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As of February I'm officially an "empty nester". After a long search my son & his fiance' finally found a house that fit their needs. He had mentioned to to his Mother that "I think I'm going to need a Wheel Horse to mow the lawn", her reply was "I think your Dad can spare one". LOL. So I'm starting him out on the same model & deck I started out on in 1979, one of my C-81's with a 36" RD deck. I've had her ready to go for him for a while now & since the trailer was stiil hooked up from @Pullstart's plowday on Saturday, I decided Sunday was the day. All I can say is this was one of the greatest weekends of my life that I'll always rememember. Loaded up Delivered And yes, I'll give him a mule drive with a knob on it.

Figured it was time I start a post on here documenting my addiction! Here are two of my favorites

Just last week I said no more tractors for me since I bought a big tool box for the garage. Well fast forward to today and I dragged 3 more home and a bunch of NOS parts. The guy has more and I plan on reaching back out to spend some more time digging to see what else he has. As for the tractors I wanted just one and my friend was buying the other. When we got there he offered us a 3rd and we had to pool some cash to get it. I plan on letting my buddy have the 3rd tractor. Definitely had fun picking in the upstairs of the guys garage where he had tons of parts for so many pieces of equipment, model A’s and so much more.

So a buddy that works at the auto parts store asks me last week if I'm still into wheel horse tractors. So naturally I say yea, what ya got? He says I have a raider 12 been sitting in the shed for 6 years and needs to go. He says I'll sell it to you for $200. Well I don't need another tractor but he only lives 4 blocks from me so I literally drug it home.......got it running too! 20240318_205914.mp4

Today's menu - Get this baby ready to light the fire. In order to do this I needed to have "dead man" throttle control. My plan is to turn the brake peddle into the gas peddle. Gathered the basic parts to make this happen. Starting with a piece of pipe that I bought for some reason. Guess this must of been the reason. I did not think that I would be able to weld to the cast metal that the peddle is made of very well, so the piece of pipe gave me some thing to weld to. I cut the threaded ends off from the pipe and the cut it length wise so that it would fit the curve of the brake peddle. Then cut the rest of the parts to make this into a gas peddle. Next up, burn these parts together. Drilled and tapped the peddle so that the assembly could be bolted in place. 2 more pieces required to make this work, a bracket to hold the throttle cable, and a bracket for a positive stop. All three completed. Gave all these parts a quick squirt with some flat black to keep from rusting. Adjustable wide open positive stop installed. Throttle cable holder and foot peddle bracket installed, with a return spring for the peddle. Also installed a return spring on the engine side of the throttle. I think the weed eater piston shift knob turned out well. With these parts installed it was time to light the fire. Good news!! It fired right up. Runs great and runs through all the gears well, butt... the strait pipe is loud and and um, loud!!! A few shots of it out in the sun light. Only thing left now is the fire suppression system "fire extinguisher" and scale it out to get the weight dialed in.

Put the new horse to work. The 310-8 ran great but the 42" SD did leave a small streak. May need a new set of blades. I had a little trouble using the clutch and brake pedals. I'm a hydro guy used to pushing one pedal to go forward and releasing the pedal to go backwards. But I didn't run over anyone or thing. Then used the 312H to till the bean patch and put up a rabbit fence.

I just received the WHCC yearly news letter that included this article on Howard. For those that may not receive the news letter, I felt it should be made available.

A few years ago at @WHX?? plow day I lost my wallet in the field while plowing. Fact jokes are still made about that. To top that off, shortly there after I plowed my phone under while plowing at my brothers place. After these events, my wife requested that I either empty my pockets while plowing or plow in nothing but my under ware. My brother was planting his field today, he looked down & thought crap I dropped my phone. Well... he didn't drop his phone, he actually found the phone that I lost. Pretty sure if I put it in a bowel of rice and clean it up it should still work. Now if we could only find my wallet.

Physical therapy for today .Getting ready to put some tri ribs on the front of my RJ for plow day .

