The Official Farming Thread...

[nbbt]

Get some rubber carboy bungs for your air lock. I used to make a lot of wine and brandy before I quit drinking.

What do you use for an airlock? I use either a sandwich bag with a pinhole, rubber banded, or a balloon with the same pinhole. I know they make special water airlocks, but like you, I use carboys.

Would take you up on your offer, and would bring some of my stuff, my muscadine wine is really good. Not going to lie. Lol

Are you thinking about MM's GTG?

100% believe in the rubber stopper/bubbler setup. I've been using distilled (or boiled water) half and half with a cheap vodka for the liquid, trying to keep as many unwanted bacteria as possible at bay.
Both the pop/float top and twin bubble style work well.

Now making brandy is something that I haven't attempted to this point in time. I might have to look into that some more...

Some of the brew masters that have sampled what I've made, are pushing me to enter it in the midwest brewers association tasting sessions. One owns a 5 star downtown and wanted to buy out my inventory.

 

[Mastermind]

Are you thinking about MM's GTG?

100% believe in the rubber stopper/bubbler setup. I've been using distilled (or boiled water) half and half with a cheap vodka for the liquid, trying to keep as many unwanted bacteria as possible at bay.
Both the pop/float top and twin bubble style work well.

Now making brandy is something that I haven't attempted to this point in time. I might have to look into that some more...

Some of the brew masters that have sampled what I've made, are pushing me to enter it in the midwest brewers association tasting sessions. One owns a 5 star downtown and wanted to buy out my inventory.

After a time and a few racks, if my wine wasn't as clear as I liked, I'd make it into brandy.

 

[hoskvarna]

If you were closer I'd break open a couple of bottles. Many different ways to do the process. It's another thing to find a fermentation method that is repeatable. I may have that part figured out after making it for about 10 years. Some of the early batches were let go till the yeast dies off, getting the product (very) dry, this didn't taste very good IMO, until it aged for at least several years. My newer way can easily be consumed on day of bottling. And it gets better as it ages.

I might just have to make a trip to Minnesota

 

[JimBear]

I might just have to make a trip to Minnesota

Purely for medicinal purposes of course…

 

[hoskvarna]

Purely for medicinal purposes of course…

yes , for leg pain
ive heard spirits help

 

[Deputyrpa]

Never a dull moment in the valley. Had to help out my buddy. He was ok, considering that the tractor cab went over like a slingshot powered by the dump trailer. We unloaded it, pushed the dump in, and flipped it up with a pair of telehandlers. It's going to need a little body work.

 

[jakethesnake]

Never a dull moment in the valley. Had to help out my buddy. He was ok, considering that the tractor cab went over like a slingshot powered by the dump trailer. We unloaded it, pushed the dump in, and flipped it up with a pair of telehandlers. It's going to need a little body work.

How’d he do it?

 

[karrl]

Never a dull moment in the valley. Had to help out my buddy. He was ok, considering that the tractor cab went over like a slingshot powered by the dump trailer. We unloaded it, pushed the dump in, and flipped it up with a pair of telehandlers. It's going to need a little body work

I’m happy your friend is alive and upright but I’m sure he’s going to feel it tomorrow.

… is that crushed slate? Best road material ever, but I’m sure that load was a heavy.

 

[JimBear]

Glad your buddy is ok.

There are only 2 types of end dumps : those that have been tipped over & that that haven’t been tipped over yet.

 

[Mastermind]

Been thinking about that baler. I'm just gonna make a new end for the roller on my lathe, then weld it on..

 

[Lnk]

Been thinking about that baler. I'm just gonna make a new end for the roller on my lathe, then weld it on..

That was what I was thinking. Didn't know you had a lathe, why didn't you think that earlier? Sheesh!!!!

Good night old men. I am done for the day!

 

[Mastermind]

That was what I was thinking. Didn't know you had a lathe, why didn't you think that earlier? Sheesh!!!!

