Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[fuzzi]

Okay... I didn't forget. I got the BATTERY riding mower last year... Greenworks brand... because I do not want to deal with oil, gas, spark plugs, carburetors... all that... I got their self propelled "push mower" the year before and like the quietness of it... So I decided that I would finally get the riding mower.. wanted the tractor type, not the zero turn type... and it wasn't cheap... nearly 4 g .. but I put half down and got 0% financing for the other half for 12 months so I took it... and was glad of it... It was paid off in April.
Last year I got a wheeled walk behind trimmer on the advice of @Mike CHS ... Not that expensive.. under $200.. and I used it and like it. BUT, with the shoulder problems, I cannot pull it to start it very easy... and it is an "engine" so needs gas and all that... When I had a good day, I could pull it and get it to start, I used it. The wheels make it easy to get around... it cuts more than the push type mower as it targets the weeds, tall grass all that...
Then I saw where Greenworks had a walk behind wheeled trimmer... and I read up on it... and it was out of stock with a wait list... It is in the same 60v "family" as my mowers etc... so batteries are interchangeable... and I decided to spring for it. It is not cheap... around $500 without the battery... I have several and with just me, not like they are all being used at once like if a family had several kids that were wanting to do all the mowing trimming etc all at once... So, I got on the wait list, then all of a sudden they were back in stock... so I paid for it and they shipped it to me...

It can come with a battery and charger... but I got the one without because I have several batteries... sometimes it is a better deal to get things with the battery since they are expensive... $100-200 each according to the amp.... I have a couple of 4 amp and the 8 amp ones that came with the riding mower... But this being in such great demand, no "specials" offered... like with a battery for an extra $50 or something...

The only thing I had to do is attach the handle... it doesn't fold up... and that was a simple job. Had a charged battery and so I tried it out. It will hold 2 batteries, so longer run time... I have some from the push mower so not a problem.

SIMPLE to put the "trimmer cords" in it... a single cord goes through a hole in the base, wraps once around a loop on each side... and you are good to go. It comes with a trimmer cord in it and an extra 10... I will see if I can find some similar in size,,,, maybe at Lowe's.... but you can order it by the roll or by precut to length cords.
You push in on the button, then pull/squeeze the bar along the handle and it starts... It will only run when you hold the bar on the handle... stops immediately when you let go...
\Well balanced, big back wheels on it; it can rest on the "ball" which is below where the string goes... and it says it is adjustable for height... so you can trim higher than the factory preset... I haven't gone so far as to change it... it will really scalp the stuff close to the ground, if you rest it on the "ball" . It is easy to tip back just a bit to move it around if the ground is real uneven... and it is not awkward balanced or anything...

SO FAR, I really like it..... Not the price... BUT... no sore shoulder or not being able to get it started, which gives me more incentive to mow/clean up around the split rail fence and such... I want to really chop up/scalp everything so I can plant the irises along/under the fence... they are all in pots... and I have a climbing rose I want to put there at one of the posts....... and the easiest thing is to just clean it all out with this...maybe put down some black plastic to kill the grass/weeds... then pile on the wood chips for mulch after I get the stuff planted... plus I did the section right in front of the house where there is all sorts of weedy trash growing... scalped it right to the ground... just what I wanted...
And no heavy weed eater to hold or to even put on a shoulder sling thing to help hold it... That's a plus for me.

It sounds perfect. Tractor Supply has it, too, same price as everyone else, $600 with the battery and charger. I have to think, and pray, on that expense.

 

[Mini Horses]

Try Lowe's. They are expensive but real powerhouses....and for those who have a large amount needing the cutting, they surpass the handheld ones. Mine is the pull to start and luckily not as difficult as another I had. Being on wheels to push around is wonderful! As I "mature" I find battery starts desirable! Arm pull strength wanes. You can get gas run with battery starts, also.

So if you do not have big areas of real heavy growth but have a trimmer that works and wears you out to tote around, next idea. Go online & find an adapter that has wheels, fits onto head of your current trimmer. Same idea, less of a beast.

 

[fuzzi]

Try Lowe's. They are expensive but real powerhouses....and for those who have a large amount needing the cutting, they surpass the handheld ones. Mine is the pull to start and luckily not as difficult as another I had. Being on wheels to push around is wonderful! As I "mature" I find battery starts desirable! Arm pull strength wanes. You can get gas run with battery starts, also.

So if you do not have big areas of real heavy growth but have a trimmer that works and wears you out to tote around, next idea. Go online & find an adapter that has wheels, fits onto head of your current trimmer. Same idea, less of a beast.

I got rid of all my trimmers. The string jamming constantly on the electric/battery types aggravated me. I also got rid of the gas powered Stihl that I purchased originally as it was an easy pull start...for one year. Had it $erviced, it worked, but got hard to start. Ron had to start it for me. When I tried to start it myself and it slammed me in the face, bruising my cheekbone, I gave up. I've been using cordless hedgeclippers, with good results, but they can't handle the heavy stuff.

