IH Tractors on Montana Farm

[Old Binder Guy]

I placed the elevator picture down in the Truck forum, but wanted it here, showing Scotty Zion's IH truck, of which size I don't know, but he is moving an elevator into Moore, Montana and the farm behind the elevator is where my lovely wife of 43+ years grew up.

The other picture shows my 4568 helping another of Zion's trucks move the house I grew up in in the mid-1970s. It's not a great photo, but that tractor did a great job. We had a very steep hill to climb up and it pulled what Scotty guessed at about 90 tons with the house, trucks and truck... With a 1-1/2" nylon rope.

Gary

[Loadstar]

Thats an impressive old house Gary. I really like those older multi story homes. Your picture reminded me a bit of this one I took a couple of years ago at a local farm auction sale although this house is not quite as impressive. Nice pair of Loadstars sold at that sale.

[Old Binder Guy]

Loadstar,

I've been through some very hard knocks in my life, but so have a lot of other people. It was great growing up on the homestead near Lewistown and living in that great old coal heated house. I wouldn't trade my childhood for anyones. Come to think of it, I've had a good life. Period! I could write a book on all of the things I did as a kid, and I lived through it too.

That IS a neat house you show there and the Loadstars too! I had a 1600 Loadstar and I can't find any pictures of it.

Gary

[Tubacase47]

I placed the elevator picture down in the Truck forum, but wanted it here, showing Scotty Zion's IH truck, of which size I don't know, but he is moving an elevator into Moore, Montana and the farm behind the elevator is where my lovely wife of 43+ years grew up.

The other picture shows my 4568 helping another of Zion's trucks move the house I grew up in in the mid-1970s. It's not a great photo, but that tractor did a great job. We had a very steep hill to climb up and it pulled what Scotty guessed at about 90 tons with the house, trucks and truck... With a 1-1/2" nylon rope.

Gary

GAry:

It looks like Scotty was using an IH truck too. As I recall, he did have some.

Tom

[PALOUSE]

Aussie TD-40,

Thank you so much for you additional digging for this old wondering mind. I feel better about leaving them on my TD-40 now. It had the open spokes originally, but were replaced in 1950, when my uncle went through everything on this one, from the crank to the pto shaft. I didn't want it to look "too new" after painting it gray again. As long as they could be had either way, that settles it for me.

Palouse,

Thanks for sending along the combine photo. I have quite a few of different brands, with the front pivot wheel. We had two we used, of the old Advance-Rumelys with 20' headers when I was a kid. I hear what you say about the use of a TD-40 with a dozer. The one I just pictured last night, with the Holt dozer never ever broke a wishbone, to my knowledge, or at least while we had it. Our wide gauge industrial International had a broken wishbone when Dad and his brothers bought it, during WWII. It had been used to build B-17 runways at Lewistown, Montana during WWII. I'm not sure of its age, but I think it was a 1939 or 40 model? It pulled a scraper there and you'll see the winch on it in the photos. Being "industrial, it had a belly pan, originally had a massive steel grille - with crank extension and has a swiveling hook up front. It is the middle TD-40, in the stuck in Beaver Creek photo I took in 1950.

Gary

OBG...Maybe TD-40's were the tractors of choice for house moving back around 1940. This one was moving an old country schoolhouse into town following the consolidation of the school district into a big new building in town. It served as the vo-ag shop for about 15 years before the present one was built in the 50's. I'm amazed that they didn't burn it down, with welding classes on wood floors. But that was before my time there so not sure whether they actually did that.

[hardtail]

And I do enjoy the posts that you "seniors" have been doing on this forum lately. Keep it going. There are a lot of older folks that have a wealth of information and memories that we might never get to share since they have no interest or knowledge of computers and the net.

And I hope the term "senior" doesn't offend you guys since I dont' really know your ages. I'm getting up there myself at 53.

I couldn't have put it better myself Loadstar, I don't really have a predetermined image of the "seniors" other than I struck the motherload. I consider myself VERY fortunate to be able to share in your experiences and sometimes am almost in awe at the internet that allows people from all over the world to come together as one on common interests yet share geographic differences. All too soon this glimpse back into history will close from the ones who lived it and I'm sure a small percentage of those have embraced this modern keyboard avenue which just makes this more precious.

