Thursday

March 30, 2017

Then and now mowing lucerne.

April 1992: mowing our first stand of lucerne (alfalfa). The Leyland was our first tractor and we still use it today some 25 years later… just not for mowing. We give it easier jobs these days.

12 comments:

  1. That is an impressive lifespan for the Leyland.

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  2. Tractors can last a long time, even very old models when engines weren't nearly as well made as modern motors. That would be about an extra metre of lucerne cut per run compared to '92? I think it must be a lot easier to have the cutter in front of you than off to one side and behind.

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    1. The biggest difference is the ha/hr that we can now mow. The Leyland & mower had a 9ft cut, mowed at 8kms/hr cutting about 2ha/hr. Now we mow with a 16ft cutting front at 17kms/hr and can mow 7.5ha/hr.

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    2. That is a dramatic difference. The world's most efficient farmers using the best equipment.

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  3. That is the way life should. No need to quit with age, just take things a bit easier.

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  4. I notice that the modern alfalfa crop is much more even: modern plant breeding.

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    1. There has been improvements in plant breeding but it hasn't kept pace with the changes & efficiencies gained with machinery advancement in the same time. We have certainly got much better at growing alfalfa over the years though!!

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  5. How machinery has changed over the years :-) Diane

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  6. Those were the days....was that your first season of farming or just first season of that particular crop?

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    1. We bought our farm late 1990. It took us another year to get our first lucerne paddock established. The photo was taken mowing that first paddock.

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  7. The got the job done but I bet the later one is much better.

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  8. old friends are always best ,what marvelous view,lots of precious memories sprang !

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