I've been on hay mode. Hard to think clearly with my 102 bales, and my brother in law's 120 bales on the ground at the same time and only one baler going. LOL

 

[Deputyrpa]

How’d he do it?

Dumping a load that stuck.

 

[Deputyrpa]

I’m happy your friend is alive and upright but I’m sure he’s going to feel it tomorrow.

… is that crushed slate? Best road material ever, but I’m sure that load was a heavy.

It's local crushed dolomite. Even heavier.

 

[Deputyrpa]

Been thinking about that baler. I'm just gonna make a new end for the roller on my lathe, then weld it on..

Ding ding ding ding!!

 

[Seachaser]

@karrll

I switched from canning to vacuum seal about 6 years ago and haven't regretted it yet. I've improved my process such that even tomatoes that are skinned by pulling the sharp side of a knife across, last as close to fresh for 3 years. However nearly everything from one year to the next has been consumed b4 it get to a second year of freezer duty, by the time the new harvest starts.

So, Yes I do long term storage, but I 've removed the extra cooking/processing stages needed for typical canning. We think the flavors remain way closer to fresh with the vac seal/freeze. We also add a second layer of product protection to the vac sealed bag by placing in a freezer storage zip loc, and remove as much air as possible from the zip loc.

@karrll

I switched from canning to vacuum seal about 6 years ago and haven't regretted it yet. I've improved my process such that even tomatoes that are skinned by pulling the sharp side of a knife across, last as close to fresh for 3 years. However nearly everything from one year to the next has been consumed b4 it get to a second year of freezer duty, by the time the new harvest starts.

So, Yes I do long term storage, but I 've removed the extra cooking/processing stages needed for typical canning. We think the flavors remain way closer to fresh with the vac seal/freeze. We also add a second layer of product protection to the vac sealed bag by placing in a freezer storage zip loc, and remove as much air as possible from the zip loc.

@ nbbt
Do you cook them before sealing or raw? Sounds like a plan.

 

[JimBear]

View attachment 380182
Hydraulic driven and really haven't had to do much to it. Teeth of course and an occasional hose. Not a cheap option but once I pull the pins I can go between fields without getting out of the seat. Ran an 8 wheel H&S bi-fold before this and this is a world of difference.

So when using this turd do you have the baler in there chasing around you to make turning easier ???

Chase borrowed his neighbors R2300 & sent me to do a field that is full of point rows. I dislike the fact that I can’t pick the rake up to turn. It does appear to pickup the hay well or in the 400yards I have raked anyway. The first corner I got the quick coupler into a hose coupling so now I am sitting waiting on they repair wagon. I knew I should of taken the coupler off but got distracted after seeing flat tires & bearings out on the bar ends when I hooked up to it.

I may like it more after a bit of time but initially I am unimpressed. Low ground clearance in transport mode & no ability to lift the rake are major drawbacks in Chases fields anyway.

 

[ajschainsaws]

Been thinking about that baler. I'm just gonna make a new end for the roller on my lathe, then weld it on..

good news Boss and it’ll be right for another good few years

 

[ajschainsaws]

So when using this turd do you have the baler in there chasing around you to make turning easier ???

Chase borrowed his neighbors R2300 & sent me to do a field that is full of point rows. I dislike the fact that I can’t pick the rake up to turn. It does appear to pickup the hay well or in the 400yards I have raked anyway. The first corner I got the quick coupler into a hose coupling so now I am sitting waiting on they repair wagon. I knew I should of taken the coupler off but got distracted after seeing flat tires & bearings out on the bar ends when I hooked up to it.

I may like it more after a bit of time but initially I am unimpressed. Low ground clearance in transport mode & no ability to lift the rake are major drawbacks in Chases fields anyway.

that’s a pain you can’t lift uneven gateways when transpporting would be a pain
years ago I had a side delivery rake and you had to leave it I; the middle of the field as you couldn’t lift it over the rows of hay
and once the baler was in the field it was so much easier

 

[Mastermind]

Looks like someone replaced the bearing....but stuck the wallowed out tube back over it. The bearing is fine.