Made progress but not much to show in pictures. Kohler #30 carb rebuilt and installed. Wiring and fuel plumbing took up most of my day today. Took a little extra time to find a place to mount the fuel pump and rectifier / regulator. Ended up tucking the fuel pump inside the dash tower and mounting the rec/reg to the frame rail just behind the battery.. Dash looks nice & clean. In the home stretch now. Work & holiday will shut down any progress next weekend. Hope to hear it run soon though.

It has been about used up,think this one will have to be a parts machine. But lookee what was on it !!!

Was happy to pick up a full set of new tires yesterday off Craigslist for $100. They’ll go on the 312-8 I picked up a couple of months ago.

Pulled one of my 953's out of hibernation, or should I say pushed. The only way I could get it to run while it was in my fake garage was by spraying gas down it's throat. Pushed it into the work shop, pulled the bowl off from the carb & found it dry as bone. While the bowl was off I worked the primer handle on the fuel pump and got nothing up to the carb. Not going to bother rebuilding the fuel pump. Instead I started prepping to install an electric fuel pump. I did this on my other 953 and have not regretted the decision.

Brave brave man... The Maynha Press: @ebinmaine was last seen videoing the BBT on an alleged hydro Wheel Horse... It has been months since Eb has been seen or heard from... Local authorities questioned and released BBT who simply said something about a preference for gears, her dojo, teaching Eb some martial arts and vague references to frying pans...anyone who sees or hears from Eb is asked to determine if we can have his stockpiles of C-160's...

I think you have the wrong band. Hole should be on the left. A double hole band is needed, or try drilling another hole.

So I picked this up today. Yes I know you are all laughing. Let me remind you that it is indeed a Wheel Horse. I know , not very collectable. I'm sure they are not what the Ponds envisioned when they decided to build tractors. Yes I know it is not a tractor but......... isn't it cute !!! Wheel Horse 108-5 Rear engine rider. I picked it up off CL from the original owner. I have the original bill of sale, manual, and some other paperwork from over the years. Purchased new in 1986 for 1,218.73. An additional 181.65 for the bagger. It runs and drives very well. When I went to get it I drove it from his shed to my truck. I never tried to engage the mowing deck. When I got it home I noticed the deck dosnt engage. Got to be something simple. I know the PO would have told me if it had any issues. I will look at it another day. Raining today and it won't fit in garage. So bottom line is I scored an original one owner, original paint, original bill of sale, Wheel Horse. That has to make you smile even if it is a RER !! If that isn't a good score then maybe I will mention that I paid 75 dollars for it. Can't even buy a push mower for under 100. I'm happy I have a thing for RER. Had a couple in the past. I think @WHX?? has a soft spot for them as well. Anyone else oit there who PROUDLY add one to their collection ??? Dont be ashamed to admit it.

Hey uhhh. @JCM I got this.... Should be good right?

Brought home a real nice 48” plow a couple weekends back for cheap $$… brought it in and lubed up all the pivot and moving points. Ready for next season!

The Threshing Bee Wheat and oat plants have a head of edible grain at the top of a long stem. After the grain is cut and dried, the seed heads must be removed from the stems. This is called threshing. Threshing on farms with small amounts of grain was done using a tool called a flail. A flail has a long handle connected to a short heavy club with a flexible joint. It is used to break the seed heads apart. Bundles of grain are laid on a tarp or a tight fitted floor and the heads are beaten with the flail. A man with a flail could thresh about 7 bushels (420 pounds) of wheat a day. When the threshing was completed, the straw was raked away and used as bedding. As farmers put more land into production and the size of wheat fields grew, cutting, binding, and threshing grains by hand was too slow. Between 1850 and 1900, harvesting equipment and methods changed and became more efficient. The grain cradle was replaced with the mechanical reaper–a horse-drawn machine that could harvest 10-12 acres a day! The threshing machine didn’t seem to take off after one core design breakthrough. There isn’t a single individual who is always called out as “the inventor of the threshing machine,” nor a single date, Instead it was a series of inventions across decades: Andrew Meikle built the first successful machine in Scotland in 1786, but Joseph Pope invented a popular one in the US in 1820. Joseph Pope contracted with an engine maker to be his manufacturer. From May through October 1823, the Philadelphia National Gazette ran advertisements stating that “Messrs. S. V. Merrick & Co. Engine Manufacturers, Philadelphia,” had been invested with the privilege of making and selling his machine; prospective customers were encouraged to “apply” to them to obtain one. The days of the standalone thrasher were short-lived. Larger thrashing machines incorporating fanning mills were soon gaining popularity. By 1900, threshing machines had increased in size and were powered by steam engines instead of horses. Neighbors often went together to buy a thrasher and held trashing Bees where everyone helped out or they would hire engine crews and threshing machines to share costs. Because of these changes, the labor required to harvest of grain dropped from 23 hours per acre in 1850 to 8 hours in 1900. Modern combines thrash grains in minutes.