Palouse, I was on a bike trip over a decade ago and we rode west and south out of Idaho through Washington into Oregon, your country looks very familiar as we left Spokane and rode south past The Dalles. I remember stopping on a stretch and walked into a field and grabbed some dirt and it ran through my fingers like pepper. I thought without irrigation crops sustainability would be difficult, no fibre in the soil. What crops are grown through this region, I know of the OreIdo potatoe growers and thought this may include parts of eastern Washington?

[PALOUSE]

And I do enjoy the posts that you "seniors" have been doing on this forum lately. Keep it going. There are a lot of older folks that have a wealth of information and memories that we might never get to share since they have no interest or knowledge of computers and the net.

And I hope the term "senior" doesn't offend you guys since I dont' really know your ages. I'm getting up there myself at 53.

I couldn't have put it better myself Loadstar, I don't really have a predetermined image of the "seniors" other than I struck the motherload. I consider myself VERY fortunate to be able to share in your experiences and sometimes am almost in awe at the internet that allows people from all over the world to come together as one on common interests yet share geographic differences. All too soon this glimpse back into history will close from the ones who lived it and I'm sure a small percentage of those have embraced this modern keyboard avenue which just makes this more precious.

Palouse, I was on a bike trip over a decade ago and we rode west and south out of Idaho through Washington into Oregon, your country looks very familiar as we left Spokane and rode south past The Dalles. I remember stopping on a stretch and walked into a field and grabbed some dirt and it ran through my fingers like pepper. I thought without irrigation crops sustainability would be difficult, no fibre in the soil. What crops are grown through this region, I know of the OreIdo potatoe growers and thought this may include parts of eastern Washington?

Hardtail....If you were continuing to bear south by southwest as you pedaled out of Spokane, you would probably have passed through the tri cities pf Pasco, Kennewick and near Richland. That way you would tend to skirt by the richer farmlands know as the Palouse. That area starts pretty much after you break out of the trees south of Spokane and extends southward till you finally drop down into the Lewiston, Idaho valley along the Snake and Clearwater rivers. It tends to spill over just a little into Idaho all the way down. Here the topography is quite hilly, with deep topsoil, good, timely rainfall and four distinct seasons. It lends itself well to dryland farming of mostly soft white winter wheat, which remains the staple crop. Other pulse crops are intermixed with the wheat production, and Pullman, WA (home of Washington State University) bills itself at the "Pea and Lentil Capital Of The World". Other alternative crops are constantly being tried. Potatoes in Washington are raised further to the west, in the lower and dryer Columbia Basin, under irrigation, largely from the Columbia River via Grand Coulee Dam. Potatoes in Idaho are grown mostly in the southeast section, roughly southwest of Yellowstone Park. Idaho Falls is in the middle of that. (My daughter used to live there.)

Presuming I've guessed your general itinerary, you probably would have used highway 395 which tends to follow down the scablands brought about by the great glacial floods eons ago. Farmable lands in that area are spotty and the soils are lighter. Also rainfall is much less as you drop in elevation. This is a very thumbnail sketch, based on sheer speculation of what you might have seen. If you have any questions please don't hesitate.

(I can't find any spell check on this forum. Do I need to talk to Ivycat? This is embarrassing.)

[magicmikey]

Palouse

I think you should disregard spellcheck and keep those fingers limber. If I have a problem getting my tongue around any word I can always ask. The history lesson is not to be found in many places.

mike

[Dr. Ernie]

Maybe it is a good thing we do not have spell check, as half of the words we use would not be in the system and the other half we would be speending all day correcting our spelling.

The reason why the earlier 40's had both break peddels on one side is because a foot opperated clutch was a optional item, I have never seen one in pearson and suapect they were not a popular item. The 35's did not offer that option.

OBG, that is a nice looking house that you helped move, where did it come from and where was its destionation?

It is kinda amasing that this thread has not changed mutch. I wish I had a scanner I have some nice photos I'd like to post on this topic.

