Lessons Learned Database

[Land Owner]

Please post your LESSONS LEARNED with:

1. EQUIPMENT

2. IMPLEMENTS

3. HERBICIDES

4. OPERATIONS

5. You name the topic...

Make sure the Title/Topic of your Post is very specific so the post may be categorized. It is hoped to be able to come here often and scan through the listings to find what you are looking for.

Please offer SUGGESTIONS and RECOMMENDATIONS (another topic) for topics and ways to keep this information available.

There is nothing like finding the right information that describes a task or situation BEFORE you are faced with it. It is hoped that we can keep one another safer, be more productive, and once in a while laugh at ourselves for those NEAR MISSES.

[kodiakswitchback]

Originally Posted by Land Owner

Please post your LESSONS LEARNED with:

I guess I will start

1. EQUIPMENT - buy the best you can afford and take someone with you that is mechanically inclined

2. IMPLEMENTS - look for used farm equipment in old fields, can save you lots of money

3. HERBICIDES - Don't buy name brand herbicdes when generic work just as well. Spray when the wind is right

4. OPERATIONS - take care of your help, and grease and maintain you equipment

5. You name the topic...SATISFACTION

Make sure the Title/Topic of your Post is very specific so the post may be categorized. It is hoped to be able to come here often and scan through the listings to find what you are looking for.

Please offer SUGGESTIONS and RECOMMENDATIONS (another topic) for topics and ways to keep this information available.

There is nothing like finding the right information that describes a task or situation BEFORE you are faced with it. It is hoped that we can keep one another safer, be more productive, and once in a while laugh at ourselves for those NEAR MISSES.

So many ideas, but I guess we can build on this one

[munchman97]

LESSONS LEARNED

1. EQUIPMENT buy good equipment but talk to others first.

2. IMPLEMENTS buy good used implements but watch you buy

3. HERBICIDES follow direction close

4. OPERATIONS do not set your goal to high that you can not afford it.

[womblesd]

In hilly country, remember to stop your tractor and downshift to a low-range gear in order to let the engine brake for you. Last summer, I forgot to downshift, and I bounced all the way down a hill & almost ran off my levy into the pond! Lucky I did not tip the tractor over.

[wolc123]

Make sure your crank start tractor is in neutral before you turn the crank. Stick your loaded gun's muzzle in a downed deer's eye before you lay it down and get out your knife.

[banc123]

Originally Posted by wolc123

Make sure your crank start tractor is in neutral before you turn the crank.

I was having some problems with the neutral safety switch on mine so I jumped it to by pass it. Forgot I had done that and didn't use the tractor for a month or so. Cranked it up backed it out of the shed fine, turned it off to check the oil. Turned it back on (while standing to the side) so I could adjust the hyd arms and darned if that tractor didn't start up and go off down the road with no driver. I jumped out of the way, missed me plenty but I stood there and watched it go before I decided to catch up with it and do a dukes of hazzard reboard.

1. EQUIPMENT - It can kill you, be safer than you think you need to. If it can go wrong, it will.

2. IMPLEMENTS - They can kill you, keep them maintained , buy good quality and heavy duty. Price isn't everything.

3. HERBICIDES - Read the label and don't play scientist.

4. OPERATIONS - You'll never get everything you want to done, accept it and be happy with anything you do, no matter the outcome. Either you'll be successful or you will learn something if you're not, both are good. Failure is only temporary if you keep at it.

5. Food plots - experiment, not all deer prefer the same thing. Never believe that pH doesn't matter, it does. Soil test, a guess is just a guess. Work with what you have, don't worry about what you don't. i.e. 1/2 acre vs 5 acre plot , perfect soil vs not so perfect

[Land Owner]

No reason NOT to link to already excellent LESSONS LEARNED.

I recommend, as many of you have too, the EXPERT databases of http://www.ytmag.com/articles.htm
and in general http://www.yesterdaystractor.com.

[Land Owner]

I don't have eyes in the back of my head so watching the implement while driving forward on forested land I rimmed a tree between the front and rear tires. I broke the clutch pedal that way and was glad I didn't loose a foot.

[Land Owner]

Again in forested land and watching the implement, on occasion tree limbs are larger than they seem and can swat you off the seat or pin you to it.

Either way, the implement or the seat can KILL YOU; chopping you up or preventing inflation of your diaphragm (when your feet can no longer reach the pedals).

[Land Owner]

A bush hog without a front debris plate will shower your backside and kidneys with arm- and leg-sized high velocity missile hazards. The bruise lasted for weeks.