Farming Friends

August 3rd 2007

The Wheat Is Ripe But The Combine Is Broken

We were able to harvest some more of the oilseed rape on Wednesday but we still haven’t finished as the remaining areas are still too wet for the combine to travel. The combine repeatedly got stuck but we were able to ‘dig it out’ with a spade and by jolting it backwards and forwards we would get the machine out and have an attempt in another area of the field. Steady progress continued until 7.30pm when we got stuck once more. I gave the engine full throttle and tried to reverse out of the mud to the sound of a huge crack and the combine slumped over to the left. I immediately knew what had happened -the axle/reduction gearbox hub had snapped and the wheel had fallen off and was now trapped under the frame of the combine.

Having only harvested 5 acres since the last disaster with the unloading spout we were now broken down again - and in glorious harvesting weather. We’d all had enough that night and called it a day. I went spraying potatoes at 6.30 on Thursday morning and then loaded the Land Rover up with blocks of wood and hydraulic jacks ready to try and repair the wheel hub. Luckily we found a second hand hub about 30 miles away which we had to remove from a fire damaged combine before returning home with it. We had to place the wooden blocks under the front axle and then dig out the soil from under the wheel to relieve the weight of the combine that was resting on the wheel. The wheel came out relatively easily and so the next job was to jack the combine up so that the new hub and the wheel could be refitted. The wooden blocks were continually sinking into the soil because the machine had got stuck in a ‘wet hole’ in the field. After several attempts of jacking and then chocking we were able to get the combine to a height at which the wheel could be refitted. The wheel and the hub are both very heavy so we needed to use the forklift which was also sinking in the wet soil.

Harvest recommenced at 4pm after another hard day’s work of repairs. The forklift, wooden blocks, tools, chains, straps and the old wheel hub were abandoned there in the field while we moved onto the next (hopefully drier) field. The combine was altered to harvest wheat and we got started about 5pm and by 8pm the 8 acre field was completed. The grain was 14.7% moisture which is dry enough to put into the grain store without having to dry it down any further. Hopefully the wheat harvest will continue on Friday and we keep our fingers crossed that there are no more mechanical problems.

Written by Steve @ Farming Friends

8 Comments »

Your article on Broken down combine, makes us realize the reality of farming, I can imaging how relieved your were to abandon every thing, forklift, wooden blocks, tools, chains, straps and the old wheel hub and get on with the harvest before the night set in.Just to think Steve people in sedentary jobs think they are the only ones experiencing stress. Thank goodness the weather seems to be improving
John

Comment by Farmer giles — August 3, 2007 @ 12:55 pm
Hi John,
Thanks for visitng and commenting. It is good to receive supportive comments like yours. It was a huge relief when the combine was back in action.
Steve did not mention that they even had to rope me in to help dig the wheel out of the soil! The weather has improved alot and the ground is beginning to dry up. The wheat is now being harvested and tomorrow we may go back to try the oilseed rape. Wish us luck!
Sara @ farmingfriends

Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — August 3, 2007 @ 1:30 pm
Good luck to you, and may the weather hold
John

Comment by Farmer giles — August 3, 2007 @ 7:09 pm
Hi John,
They reckon it’s going to be a hot weekend so maybe the land will dry out enough to harvest the oilseed rape.
Thanks for your wishes.
Sara @ farmingfriends

Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — August 3, 2007 @ 7:35 pm
You have probably become the most resourceful person since moving onto a farm! What an adventure! Keep up the good work! The world needs you farm-types!
By the way…ever had any crop circles in your area??? Just curious…

Oh, and my daughter will be a senior in HS this year and plans on traveling to Europe next summer with 2 girl friends. They are going to Ireland, Spain, Sweden, UK, Germany…and wherever else their hearts take them. Can we possibly keep in touch…and continue getting to know each other…and possibly my daughter can meet you while there??? It just seems like a dream!

Comment by BoggyWoggy — August 3, 2007 @ 8:28 pm
Hi BoggyWoggy,
Yes life on the farm is an adventure for me, although my husband would say that this year’s harvest has been more like a nightmare for him.
I don’t know of any crop circles in our area.
I would be happy to meet your daughter and her friends and show them our farm and the local area. Our farm is close to York and that would be a great place for the girls to visit.
Sara @ farmingfriends

Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — August 3, 2007 @ 8:40 pm
Steve - good luck with the rest of the harvesting. It’s a total nightmare. I do feel for you.
I’ve also just heard that foot and mouth is back in the country…a bit hard to take on board. 2007 will be a summer to remember indeed.

Comment by Paula — August 4, 2007 @ 7:35 am
Hi Paula,
I agree - what with birdflu earlier in the year, then the floods and rain and now foot and mouth - farming is becoming increasingly harder. Thanks for your kind words.
Sara @ farmingfriends

Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — August 4, 2007 @ 8:11 am