I looked back at my recent newsletters and discovered I haven’t sent one out since the last time we had weeks of rain. I guess that is what happens when you get a couple weeks of dry weather. But now we’re back in the rain zone so I’m back to writing newsletters.
First, we still have shares available. Please keep spreading the word. If you like what we have to offer please help us find others who would enjoy our products as well. The CSA business is incredibly competitive this year and we can use all the help you can give us. Mention us at book clubs, church events, nights out with your drinking buddies, anywhere you can think of that would have people interested in delicious, healthy, local food. If you need brochures or a flyer let me know and I can send some your way. Help us keep farming local to the Twin Cities metro area!
Also we are still selling complimentary products like meat, seafood, fruit, eggs, flowers, coffee, bread, cheese and ice cream. Though we don’t make a lot of profit on these items we do make some, and every little bit of profit helps. Plus you will be supporting similar small businesses and/or keeping your money local. If you eat/drink and of these products please consider buying them from us! If cash flow is an issue feel free to pay over time.
Farm News
A lot of things are going right so far this spring. We’ve had ample rain (sometimes too ample), sufficient dry days (sometimes too sufficient) and reasonable temperatures (sometimes too reasonable). So we are pretty much on target for planting.
However, and there is always a however in farming, our cultivating tractor — the Allis Chalmers G built in 1949 — is acting like a cantankerous 67 year old man: “You kids get off my lawn!” There have been a few good days where it ran well, but too few. Now that I have messed with it to get it to run better it no longer runs at all — I’m THAT good of a tractor mechanic! Sometimes it will start but dies a sputtering, coughing, choking death. Other times it just doesn’t start. I’ve replaced everything that is inexpensive but haven’t brought in the experts. I’m hoping a miracle happens and it suddenly comes to life before I need to spend big money.
For those shade tree tractor mechanics in our readership who want to solve this problem here are the symptoms: It turns over fine. Sometimes it will start but doesn’t run long. Once it doesn’t start, gas will drip out of the carburetor. But the gas only drips out when cranking the engine; it stays drip free if it just sits. I’ve rebuilt the carburetor and changed the plugs, points, condenser, coil, and spark plug wires. If anyone has any great ideas on how to get this running please let me know. I’ll need it the next time it is dry outside.
That pretty much sums up my week. As always, please send in your questions, comments, jokes and solutions to the Allis Chalmer tractor puzzler.