[Old Binder Guy]

I placed the elevator picture down in the Truck forum, but wanted it here, showing Scotty Zion's IH truck, of which size I don't know, but he is moving an elevator into Moore, Montana and the farm behind the elevator is where my lovely wife of 43+ years grew up.

The other picture shows my 4568 helping another of Zion's trucks move the house I grew up in in the mid-1970s. It's not a great photo, but that tractor did a great job. We had a very steep hill to climb up and it pulled what Scotty guessed at about 90 tons with the house, trucks and truck... With a 1-1/2" nylon rope.

Gary

GAry:

It looks like Scotty was using an IH truck too. As I recall, he did have some.

Tom

Tom,

Scotty had several IH trucks, as I remember him saying. He moved this house in the mid 1970s, but I met him in 1950 when he moved my uncle's house, in our neighborhood. At that time he used an old Army surplus 6X6, which he is using to move Jack Hoover's shay, to the Mehmke farm in 1955.

Gary

[Old Binder Guy]

Maybe it is a good thing we do not have spell check, as half of the words we use would not be in the system and the other half we would be speending all day correcting our spelling.

The reason why the earlier 40's had both break peddels on one side is because a foot opperated clutch was a optional item, I have never seen one in pearson and suapect they were not a popular item. The 35's did not offer that option.

OBG, that is a nice looking house that you helped move, where did it come from and where was its destionation?

It is kinda amasing that this thread has not changed mutch. I wish I had a scanner I have some nice photos I'd like to post on this topic.

Dr. Ernie,

That house was on Beaver Creek about 8-9 miles southwest of Lewistown, Montana. It was in the exact center of Grandpa's homestead and I sold it after a renter froze up the hot water heating system.. It was only moved about a half mile. I grew up living in the house and my dad would have been horrified about the freeze up, me selling it and it being moved. these pictures were taken on "the hill". It doesn't look steep (due to camera angle, looking downward), but take my word for it, it was. Scotty's old binder couldn't pull it without help.

Gary

Dr. Ernie & Palouse,

My dad and his brother's house moving went back quite a ways too. This was their 20 hp Reeves Highwheeler on front of a 32hp Reeves double simple, moving a house to upper Beaver Creek, for Dad's cousin, from Moore, Montana. The 1926 Model T pickup would put the picture somewhere around 1930? The first picture of the steam engines, is another camera angle illusion. The house was stuck in Rock Creek and the 32hp had spun out trying to get the house out, so my uncle Fritz took our Highwheeler to help out the rest of the way, as they had to yet cross Beaver Creek with the house. Another optical illusion is the fact the Yaeger engine looked larger than the rear engine, due to the "high wheels" and canopy of that Reeves Highwheeler. The rear engine was over a third larger in horsepower.

Gary

[PALOUSE]

And I do enjoy the posts that you "seniors" have been doing on this forum lately. Keep it going. There are a lot of older folks that have a wealth of information and memories that we might never get to share since they have no interest or knowledge of computers and the net.

And I hope the term "senior" doesn't offend you guys since I dont' really know your ages. I'm getting up there myself at 53.

I couldn't have put it better myself Loadstar, I don't really have a predetermined image of the "seniors" other than I struck the motherload. I consider myself VERY fortunate to be able to share in your experiences and sometimes am almost in awe at the internet that allows people from all over the world to come together as one on common interests yet share geographic differences. All too soon this glimpse back into history will close from the ones who lived it and I'm sure a small percentage of those have embraced this modern keyboard avenue which just makes this more precious.

Palouse, I was on a bike trip over a decade ago and we rode west and south out of Idaho through Washington into Oregon, your country looks very familiar as we left Spokane and rode south past The Dalles. I remember stopping on a stretch and walked into a field and grabbed some dirt and it ran through my fingers like pepper. I thought without irrigation crops sustainability would be difficult, no fibre in the soil. What crops are grown through this region, I know of the OreIdo potatoe growers and thought this may include parts of eastern Washington?

Sorry Hardtail...I just noticed in your profile that you are apparently a Harley owner. When you mentioned a "bike" trip down my way I just assumed you meant the pedal type. My younger bother used to do these long bicycle tours, usually in a group, and I just related to that.