Lowe's does not have the trimmer listed, I checked.

 

[SageHill]

@farmerjan - do you think that trimmer could be used in place of a weed whacker? Uneven ground (not horrible) and slopes (that would tip a tractor)?? Though maybe pushing over the uneven ground would get tough maybe.

 

[Mini Horses]

It actually IS a weedwhacker, on wheels & steroids

 

[farmerjan]

Back in for a break. sandwich... got the massey here with the side delivery rake... will do mine.. take it back to deb's, get my car where this was... go get back in the JD and go do the last 11 acre field. I left this morning before 8... took the massey from deb's and got to the small field there at Tony's, near DS house.,... and tire was nearly flat... which let's face it... it has been sitting for several years then we used it yesterday for the 1st time in 2 or 3 years... so not a big surprise... Called DS and he was checking cows and water troughs... with this heat have GOT to make sure they have water... and so he said it would be at least an hour before he got back...no one close to help blow up tire... so I got in the JD and went to rake one of the 2 places left in the subdivision... then started in a couple of the fields there by his house... did the easy straight stretches where I didn't have to make tight turns... Figured I'd come back with the little rake to do around the corners and all those spots. He got back, took the air tank up to the rake and put air in it and then I finished where I was with the JD... he took me back over to the little tractor and rake, he went back to get baler... and I worked on that field and then went into the other fields and got them done around his baling them too. So, he had a dr appt, local. he forgot about... was going there at 2 ... then back to bale the neighbors hay... I will rake here, and then get the car, go to the JD and take it and the big rake down to the big field to do. And he will bale here at my house and then bale the rest that is raked.
So I just ate a pbj sandwich... that seems to satisfy the hunger pangs and not get too bl;oated feeling in the heat... and drank a huge glass of lemonade... will get the 2 bottles of water out of the freezer that still were partially frozen... to rechill/freeze a little... and head back out.
@Mini Horses is right... the trimmer is a weed eater on wheels... super sized "string" as opposed to like .80 or .95 this is 1.25 or something.. Doesn't get tangled because it is just a piece you put in and it goes until it breaks off... Don't know how it would work or steep banks...
Does anyone remember the "D.R. MOWER" THAT THEY ADVERTISED YEARS AGO.... might still be around... to use to cut high weeds/hay/growth stuff... it is like them. Like a lawn mower looking weed whacker....

Lowes doesn't like to carry much of the Greenworks stuff as they tout their ECO brand of stuff...
I ordered mine direct from Greenworks... if you join their "group" you get serious points based on what you spend and can redeem them for stuff down the road... BUT... the thing that I liked was when I was looking at the riding mowers, I had questions and they and they answered every one..... and I get the extra warranty and it covers just about everything that could go wrong...... and they have some good "sales" specials.... my riding mower was $750 off by buying direct from the company from other places I had priced it...

Okay.... lunch over, got to get the rest of the hay raked.

 

[fuzzi]

Back in for a break. sandwich... got the massey here with the side delivery rake... will do mine.. take it back to deb's, get my car where this was... go get back in the JD and go do the last 11 acre field. I left this morning before 8... took the massey from deb's and got to the small field there at Tony's, near DS house.,... and tire was nearly flat... which let's face it... it has been sitting for several years then we used it yesterday for the 1st time in 2 or 3 years... so not a big surprise... Called DS and he was checking cows and water troughs... with this heat have GOT to make sure they have water... and so he said it would be at least an hour before he got back...no one close to help blow up tire... so I got in the JD and went to rake one of the 2 places left in the subdivision... then started in a couple of the fields there by his house... did the easy straight stretches where I didn't have to make tight turns... Figured I'd come back with the little rake to do around the corners and all those spots. He got back, took the air tank up to the rake and put air in it and then I finished where I was with the JD... he took me back over to the little tractor and rake, he went back to get baler... and I worked on that field and then went into the other fields and got them done around his baling them too. So, he had a dr appt, local. he forgot about... was going there at 2 ... then back to bale the neighbors hay... I will rake here, and then get the car, go to the JD and take it and the big rake down to the big field to do. And he will bale here at my house and then bale the rest that is raked.
So I just ate a pbj sandwich... that seems to satisfy the hunger pangs and not get too bl;oated feeling in the heat... and drank a huge glass of lemonade... will get the 2 bottles of water out of the freezer that still were partially frozen... to rechill/freeze a little... and head back out.
@Mini Horses is right... the trimmer is a weed eater on wheels... super sized "string" as opposed to like .80 or .95 this is 1.25 or something.. Doesn't get tangled because it is just a piece you put in and it goes until it breaks off... Don't know how it would work or steep banks...
Does anyone remember the "D.R. MOWER" THAT THEY ADVERTISED YEARS AGO.... might still be around... to use to cut high weeds/hay/growth stuff... it is like them. Like a lawn mower looking weed whacker....

