Last year I had wheel bearings fail. I could only find one USA bearing and one Chinese bearing. Chinese wheel bearing lasted for two days. They were not much difference in price. Chinese one lasted just long enough for the American bearing to arrive from the bearing distributer.
Look at the photo below and see if you can find Mt. Hood.
Below is the view from later in the day. It got just a touch on the damp side. I'm no-tilling two rows of peas and one row of fescue into an old clover field. 160lbs of field peas per acre and 5 lbs of fescue.
Farmer was thinking about adding an insecticide to his seed called Lorsban. I was a little worried it might be off-label and even though Lorsban sort of smells like bacon, it makes me sick. And of course I would never do anything I was not licensed to do.
The fescue will grow under the peas and will be harvested next year for the seed. Or at least that is the plan.
I keep getting upgrades for the program. I could get autosteer if I'd buy the wheel motor or adapt a steering valve. I have lots of projects I never get accomplished. Not sure I really need auto steer. I think I'd rather have an air-ride seat.
I can also watch cartoons on the tablet. I load them into iTunes. For several years I could connect to random internet networks but people have now started using passwords other than "admin" or "123456789," or "password."
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Lorsban? I've heard of that used here as a grasshopper or wheat midge insecticide. Usually sprayed when the crop is up and growing. Considered very toxic. I wonder what it's purpose could be going into the ground at planting time.?
ReplyDeleteLorsban is an organophosphate and gave out of nerve gas research in WWII. It effects the central nervous system. It is used as an insecticide so it would be effective against wire worms or other pests in the soil.
DeleteIt is frequently planted with corn for the same reasons.
I just realized I probably should be more careful when I don't know exactly the regulations. It is the 21st century.
Now that I think about it I guess all the tiny expensive canola seeds I plant each spring are coated with some type of insecticide to control flea beetles . That blue dust is likely toxic too humans as well but I couldn't tell you what is in it. I just avoid contact with it as much as possible.
DeleteBeekeeper Fights Back Against Crop Duster That Killed 1 Million Bees Lorsban used.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.courthousenews.com/2012/04/27/46026.htm
It is highly toxic to birds as well. Do Not Use It!!! There are residual effects and burying it with the seed does not make it safe.
Ah, farming, that's the life! lol
ReplyDeleteMuddy, although I agree that putting it underground with the seed doesn't negate all the risks, the goal is that a preventative granular application with the seed will eliminate the need for an application with a sprayer later which is MUCH more potentially hazardous to bees and other non-target organisms. I was forced to spray a large number of acres last fall that I likely would not have if I had used insecticide at planting. I'm not advocating using it on every planting, but there are times when scouting, field history, weather conditions and type of crop point to a high likelihood of insect infestation.
ReplyDeleteOrin, you put that so nicely. You should be on farm advisory boards and if I had a magazine I'd put your photo on the cover.
Delete
DeleteWell said Orin!
I understand the occasional necessity of insecticides for crop production, but in regards to Lorsban, are there not less toxic insecticides? or that break down into less harmful compounds, that can be used?
I worry about the current decline of the pollinators. Thousands of acres mono-crop farms have eliminated all the the native pollinators. The Calif. almond crop is 100% dependent upon honeybees being brought in each year, to name just one.
No comment , just catching up reading . I like the round headed rock term . Also the Nuts that were toes . Old age does not come easily in terms of terms . I let my CDL expire , No Grape juice to haul here . Plus the AZ cops didn't understand what it was any way . Only that the regulations said I would have to go to driving school for driving a car not mine , registered to a cousin from another state , While speeding in AZ. He let me off with a warming because he felt sorry for an old Grumpy Farmer.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your blog ,