I good friend of mine just acquired his first Harley--the machine of his dreams--- and that's about all I hear about these days. He bought it out of Utah and hauled it back to north Idaho at Thanksgiving time. It's stored in his sister's garage at the moment, awaiting better cycling weather in the spring.

[hardtail]

Palouse, no apologies necessary, I believe you are correct on our route back on that trip, I recall passing through Kennewick and we went south on 395 and then continued west along the Columbia River. We had started that morning leaving Coeur d'Alene had travelled down through Washington to Portland and down I5 to Eugene and west to Florence on the coast that day. Your pics reminded me of how familiar parts of that washington day had been. Enjoying your posts.

Lance

[Old Binder Guy]

I, earlier, talked of my grandfather buying a new McCormick Binder at the Lehman Mercantile at Cottonwood, Montana in 1884. I also stated I had a picture somewhere of a wooden wheel binder at Rollag, that I took a picture of. I finally found it.

I also found a picture of the 4568, 16hp Russell, and 15hp Case steam engines. Me and my old Uncle Bill, the last of Dad's eight brothers and second to the last of 16 sibblings, taken at the homestead near Lewistown, Montana, circa 1980.

The next picture is of my 22" McCormick Deering separator, several years ago. The last pictures aren't IH, but these Fords rate a place, likely, more near and dear than many IH things... Likely since I still have them! I bought the 1926 Model T Coupe in 1953 and the 1925 Model TT Truck in 1954. I restored the coupe and it is darn nice. The truck is original and it is darn nice. I'm having a hard time making it black again. There aren't that many of them out there in this condition. I haul thresher belts, grease, oil, steam oil, a little gas and a cooler, at our local old iron show.

Gary

[Dr. Ernie]

I have always wondered how Carl got the engine on the farm. It does not look that big untill you get up close to it. That house of yours is a nice looking house expicaly for that area, From my expieriances houses like that are few and far between. It is beautifule area and wonderfull people, but I have not meet many who put alot into their houses.

[Old Binder Guy]

I have always wondered how Carl got the engine on the farm. It does not look that big untill you get up close to it. That house of yours is a nice looking house expicaly for that area, From my expieriances houses like that are few and far between. It is beautifule area and wonderfull people, but I have not meet many who put alot into their houses.

Dr. Ernie,

Sadly, but joyfully, that Shay locomotive has gone to Arizona on a RR flatcar. I say sadly, as it looks like someone pulled a molar, up the draw behind Carl's house. Joyfully, because the entity receiving it there were going to spare nothing to get it back running in high style again.

I hear what you are saying about houses in that area. Actually there were several large old box houses similar to ours. Most of them were built after the turn of the 20th century and before the Great Depression. Ours was built in 1927. It is hard to explain the people there, to the rest of our country. I have to remember when I go back over "to the old country" from the Flathead Valley, that the farmers and people of the area all wave at you, driving down the highway... And with FOUR FINGERS and a THUMB! They are a protected breed of people that is fast fading into obscurity. This part of Montana has been Californicated beyond help. It is still prettier country here.

I'm posting an april snowstorm in the 1970s, at my father inlaw's place with his 1967 Ford buried in his driveway. The WD-9s are the reason for the picture. My wife still has that 1953 Ford F350 with hoist at right, however since it is in our son's shed, he kind of lays claim to it.

This second picture is of son Mike plowing with my 660 Standard Diesel and a Schaffer plow in the later 1970s.

The last picture is of my father inlaw, the late Lynn Simpson, carrying his lunch cooler as he'd been seeding with my 1256 and 150 shovel drills.

Gary

[JD Humm]

Wow, this thread has sure had some real nice photos and stories. Keep em coming, Old Binder Guy.

[M Diesel]

Great stories indeed. Really like the pictures, especially since nearly every picture has a flipper flapper pointing up.

Kinda rough looking in some parts of that ground. Guess they make disk plows for a reason.

What with Palouse chipping in, it's kinda like a tag team match.

[Loadstar]

I'm posting an april snowstorm in the 1970s, at my father inlaw's place with his 1967 Ford buried in his driveway. The WD-9s are the reason for the picture. My wife still has that 1953 Ford F350 with hoist at right, however since it is in our son's shed, he kind of lays claim to it.