The grain Reaper/Binder Harvesting grain crops by hand was an extremely labor-intensive operation. Men with a grain cradle, a type of scythe with long fingers attached on one side, would cut, gather, and bundle the grain stems by hand. This is the first function performed by modern combines. The grain reaper/binder was invented in 1872 by Charles Baxter Withington, a jeweler from Janesville, Wisconsin. In addition to cutting the small-grain crop, a binder also 'binds' the stems into bundles or sheaves. These sheaves are usually then 'shocked' into A-shaped conical stooks, resembling small tipis, to allow the grain to dry for several days before being picked up and threshed. This was a vast improvement over the McCormic reaper of 1834 which only cut the stems and deposited them in a windrow. Workers would have to gather enough stems to form a sheave and tie them by hand. Withington's original binder used wire to tie the bundles. There were problems with using wire and it was not long before William Deering invented a binder that successfully used twine and a knotter (invented in 1858 by John Appleby). Early binders were horse-drawn, their cutting and tying-mechanisms powered by a bull-wheel, that through the traction of being pulled forward creates rotational forces to operate the mechanical components of the machine. Later models were tractor-drawn and some were tractor-powered. Binders have a reel and a sickle bar, like a modern grain head for a combine harvester. The cut stems fall onto a canvas bed which conveys the cut stems to the binding mechanism. This mechanism bundles the stems of grain and ties the bundle with string to form a sheaf. Once tied, the sheaf is discharged from the side of the binder, to be picked up after drying. Prior to meccanization it took around 300 manhours to produce 100 bushels of wheat. The grain binder and thrashing machine cut this time of back breaking labor to less than 20 hours. With today’s combines it takes about three manhours to harvest 100 bushels of wheat.

Are we gonna have a new member with lots of repair questions and how to fix PO mods?

Finally got time to lay some paint on my buddies 702 project, 3 coats of base and 3 of clear. Came out pretty decent for being 2 hoods welded together. By far the roughest hood I'd ever saved. There's a little dirt in it but what to you expect for an old garage lol

