JD B that would plow it if the tiller didnt work. That 1025r buried the tiller and pulled like a bigger tractor. I havent heard it work like THAT since I got it in November. The 3/4 of an acre was done in just a little over 2 hrs (if we subract the time spent dislodging one rock lodged in the tines and what looked like a ground rod wrapped around the tiller shaft). By thebtime I was sone, the sod laying onntop was alrwasy getti g dry so I decided to do it a second time, not as deep, the reduce the ridges created between passed. The second time it had almost no ridges and went much faster. I had originally planned to drag it aftee tilling but after looking at it I decided to hit it ligjtly a 3rd time and call it good. It may get rained on this week before the seed comes. If so, Ill run over it quick before seeding, then roll it after seeding. I have ro say this has been the most impressive job Ive done with this machine. Its not the old 3020 I learned on but for a while it felt a little like it!
 

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#2 ·
It's amazing how capable the 1025r is. Nicely done sir ?
 
#3 ·
Nice work Hiwire, very impressive. :thumbup1gif:
 
#4 ·
For anyone looking for a quality tiller. I dont think you can beat the County Line. For one thing I think its one of the lowest priced on the market and its made by Tarter, an American company. I reversed mine and I think thats why its such an animal. Its also heavier than any of the others. If you are stuck on green... paint it. It took some pretty good hits with buried rocks and tractor parts but came out fine
 
#13 ·
For anyone looking for a quality tiller. I dont think you can beat the County Line. For one thing I think its one of the lowest priced on the market and its made by Tarter, an American company. I reversed mine and I think thats why its such an animal. Its also heavier than any of the others. If you are stuck on green... paint it. It took some pretty good hits with buried rocks and tractor parts but came out fine
I agree, most definitely the best bang for the buck. :thumbup1gif:
 
#7 ·
HiWire-what type of buckwheat are u planting? is there a type still being sold as Japanese-my grand pap and i planted that once back when i was a kid. it had 4 corners to the seed. i've wanted to sew some in my meadow but every spring it is too thumping wet to even try it. now since all the line trees died off-they was Ash-its wetter yet.

i just thought that field was so nice looking when it came to blossom back then. thanks for taking me back some 50 yrs ago:good2:
 
#8 ·
Big Jim Im told the "Common" variety is the Mancan variety and have talked to other beekeepers that said they used the "Common" variety and got good results. I know its a bit of a gamble. Im hoping that because itll be late, and right next to the hives they will use it. They tell me that bees on buckwheat get cranky. The blossoms close before mid day, cutting off the nectar supply. It gives them a meaner temperament. A lot if work for a couple weeks of forage but I do get people that request buckwheat honey and I usually end up buying 200 to 300 lbs per year for them. Itll be interesting to see how much they make
 
#9 ·
That's a really nice bit of work!
 
#14 ·
Yes beekeeping is now my full time job. I was a landscaping foreman for 35 years. I needed to slow down a little and stop depending on people I didnt trust, so I moved on. I dont make a lot but Im my own boss, I work at my own pace, and I enjoy life more (I work alone). At this point in my life I am low maintenance anyway. The bees paid for my 1025r and attachments and a newer truck this year. Next year, maybe a dedicated building to put them in!
 
#15 ·
I saw a funny saying somewhere: " A bumblebee can fly faster than a tractor can drive!" :laugh:
 
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