Dairyland Driftings

Back in mid March our weather moderated, couldn’t resist the
yen for steam so filled the ’50’ Case with water and
shredded corn even though it did snow ‘to beat the band’ by
the time we finished up the stack. NYLE KURTH from Eau Claire was
at the throttle, DENNIS ANDRES at the shredder feed table, DENNIE
MAGNUSON from Center City, Minn, did a fine job of tape recording
the event.

As of April 27, Wisconsin were again obligated to assume
Daylight Saving Time. Normally I head for the barn about 5 A.M.
whereas now in reality I should be there at 4 A.M. Somehow that
don’t sit right with me, lift is too short. Life may begin at
40, but I don’t like a day that begins at 4. We’ll have to
change the old adage to ‘Haste makes Americans’ or maybe a
more modified version, ‘Haste and hamburgers is American’.
Apparently the Sun can’t keep up. Perhaps if we changed from
‘Day light Saving’ to ‘Night-Time’ loosing it
wouldn’t be so appealing.

Was using my JD steel wheel G-P on grain drill seeding oats. Its
hard for me to comprehend just why the 2 cylinder tractor to the
manufacturers opinion should have to be discontinued. Evidently
public demand for greater live power take-off and complicated
hydraulic features would have to be acknowledged in lieu of
simplicity and economy. Now in the car business both objectives
seem to thrive. You can buy Cadillac comfort with its prestige or
scoot about in a compact; there’s virtue in either one. I think
of STANLEY PETERSON over at Shell Lake, saw milling is his
business. Using a two cylinder Industrial motor, as simple as
combustion power can be, burning precision lumber, as near to it as
anything I’ve seen and it certainly hasn’t increased any
maintenance on his mill. Contrarily I can sight high powered diesel
units turning out lumber unfit for competitive sale. Now then is it
power or operator? Speaking of sawmills, lets delve a bit further.
In recent years changes have come about in the construction of saw
mills. Custom built mills are now a common thing, perhaps because
of individual experiences; they say ‘necessity is the mother of
invention’. Then too that ‘down the road machine shop’
has replaced the village blacksmith. We had the pleasure of
visiting HELMER SEVERSON’S at Spring Valley, Wis. one day. He
has one mill, now working a woodlot, on which he installed a
transmission in connection with the feed-works. That evidently
overcomes the normal differences in sawing hardwood or soft wood,
large or small logs. His edger has a mounted power unit. Helmer is
now building a portable mill using truck frames holding the
stationary sealed bearings that supports the carriage. This mill
will have a mounted power unit with V belts running the arbor; and
feed-works thru a transmission. The set-works are to be
electrically operated. (I says to him, put a seat on it and
I’ll take it). Incidentally if someone wants to accept a
challenge to do some boiler work they can own a very nice Huber (14
hp) left hand flywheel, Engine No. 2829 at a very nominal cost. It
seems Helmer with his employment and saw mill end eavers admits he
just don’t get at it.

Got word JOHN HANSON at Lewis will be sawing logs again about
May 1 using his 30-90 Russell. Fact is 1 plan to bring some oak
logs there and tape record the Russell ‘in the collar’.
Here is a sawmill man with steam in his blood.

Our nephew on leave from the Navy gets married, but their
honeymoon gets deferred because of his wife’s employment. When
I got married I assumed all obligations and thus we’ve kept
going ever since, on a shoe string that is.

On April 28, we were invited to attend the Golden Anniversary
for EMMA and THOMAS THOMPSON at The Dovre Lutheran Church near
Chetek, Wis. (Somehow us steam men are a bit clannish.) This was
indeed an inspirational and enjoyable afternoon. Though Tom was a
full fledged thresherman prior to my day, we have known him for
many years thru our mutual interest. It was revealed that thru his
love for steam engines he met his wife in North Dakota; Emma may
have taken his mind off from other girls but she never got the
steam out of his blood. The Pastor in his comments remarked as how
quick and active Emma still is, and on pondering her age he knew
she must be over thirty since she has been married 50. The M.C, in
reminiscing Tom’s past was telling about going fishing one
evening with Tom. It was getting late and dark so to bait their
hooks they turned on the lights on their Overland and fishing
proceeded. In a short time it came to Tom ‘Maybe it would be
all right to hang a sack on one headlight to save on the
battery.’

Our local church sponsored a Birthday Party. Each circle of the
Aid was to decorate three tables, with Alice’s group
responsible for the Months of July, August and September. For the
August centerpiece she used my White’s model Case Thresher
together with BTYAN PETERSON’S White model Case engine; putting
a miniature pile of straw being the thresher and sewed several
miniature sacks and filled them with oats. No prizes were given,
but it was agreed that it would have won first place. MYRTLE and
WILBUR COLLINS of Pontiac, Ill., stopped in for a chat. They were
enroute home from a visit to the Lake Superior region. Wilbur has a
rare Kitten engine, besides, others. Evidently the Kitten has
nothing to do with cats since there are so few of them.

Sold a Fords on to RAY WOOD from over near Bruce, Wis. He has
collected several old time tractors, as well as other items. He is
the first victim

I signed for the $3.00 Album but he says it’s worth more.
Got to look him up this summer.

We had a nice letter from HAROLD WILLIAMS from And a, Minn., and
was glad to hear he is recovering from his serious fall last
August. How about some of his friends sending him a card or letter
as he is still on the mend.