Economy Power King Economy Tractors were designed to be an affordable garden tractor which could be serviced by the owner. Simple straightforward construction utilizing readily available parts resulted in a machine that was dependable and easily maintained. Company founder James E. Turner had been a designer for the Red-E tractor company. He was the son-in-law of one of that company’s founders and in 1946 decided to strike-out on his own to build four wheeled garden tractors at his newly formed Engineering Products of Waukesha (EPW) company. The concept of utilizing off-the-shelf parts and subcontracting manufacturing of castings and machine parts was rather revolutionary at the time. EPW was designing and assembling the tractors while most of the expensive overhead for machining, casting, metal stamping and other costly processes was borne by the subcontractors. The first year was devoted to design and engineering of prototypes and very few tractors were sold. Early models had cable steering which was later replaced with chain steering and eventually a steering gear was utilized. Early units were not fancy, they were devoid of any sheetmetal and had a cast-iron seat without padding. They had a Wisconsin air-cooled single cylinder engine attached to a modified Crosley bell housing, clutch, and transmission. The transmission unit was modified by adding pulleys for belt power transfer. A modified Ford Model-A rear axle assembly with reduction gears at the axles, much like the Red-E tractors, was used as a final drive. The Economy tractor was tested at the University of Nebraska in 1952 under test number 483. Economy tractors also carried the names Power King, Country Squire and the Jim Dandy along the way. Country Squire Garden Tractors were built from 1951 to 1962 and sold by mail-order through magazine advertising and sales booths at state and county fairs. They were powered by 9HP Briggs & Stratton or Wisconsin 9.2 HP air cooled single cylinder engines. Jin Dandy joined the ranks in 1964 and a part of the Economy line of tractors through 1977 It was a bit smaller and more affordable than the Country Squire. The Jim Dandy could be equipped with 10, 12 or 14 horsepower engines. The larger Power King line also came along in in 1964 being offered in 10, 12, and 14 horsepower Kohler engines. In 1977 the Economy name went away and a new numbering designation using rear wheel size and horsepower to derive the model number. As an example, a 1612 has 16” rear rims and a 12-horsepower engine. Power King was sold to Support Services International in 1990 and production moved from Waukesha to Beaver Dam. Production continued until the late 1990s when Power King was sold again. Eventually the Power King assets were sold to Yazoo-Kees and production ended. Mission Manufacturing now owns the rights to Power King and supports the tractors. Country Squire 9 hp 30/48" deck 1951 – 1962 Jim Dandy 10HP 10 hp 48" deck 1964 - 1967 Jim Dandy 12HP 12 hp 48" deck 1965 - 1970 Jim Dandy 14HP 14 hp 36/48/60" deck 1968 - 1977 Power King 10HP 10 hp 48" deck 1964 - 1967 Power King 12HP 12 hp 36/48/60" deck 1965 - 1970 Power King 14HP 14 hp 36/48/60" deck 1968 - 1977 1212 12 hp 42" deck 1982 - 1990 1214 14 hp 42/48" deck 1988 - 1993 1217 17 hp 42" deck 1983 - 1987 1218 18 hp 42/48" deck 1988 - 1993 1218HV 18 hp 48/60" deck 1994 - 1999 1220HV 20 hp 48" deck 1997 - 1998 1612 12 hp 48/60" deck 1977 - 1983 1614 14 hp 48/60" deck 1977 - 1993 1616 16 hp 48/60" deck 1977 - 1983 1617 17 hp 48/60" deck 1984 - 1988 1618 18 hp 48/60" deck 1977 - 1983 1618 18 hp 48/60" deck 1988 - 1993 1618GV 18 hp 48/60" deck 1994 - 1999 1620 20 hp 48/60" deck 1989 - 1993 1620HV 20 hp 48/60" deck 1994 - 1999 2414 14 hp 48/60" deck 1977 - 1988 2416 16 hp 48/60" deck 1977 - 1983 2417 17 hp 48/60" deck 1984 - 1988 2418 18 hp 48/60" deck 1977 - 1983 2418 18 hp 48/60" deck 1988 - 1993 UT620 20 hp 48/60" deck 1989 - 1993 UT620HV 20 hp 48/60" deck 1994 - 1999

So Wednesday I am driving down my street and there is a huge pile of garbage at the curb. I had to stop and look. I picked out this coffee table. Thought it was kinda cool. Mid century modern stuff is getting hot. So I brought it home. I cleaned it all up and waxed it. Came out pretty good. If you Google you see people asking 400 - 1200 dollars for one. I knew I had good taste !! It's in my living room now. This morning I went to an estate sale I bought this old Waterloo tool chest, loading with everything inside of it for 15 bucks. Add in the one owner little Wheel Horse I picked up Thursday for 75 bucks I think I'm having a good week.

I got my first wheel horse way back for $50, for a similar reason. PO changed the solenoid and starter. But he apparently didn't notice the large green blob of corrosion on the positive battery terminal. I had it running 10 minutes after I got it home. It sat in a barn for two years before I bought it. And now:

I moved the snow machine to the long term shed where she can hibernate for the summer. Fixed the 312-8 internitten starting problem. By the marks on the starter, the PO blamed it on the starter. It was actually a loose seat switch connector that made it a $175 roller.

