Spoiled

Boy we are spoiled aren't we? I mean we are spoiled as individuals, corporate, government, about any way you want to look at it.

I caught this story on USA Today this morning about a poor guy who lost his big job and a now he had to take a $95,000 "gig" job to build his resume and support his habit of spending.

People have no idea what poor is, do they? I wonder if the poor really understand? The interpretation of poor has really changed since I was a child.

There are so many programs and promotions and whatever people in the states really don't suffer that much. We want more and we want what used to be but it isn't there anymore and some people are just in a tizzy.

The guy lost his $400,000 job because his employer lended money to people who couldn't pay it. Am I wrong on this? Did he satsify his employer or do what was right by not lending money to people who couldn't pay it back?

Our country is really in disorder. We all want to act like it is alright but you and I know it isn't and no one wants to be the first and rock the boat.

How do you change a child when they are spoiled? You catch them the first time or two they want their way and keep working on that behavior.

This has been going on now for decades and no one has punished the spoiled child.

This isn't going to change because no one wants to make the change. It hurts too much to make the change.

It is going to hurt a whole lot more when we have to make that change.

Ed Winkle

Harry Ferguson

I see an old farmer friend passed away Wednesday and I thought about his love for Massey Ferguson tractors. So I looked up Harry Ferguson to see what kind of man he was. He was quite an inventor.

Irish Eyes had the best story.
"1884-1960
INVENTOR
Ferguson was born at Growell, near Hillsborough, Co Down, on 4 November l884. In l902, he joined his brother Joe in a car and bicycle repair business in Belfast, and in 1904 began to race motor-cycles. In 1909, at Hillsborough, he made the first powered flight in Ireland, travelling 130 yd (118.5 m) in a monoplane he had built. He later drove racing cars, and helped to establish the famous Ulster Tourist Trophy races in 1928.

Ferguson formed his own motor business in 1911, and during World War 1 began to sell tractors to Irish farmers accustomed to horse-drawn ploughs. With the revolutionary concept that tractor and plough should be designed as a unit, Ferguson began to register his own patents. The American tycoon Henry Ford offered him a job, but he preferred his independence and set up an American plant to make Ferguson ploughs. In 1926, the principal patent of the Ferguson system - hydraulic regulation of the working depth of the various implements linked to the tractor - was granted. In time, the system would change the face of agriculture, but commercial success proved elusive.

This photograph was taken in 1910, after one of the first air flights in Ireland. The pilot, Harry Ferguson, had constructed the aeroplane from plans in a magazine and he made the first flight in the country at Hillsborough, Co. Down, on 31st December 1909.

In 1938, Ferguson and Ford reached a 'gentlemen's agreement' by which the American could manufacture tractors for Ferguson to sell, and the deal was sealed only by a handshake. The tractor contributed enormously to wartime food production, but Ferguson's real hope was to raise living standards throughout the world. 'Agriculture,' he said in 1943, 'should have been the first industry to be modernised, not the last.'

Ferguson's later years were clouded by a dispute with the Ford Motor Company, after Henry Ford's death. He won $9.25m compensation in 1952, but a 1953 merger with the Canadian Massey-Harris concern worked out unhappily for him, and he retired to Stow-on-the-Wold, in Gloucestershire. His last ambition was to improve car safety through a four-wheel drive system and anti-lock braking, but he failed to make a commercial breakthrough. He suffered from insomnia and depression and, when he died from a drugs overdose on 25 October 1960, a coroner's jury returned an open verdict.

Read
Colin Fraser, Harry Ferguson: Inventor and Pioneer (1972)."

I liked his quote on agriculture needing to be modernized first, not last. One of my neatest jobs ever was a parts picker and packer for Massey Ferguson part time when I studied agricultural engineering at Ohio State.

Ed

Go, Hunters, Go!

I like wildlife as well as anyone else but as a farmer they eat my crop and run up my insurance and liability cost. The amount taken Monday is good evidence there are way to many deer in Ohio.

Monday was a good day to hunt deer according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife. Hunters took over 37,000 white tailed deer. The deer-gun season remains open through Sunday, December 5, and then reopens for two days on Saturday and Sunday, December 18-19.

