Firing Range

Well you're talking about a tractor a lot bigger than mine.

John Deere 3020           vs.         Kubota L3901
7139-9585 lbs.               vs         2590-2778 lbs.
60 hp                     vs                    37 hp

The whole thing out the door is costing me $2,900, but that price includes the dealer installing the 3rd function hydraulics upgrade and new handle on my lever with switches to control it. And the best part is that Kubota is running another "deal" right now, so it's 0 down, 0% interest for 24 months. That's free money! I have to buy money in my business at times, so if I can borrow it for free, I do. Frees up funds for other things.

Now because it's financed, I do have the Kubota insurance in there too, and the filing fees, but those are a small price to pay to spread the pain out over two years. Plus the Kubota insurance is phenomenal. It covers everything, even theft. It could fall off my trailer in transit and it's covered. Same coverage on my tractor which I also bought last year with 0 down, 0% interest.

Thinking of Phillip as a "gentleman farmer" led me to agriculture subsidies and then to something that happened in Montana some years ago. A program was started in an effort to preserve prairies. Farmers were to be paid to let acreage go back to nature. Well, where's there's a loophole, there's people taking advantage of it. Ahead of the program's start date, farmers and ranchers across the state immediately plowed up land they've never cultivated before. They then agreed to let it go back to prairie, raking in the one-time subsidy.

And therein lies the problem. Mankind without God is not good. Not honest. That's the number one difference in ideologies in your run of the mill conservative vs liberal.

Liberals believe that mankind is by nature good and the only reason some poor soul hasn't done better is because someone else held them back.

Conservatives believe that mankind is by nature bad and will only do better when they are motivated to do so.

Isn't that kind-of the basic Premise behind Christianity?

Jesus took the punishment in order to cover for our inability to not screw-up?

If we are all good where do the bad people who hold back the poor souls come from?  

I'm middle of the road. The tree of knowledge was both good and evil. We have ability to do both but because evil is easier to do we often fail.  

The idea of doing the cultivating unused land is as good as ones I have heard from gunners saying if they offer a $2k tax break for turning in assault rifles they would just add a pistol grip, collapsible stock, flash suppressor, or bayonet lug to a cheap $200 rifle.

The new grapple came in to the dealership yesterday afternoon, so I loaded the tractor up early this morning and drove over. Had some other stuff to do this afternoon, but did have a chance to try it out before the warden told me it was time to come inside to start getting ready for her work Christmas party tonight.

As with anything, there are techniques that I'll have to develop to become adept at using it. Of course it was the same with the tractor in general when I first got it. Now I'm familiar with what it can do, and how to get it done. It won't be long with this either. Looking forward to spending some real time on it (tomorrow I hope!)

Phillip Gross wrote: but did have a chance to try it out before the warden told me it was time to come inside to start getting ready for her work Christmas party tonight.

"Warden", ha-ha!


I wouldn't use that kind of language about my spouse.

(I refer to her as, "the War Department".)

I know the percentage of slave owners was very low usually very wealthy men could only afford them. The ones who did reaped the economic benefits. I maybe wrong but I think it was Lincoln that said once it was unfortunate most could not afford to take advantage of the economic benefits of slave ownership. 

The very thing you point out is what a coworker said of the Amish is why they generally use lil to no modern technology if they can help is separates families and the community. You don't need your neighbor or family as much if you can do all the work yourself.

Btw, my original comment wasn't directed to southerners as northerners mostly didn't care either way.

Didn't take it as anything directed anywhere.

The trick is to incorporate modern equipment and technology with yesteryear's relational mentality. Then we'd get a lot accomplished!

Phillip Gross wrote:Not many people actually owned slaves compared to the image that people paint today that everyone had them.

Now what they did usually have was a large family, so they had more hands to work than the 2.5 children that the modern family has. Beyond the children, a man would many times have the help of his 11 other brothers and their kids to help with a project too. Beyond blood kin, they also had neighbors who would jump in to raise a barn.

While they didn't have near the equipment that we have, they had strong community to take it's place. Community is something that I believe is key. Can you imagine what could be achieved if we could get community to come together along with the equipment we have available today?

Absolutely right Phillip  

This morning, a young neighbor (who is off work from knee surgery) came over wanting to know if I could give him a ride to Lansing (26 miles away)  he left his phone at his uncles house in Lansing & his truck broke down. He offered to pay me $40. (the gas for this trip cost about $5)  He was surprised when I refused payment. "That's what neighbors do, help each other" I told him.  I am working a lot & you are not. I can afford the $5
He seemed baffled by this  & offered to pay me again.  It took a few times to get through that no payment was necessary.
Finally had to consent to let him buy me a pop on the way

Folks just are not used to helping or being helped any more.

Today people assume you have an ulterior motive for helping them Out for free. Other issue could be pride in not accepting help.

Yeah, they don't want individuals to give them "handouts", but they'll gladly take from the government which is money taken from the individual.

My son and his girl friend both got pistols and went shooting last weekend. My son said he mainly got it for taking on backpacking. Never know when a Ferrel hog may get noisy. I have noticed a bunch more of them in the woods this last couple of years.

I can't kill anything. It just bothers me. If I was hungry i could but I am not hungry. GRIN! Threaten me and you will find several rounds in your ferrel hog body. GRIN!

Mark Jones

Even if a ferrel hog doesn't attack most states permit open killing of them same as coyotes because of how invasive and destructive of a predator they can be.

I feel better doing it myself than trusting what passes the FDA and USDA's approval these days. 

Important bit Mark is you gotta have a pistol or revolver in order to send rounds down range.