Perrin Tractor Former North Dekota farm worker Raymond Perrin was transplanted to the state of Washington where he had a five-acre vegetable farm during World War Two. Needing a small tractor to operate the farm more efficiently he used what he had available, parts from a Model A Ford. With the assistance of a machine shop his tractor was a success, in fact so successful it became a business. Through word of mouth the Perrin Tractor Company became a reality. Having produced about one hundred-fifty tractors in Tacoma, WA, in a year the venture was a modest success. Despite difficulty obtaining engines, machined parts and steel Perrin was doing well but the next adventure was just around the corner. The Mexican government was launching a program whereby peasants would be given five acres of land and a small tractor to make themselves more self-sufficient. The government was seeking bids for small tractors and Perrin was eager to expand his fledgling business. Though he spoke no Spanish and didn’t have a strong business background Perrin loaded his tractor on a railroad car and headed to Mexico. The government was impressed and granted him an entail order for five-hundred tractors with more to be built in the future. While he was elated at the prospect of becoming a manufacturer, he knew that his home shop was inadequate for the new order. Seeking manufacturing facilities with a foundry he located a former WW2 defense plant that was immediately available in western New York State. At the end of World War Two the Reconstruction Finance Corporation was put in charge of converting America’s military-industrial complex into peacetime uses and helped arrange for Perrin to move his operation. Labor problems arose before production ever began and as a result no Perrin tractors were ever built in Arcade, NY. A brief venture in Kansas City, MO, was unproductive so the family moved west to Portland. OR, in 1947 where Perrin obtained some financial backing for his tractor production. In Portland they began building crawler tractors in addition to the wheeled models. The PERRIN name on the front rims and the locking cam clutch plate arrangement were two distinct identifying characteristics of the tractor. The Mexican order had evaporated due to Perrin’s inability to fill the order and lacking a distribution network it was imposable to compete effectively against the on slot of riding garden tractors that entered the market at that time. Perrin moved back to the Seattle area, did carpentry work and ultimately started his own successful construction business with his two sons. Perrin was an inventive individual who in 1951 pioneered and patented a cabinetry method that is somewhat similar that used by IKEA and virtually all “knock-down” furniture and cabinet manufacturers. I didn’t find any records of Perrin manufacturing these cabinets but hope he found financial success with them. Nov. 1, 1955 R. M. PERRIN CABINET CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 2, 1951 RAYMOND M. PERRIN 3 052:. 1i l My 0 attorney Nov. 1, 1955 R. M. PERRIN 2,722,468 CABINET CONSTRUCTION Filed March 2, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 t k 44 52 E 4 h \g 4 I 43 l7 '45 49 '6 g I 48 l2 49 5/ I5 4 r 22 Inventor l7 RAYMOND M. PERRIN 6 11 MM/M (Ittorneg United States Patent )fifice 2,722,468 Patented Nov- 1, 195.5 CABINET CONSTRUCTION Raymond M. Perrin, Portland, Oreg. Application March 2, 1951, Serial No. 213,624 The general object of the invention is to provide an improved form of cabinet construction for knock-down cabinets, whereby all the parts necessary are light in weight and can be shipped to the user in a compact, flat package. Another object is to provide a cabinet which is constructed of a number of identical parts and which is easy to assemble by the average person with a screw driver. Another object is to provide a cabinet which is of sturdy construction when assembled and which is economical to manufacture. Still another object is to provide an improved fastening means and arrangement utilizing a plurality of small corner brackets for drawing the parts together in tight fitting relation when assembled by the user.

C-160 on the rack getting ready for mower season.

