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Share questions, thoughts and tips about equipment, tools, maintenance and repair, safety and the shop itself. At the bench is Jim Ruen, who grew up working with farm equipment and has been writing about the subject for more than three decades. If he doesn't know the answer to your question, he'll find someone who does.
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tuesday, march 16, 2010
Prepping Implements
There is nothing quite like pulling into a field in the spring and beginning the planting process. More >>
tuesday, march 9, 2010
Picking Out a Chainsaw
If you don't have a chainsaw, you may be thinking of getting one to clean up winter storm damage. Like most tools, there isn't any one size that is best for all situations. More >>
Tuesday, march 2, 2010
March Maintenance
Before you fire up your small-engine powered tools for the first time this season, take a minute to do a little pre-season maintenance. More >>
tuesday, february 23, 2010
Farmer George Washington
With Presidents' Day just past, I am reminded of a recent visit to Mt. Vernon, the home of George Washington. It was a real eye opener for me. More >>
tuesday, february 16, 2010
Becoming a Student of Permaculture
If you want to go beyond books or if you learn best in a social setting, consider taking a permaculture workshop or even a certification course. More >>
tuesday, february 9, 2010
Home Schooling Permaculture
It wasn’t until reading Gaia’s Garden, written by Toby Hemenway and published by Chelsea Green, that I began to understand permaculture and the science behind it. More >>
tuesday, february 2, 2010
Bringing a Story to Life
For me, the best thing about being a writer is the opportunity to explore diverse subjects and to get to know people. On occasion, the subject and the source changes my perspective or even ignites new goals for my future. More >>
tuesday, january 26, 2010
Understand Your Technology
I like to do things myself; however, I have no problem hiring an expert tradesman to do repairs or even seasonal maintenance. More >>
tuesday, january 12, 2010
Do You Know Where Your Tools Are Tonight?
I finally did it. I went to Sears and picked up a set of tool cabinets. They are sleek, black and red and altogether out of place in my shop. More >>
tuesday, december 29, 2009
Chainsaw Safety, Part 2
When it comes to safe chainsaw operation, clothing is a key element. If I am working outside, especially with a chainsaw, I layer my clothes. More >>
tuesday, december 15, 2009
Chainsaw Safety, Part 1
It’s winter, and for me that means time to fire up the chain saw. Between fence line cleanup and firewood making, there is plenty of cutting to be done. More >>
tuesday, november 24, 2009
Hearing Protection vs. Hearing Aids
Though my wife and kids have been known to accuse me of not listening, usually it is more a matter of not being able to hear as well as I would like. Too many years of working around engines, large and small, without protection has taken its toll. More >>
tuesday, november 10, 2009
Overwinter Tools
It’s getting cold here in Minnesota, and that means it’s time to put away some of the motorized tools for the yard and farm. If you’re like me, it’s awfully easy to push or carry them into a corner of the shed and forget about them until spring. More >>
Wednesday, october 20, 2009
Hand Trucks: Not Just For Appliances
I grew up certain that if my dad looked at a project and saw an easy way and a hard way, he would pick the hard one. I figured it must have been about character building. More >>
Wednesday, october 7, 2009
Get Creative with Tufa
With winter coming on here in Minnesota, it’s time to empty out planters. One of my favorites is the tufa trough I made a few years back. More >>
tuesday, september 29, 2009
Got a Screwdriver? Part 2
Last entry, I described the hidden costs of not investing in the right tools for the job. Today, I own several power units and an ergonomically designed manual screwdriver that fit most of my project and upkeep needs. More >>
tuesday, september 8, 2009
Got a Screwdriver?
A good set of Craftsman screwdrivers was one of the first additions to my tool chest when my wife and I bought our first house. More >>
tuesday, september 1, 2009
Gotta Love That Internet
Whatever did we do before we had the World Wide Web? When I was growing up on the farm, I could always go ask Truman Austin. He was a neighbor, a fisherman, a fur trapper and hunter, and a farmer. More >>
tuesday, august 18, 2009
Got a Chainsaw? Get a File, and Keep it Clean!
My brother Ed doesn’t fool around when it comes to the farmstead where he and his family spend free weekends. If there is a chore to tackle, he hits it hard, especially when one of his adult sons is available to help. More >>
tuesday, august 11, 2009
Rebar Redo In my last blog, I described bending rebar for garden arches and a pole bean arbor. Working in the garden suggested another use for a length of rebar. I don’t know about you, but when I am working with a spade, or any other long-handled tool for that matter, it always seems to end up in my way. More >>
tuesday, july 14, 2009
Rebar Arbor If you think rebar is strictly for use in concrete, think again. It can play any number of roles around the yard or farm. It is sturdy enough to hold its form, yet pliable enough to bend into a variety of shapes as needed. More >>
tuesday, june 30, 2009
Taking Care My grandfather was a meticulous man when it came to his possessions, and the care he took paid off in many ways. More >>
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Treasure Trove or Trash Pile I admit it. I have wood lot envy. I drive by farmsteads and there in the wood lot or on the edge of the farmstead stands lines of old implements, carcasses of tractors and cars. I can sense that inside the outbuildings ...
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Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Making a Sledge: Part 2 Once you have the sledge built, consider what will be pulling it, how it will be pulled and how heavy the loads will be. In my case, the loads would be moderately heavy for what was a quick and dirty construction for quick and dirty work.
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Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Making A Sledge
Building a sledge can be a “make do” or a work of craftsmanship. As I said in my last blog entry, my sledge, as you can see, was a “make do.” Regardless of which approach you take, the basics are the same. More>>
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Making DoLast week I brought home a load of cow manure from my neighbor Roger. Roger keeps a beef herd, and over winter the manure collects around the hay sheds and other feeding areas. When I asked if I could buy a load to compost for our gardens, he insisted that I help myself
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tuesday, may 5, 2009
Star Light, Star BrightMy house sits on a ridge overlooking the fields of a nephew. The other evening he was going late into the night working up the corn stubble from last fall’s harvest. More >>
tuesday, april 28, 2009
Finding Treasure in a Used BookstoreUsed bookstores are a great place to look for treasure, especially for someone who enjoys fixing things, and even for someone who doesn’t... More >>
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Making My WorkbenchI like simple things, and the basic design of my workbench is simple and easily adapted. With a little thought, I know that many of you can certainly make one finer and even more versatile.
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Tuesday, April 14, 2009
A Workbench that Travels Well
For me, the heart of a shop is the workbench. The bench gives shape and form to any shop. That said, a workbench can be as simple or complex as your talent and skill allow.
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Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Gardening Begins in the Workshop
Before you get to work in the garden, put your shop tools to work on spades, hoes and trowels. If you didn’t get your garden tools put away properly last fall, it’s not too late. MORE >>
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Breathing in the Earth
It has been a long winter here in Minnesota. Every now and then as spring approaches and the weather warms, I catch a certain smell on the breeze, a scent of life on the verge... MORE >>
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Beware the Pitchman
Last week I encouraged attending local farm shows. However, like the side effect warnings in pharmaceutical commercials, I should have warned you about the pitchmen. These guys make the most professional TV infomercial look like amateur hour. I should know ... MORE >>
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Fairs ... or Farm Shows
When I was growing up, country life revolved around county and state fairs. Not only were there 4-H and open class exhibits of livestock, crops and hobbies, but also the fair was where you went to see the latest farm equipment and products. MORE >>
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
A new set of hydraulic cylinders for my ATV-mounted loader showed up on my doorstep today ... switching cylinders will be a great time to check my hoses for wear points and abrasions. MORE »