The preliminary figures from deer check stations throughout the state show an increase of 12.5 percent from last year's opening day total of 33,607.

Counties reporting the highest numbers of deer checked on Monday included: Tuscarawas - 1,806; Coshocton - 1,536; Harrison - 1,439; Guernsey - 1,406; Holmes - 1,312; Licking - 1,259; Washington - 1,192; Ashtabula - 983; Muskingum - 930; and Athens - 886.

Combining the results of Monday's harvest with those from the early muzzleloader season, the first six weeks of archery season and the recent youth deer-gun season, a preliminary total of 97,371 deer have been killed so far this deer hunting season. That number compares to 97,371 harvested last year at this time. In all, hunters took a total of 261,314 deer during all of last year's hunting seasons.

Approximately 420,000 hunters are expected to participate in the statewide deer-gun season. Ohio's deer population was estimated to be 750,000 prior to the start of the fall hunting seasons.

The white-tailed deer is the most popular game animal in Ohio, frequently pursued by generations of hunters. Ohio ranks 8th nationally in annual hunting-related sales and 10th in the number of jobs associated with the hunting-related industry. Each year, hunting has an $859 million economic impact in Ohio through the sale of equipment, fuel, food, lodging and more.

Division of Wildlife Chief Dave Graham has challenged all deer hunters to make this year special for Ohio's hungry by labeling Saturday, Dec. 4, as Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry Day. Last year, hunters showed they cared by donating nearly 467,000 meals to Ohioans in need.

Hunters who give their deer to a food bank are not required to pay the processing cost as long as the deer are taken to a participating processor and funding for the effort lasts. Counties being served by this program can be found online at www.fhfh.org.

The following is a list of the number of deer checked and tagged by hunters during the first day of deer-gun hunting season. The number taken during the 2009 season is marked in ( ): 2010 (2009)


Adams –502(481); Allen –90(118); Ashland –793(619); Ashtabula –983(836); Athens –886(925); Auglaize –87(80); Belmont –844(640); Brown –364(240); Butler –121(89); Carroll –680(691); Champaign –150 (232); Clark –100(87); Clermont –420(297); Clinton –191(186); Columbiana –851(628); Coshocton –1,536(1,353); Crawford –306(288); Cuyahoga –30(25); Darke –68(55); Defiance –425(293); Delaware –199(179); Erie –96(112); Fairfield –499(609); Fayette –37(74); Franklin –62(68); Fulton –188(123); Gallia –607(455); Geauga –268(188); Greene –64(63); Guernsey –1,406(1,284); Hamilton –99(72); Hancock –119(153); Hardin –198(169); Harrison –1,439(1,374); Henry –203(88); Highland –490(543); Hocking –703(793); Holmes –1,312(1,165); Huron –477(367); Jackson –720(776); Jefferson –774(767); Knox –700(761); Lake –83(63); Lawrence –406(320); Licking –1,259(1,182); Logan –333(255); Lorain –233(210); Lucas –72(76); Madison –55(42); Mahoning –307(238); Marion –114(96); Medina –200(146); Meigs –717(569); Mercer –98(79); Miami –37(35); Monroe –638(670); Montgomery –52(37); Morgan –610(579); Morrow –354 (260); Muskingum –930(799); Noble –741(745); Ottawa –19(12); Paulding –322(140); Perry –681(631); Pickaway –149(188); Pike –211(300); Portage –177(122); Preble –60(39); Putnam –242(196); Richland –449(404); Ross –734(638); Sandusky –43(67); Scioto –450(249); Seneca –341(255); Shelby –165(141); Stark –602(487); Summit –88(62); Trumbull –639(572); Tuscarawas –1,806(1,763); Union –165(125); Van Wert –125(55); Vinton –629(548); Warren –172(117); Washington –1,192(1,010); Wayne –285(220); Williams –364(253); Wood –138(99); Wyandot –231(167); TOTAL: 37,805(33,607)

I saw a big one in a bed of a famililar looking Chevy at Brown's Monday. Reminded me of the one my friends from Michigan took here November 23, 2008, but larger. I wonder if that was the big one we have been seeing all year? That deer filled the bed and his antlers were almost as wide as the truck.

