Tricks of the Trade: Hydraulics Safety
December 6, 2011Shop Talk blogger Jim Ruen explains the importance of checking hydraulics on your farm equipment.
Tricks of the Trade: Loader Safety
December 6, 2011Shop Talk blogger Jim Ruen gives quick tips for safely using tractor loaders.
Of Mice and Men
December 6, 2011I appreciate mice and their place in the ecosystem. I just wish they didn’t want my place, too. I try to mouse-proof the house, but every year a few get in. Outbuildings are often more of a problem.
German Flea-market Find
November 29, 2011It was only fitting that before attending Agritechnica in Hannover, Germany, a farm machinery exposition known for showcasing the latest technology, I should find old tools at a flea market.
Not Your Neighborhood Flea Market
November 22, 2011Three of my favorite things in life are travel, flea markets and trade shows. All three are adventures into the unknown.
Plan… Refresh… Revise… Do
November 15, 2011The shop is starting to come together. It’s still a mess, but it’s getting closer—at least in my head if not in real life. While tools have been moved in, the shop is only in the rough-draft stage of development. I should have it all worked out soon, but the plan continues to evolve
Great Idea, Low Point
November 8, 2011Even great ideas can have a downside. As I mentioned in an earlier blog post, I’m making the transition to a shop remote from the garage, where it has shared residence with vehicles and assorted storage bins.
Made In America
November 1, 2011The next time you think manufacturing is a thing of the past in this country, think again. Certainly we have lost plenty of business to low-cost, offshore factories; however, there are plenty of factories here that are going strong.
Trade Show Adventures
October 25, 2011Have I said how much I enjoy trade shows? The ones I attend are usually loaded with great tools and often some great looking machinery. The outside demos, when they have them, are especially interesting. I’ve got a show coming up that is always fun.
Out of the Office … Into the Cab
October 18, 2011A farm surrounds our 3-acre lot. Hundreds of acres of corn and soybeans, plus more of pasture and woods. It belongs to my nephew, who farms it with his brother and father who have neighboring farms and rented land in the area. Ironically, while I write about large-scale agriculture all the time, I seldom get the chance to experience how technology has changed large commercial operations.
