Black Shuck

One would hope so, but I feel like it's not a great sign when they spin their engines off into an entirely separate company...

I was back home in VT over the holidays and I couldn't believe what my buddy was telling me, I had no idea it had gotten that bad so quickly. Apparently the butterfat price crashed too to make it even worse. Absolutely terrifying, he was seriously concerned about his own viability.

The only problem I ever had with that transmission is the gap between 5th and 6th is too big, like I would have wanted to leave it in a 5.5th gear all day long.

My 826 hydro sold at auction in NY state yesterday for $7500, and while not perfect by any means I would say it was in better shape than any of those pictures.

First tractor I ever drove was a 7710. Fords were and are still common where I am from, great machines IMO, always thought they deserve a better reputation than being forgotten in the red vs green color wars.

I did something similar once, went a little too far onto the slope of the pile, broke through the layer of fresh corn into the previous day's that was soft. Tractor just started fishtailing and sliding sideways onto the slope, I was sure I was going over. Closest I've ever come to rolling a tractor. Packing without duals can get dodgy in a big hurry, I'm definitely a lot more wary than I was when I was younger.

Some of Monroe's stores are Case IH, for whatever reason neither of the VT ones are, or were last I knew when I was still in the state. Probably whatever reason there is, it's just as dumb as the logic behind being able to order Case parts from any Champlain Valley store, but only being able to get them shipped to Middlebury. I don't know what CNH is thinking, I know blue tractors have the history and brand loyalty more than red but that doesn't seem to be any reason to actively make running Case a bother.

I always thought the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum at Dulles Airport was top notch but that almost looks even better (although the Smithsonian does have an actual Space Shuttle). Shame it's on the wrong side of the continent for me.

Parallel is the right word, rapid exit is the term for the whole front gate/stanchion assembly lifting. Pretty slick, one guy can do a touch under 100 cows/hour in a double ten at a friend's farm, even including less than full sets at the end of each group. He has one person in parlor and one moving cows/other barn chores. I used to milk a double ten herringbone and was doing well if I could reliably get 75-80 through an hour. Mostly the difference is the rapid exit though. I personally like seeing the udder from the side in a herringbone instead of from behind in a parallel, but it does leave you more vulnerable to getting kicked because you're working right where the cow can go forward with her leg.

If you haven't heard Whiskey Myers you should check them out. Broken Window Serenade, Mud, and Headstone are probably my three favorite songs by them.

There were a whole slew of auctions this spring, haven't paid attention this summer. The one I went to, cows barely broke $1k, most were less. Hardly even worth selling out at that price. Milk price was $14-15 for most of the winter and spring, ticked up past $16 for one check, back a bit above $15 now. Looks like the Boston price is a little better than Seattle so I guess we don't even have it the worst. Given another couple dollars we could probably stop the bleeding enough to limp along, but not so sure about it the way things are right now. I hear FSA is doing a lot of refinancing work these days. Next hurdle is second cut--if the chopper tractor has a serious breakdown there's a good chance that's curtains right there. Once it's in the bunk we can tell ourselves it's an asset, but there's a bunch of diesel and labor to get it in.

It's bad in New England too. Second milk check this month will be down more than a dollar/cwt from the first. Just had a pile of heifers freshen in, but it might be too little too late. Guess we'll know by autumn.