This second picture is of son Mike plowing with my 660 Standard Diesel and a Schaffer plow in the later 1970s.

The last picture is of my father inlaw, the late Lynn Simpson, carrying his lunch cooler as he'd been seeding with my 1256 and 150 shovel drills.

Gary

Gary, I'm guessing that Degelman sold a few rock pickers in that part of the country judging by the ground in that 660 picture. Reminds me of some of my own land. I see you made good use of some of the bigger ones by the weight box on the back of the 'plow', I always want to call them tillers or diskers.

I'm not sure but we might have been hit by that same blizzard in late April or early May of 1970 as I remember it.

[Cotton Farmer]

It's taken me several days to go through this thread and IMO it's the best thread that been here in quite some time. Thanks OBG, Palouse and all that have contibuted pics and stories. Tom

[Red_Man]

Tom, I agree with you 100 %!

[Dr. Ernie]

OBG I got a kick out of the fuel can, It is not like the 1256 had a enormous fuel supply.

Carl sold the engine I'll be damed I heard that he sells some things on ocassion maybe I need to hit him up on the 24 that came from Andersons.

I failed to mention the boxcar houses, I have seen a lot and been in quite a few, they were common fare for home construction. They were cheap and easily moved due to their construction.

People from centeral Mt to eastern Mt have got to be the nicest people on a whole I have ever met maybe that is why I love the area so much. Their is supper nice natives oll over Mt. but as OBG says the Californication is frighting. I have to rember when I am in in the central area I HAVE to wave to every passing pu as it seams as if most know me by default I know a coupple of natives in Jordan who Have introduced me to all of Garfield county (pop in very small.)

[Old Binder Guy]

Thank you all for your kind words. I'm sure Palouse feels the same. It is nice when people appreciate the effort you go to. It is extra hard when digital technology and computers don't come as natural for old timers.

Loadstar,

You noticed the watch jewels in the 660 pictures... Notice there is already a big one or ones in the weight box on the back. The dealers would have called that Schaffer a "cylinder plow" and many would call it a disk plow or disk harrow. It is ground like this that requires so many acres to make it, hence the machinery required to farm it. When I left there in 1981, good farm land was selling for $300 per acre and the price went down later. Now it is up, I'm sure.

I am placing a Caterpillar picture here I took at the Mehmke Farm between Great Falls and Belt, Montana years ago. These were their farm tractors. Now everything is farmed with rubber tires and green paint.

The Cats are two D-8s, Two D-9s and the old dozer Cat is a D-7. I forget how much width those four Cats pulled in chisel plows, but around 75 feet each. It just takes a lot of land and equipment to make a go of it out here.

Gary

[Dr. Ernie]

Notice the BeeGee pumps and cat bars....

It was common for alot of farmers to use big crawlers. After all Haver the home of Big Bud is not far from Great Falls. Their was a auction a year ago or so where a farmer on the highline retired and sold 5 D-9H ag specials. They, as a rule refer to sections as terms of acerage, vs. just calling acres. I know a guy who farmed 23 sections, just a small farmer, I think his neighbor was around 52 sections.

[Tubacase47]

OBG I got a kick out of the fuel can, It is not like the 1256 had a enormous fuel supply.

Carl sold the engine I'll be damed I heard that he sells some things on ocassion maybe I need to hit him up on the 24 that came from Andersons.

I failed to mention the boxcar houses, I have seen a lot and been in quite a few, they were common fare for home construction. They were cheap and easily moved due to their construction.

People from centeral Mt to eastern Mt have got to be the nicest people on a whole I have ever met maybe that is why I love the area so much. Their is supper nice natives oll over Mt. but as OBG says the Californication is frighting. I have to rember when I am in in the central area I HAVE to wave to every passing pu as it seams as if most know me by default I know a coupple of natives in Jordan who Have introduced me to all of Garfield county (pop in very small.)

Ernie: Carl didn't own the Shay, his good friend Jack Hoover did. Email me at tomrailsback@prodigy.net for some more information.

Tom R.