Doing a little wash today

I haven’t been here often and only for very short visits and some of you asked if everything is ok. Thank you very much for your concerns. I am feeling fine physically, just exhausted with all the testing and concerns this has cause specifically to my family. I went last week to the Hackensack Cancer Center where they are the so called authority on Multiple Myeloma, at least in this area. They pretty much confirmed what the other doctors had already confirmed only with much more detail and information. Or perhaps it’s just that now that I know more about it I am asking more questions. They state that I am at the “smoldering “ stage, meaning that it is pre cancer. Although they say that it is inevitable that I will eventually have it, it could take many years for it to happen. However since there is always a rather substantial increase in the adverse readings of the blood tests, I will have to continue to be tested every three months. In addition to all the tests I have been doing they also now want me to do a bone marrow MRI which is only available in two facilities in the state , luckily they being one of them. It’s not warranted nor recommended at this point to start any treatment or and medication, only when tests reach a certain threshold. So essentially summarizing this ordeal I am a ticking time bomb that inevitably will blow up. I don’t know if it’s better than actually having it now and dealing with it, since it is now a constant burden on everyone’s minds always worrying and watching me for any signs of distress. Essentially peace of mind is now for the family a thing of the past. I am not a worrying person but I don’t like to see the other’s constantly concerned over me specially my wife who totally depends on me. One of tests done was a PET scan which detects any thing abnormal going on in your body. Well, that was also the opening of Pandora’s box. Some things found I already knew but ignored, and others I didn’t know. So now on top of everything else I also am going to see a Vascular Surgeon to deal with all the bad veins on my leg, and do other tests to see why I am now anemic which they ruled out being related to the Myeloma at this stage. So as you all can see this is been the bulk of my activities. I think I know glow in the dark and will gave a permanent faucet attached to my left arm to withdraw blood.

Now, I’ve been laying out, organizing, prioritizing tools, etc. I have a top/bench top tool box that I’m contemplating using. Many of the drawers in my current tool boxes are broken or bent. I’m emptying my boxes, hoping to downsize those and maybe I’ll part a box out to repair the damaged ones. This. Feels. Great!

nothing eats a rj front axle weight with added bonus of being nos .

Pacific H6 Garden Tractor There is very little information on the internet concerning the Pacific H6 but it is so unique that I want to share what little I could find. The Pacific H6 was built by THE PACIFIC IRON AND MACHINE CO. of San Diego, California. It was an unusual riding Garden Tractor with the drive wheels located at the front and an articulated rear tool bar which could be raised or lowered by a manually powered hydraulic lift system. Steering was accomplished using a steering wheel connected to a spur gear and sector unit on the articulated section of the chassis. Turning brakes on each drive wheel could be used for tighter rotation of the tractor. The steering sector gear can be seen in this photo. Power for the tractor came from a Wisconsin AEH, 5.4 horse power, engine which sat atop the transmission. The engine and transmission were coupled via a wet multiple disc clutch to a gear reduction driven three speed transmission from an early Ford automobile. The clutch was hand operated with an “over center” locking mechanism similar to the PTO lever on a Wheel Horse. The final drive to the wheels was via chains and sprockets. Each drive wheel was equipped with a manually operated brake which was also a Ford automobile. The engine is said to be crank started which could be a bit of a contortionist’s nightmare since the flywheel end of the engine faces the operator and is between the two 7.50-16 drive wheels and fenders. Perhaps as many as 100 Pacific H6s may have been manufactured but no records are known to exist. An optional flat belt pulley could be added and they offered a few basic attachments including a Dozer Blade, Single 14 inch turning plow, and a front Sickle Mower.

Pulled some trail cams. red fox coyote or bobcat raccoon coyote deer

(It feels like) I’m moving. Moving in… finally… after 7 years being here! I have felt like I haven’t used the potential of the walls, due to the previous owner being family, and them never really moving out it feels. I have finally decided if it isn’t needed by now, it’s as good as useless to them. So, I’ve got a good pile in the scrap hopper, I’ve been filling my dumpster, and I’m making it count. I’ve been decorating. There’s lots of signage that I’ve had to hang up, just in piles. Tonka toys, race memorabilia, deer heads, tractors, etc. probably more to come there. I’ve hung a good handful of lights, and now believe I could use even more in certain areas. I have finally replaced every standard shop bulb with LED. Now, I’m getting into tool organization. Since being here, I have not had a shop vice. Can you believe that? I had this bench buried out back, and decided it needed to get into the shop. The racking I’ve stuffed stuff on for 3-4 years was emptied and moved out. Yesterday, the bench moved in. Not without issue, of course! I tried to skid it with the snowmobile sled (an old S10 hood), but it sunk a caster wheel into the drive and dumped over. Standing it back up on the concrete, I felt like I ripped my right peck a little. We happened to go bowling last night. It’s feeling ok today.