I like the venison program, that is a good deal.

Ed Winkle

Austria

Austria is sure a beautiful place. I bet it is really crowded in summer with all the tourists. Winter was busy enough for me.

This is one of those perfect trees in downtown Linz, Austria. All these river towns are an easy walk from the cruise ship. For longer journeys we take a cab or a bus.

This is one of those places you could live. It just feels like home. You can walk to any store you need, pick up your loaf of fresh bread and walk home like we did in Paris.

LuAnn uploaded more pictures to her facebook account. She is getting good with her new Canon camera.

We saw the name Abt on a plaque on a wall above the river and asked what it meant. The German interpretors thought that Abt was short for Abbot or the one in charge of the Abbey so his name became Abt. Abt is two of the grand daughter's last name and I have known the family and family name most of my life.

Like most towns and cities, Linz has a history over the tolls of history. When the people were liberated, they became the artsy, intelligent people I view them as now and not the industrial workers they once were.

The tiny difference in the lifestyle is the big difference, you walk more than drive. You eat fresh bread that is only good for a day or two, no preservaties, no factory loaves. You drink tiny cups of coffee rather than sip on a watered down 20 ouncer.

Personally I really like because it makes more sense to me.

Either way, life in Austria is what I would call very good. We have something similar here in this region, it's just been Americanized.

Ed

Auction

There is an auction tomorrow I would like to attend. There is always a story behind a farm auction. By farm auction I mean machinery, not real estate.

At least half the auctions are sad stories. This one is. The dad was a real good farmer but died at my age of a heart attack. The son took over and couldn't make it so now all the chattels are being sold.

The next door neighbor was one of my students and also died suddenly at 53. That community has been hard hit.

There are three pieces which would add to our versatility here. A 1955 Oliver tractor, a Gleaner R-72 and a Rogator crop sprayer.
The 1955 would pull a notill drill to get the little fields or patch bigger fields. The R-72 is the same size as the R-75 but a little older but could be bought cheaper than renting a second combine.

Those combines are still bringing around the $100,000 area as a replacement is closer to $400,000.

That tractor is what I would call a classic tractor, over 30 years old. Still it would be new to me. They are selling for 5-10 thousand dollars but this one needs up to 5 grand of work in the transmission so I wouldn't want to bid over $5000 for it even though it is a good tractor in good condition other than the tranny.

That Waukesha engine is known for spitting connecting rods out the side and there goes another five grand if it does. Some of us know how to prevent that but many don't.

My brother traded my 2-70 White I had sold to him and dad and they got a 1955 in the deal. The first day dad was spreading manure on the 27 acre field by White Oak Creek it spit a rod out the side that went several hundred feet. That tractor is still on the old farm but it has never been the same.

The Rogator would make the most money spraying our own crops as much as possible. The entry level would be so much cheaper than buying newer. Tractorhouse has these sprayers selling in the $50,000 ballpark.

I like going to auctions but not when I am bidding on big ticket items as someone always wants to talk when you are in the middle of a thinking process and you hate to be rude but if you don't pay attention, you will be on the wrong side of the deal.

I guess auctions aren't the best places to buy big ticket items.


Ed

The Cleveland's

Eric and Tyler are direct decendants of President Grover Cleveland.

The First Democrat elected after the Civil War, Grover Cleveland was the only President to leave the White House and return for a second term four years later.

One of nine children of a Presbyterian minister, Cleveland was born in New Jersey in 1837. He was raised in upstate New York. As a lawyer in Buffalo, he became notable for his single-minded concentration upon whatever task faced him.

At 44, he emerged into a political prominence that carried him to the White House in three years. Running as a reformer, he was elected Mayor of Buffalo in 1881, and later, Governor of New York.

Cleveland won the Presidency with the combined support of Democrats and reform Republicans, the "Mugwumps," who disliked the record of his opponent James G. Blaine of Maine.

