Tractor Tuesday

I was lucky enough to stumble on TBays Journal last Tuesday but only after I had posted. TBay has started a Tractor Tuesday Challenge so as you might expect I have had 7 sleepless nights waiting for the opportunity to join in.

I had planned to try and bring a Bavarian "Note" to the challenge but due to the weather all Fendt's, Deutz's, Schlueter's, Eicher's, Hanomag's, Porsche's, Allgaier's etc etc are tucked up in the barns. So had to resort to the hardy Brits. A brand new New Holland T7.270 Autocommand.

It's just been delivered to our local cooperative agricultural merchant in Erkheim, EVG who are also the main dealer in the region. Franz, the farmer who does so much for us was one of the first to buy a New Holland in the area which is traditionally a fortress of Fendt who have their factory near here. Franz had previously had a big Fendt but when the time came to update his machinery, Fendt seemed to be adding a hefty "brand" premium. Franz has been very happy with his, as he always tells me, made in England tractor. He then bought a smaller New Holland which is OK but built somewhere in the East.

New Holland had a record year in Germany last year but currently the situation is not so rosy. Let us hope that Mrs Merkel's "Jaw, Jaw not War, War" approach, preached by Winston Churchill, works. The farming community very badly needs the Russian market In our area not only is it the farmers but also all the various small/medium size businesses supplying the big one's. New Holland built in UK is as misleading as Fendt made in Germany. They are put together in these places from pieces supplied from all over the world.

I haven't though seen any significant use of New Hollands by contractors. Fendt & John Deere seem to dominate and JCB particularly in the grass drying/pellet making side. 

There was a used John Deere 5080R for sale. Loads of others of older 60's/70's which I will hold back for a rainy day! I also saw my next new tractor.

Weather has now turned, snow is going to be melting with the temperature now without a "-" sign. Was a super sunny day for the walk near Erkheim.

Also picked up some antifreeze for my John Deere. I had lost almost all the water last summer and filled it using the rest of a bottle of antifreeze, meaning to do it properly in autumn but forgot. At the weekend pressed the rubber water hoses and heard the crunching of ice. I need to bring in a haylage bale this week so the warm weather is welcome.  Dogs also had to make room for a 50kg sack of broken/shredded maize for the chickens, two bales of All Span wood shavings and 200g of locally produced Chester cheese. The lady did warn I shouldn't expect too much but they did at least try to give it 4 months to ripen. Sadly they don't have a cheddar.

Thats my Tractor Tuesday debut & thanks to TBay for adding a bit of spice axle grease to my Blip week.