I'm ready EB. Got a backup for the backup.

Didn't get to play with this tractor much over the weekend. I did find a little time to repurpose an old piston from a weed eater. First up was to make a couple of plugs out of some 5/16" round stock to plug the holes for the wrist pin. After installing the plugs and wrist pin clips, I heated the piston up. While heating the piston with a propane torch, I filled the inside of it with low temp aluminum weld rod. https://www.harborfreight.com/8-piece-low-temperature-aluminum-welding-rods-44810.html Took a little over 3 rods to fill it to my desired thickness. Now that I had some meat to work with it was time to take it for a spin on the lathe. Drill a 5/16" hole a little over 5/8" deep, then tapped it to 3/8-16. Threaded a 3/8" bolt into the hole & threw it back on the lathe for some polishing. This will now be the shift knob for my puller.

Want to find a brochure on your older car or truck? http://www.lov2xlr8.no/broch1.html

A Wheel Horse entered the painted egg contest. Nope, he didn't win. We had 23 egg painters aged from 1 to 99 years old. My 55yo son Mark won with his Wise Old Owl entry.

A Hoyer patient lift makes a great small engine lift. I purchased mine used, but in like new condition for $150. I added a fabricated spreader bar. It has a 400 lb capacity and includes a padded u-sling with head support and a commode sling with positioning strap. You should have seen the look on my wife's face after I unloaded it from the back of the truck. I told her I was investing in my future. Honestly, I haven't tried out the slings. LOL!

Why Georga went nuts? For several generations cotton had been king in the south. In 1915, the boll weevil reached Georga. Many cotton crops were destroyed, and the local farmers struggled financially. The whole area fell into a slump. H.M. Sessions, an Enterprise, GA businessman, decided something needed to be done about the boll weevil problem. He felt that peanuts would fare well in the region. Enterprise farmer, C.W. Baston, planted peanuts for one year at the request of Mr. Sessions. Mr. Sessions offered Mr. Baston the peanuts to plant, someone to harvest them, and $1 per bushel. Mr. Baston, whose cotton had been severely damaged by the boll weevil, took him up on his offer. Mr. Baston's crop of peanuts did well in its first year. He was able to pay off his debts and still have some money in the bank. He produced 8,000 bushels of peanuts in his first year. His great success caused many other struggling farmers to become interested in peanuts. Mr. Baston's harvest was used as seed for other local farmers who were eager to get into the peanut business. Many farmers grew nothing except peanuts. The great success of the peanuts proved beneficial to the state. Many farmers diversified even further and planted other crops. Cotton was still planted, but was not the sole focus of Georga’s farming efforts. According to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), the U.S. peanut crop in 2022 was estimated at 5.57 billion pounds. Georga accounting for more than 50 percent of all U.S. peanut production. Once viewed primarily as a cotton state, Georgia now consistently ranks first in the nation’s production of poultry and eggs and is also a top producer of peanuts, pecans, tobacco, blueberries, and peaches. Overall, the state accounts for 2 percent of total U.S. agricultural sales.

This round nose showed up on my door step around 9:30 last night. According to the belt guard it may be an 854, not sure though. The engine that is in it is a K161, not a K181. The realest in me says "Part it out". The dreamer in me says "You don't have an 854" A P.O. smashed the crap out of the carb & air cleaner. Fuel pump and the hood are missing. Either way, I think that the HY pump was worth the price of admission & the rear tires are not in bad shape either.

Pretty Sunday. Got all the boys out for a half hour of run time. 867 needs a plug wire, so he played hookie...

Well this is one that falls under "any reason is a good reason to get a tractor out..." So Jack and his friends were making a small wiffle ball field in the woods behind our house and wanted dirt baselines...I couldn't watch them with a rake and shovel any longer so out came the Wheel Horse garden tractor implement system! Had to take off the snow plow that I never got to use this year. Then put together the cultivator and put on the old rear tires on the 312-8 and it was ready to go. Ended up adjusting the tines close together for a narrower line.

Cityscapes with tall buildings are attractive but I will stick with the mountains.