Lowes doesn't like to carry much of the Greenworks stuff as they tout their ECO brand of stuff...
I ordered mine direct from Greenworks... if you join their "group" you get serious points based on what you spend and can redeem them for stuff down the road... BUT... the thing that I liked was when I was looking at the riding mowers, I had questions and they and they answered every one..... and I get the extra warranty and it covers just about everything that could go wrong...... and they have some good "sales" specials.... my riding mower was $750 off by buying direct from the company from other places I had priced it...

Okay.... lunch over, got to get the rest of the hay raked.

I looked up the Dr. Mowers. They still make them. Simplest cordless one is $2400.

I'm thinking $600 doesn't sound so bad now, it's just like getting a new mower.

 

[murphysranch]

I looked it up. At WalMart, its $350 without the batteries.

 

[farmerjan]

Thursday. Long day again yesterday... just not on the tractor. Heat was way up again... 98 on the recording thermometer here... I put a different one hanging under the maple tree branch so no sun... and it was 96...
I made a short run with several bags to the dumpster 2 miles away and topped the explorer with fuel. It is still $2.75 here, and with my shell cc I have been getting $.15 / per gallon off... We left for DS dr appts about 9:45...and got there at 10 of 11... had the hour appt and then were going to eat at Chicken Salad Chick... but they had aline, backed up and DS wasn't feeling up to the crowd/bright lights and noise. He had a humdinger of a headache all day... not much relief. So we stopped at a little sandwich shop, then went on to Rural King for some stuff. Got it and loaded and got to the 2nd appt at 2:50 for a 3pm appt... it was 4 by the time they saw him. It is always like this for the afternoon appts... If you get behind 5-10 minutes with each one it adds up... but this is one of his favorite drs.... also he got the evaluation back from the PT appt a couple weeks ago that workman's comp wanted... and the dr went through it and had to sign off on it... he put a bunch of restrictions on the overall findings, due to the sensitivity of light, and different things..no hard hats etc..... and the case worker will turn it in. They will start to "research" for possible other jobs... let's face it, workman's comp does not want to keep paying for all this... so their goal is to find him employment that he CAN do... not going to be easy with what the dr has stated as restrictions... and the dr has to sign off on it in the end.

All DS wants is to get through the next 4 yrs.... accumulating his time with the retirement system so he can have his full retirement instead of the partial that his time has given him so far... he may have to go back to something that falls within the VA retirement system to accrue those 4 more years... but every month that this continues, is one more month closer to that goal....
I keep hoping that something may come of the rumor of early retirement offers he heard about a few months ago, but have not happened yet... buyout type thing...

We got home about 7... terrible traffic, accident but we got off the interstate and came up main RT 11 that runs north south, and got back on a ways up past where the traffic tie ups were. Rush hour get off of work traffic too so very congested.

Today it hit 95 in the sun but is "back down" to 90. There was a chance of showers yesterday but they stayed north and some in the south central area near the NC border were pretty strong/severe. We missed them but it was muggy and you could hear thunder in the distance.
The chance is much greater today and honestly, it would be fine. DS was going to see about getting some of the sorghum-sudan planted.... if he could then if it rains it will be good. The one place does not have any seed, but the other co-op does, costs more, but it would be good to get it in the ground if he can...
Also got some more poultry litter delivered... some spread... The corn got planted on Monday, so it ought to jump out of the ground with the moisture already in it, and if we get more rain... with all this heat...

Have been very very achy.... back has been really rough... I called the primary care and the dr I used to see,,, been 3 years since the last visit, is no longer there... so have to establish a new "relationship".... gave me an appt for Monday morning... this is getting to be a royal PITN(eck). Be 4 weeks since I saw the bulls eye rash... 3 weeks since the emergecare dr ... I want to have the blood test to see if the lyme shows up.. or any of the other tick diseases... PLUS.... this backache... maybe kidney/bladder related???? Antibiotics don't seem to be helping the ache so don't think it is a kidney infection but who knows...

Let the turkeys out and did water and feed. Did the chickens last night after I got home... Also watered most of the potted plants since it didn't rain. Would be nice to get a good soaking this afternoon....

The sun is out but it is a more hazy sun. Still intense right at 92, as I type this. I had hoped to try to do a little weed eating with the new machine but it is too hot and I just do not have the stamina today.
Sure hate feeling so "weak".... "energyless".

 

[farmerjan]

10 pm. The rain/storms went around us again... got about 10 drops, skirted to the east and north of us... Just stayed out of reach. I wound up soaking the plants this evening... then we just got a crack of lightning that was so loud I jumped... It was the loudest I can ever remember.... really shook me and I don't get bothered much by that. But, it looks like it is going to miss us again... Surprised that we have been just out of the focus... they got some serious hard rains to the north and west; where the farmer is that I get my milk from... 15 miles away....

Hit 96 on the recording thermometer late this afternoon in the shade... and it has been very muggy/humid...

Did some vacuuming in the house ... going to do the bedroom in a little bit. House is finally cooling off a bit... 74 outside, 84 inside, but fans are pulling cooler air in.

Not very productive day... oh well, guess it could be worse.