Country Life
how they work, maintenance, operation, and making good bales
New Holland made many different models of square balers through the 1960's, and they all had similar components. In fact, modern square balers share many of the same general components. Using my New Holland 269 square baler as an example, I explain how the baler works, from incoming power through the PTO all the way to throwing a completed bale into the wagon, including the operation of the knotters. I also give maintenance tips and how to adjust the baler to make good bales.
Farming In Black River Valley: Narrow Band of Farms Between Tug Hill and Adirondack Foothills
By looking at the crops planted, you can distinctively see the Black River Valley between the hills of the Western Adirondacks and the Tug Hill Plateau.
Incorporating Manure – Chisel Plowing
I chisel plow the manure that we spread so it breaks down faster! By incorporating the manure, you'll lose less Nitrogen to volatization.
Flame Goes Up
Major Land Resource Regions
This map shows the various major land resource regions that dominate the landscape in New York and influence the land activities on them such as farming, grazing, timber and recreation.
It’s the commute 🚘
I’ve continued to think about country living and building my off grid homestead. Commuting sucks especially in the big city, as I’ve determined in the past two days when I drove to work – one day for the Pine Bush Hike and the other for heading out to Schoharie to camp.
- Traffic jams, traffic speeds up and slows down, you have to pay constant attention.
- So many broke down cars and crashes necessitating difficult lane changes due to Move Over Law.
- Cops everywhere – checking your speed, if all your tail lights are working, not using your cellphone, following the Move Over Law.
- A complete time suck – on the bus you can read and on the bike you get exercise but time driving is wasted.
- Expensive automobile maintenance and fuels.
And that was only one trip out of town and a trip up to the Pine Bush!
It’s nice to get out of town, but I’ve come to realize that much of the nice of the really nice land is beyond sensible commuting distance. There is no reason to live in a suburban subdivision surrounded by corn fields that smells like cow shit. Commutes aren’t certainly a good reason to live out in the country.
Maybe for as long as I have to live in big city, focusing on making money, I should continue to live in the city where I can bike to work. Continue to research and plan my dream homestead, but realize it’s not compatible with living in New York or being within commuting distance of my work. It just isn’t possible to put together to incompatible views of my future.