A bachelor, Cleveland was ill at ease at first with all the comforts of the White House. "I must go to dinner," he wrote a friend, "but I wish it was to eat a pickled herring a Swiss cheese and a chop at Louis' instead of the French stuff I shall find." In June 1886 Cleveland married 21-year-old Frances Folsom; he was the only President married in the White House.

Cleveland vigorously pursued a policy barring special favors to any economic group. Vetoing a bill to appropriate $10,000 to distribute seed grain among drought-stricken farmers in Texas, he wrote: "Federal aid in such cases encourages the expectation of paternal care on the part of the Government and weakens the sturdiness of our national character. . . . "

He also vetoed many private pension bills to Civil War veterans whose claims were fraudulent. When Congress, pressured by the Grand Army of the Republic, passed a bill granting pensions for disabilities not caused by military service, Cleveland vetoed it, too.

He angered the railroads by ordering an investigation of western lands they held by Government grant. He forced them to return 81,000,000 acres. He also signed the Interstate Commerce Act, the first law attempting Federal regulation of the railroads.

In December 1887 he called on Congress to reduce high protective tariffs. Told that he had given Republicans an effective issue for the campaign of 1888, he retorted, "What is the use of being elected or re-elected unless you stand for something?" But Cleveland was defeated in 1888; although he won a larger popular majority than the Republican candidate Benjamin Harrison, he received fewer electoral votes.

Elected again in 1892, Cleveland faced an acute depression. He dealt directly with the Treasury crisis rather than with business failures, farm mortgage foreclosures, and unemployment. He obtained repeal of the mildly inflationary Sherman Silver Purchase Act and, with the aid of Wall Street, maintained the Treasury's gold reserve.

When railroad strikers in Chicago violated an injunction, Cleveland sent Federal troops to enforce it. "If it takes the entire army and navy of the United States to deliver a post card in Chicago," he thundered, "that card will be delivered."

Cleveland's blunt treatment of the railroad strikers stirred the pride of many Americans. So did the vigorous way in which he forced Great Britain to accept arbitration of a disputed boundary in Venezuela. But his policies during the depression were generally unpopular. His party deserted him and nominated William Jennings Bryan in 1896.

After leaving the White House, Cleveland lived in retirement in Princeton, New Jersey. He died in 1908.

Learn more about Grover Cleveland's spouse, Frances Folsom Cleveland.

Wiki goes into the political details of his presidency with lots of links.

It is good reading.

Ed

Family

You know, people who have a loving family are really, really blessed. Some people don't have that, can you imagine?

Yesterday we got together and had about the most wonderful time you could ever imagine. It was nothing fancy, just a day to see each other, enjoy some food over a traditional Holiday that is very important to our country and some families.

Those Pilgrims, how did they do it? They left everything to have a chance and come and eat with perfect strangers, the native American Indians. They had to be desperate or adventurous or both as that boat ride was no picnic.

The grandchildren are growing up so fast but progressing so wonderfully. Madison brought her second letter to us. I told her she spells better than most of my friends and she is only in the second grade. She is so loving and kind and the best older sister and cousin you could imagine.

Her sister Brynne just blended in with the kids. the older three like to play and march around together and she is usually in the middle. They were all just happy as larks all day, no fusses and and no one wanted to go home.

Liam is my little buddy, he loves slapstick home grown corney humor like me and I can make him laugh in a second. He is in preschool and really advancing himself. He reminds me of myself at five and yes I do remember that.

Caolin is just the sweetest little girl I ever saw, she looks right through you with those big eyes and smile. She is quite independent and plays and sings to herself but gets along great with the others, too.

Her new little brother Finn never cried all day. He is quite a hunk, over 12 lbs at 6 weeks. He was very comfortable with the commotion going on. In a year he will be holding his own.

Tyler is speaking words but still has that Bow stamina and such stoutness for a little guy at 18 months.

You think we are proud granparents? You bet. We worked hard to get here but we are really blessed. We had our days with our kids as they grew up and made decisions. We were pretty firm with them but always did it with love and it turned out great.

So here is to our family, our most prized possession. You kids are doing a great job and we are very proud of you.

Ed and LuAnn